Menzoberranzen

Existence does not confer meaning nor does it offer explanation. I disagree with you, Jamie, that the fact we give things meaning renders nihilism flawed. The fact that we bestow meaning on something, for the sake of our happiness, does not imply in any way that these things actually do, in the broader sense, have any meaning. Most philosophers tend to ascribe to nihilists the trait of laziness and moral cowardice, but this is not a necessary consequence of nihilism. The fact that I recognize my existence, my actions and my moral code to be meaningless, does not preclude me from giving some structure to the way I live my life. I desire happiness, so the fact that my existence is meaningless doesn't change that I need to find some moral code by which to live my life in the society to which I was born. Yes, suicide is an equally viable (and meaningless option) but elementary evolution gives humans the tendency to seek life over death. I agree that nihilism is incomplete, but not that it is flawed. It is the foundation for morality - or lack thereof - but not the complete construct. Nobody could possibly hope to live life with the meaningless of their own existence as the only guiding philosophy, because it would be fundamentally incompatible with the most basic human desires. Nihilism gives a deep - and frightening - understanding that moral truths are non-existent and that all actions are equally futile, but beyond that, because of human nature, we are compelled to construct moral codes to live our life by. I wrote my undergrad 'thesis' on a highly obscure question of mathematical logic and one of my friends once asked me why. It was irrelevant to most mathematicians and only could have possibly interested logicians with a mathematical bent (or, in my case, mathematicians with a logical bent.) I think I gave something along the lines of 'knowledge for its own sake' but the more I think on it, the more I realize that philosophy, like any other pursuit, arises as a direct consequence of human selfishness. In short, these abstruse topics are researched and discoursed upon because it is of interest to a select number of people. I enjoy mathematics, and so I am doing a PhD in it. Will my work benefit mankind in any way? Most likely not, but that was never my intent. Menzo

I usually reserve anything but vanilla sex for a boyfriend. I don't mind sleeping with someone I'm involved with, but I'm not likely to indulge any of their fantasies or odd sexual kinks. I don't consider anything sacred, let alone sex, I just generally don't feel giving enough to go further than vanilla sex. There's only one time when someone's ever been upset that there was an act I wasn't willing to do, but he got over it. Menzo

I've resolved to keep my hands (and tongue) off of my breeder boys. Last time we went out, I had a little too much to drink and, well, lets just say that my fingerprints are all over them now. I normally know better than to drink tequila, 'cuz I'm a touchy drunk and I know it. Alas, a female friend showed up with a bunch of tequila she didn't want. Menzo (who's fortunate to have understanding friends)

I was hugged by a couple people, and I hugged all my straight male friends for the hell of it.

How a person spends their money is their own business. I like clothes, and as such I don't mind dropping $300 for a pair of Versace jeans. I think that people who spend all their money on their cars are a little odd, but I'm sure Robbie would disagree with me there. I like the add very much; I think it's tastefully done while still staying in the same vein as other A&F adds. It wouldn't meet the obscenity requirment, and considering the fact that magazines like Maxim are on prominent display all over the place, I don't think the DA would have a leg to stand on. In the end, these people are just giving free publicity to A&F and their adds. I also have to disagree with Kevin - I think this add is far more attractive than the blatant, run-of-the-mill pictures of toned chests. Menzo

Moral, specifically Nietzschean, nihilism for me. While I embrace the non-cognitivist assertion that there are no moral truths, I think that because of the society we have constructed, there is a certain moral code that has to be followed. So murder isn't wrong inherently, but as I have chosen to participate in society, I have to consider it as wrong or, at the very least, consider it as unacceptable. In the end, all actions are equally meaningless but I take the Randian view that the pursuit of one's own happiness is paramount, and while that claim can't be shown to be true, the pragmatic action is to assume it is, and from there decide on the moral code you will live your life by. I went through a period where I embraced nihilism in its purest form, but I think that nihilism, while 'true' (in as much as anything can be true), cannot be the ending point of any philosophy. Humans, by nature, prefer life to death and because of that, they seek a moral code to live by. Nihilism cannot, almost by definition, fulfill that need, and so they construct alternate systems of morality. At the most basic level, I am a nihilist, but the moral code I live my life by is closest to rational egoism. Ayn Rand once called Kant a monster and though I think that's extreme, the very notion of his categorical imperative is enough to start a rant from me. His rejection of the self in favour of some universal maxim is simply unacceptable to me. Utilitarianism suffers, also, from a rejection of the self as paramount and also is, in my view, unable to overcome the problem of basic rights. Divine command presupposes the existence of divinity, and relativism is moral and epistemological cowardice. Menzo (who hopes he was clear...)

