Stuff I just don't understand, post here yours.

[Eldan]

I'll agree to the painting and sculpture part, and I'll add music for myself. Music is occasionally... nice. When paired with movies or games, mostly, as a background for atmosphere. But by itself? I'll never understand why people listen to music all the time. It's just annoying. Noisy. Doesn't make me feel much. (I recognize which feelings it's meant to elicit, see atmosphere comment above, but I don't feel it myself.) Much of it is repetitive, too, which I hate.

[Peelee]

I don't understand how people can believe in bat**** crazy things just because they hear the word "chemicals." For instance! Right now, this crazy lady is talking to my crazy coworker. I can type out what I'm hearing in real-time, even! "That's the reason people have cancer coming back sometimes, they get it treated and somehow the chemicals coat the cells and that lets the cancer regrow, but we need our cells cleansed so they can get oxygen and nutrients that they need." I have to stop here due to forum rules, because she's now talking about the bible and how it relates to essential oils.

My coworker is a sucker for stuff like this, too. I basically just have to not listen or not respond when she talks about her pseudosciences, because she'll just refute with more crazy until she just refuses to believe at some point.

Fun fact: crazy lady is now going on about dentists, and how she's lost teeth, but they just need to spray some of this stuff, and she knows its safe because her 7-year old granddaughter had a cold sore in her mouth before they knew it was safe to spray in your mouth and you know how kids are intuitive like that and the granddaughter said said, "i bet this will work" and sprayed it in her mouth and in the morning her cold sore was gone.

[Vinyadan]

I never understood what essential oils are. I once tried a mouthwash that contained them, and it tasted like diesel.

[Potato_Priest]

In our newspaper there was an article last year about how to cure various diseases with essential oils. Most of the treatments involved rubbing them on your feet.

[factotum]

I never understood what essential oils are.

They're oils that contain the "essence" of a plant (hence essential). Not sure what use they are apart from maybe putting into a burner and making your house smell nice, though...

[lunaticfringe]

They're oils that contain the "essence" of a plant (hence essential). Not sure what use they are apart from maybe putting into a burner and making your house smell nice, though...

It's basically distilled or concentrated plant, the uses are many. Historically this was done for scents & flavor but pharmalogically speaking it's too broad to assign a use to Essential Oils. Certain oils have different uses

Chili Oil is good for mixing into a spray to keep critters out of your garden & hypothermia I hear.

[Knaight]

Here's another one...What exactly constitutes Old School Gaming? I see people post about it a lot, and I don't really get if it is a mere mechanical thing, or if there are certain themes and plots to the actual story that really make it feel old school.

Are we talking about videogames or tabletop games here? Because the former is a bit vaguer than the latter, where the latter tends to refer to a combination of playing retroclones that are basically early D&D and loudly proclaiming how games were better in your day and modern gaming is terrible while not acknowledging the existence of anything outside D&D.

[NovenFromTheSun]

I'm not sure why romantic affection and sexual desire are assumed to be "meant" to go together. Asexuals and aromantics who aren't the other show that these things aren't inherently tied. Is it just a "two great tastes go great together" sort of thing?

[Knaight]

I'm not sure why romantic affection and sexual desire are assumed to be "meant" to go together. Asexuals and aromantics who aren't the other show that these things aren't inherently tied. Is it just a "two great tastes go great together" sort of thing?

It's more of a strong positive correlation thing - they don't have to go together, but they usually do, at least in conditions where they're at high concentration.

[Peelee]

Bytheway, Knaight, did you mean to quote my fun day?

[Knaight]

Bytheway, Knaight, did you mean to quote my fun day?

There might have been another half of the post planned at some point, but I don't remember what it was. As such, the quote is now gone.

[Kaytara]

I think this one is applicable here.

I'm unable to grasp what it is people get from looking at art. I can respect the skill that goes into making a painting, sculpture, etc., and I can look at a picture and go "oh, that's cool" but that's the sum total of my reaction. I don't have favorite art pieces, I don't feel any need to buy art to hang in my home, and there isn't any imagery that I feel passionate enough about to want to have it tattooed on my skin. I certainly don't begrudge people who are moved by art, and on an intellectual level I can understand discussions about one art style vs. another, but none of it really means anything to me in the same way that it seems to mean something to other people.

