The $%*! frustration thread

[Sajainta]

I suppose the idiot thought I was one of those "I hate men" feminists.  And I have not met a single feminist who hates men, or who thinks that women are better than men.  I do admit that can be very misandristic, but that's not because I'm a feminist.

I was about to ask the moron why he celebrated Halloween when he wasn't a pagan, but then I had to leave because my friends were tired.  Bummer.  He deserved to be put in his place.

[tushantin]

"If you're a feminist why are you in a relationship?"
"If you're an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas?"

Hah! At these circumstances a friend of mine would often smile politely and say, "These questions are irrelevant. You may try again." Most of the time people get the idea (but sometimes at the cost of thinking you're a hypocrite, which is quite cringe-worthy).

Bringing about the "Halloween" and "Pagan" would have been quite witty too! 

[Sajainta]

Can't sleep.  Normally this would just be a *grumble grumble oh well I'll just take a nap around 8 pm* but friends are coming over around noon and so I have to stay up and be social.  -___-  I like my friends and all but I do NOT like entertaining guests while sleep-deprived.

[tushantin]

Can't sleep.  Normally this would just be a *grumble grumble oh well I'll just take a nap around 8 pm* but friends are coming over around noon and so I have to stay up and be social.  -___-  I like my friends and all but I do NOT like entertaining guests while sleep-deprived.

Here's a trick that's bound to work. Are you experienced with meditation? If so, then you probably know what to do. If not, just lie down comfortably in bed (preferably after a bath), close your eyes (and the lights) and shut down all thoughts, especially rational thoughts. Let your mind go blank, or simply let your mind flood itself with senseless images, but don't stay in control. Just get swept away. You'll fall asleep instantly.

[rushingwind]

I despise being put into situations where I can't say what I really think. People just want to be coddled, and I can't stand it.

EDIT: Lest this be misinterpreted, this isn't related to anyone here.

[Lord J Esq]

Oh, golly. You said it. I wouldn't even put it in the Frustration thread. I'd put it in the Hate thread. I hate having to make the decision that a given person is too much of a failure for me to be honest with them. It's a cliche in many circles, but in my life there really are few things more important than honesty. To have to make the choice not to show honesty is extremely disappointing.

[Sajainta]

I despise being put into situations where I can't say what I really think. People just want to be coddled, and I can't stand it.

This.  Thank you.

Another irritation is when someone says "Oh please be honest with me", and then you ARE honest with them and they get upset and defensive because they didn't really want honesty, they wanted to be coddled.

[rushingwind]

YES. I can't stand the cries of, "But I want honeeeesty!" And then when you're honest, all hell breaks loose and you get shunned. Grrr.

I'm very fortunate to have some friends with whom I can be completely honest, without fear of losing their friendship! My family, however... I'm not so lucky in that regard!

Can't win them all!

[Sajainta]

C. S. Lewis.  More specifically, people who kiss the ground he walked on.  Perhaps this is only a big deal within Christian circles, but growing up everyone around me acted like Lewis was the second coming of Christ.  The Trinity might as well have been God, the Holy Spirit, Jesus, and C. S. Lewis.  And I am just so tired of it.  Please stop acting like everything the guy wrote is an extension of the Bible.

He was a decent writer but he is one of the most overrated people ever.

[Truthordeal]

Well that doesn't sound like any of the other authors who have written contemporary epics. Especially not J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, Joss Whedon or Issac Asimov. Nope. All of their fans are completely sane and subdued.

[Sajainta]

Did practically everyone you know act like any of those authors were the second coming of Christ and claim their work was god-breathed?  Did you grow up in an environment where the writings of any of those authors were considered to be almost on par with the Bible (by peers and authority figures and teachers)?  Were you taught in elementary school, high school, and college by teachers and professors that the writings of any of those authors were almost as important as a religious text and that the writings of any of those authors were near-perfect?  Were you personally chided by professors when they found out you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did any of your professors consider you to be morally inferior because you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did you know anyone who claimed that any of those authors were just as important to Christian theology as Jesus and Paul?  Did any of those authors come up in every single course you took in college?  Even if it was a geology course or an American literature course?