The Lion King is one of my favorites, but I also love Phantom. November, with Nathan Lane, was the most recent one I saw when I was in NYC, and though it was good, it wasn't amazing. Canudra, try buying from scalpers. It's sketchy, but if you go day-of you can often get tickets for well below box office price. Menzo

I almost shudder to spell it out, but it's One True Love.

No...I can't say that I routinely kiss my friends and if an acquaintance tried to kiss me, I'd be a little annoyed. I lived in France for a year, where a common greeting was a kiss on each cheek, but unless I'm visiting a place where it's customary, I don't see the need. I'm a pretty demonstrative person, and I generally greet girls (and some guys) with a hug, but kissing seems a little over the top to me. Menzo

I think it is a ridiculous day, but one that was meant with every intention of being goodhearted. My co-workers have all informed me that I will be getting a deluge of hugs, and to be honest, it doesn't particularly bother me. I'll be hugging all the gay guys I know, whether they like it or not! It's just silliness and to those out there who take offense, I have this to say: Lighten up. Menzo

I speak French and English, but considering most people who didn't speak English won't happen across this site, I question the need for an international forum. I might post if there was a compelling topic, but I don't think it's necessary. Menzo

I focus more on the fact that some outstanding thinkers (Isaac Newton, Nietzsche, Stephen Hawking, Ayn Rand) also made the list. Menzo

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Kinky Boots. An entertaining, amusing and heart-warming story with a sound-track that's to die for. Menzo

Not particularly.

I'm INTJ and it is almost frightening how well it describes me. You are: * very expressed introvert 89% * very expressed intuitive personality 100% * very expressed thinking personality 100% * distinctly expressed judging personality 66%

It's sad, but if you spend your life doing drugs, then you accept the risks you take.

Honesty, people, is the key. I admit, if I found out the guy I was dating was also dating someone else and hadn't told me, I'd be miffed. And suspicious. If that same guy had told me, though, that he was still dating other people, I'd be alright with it. Menzo

Dating both is fine (that's why it's called dating, and not relationship) but once things start to get serious, then it's my advice to end things with one of them. I think in modern relationships there is an implicit understanding that when you first start dating, you aren't 'exclusive' but you might (or might not) want to make that clear up front. I've never dated multiple people (hell, I have a hard enough time finding one person) but I have dated a guy who was dating someone else. He was honest about it, and I had no problems. As for whether you sleep with one or both, that is your perogative and an entirely separate issue from the dating one (although the same rules apply about telling the other person once you get serious ). Menzo

Well, the mere fact that he had called me a doughnut -regardless of how he meant it - would make me not want to do anything with him. Menzo

Antimatter does exist, he just likes to...stretch...it's potential to be used as a weapon.

I'd take it as a peculiar insult. Is there the possibility that you misheard? Calling someone a doughnut seems...odd at best. Menzo

It's good that Colin isn't at Stanford then, isn't it?

I got the Lloth part... And I agree that Angels and Demons was better. Although, to Hylas, you have to take any scientific facts with a grain of salt in his books. Da Vinci code was rife with factual errors and Angels and Demons made the physics major in me cringe, but that doesn't take away from the compelling stories and interesting premises. Menzo

Trust me, I've agonized over this since I found out I was his TA. And you're both right, even if I don't want to admit it. If I were assigning marks, I would stay away from even a friendship with him, but as it is I honestly think I would take him out, if given the chance. I'm only doing half the semester for this class as a fill in for someone else, so it really shouldn't be that hard to wait another few weeks, especially given the situation. Blah. This is, among other reasons, why I avoid relationships. Menzo PS I slept with one of my TA's when I was an undergrad. That was a bad, bad thing to do. I was underage, he wasn't. He was marking my assignments, too. It was one of my more questionable decisions, but thankfully he proved not to be a petty person.

It was good, but he was way, way to biased for it to be effective I thought. The man was a vile, loathsome person and Grisham glossed over all the other horrendous things he had done in telling the story.