Serious Theories

[Lord J Esq]

This is a thread for theories which may be far-fetched at first glance, but to which you actually subscribe! Here are a few of mine:

1. I think humanity's obsession with disaster porn (e.g., 2012) and dystopian societies of the future is a subconscious expression of their frustration at their lack of understanding of the world around them, and of their perceived powerlessness in it. The world is a big place now. Technology is increasingly hard for laypeople to understand. The social power structure seems as inaccessible as ever. Pop culture is as devoid of insights and patience as it ever was. Yet there are no mass die-offs. The world doesn't end. Life continues every day. For the powerless, the disenfranchised, the superficial, and the willfully ignorant, it must feel a little bit like Hell. I think they think destruction is the only change that humans are really good at. It transcends the political spectrum. It seems to be a symptom of Western success, success in which many individuals feel they do not share and cannot trust.

2. I think fat-bashing is so bad in our society not because being fat is actually as terrible as we make it out to be, but because the worst bigots are, variously, jealous of fat people's perceived freedom and satisfaction, or actually find fat people to be attractive and are in the throes of sexual denial. (And sexual denial, of course, is one of the most virulent sources of human hatred.) In both cases, the bigotry against fat people actually makes things worse for the bigots. Hatred is often like that: It doesn't just harm the innocent. It is self-destructive too. Notice, also, that bigots never scrutinize themselves the way they scrutinize their victims. It's always about health, economics, and the environment for them...all of which are red herrings. Never is there any outward indication of the jealousy or denial which I theorize to be most bigots' true motivation, which would make sense.

3. Western society will, in this century, leave behind the consensus-driven philosophy which has seen our power structures increasingly hindered in recent decades by the dilution of executive authority into committees, councils, panels, and boards. This will reverse a trend that is now half a century old. The reason we will leave it behind is simple enough: It doesn't work. Deceptively, at present the trend is only intensifying and there is yet no obvious sign of a retreat. In the meanwhile, what will not change is the growth of networking which has accompanied the growth of the consensus-driven executive. New construction, for instance, will continue to have to get environmental approval.

[FaustWolf]

Science fiction has a large hand in driving actual scientific developments; we apparently can't help but bring to fruition those things that fascinate us most. Therefore, fully functional humanoid robots will exist at some point this century, though hopefully they will provide services instead of, you know, killing us off and stuff. Although, with the "Predator" drones and this "Skynet" Great Britain seems to be developing...

But science fiction gives us a heads up about future advances, so that we can begin discussing their societal impact on us well ahead of time. We need to take the question of humanoid robots seriously! Seriously, I say!!

[Thought]

1. It is my belief that, if one could actually pull it off, the following in-line rhyming scheme would be very interesting for a poem:

A A'|B' B
B B'|C' C

Where the end of A and the beginning of A' rhyme, the end of A' and the beginning of B' rhyme, and the end of B' and beginning of B rhyme. And so on.

I am in no way a poet enough to actually put even a single line together like that, unfortunately. Also, please note, I only said that this would be interesting. I make no claims on if such a rhyming scheme would actually sound good.

2. It is also my belief (currently not researched at all) that one's immune system could be used as a means of identifying a rapist, at least in certain cases. Foreign biological matter is left inside the body and would need to be disposed of. To my understanding, the immune system is involved in the isolation and deconstruction of this matter. Given that the immune system is capable of recognizing specific viruses, it seems reasonable that it would develop the same responses to a particular individual's sperm. The individual raped then should have specific antibodies codes to the rapist’s sperm. If those antibodies could be isolated and compared to a suspect, a match should be able to be made.

Unfortunately, I have no idea of that is an accurate representation of the capabilities of the human immune system.

[Truthordeal]

I think that the Republican Party is currently using Sarah Palin as a meatshield to distract the news media from other potential GOP candidates for 2012, i.e., Newt Gingrich, Bobby Jindal, Lindsey Graham, Mike Huckabee, hopefully Rudy Giuliani.

You liberals need to stop henpecking Palin and start going after some of these guys. Of course, if you don't, bonus for me.

[Lord J Esq]

I suspect that most people who actually believe in any given doomsday scenario, especially one of those very specific ones like the 2012 Mayan Calendar scenario, are mildly (or more) schizophrenic. I'm not talking so much about the people who actually start these doomsday theories, who are usually hucksters, but about the inevitable minions who flock to the horn call.

From the way psychologists describe schizophrenia, the symptoms match up with these people's behavioral dispositions all too well.

[GenesisOne]

The Mayan Calendar scenario is basically this...



It'll just go back to the year 0 for the now-deceased Mayans.  See you guys in 2013.

