Venting.

[Darth Logos]

I don't blast Mozart for revenge, though.  I just do it because I like it.  

Also, gettin' real tired of random words suddenly having their meaning changed.  When did "mediocre" become a noun?  "I don't like that guy.  He's a mediocre."

A mediocre . . . what?

Correct them by saying either drop the "a" or use a different word.

But you've never used an adjective as a noun? Like calling ordinary people "mundanes"?

[Darth Knox]

Correct them by saying either drop the "a" or use a different word.

But you've never used an adjective as a noun? Like calling ordinary people "mundanes"?

i call ordinary people (those who aren't geeky) muggles. does that count?

[Noctis]

Correct them by saying either drop the "a" or use a different word.

But you've never used an adjective as a noun? Like calling ordinary people "mundanes"?

It's not my job to correct the idiots.  That's also why I said the meaning of the word.  The people using the words don't know what the actual definition of the word is in most cases.  They're using it to mean "stupid person," which is not what mediocre means.  It's different if they're nouning an adjective and the meaning stays the same.  Which it doesn't in the instance I talked about.

i call ordinary people (those who aren't geeky) muggles. does that count?

Well, they aren't experiencing the magic of being a geek, so I think it's still the same, if you ask me.    Maybe we should just invent other terms ourselves to be cool.   Geek vanillas. 

[Darth Knox]

It's not my job to correct the idiots.  That's also why I said the meaning of the word.  The people using the words don't know what the actual definition of the word is in most cases.  They're using it to mean "stupid person," which is not what mediocre means.  It's different if they're nouning an adjective and the meaning stays the same.  Which it doesn't in the instance I talked about.


Well, they aren't experiencing the magic of being a geek, so I think it's still the same, if you ask me.    Maybe we should just invent other terms ourselves to be cool.   Geek vanillas. 

until muggles came along I was using the term "uneducated heathens". Bit harsh looking back on it now.

I do agree that we should come up with our own term for them though

[Jev Moldara]

Those sad people whose entire concept of entertainment includes reality television, sports, and stupid sitcoms? Yeah, I call them "mouth breathers."

[Noctis]

until muggles came along I was using the term "uneducated heathens". Bit harsh looking back on it now.

I do agree that we should come up with our own term for them though

Those sad people whose entire concept of entertainment includes reality television, sports, and stupid sitcoms? Yeah, I call them "mouth breathers."

You two are A+ individuals.  That is all.

[Darth Justicar]

until muggles came along I was using the term "uneducated heathens". Bit harsh looking back on it now.

I do agree that we should come up with our own term for them though

Funny, but in Harry Potter, the use of the word "muggles" always grated on me.  I can't imagine casually throwing around derisive terms like that helped the wizards' attitudes any.  (Mind you, it made sense as an authorial choice exactly because of the attitude it demonstrates.)

[Noctis]

So this is half vent and half "WTF?," buuuut . . .

I mentioned this before, but the gas company has been digging up everyone's yard this past week or two to fix some kind of leak *insert ominous music here*, but yesterday, they had this machine outside that was "pumping" something out ofl/into the ground.  I'm ignorant about this kind of thing, so I don't know a damn thing about what they were doing, but the machine was VERY loud and it was rattling my windows from 5 houses over.  I was getting super irritated with it, but whatever, they're just doing their job.  However, 7 hours of noise does tend to wear on a person.   

The weather looked horrible and sure enough, it started raining after a while.  When it began to pour down,  two of the workers got in the truck, but the third didn't get inside with them?  I don't know why.  It looked like there was plenty of room (it was a king cab).  Instead, he climbed INSIDE THE MACHINE, pulled the flap down, and just perched there for a good hour until the rain stopped.

The machine was turned off, but uh, doesn't exactly look like somewhere you'd want to sit?   Later, that same guy climbed out and happily jumped into one of the holes they had dug.  When he climbed out, his clothes were completely brown.  THEN, he got in the truck. 

What the hell?

[Darth Logos]

It's not my job to correct the idiots.  That's also why I said the meaning of the word.  The people using the words don't know what the actual definition of the word is in most cases.  They're using it to mean "stupid person," which is not what mediocre means.  It's different if they're nouning an adjective and the meaning stays the same.  Which it doesn't in the instance I talked about.