The same goes for dance as well. For me it's just... there.

Music, theatrical performances, stories, those I understand the appeal of and can appreciate.

Hm as someone who both makes art and likes SOME art... it depends on the kind of art. Some more realistic artwork (historical scenes, paintings of the ocean or ships or castles or whatever) transport you to a different place and time that maybe looks real enough. So it's briefly like standing on the same hill top as the artist was, who knows how many hundreds of years ago. Or standing on a hill top that only existed in the imagination of someone long dead. Both of which are equally cool experiences. Sometimes you can see scenes that you would in your lifetime probably never be exposed to in person, like the way THIS particular seedy alley late night in Amsterdam looks like, or THIS particular angle of some famous monument. It's a way to experience something different. And with visual artwork, the artist can show you what THEY want to draw your attention to, by use of colour and focus and detail and framing and composition. If the artist has a motif they keep coming back to, obviously dissatisfied, I find that really relatable and it makes me wonder what they were trying to capture. So it's "what were they trying to say?" It's a strangely intimate human connection to someone from the past or just from another life.

For other paintings, it's like a puzzle. You may see what's going on, then see a detail that changes your understanding of what's going on, or maybe you're noticing something that few people have noticed but the artist saw fit to include. Sometimes it's fun to guess at why the artist did what they did. I sometimes look at pictures and joke that this artist used this obviously religious commission as an excuse to draw several hyperrealistic dogs in the corner, which they were obviously more into than the rest of the painting. Sometimes you can tell which parts the artist spent more effort on. Sometimes you can spot mistakes. Sometimes you can tell, really obviously, that the reason certain characters are posed in such a way or covered by drapes is so the artist doesn't have to draw hands, or some other body part they're not fond of.

In short: making and sharing art is a pretty intimate experience. Looking at it, it's a little window into both the soul and the perception of a person you will probably never know. It is both a source of wonder and a reminder of our mortality and the passing of time.

Though on this note I might as well admit this doesn't extend to all art for me, and I have no clue what people get from most MINIMALISTIC art. There needs to be some content there for me. I don't get what people see in random lines or colour blotches or a black square on a white background, or why people hang it on their walls when to me, it's indistinguishable from the random pattern of the wallpaper. Someone explain this.

[factotum]

I can kind of see Velaryon's point about art. As a general rule, I don't appreciate realistic landscapes or portraits, because I think you could just take a photograph of the same scene. When the artist has captured something that either does not exist or is not easily photographable is when I start to get interested--so, all the old space art from the early part of the 20th century, for example.

[Vinyadan]

Then you should like Canaletto too, since some of his views are actually impossible, because of how buildings are located.

[Lady_Springtime]

I don't understand the concept/appeal of drinking for the purpose of intoxication. For that matter, I don't get why people who don't drink at all are assumed to be moralizing against those who do. I do, however, understand why I don't understand. Having been on a daily regimen of psych meds for over a decade on reaching the legal drinking age where I grew up, and being a more than a bit scared of side effects, I've never gotten drunk. I know that all alcoholic beverages taste good to at least some people, but I've also seen people who don't care about that adding as much high proof stuff to their drinks as they can.

In answer to a previous poster: hypocrites can function in real life due to a number of psychological coping methods such as cognitive dissonance or rationalization.

[lunaticfringe]

I don't understand the concept/appeal of drinking for the purpose of intoxication. For that matter, I don't get why people who don't drink at all are assumed to be moralizing against those who do. I do, however, understand why I don't understand. Having been on a daily regimen of psych meds for over a decade on reaching the legal drinking age where I grew up, and being a more than a bit scared of side effects, I've never gotten drunk. I know that all alcoholic beverages taste good to at least some people, but I've also seen people who don't care about that adding as much high proof stuff to their drinks as they can.

In answer to a previous poster: hypocrites can function in real life due to a number of psychological coping methods such as cognitive dissonance or rationalization.

Well sometimes it is the Drinkers guilt, like maybe they know they have work tomorrow and shouldn't be drinking. In my experience it is most often the NonDrinkers tone and justifications for not drinking.

I have declined alcohol on several occasions, just not a fan. "Nah I'm good, thanks though". That's it, never had a problem. Never had to explain more than *shrug* "I don't feel like it".

[ve4grm]

I don't understand the concept/appeal of drinking for the purpose of intoxication.