[skylark]

Did practically everyone you know act like any of those authors were the second coming of Christ and claim their work was god-breathed?  Did you grow up in an environment where the writings of any of those authors were considered to be almost on par with the Bible (by peers and authority figures and teachers)?  Were you taught in elementary school, high school, and college by teachers and professors that the writings of any of those authors were almost as important as a religious text and that the writings of any of those authors were near-perfect?  Were you personally chided by professors when they found out you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did any of your professors consider you to be morally inferior because you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did you know anyone who claimed that any of those authors were just as important to Christian theology as Jesus and Paul?  Did any of those authors come up in every single course you took in college?  Even if it was a geology course or an American literature course?

Oh cripes, don't tell me you live in Texas.

All right, I've got a rickshaw and 12 cartons of Mountain Dew. Get D and we're blowing this popsicle stand.

To Vegas!!!

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*cough* Yeah, I have no idea where that came from.

[Sajainta]

Oh cripes, don't tell me you live in Texas.

Nope.  I grew up in Scotland and the Philippines and went to college in the Midwest.

Christian fundies are all over the world, unfortunately.  :/

[Truthordeal]

Did practically everyone you know act like any of those authors were the second coming of Christ and claim their work was god-breathed?  Did you grow up in an environment where the writings of any of those authors were considered to be almost on par with the Bible (by peers and authority figures and teachers)?  Were you taught in elementary school, high school, and college by teachers and professors that the writings of any of those authors were almost as important as a religious text and that the writings of any of those authors were near-perfect?  Were you personally chided by professors when they found out you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did any of your professors consider you to be morally inferior because you didn't enjoy the works of any of those authors?  Did you know anyone who claimed that any of those authors were just as important to Christian theology as Jesus and Paul?  Did any of those authors come up in every single course you took in college?  Even if it was a geology course or an American literature course?

To be bluntly honest, the answer to most of those questions is yes. Harry Potter in particular, especially when I was growing up. I'm not a fan of the "fantasy" genre of literature, so unfortunately I had to go through about 12 years(and counting) of hearing about it nonstop, while not being clued in to any of the in-jokes and references. It permeated every fiber of my childhood culture and that includes my church!

As for the Christian thing, that brings up the point that C.S. Lewis was an actual, well respected, lay theologian. Aside from his novels, he also wrote several scholarly papers about the English medieval era as well as Christian apologia. To criticize him for his appeal to Christians in theology is like criticizing Spenser for his appeal to Protestant and Classical symbolism(and the patrons thereof). I understand it's annoying to be exposed to so much of his fanbase, but don't hate the author for his talent.

[Sajainta]

To be bluntly honest, the answer to most of those questions is yes. Harry Potter in particular, especially when I was growing up. I'm not a fan of the "fantasy" genre of literature, so unfortunately I had to go through about 12 years(and counting) of hearing about it nonstop, while not being clued in to any of the in-jokes and references. It permeated every fiber of my childhood culture and that includes my church!

So...you had professors say your morals were skewed for not liking Harry Potter and had professors in college say Rowling was as important as Jesus and that the books were god-breathed?

"Hearing about it nonstop" and in-jokes are not the same as what I said.  I've heard about a lot of things I didn't enjoy nonstop without being told they were in the same category as the Bible.

As for the Christian thing, that brings up the point that C.S. Lewis was an actual, well respected, lay theologian. Aside from his novels, he also wrote several scholarly papers about the English medieval era as well as Christian apologia.

Yes yes, I know that.  We studied him in a theology course I took.  I wrote a paper on The Great Divorce.

However, being a respected theologian does not put you on the same level as people who wrote the Bible.

To criticize him for his appeal to Christians in theology is like criticizing Spenser for his appeal to Protestant and Classical symbolism(and the patrons thereof).

When on earth did I say that?  I'm criticizing his fans--not him.  I don't particularly care for him, but that is purely a personal preference.  I said he was overrated because he is consistently compared to people who wrote the Bible and is constantly being brought up as this near-divine human being.  I would describe anyone with that kind of fanbase as being overrated, because (from a theological perspective) NO ONE can be put on the same level as the Bible.  Unless God himself comes down and says "Hey, so, all the shit Lewis said was god-breathed and inerrent" then I will continue to think that he's overrated.  He isn't perfect.  He isn't God's mouthpiece.  Thus, he's overrated in my book.

A lot of people appeal to Christians.  Not everyone is treated like a saint.  C. S. Lewis is treated like a saint by most of the Christians I know.

I understand it's annoying to be exposed to so much of his fanbase, but don't hate the author for his talent.

Please point out where I said that I hated Lewis.  And please point out where I said I hated him for his talent.