[Thought]

It is my belief that there is an audible difference between how individuals pronounce "right" and "write." Indeed, I suspect that most homophones really aren't that; people are just often too lazy to pay attention to the differences.

My research into this is rather slow going, however, as people generally suspect I am up to a prank when I ask them to specifically say the words so I can test to see if I can tell the difference just by listening.

Bazinga.

[FaustWolf]

While I would hate to generalize in Lord J's presence ( ), I can report from my own experience that I place an emphasis on the "w" in write that differentiates it very slightly from right.

However, you may be invoking a kind of Uncertainty Principle in collecting test samples, wherein suggesting that there is a difference between the pronunciations of these words biases the test subject. Similar to how science fiction biases the development of the writer's civilization in some way. Would we have had V2 rockets without 1880s sci fi? Would we have Gundams without 1980s anime?

[Truthordeal]

FW, you probably use an aspirated w. There's another, more proper word for it, but I can't remember it at the moment.  Seth MacFarlane once made a joke about this with his ever-popular "Cool hWhip" skit.

In any event, Thought, it's not unreasonable. I don't know anything about the phonology of British English, so I can't speak too much to it.

[Thought]

I hereby hypothesize that the purpose of a critical analysis of literature (here being used to define a book, movie, poem, comic, etc) is two-fold. The first is to examine the technique and largely cultural place of the world. The second, however, is emotional: a critical analysis should provide the reader with new ways to consider the work, with the intent of imparting a love of the work and a new way to consider that love. To have a dispassionate analysis is to have a bad analysis.

The "themes" of a work, therefore, are not inherent to the work but rather different tools for examining the work. Different kinds of light, as it were, for us to admire the beauty of the gem.

To offer an example: this morning I was listening to the Iron Man movie soundtrack, specifically the song "Mark I." I love the use of anvil-like sounds and trumpet-like instruments around the 48 second mark. It occurred to me that part of the reason I like this is the sense of the forge that it is associated with. Tony was not just making a suit of armor, he was remaking himself. The concept that the creation of Iron Man was symbolic of the recreation of a normal man might be something discussed in an academic setting. But I am proposing that unless the intent of that discussion is emotional, that the goal is to help give the listener goose bumps the next time they listen to the song, then it has failed. Just as poetry should help evoke an emotional response, so too should a critical analysis. Sure, some unemotional information will be transmitted, but that isn't what the activity is about.

[hiddensquire]

I believe that the aesthetic appeal of the lower private areas of both females and males is actually incredibly low.  People come to view those parts of the anatomy as pleasing to the eye only through the associated pleasure they receive during sexual stimulation while concurrently looking at said parts.

FW, I'm fairly certain your sci-fi idea is a common enough belief.  In fact, pretty much all fiction is just a series of "what if" scenarios that you can often take lessons from in daily life.

[Lord J Esq]

I believe that the aesthetic appeal of the lower private areas of both females and males is actually incredibly low.

That's not a theory. That's a personal taste. But as a matter of record I agree with you.

People come to view those parts of the anatomy as pleasing to the eye only through the associated pleasure they receive during sexual stimulation while concurrently looking at said parts.

I suppose that qualifies as a theory. =P

[Thought]

I propose a sociological experiment!

Perhaps you have heard of the book "Black Like Me"? John Howard Griffin, a journalist, used certain drugs to make his skin black so he could pass as a black man and he then travelled parts of the US to observe what life was like. His book helped crack open the "secret" disparities between whites and blacks.

I propose... "Fat Like Me"! A relatively well to do individual who has led a thin-life will intentionally become obese under the supervision of a doctor in order to examine what life is like for overweight individuals.

I don't fit any of the necessary criteria, but it would still be interesting to read. In fact, maybe someone's already done something like this... *goes off to search*

EDIT: Sort of. There is apparently a made for TV movie called "To Be Fat Like Me" which was based on a documentary called "Fat Like Me" produced by ABC News. It seems a little limited scope, but I'll have to check it out and see what's what.

[ZeaLitY]

I'm not sure if it was part of that, but ABC also did that two or three times on Good Morning America. I recall the highlights being fewer doors held open, grumpier service, and less eye contact.

[Lord J Esq]

I have a new theory which states that the degradation of a generation's power to control the cultural framework of its successor generation was instrumental to the rapid socioeconomic advances in the United States in the second half of the 20th century. I would also apply it generally. I'll call it "The Elvis Effect": When a young, ascendant generation is able to exceed the forces of tradition and assert itself on its own terms, significant social changes are inevitable due to the pent up voltages (or "pressures") of existing injustice and imperfection.