It's like any drug, really. From caffeine to pot to heroin. It induces a pleasant, if temporary, feeling. As a depressant, it is generally along the lines of a pleasant fog on the senses.

Also like any drug, it has some rather nasty side effects if done wrong, or in too high of dosage.

But unlike most other drugs, it's socially acceptable, at most levels below addiction. Even betting completely drunk and falling all over yourself is generally laughed off. (It really shouldn't be.)

For that matter, I don't get why people who don't drink at all are assumed to be moralizing against those who do.

The big part is that if they're already tipsy, their judgment is impaired. You may say "No thank you." in a friendly manner, but the inebriated brain reacts to it poorly because it is, by definition, impaired and can't judge and react to things properly.

This is also why people get into fights while drunk, are more promiscuous while drunk, etc. Alcohol in large amounts reduces inhibitions and impairs judgment.

So while sometimes the non-drinker is actually moralizing against alcohol, most of the time it's just that the drinker is inebriated and perceives it that way.

I do, however, understand why I don't understand. Having been on a daily regimen of psych meds for over a decade on reaching the legal drinking age where I grew up, and being a more than a bit scared of side effects, I've never gotten drunk.

Good on ya. Knowing what your limits are (in this case, zero) is a big part of drinking responsibly. More power to you for doing so.

[factotum]

Then you should like Canaletto too, since some of his views are actually impossible, because of how buildings are located.

I think that's maybe an over-literal interpretation of what I said. Canaletto's paintings are generally something that *could* exist in a photograph, even if they're not actually of a real place. A typical Escher or Bonestell image are of things that you couldn't just take a photo of. (And yes, I know Escher is technically a draughtsman not a painter, I still find his work fascinating).

[Knaight]

Well sometimes it is the Drinkers guilt, like maybe they know they have work tomorrow and shouldn't be drinking. In my experience it is most often the NonDrinkers tone and justifications for not drinking.

I have declined alcohol on several occasions, just not a fan. "Nah I'm good, thanks though". That's it, never had a problem. Never had to explain more than *shrug* "I don't feel like it".

There's plenty of people who will take "Nah I'm good, thanks though" as a personal attack on them and start getting really pushy about drinking, regardless of the tone and justification for not drinking. In my experience said group overlaps almost completely with the people who get really aggressive about other people not eating meat, and fairly heavily with people who get really upset when you don't share some hobby they love (maybe it's football, maybe it's videogames).

It's part of a general class of behavior where some people have trouble understanding mindsets that don't sort everything into mandatory and forbidden, and thus assume that anyone who doesn't view their stuff as mandatory is outright hostile to it in general as opposed to just not interested.

But unlike most other drugs, it's socially acceptable, at most levels below addiction. Even betting completely drunk and falling all over yourself is generally laughed off. (It really shouldn't be.)

As long as people aren't doing stupid stuff like getting into fights, driving, or drinking to the point where alcohol poisoning is a real risk, who cares if they're completely drunk and falling all over themselves?

[ve4grm]

As long as people aren't doing stupid stuff like getting into fights, driving, or drinking to the point where alcohol poisoning is a real risk, who cares if they're completely drunk and falling all over themselves?

Eh, drunk to the point of falling down is about the time those things you mention happen. And in many people, it's far more than they should healthily have. I'm not saying we need to stop people from doing it, but laughing at it discredits the potential seriousness of the situation. When you are actively impaired, and people are standing around laughing and feeding you shots, it's a recipe for potential disaster.

As long as there's someone there watching out for people, and taking care of them, I'm good. People should value their Responsible Friend (tm).

[Knaight]

Eh, drunk to the point of falling down is about the time those things you mention happen. And in many people, it's far more than they should healthily have. I'm not saying we need to stop people from doing it, but laughing at it discredits the potential seriousness of the situation. When you are actively impaired, and people are standing around laughing and feeding you shots, it's a recipe for potential disaster.

Actively stumbling around is a good sign it's time to stop drinking, but the issue here isn't the people laughing it off - it's the people deciding to keep feeding shots to the drunk person. A group of reasonable people can all get drunk together with no issue, a group of irresponsible frat bro morons egging each other on tends to end in stupidity of some sort, and that stupidity can be seriously damaging or even fatal.