Oh...well in that case just wash your hands of them.

until muggles came along I was using the term "uneducated heathens". Bit harsh looking back on it now.

I do agree that we should come up with our own term for them though

I always preferred Don Rickles' choice..... "You uncultured swine"

Those sad people whose entire concept of entertainment includes reality television, sports, and stupid sitcoms? Yeah, I call them "mouth breathers."

Ugh. My 3 most hated form of television.

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

Muggles was supposed to be grating. As was mudblood. It was a way to show the bad guys as parallel to racist or any other hateful prejudist. That hatred is what culminated in the battle in the end. The hate of muggles and fear of who shall not be named brought them all together to do evil under his banner.

Some on the autistic spectrum call those not on the spectrum neurotypical or NT. Like Seth Green's character did in The Story of Luke. I feel there is a negative connotation linked to it for someone who can't think outside their own little way to make even a little effort to understand someone who is unique and different. Yet, the use of such terms is a response of judgment not unlike how someone who thinks themselves 'normal' think that's somehow better than 'not normal'. Neurotypical thinking is as bound and small minded as calling someone geek, nerd or muggle. We're proud of our creative, intelligent, scientific, artistic, technological and so called 'geeky' stuff. But, it's not some exclusive club so we can look down on someone who hasn't gotten into it...yet.

[Darth Justicar]

The scary thing about the term Muggle (and Squib) as opposed to mudblood was that the former was so normalized that even some of the most well-meaning people, like the Weasleys, used it with abandon.  Good guys, in other words, partook in a better-dressed form of the same elitism.

And you're right to point out the use of NT in inappropriate manners, as opposed to a cold and nonjudgmental scientific context.  As someone with synesthesia, I could technically use the term, for instance, on someone who doesn't experience their senses in the same way as I do, but I would use GREAT caution to avoid any sort of negative judgment in the rest of what I was saying, and to keep what I was saying in a strict scientific light.  That's a personal opinion, though.

[Jev Moldara]

The scary thing about the term Muggle (and Squib) as opposed to mudblood was that the former was so normalized that even some of the most well-meaning people, like the Weasleys, used it with abandon.  Good guys, in other words, partook in a better-dressed form of the same elitism.

And you're right to point out the use of NT in inappropriate manners, as opposed to a cold and nonjudgmental scientific context.  As someone with synesthesia, I could technically use the term, for instance, on someone who doesn't experience their senses in the same way as I do, but I would use GREAT caution to avoid any sort of negative judgment in the rest of what I was saying, and to keep what I was saying in a strict scientific light.  That's a personal opinion, though.

I've always been fascinated with synesthesia. The idea of your brain being crosswired is an interesting one. The ability to smell colors or hear a scent is a unique and interesting ability. I know that it can be a blessing and a curse, though.

In fact, my friend and I are writing a story at the moment and one of the characters (based partly on myself) is a computer programmer who has synesthesia. His particular form? He sees mathematical equations and computer code and it interprets in his brain as music. If there's something wrong with the equation/code, it comes across as a dissonant chord in the orchestra to him.

I hope that it's a good portrayal of synesthesia, though...

[Darth Justicar]

I am not sure if it would work that way, to catch what amounts to grammatical errors, though I would not rule it out, because the perceptions of each person with synesthesia are unique.  Some forms CAN aid with basic pattern recognition (such as catching typos in written words) or dissonance, but not all.  For example, where a lot of people with sound to sight synesthesia can use theirs to distinguish pitch to a fine degree, I can't. 

My ears happened to cross link to a part of the visual cortex that is responsible for shapes and lights and not for color--so I perceive sound as shapes in light and dark, completely colorless, and see how each component is being manipulated.  Which might sound boring or disappointing but it's not at all.  Beauty comes from contrast, pattern, and movement.   With the right training I'd probably make a great DJ, audio engineer, or music producer because I'm very sensitive to how an album is produced.

