Etymological

24th February 2012

Post reblogged from the girl who swallowed a star with 3 notes

breezedigital:

so a friend told me to google “argonian” and click google images….

OH GOD RULE 34 EVERYWHERE.

WHY IS IT FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND NEAT ART OF THE BEAST RACES.

WHY IS IT ALL FURRY PORN.

WHY DID I EXPECT OTHERWISE.

Tagged: SkyrimArgoniani don't know what i expected

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Source: madoka-rat

20th February 2012

Post with 1 note

TL;DR weirdos reinforce weirdness

Received a message casually pointing out the overlaps of “Gamer + Atheist + Nerd + No attention span + Alcohol = Redditor, also = non monogamist” and my response quickly turned into a damned essay because I am delirious.

Feel free to put in your two cents - if there are any actual papers out there about this crap, let me know!

—

There does seem to be a complicated Venn diagram of queer¹ / non-monogamous / kinky / gamer / atheist or pagan / physical or mental disorders² / typical “nerdy” interests / substance abuse.

My hypothesis is that being non-traditional in one way when young often leads to questioning and rejecting other aspects of mainstream society and sexuality. If you are (or like) this thing, and people don’t like it, then what else is fine but socially unacceptable?

The nerd/geek community provides a relatively welcoming space for people who are viewed as weird in some way, which reinforces the standard array of nerdy interests (British media, science fiction, videogames, anime, etc.) as well as the unique speech patterns³ and etiquette of nerds. Reddit is just one of many places for nerds to congregate.

Then the substance abuse comes into play. Feel like an outsider, or have some sort of mental health problem, or are torn up about your sexuality? Coping mechanisms⁴! Alcohol, weed, and other substances, in conjunction with the escapism offered by the nerd interests… I’m not even going to deny that I basically use booze to fill the hole left by fandom⁵.

So yes, there’s your brief essay on “why do weirdos seem to be weird in the same ways”.

1. Including, but not limited to: homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transgender, or other non-cisgendered-heterosexual options.

2. Note the prevalence of autistic spectrum disorders, anxiety problems, bipolar, depression, ADD; also remember the stereotype of the weak, sickly, asthmatic dweeb with the full-headgear braces.

3. Ask me more about the nerd accent some other time, it’s really interesting!

4. Nerds are also seem more likely to use substances out of curiosity and experimentation. I’ve known a lot of folks who have tried things like hallucinogens just to find out what they’re like.

5. Now, the reasons for needing coping mechanisms are all different - mine is an inability to deal with constant stress, and getting stressed out too easily.

Tagged: tl;drlate-night rambleoverthinking muchnerd cultureweirdosis this a blog?

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4th January 2012

Post with 3 notes

And running,

Sometimes you see a kite so high, so wise it almost knows the wind. It travels, then chooses to land in one spot and no other and no matter how you yank, run this way or that, it will simply break its cord, seek its resting place and bring you, blood-mouthed, running.
       ”Jim! Wait for me!”
       So now Jim was the kite, the wild twine cut, and whatever wisdom was his taking him away from Will who could only run, earthbound, after one so high and dark silent and suddenly strange.
       ”Jim, here I come!”
       And running, Will thought, Boy, it’s the same old thing. I talk. Jim runs. I tilt stones, Jim grabs the cold junk under the stones and— lickety-split! I climb hills. Jim yells off church steeples. I got a bank account. Jim’s got the hair on his head, the yell in his mouth, the shirt on his back and the tennis shoes on his feet. How come I think he’s richer? Because, Will thought, I sit on a rock in the sun and old Jim, he prickles his arm-hairs by moonlight and dances with hop-toads. I tend cows. Jim tames Gila monsters. Fool! I yell at Jim. Coward! he yells back. And here we— go!

Tagged: ray bradburysomething wicked this way comesI could tag this with lots of fandom bullshit but I'd like it to stand on its own

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