I don't blame the hooch for that - I blame the irresponsible frat bro morons.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Actively stumbling around is a good sign it's time to stop drinking, but the issue here isn't the people laughing it off - it's the people deciding to keep feeding shots to the drunk person.

In that situation there is plenty of blame to pass around. The people that laugh are making light of a fairly advance stage of alcohol poisoning. Would you laugh at someone who is having trouble breathing or collapsing due to a heart attack? No? Then you have no business laughing at someone who has so much alcohol in his system his sense of balance is malfunctioning. Making light of the situation is what encourages others to keep giving the guy drinks.

The world of drinkers is not cleanly divided into "frat boys" and "responsible drinkers". Plenty of people - including me - have "amusing" stories of "what happened" at this office party or that - i.e. presumably responsible adults capable of holding jobs who just weren't responsible when it came to alcohol.

Now, blaming the alcohol? Obviously not directly like I blame enablers, since alcohol is non-sentient. But given that people know in advance this is a danger and decided to partake of alcohol anyway (rather than, say, tea or coffee, which are also culturally social drinks), yes, I can and do "blame alcohol" in an abstract sense.

Grey Wolf

[Knaight]

In that situation there is plenty of blame to pass around. The people that laugh are making light of a fairly advance stage of alcohol poisoning. Would you laugh at someone who is having trouble breathing or collapsing due to a heart attack? No? Then you have no business laughing at someone who has so much alcohol in his system his sense of balance is malfunctioning. Making light of the situation is what encourages others to keep giving the guy drinks.

Stumbling kicks in at 0.07 BAC. Alcohol poisoning isn't a serious concern until about 0.2 BAC, and even then it takes some fairly specific conditions prior to 0.3 BAC. A dose at 35% the lowest level for concern isn't an advanced stage of poisoning by any reasonable definition.

[Vinyadan]

I guess this is the result of using "intoxicated" instead of "drunk"?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Stumbling kicks in at 0.07 BAC. Alcohol poisoning isn't a serious concern until about 0.2 BAC, and even then it takes some fairly specific conditions prior to 0.3 BAC. A dose at 35% the lowest level for concern isn't an advanced stage of poisoning by any reasonable definition.

I find the definition "advanced enough to impair basic motor functions" perfectly reasonable. Impaired motor function can by itself cause death - say, the person that while drunk falls down a set of stairs or into a body of water and drowns. We are not machines. Just because they'd still need to take twice as much alcohol as they have so far to die of the alcohol itself doesn't make the stage of alcohol poisoning less advanced due to their increase risk of serious injury or death. The important bit is not the sheer amount of poison in the system but its physiological effects, and their risk to the individual.

Heck, from a strictly actuarial perspective, you are in an advanced stage of alcohol poisoning the moment you are too drunk to drive, which happens before the ataxia sets in.

And again, I note that making light of this is part of the problem.

Grey Wolf

[ve4grm]

I don't blame the hooch for that - I blame the irresponsible frat bro morons.

Right, so this got out of hand a bit. I think we all generally agree on the issue, but are talking around each other a bit, or making assumptions the other isn't making.

Of course the alcohol isn't at fault, it's the stupid people imbibing it badly. Full agreement. And I think on any point we differ, our arguments are now clear. I think I'm going to stop and let the thread continue with other stuff, rather than derail it into a side argument, where neither of us will convince the other.

[FinnLassie]

My sister, who has lived in Japan for 6 years, speaks almost solely in Japanese with one of her Finnish friends that also lives there.

Goes beyond me. (though of course, when it's time to gossip, it's Finnish speaking time :smallsneakytongue:)

[Chen]

My sister, who has lived in Japan for 6 years, speaks almost solely in Japanese with one of her Finnish friends that also lives there.

Goes beyond me. (though of course, when it's time to gossip, it's Finnish speaking time :smallsneakytongue:)

Is that really so odd? I know plenty of people who speak the language of the country they're in, rather than their native tongue, even to others who share the same native tongue. Comes from living in a place for a while I'd think.

[LughSpear]

Internet "debates".

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Is that really so odd? I know plenty of people who speak the language of the country they're in, rather than their native tongue, even to others who share the same native tongue. Comes from living in a place for a while I'd think.

It's usually a sign you've progressed enough in the new language to think in that language. It is easier to speak the same language you are thinking in.

GW