It all depends on which neural connections shear away during brain development and which don't, and that can be quite random.  Heck, there are even differences as to whether the responses are perceived outwardly, or mostly or entirely registered internally.  Even in the latter case, the absolute consistency and involuntary nature of the response is what makes it clear it's a sensory process as opposed to a delusion.

I don't really have any downsides, personally, except I can't read music for crap.  The disjoint between that stuff and how I see music and sound is too great.

[Obese Wan Kenobese]

I think The Jedi Path describes Biths as being gifted in math and music, because they experience math and musical patterns in a different way. While the word wasn't used, I wonder if the writers had synesthesia in mind. Just to wrap that back around to Star Wars again though it may not really add anything.  

Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory) experiences numbers as having flavors and colors. Just to wrap that back to things geek.

Neurotypical starts as a scientific term. It's the application that I've heard/read that seems to take the connotation I'd expect from someone who has been hurt and has begun reciprocating the exclusion and judgment. Even just reading about it got me to thinking about people I know who just can't seem to think outside the box and fault others who do. While I was reading, I thought, "Yeah. Laura's a neurotypical. She thinks everyone else has to be just like her." I'd be tempted to use it to describe anyone that makes fun of an adult comic reader or a collector of what they see as just 'toys' or might tell someone "That's a child shirt." just because it has the Superman symbol or has the Millenium Falcon on it. NT becomes a term that almost lashes out at anyone that has no understanding for a person who is different due to thinking, feeling or even just hobbies. NT is a non magical muggle. That's what I thought of when I read the mention of the word muggle earlier. It's tempting to use terms that way when someone marginalizes anyone different. But then, when we use a term that way, no matter the term, we kind of marginalize right back.

Oops, supposed to be venting. I can't stand people that get side tracked and just keep on going, you know like when...

[Noctis]

I think The Jedi Path describes Biths as being gifted in math and music, because they experience math and musical patterns in a different way. While the word wasn't used, I wonder if the writers had synesthesia in mind. Just to wrap that back around to Star Wars again though it may not really add anything.  

Sheldon Cooper (The Big Bang Theory) experiences numbers as having flavors and colors. Just to wrap that back to things geek.

Neurotypical starts as a scientific term. It's the application that I've heard/read that seems to take the connotation I'd expect from someone who has been hurt and has begun reciprocating the exclusion and judgment. Even just reading about it got me to thinking about people I know who just can't seem to think outside the box and fault others who do. While I was reading, I thought, "Yeah. Laura's a neurotypical. She thinks everyone else has to be just like her." I'd be tempted to use it to describe anyone that makes fun of an adult comic reader or a collector of what they see as just 'toys' or might tell someone "That's a child shirt." just because it has the Superman symbol or has the Millenium Falcon on it. NT becomes a term that almost lashes out at anyone that has no understanding for a person who is different due to thinking, feeling or even just hobbies. NT is a non magical muggle. That's what I thought of when I read the mention of the word muggle earlier. It's tempting to use terms that way when someone marginalizes anyone different. But then, when we use a term that way, no matter the term, we kind of marginalize right back.

Oops, supposed to be venting. I can't stand people that get side tracked and just keep on going, you know like when...

LOL, well, I personally appreciated what you had to say here and think it's a very good explanation for those who may not have considered the connotations of the words (or those whom it might describe) before. 

But I'll vent about something completely different just to keep us moving!

I haven't visited my primary care doctor in over a year because . . .  I haven't needed to go to the doctor.  Still, I figured I had best go get a wellness check since the insurance pays for it and it's not a bad idea to have it done.  I called to make an appointment and the girl informs me that because I haven't been there in over a year, I'm no longer considered a patient and that I'd need to come in and fill out all of those forms AGAIN and the earliest they could fit me in for a wellness check was a month from now?

Ooookay.  I've never been to a doctor who suddenly kicked me out of his patient pool because I haven't been sick in ages.  I got annoyed and called around to some others suggested by friends and asked if I could establish care with someone new.  I also asked if I would be somehow "kicked out" if I didn't have need of services for a while and they were like, "Uh, no?"   

Anyway, I found a lady I like better than my original primary care doctor, but man, that just seemed odd to me.