Lootequiette: Pmann's Totally Original/Unaffiliated Thread

[SassySheDevil]

It is both a blessing and a curse, which leaves me torn on answering the question. It provides a simple way to keep in touch and see what is happening with those in my life but not physically. It gives people of all walks of life a voice. It enables someone to ask for help. It allows me to see the causes those in my life support while it provides a fundraising opportunity. It lets me see what others find meaning in. It enables work from home options for the disabled or just the mom with a house full of children. It enables me to see a point of view or topic I may not have even noticed. It enables me to learn new skills as others demonstrate their likes, hobbies, and how they achieve their results. It is also filled with lies, delusions, and propaganda. It spreads jealousy, hate, and stupidity.

My answer today is the negatives outweigh the benefits. However, current climate weighs into my decision. Asking me the question when it is filled with death, rioting, and insane political propaganda weighs in tremendously. Ask me the question the day social media finds my neighbors missing child, helps a friend get her life back together after her home burns, finally teaches me how to fold a fitted sheet in a way that works, finds the perfect home for the dog whose owner died, provides support for someone painfully depressed, shows me an interesting topic I knew nothing about, puts me in touch with my best friend for a week at summer camp when I was 5, and saves a life by spotting a health or safety issue and you will get a different answer. I would love to see the world in black and white. I even attempt to give myself a few black and white rules to live by. However, I see so much gray so much of the time, and sometimes I have to just go with my heart. The benefit versus harm debate of social media is one of those times, and my feelings will change based on the current environment that I am in and what I am witnessing. Today, I am not seeing much positive.

I don't think I could have answered this any better.

 

[Suz_anne]

The question is, do you think that’s a good thing? Is it good that we now have the ability to see other points of view like this? Or does it give a platform for the ignorant and uninformed? How much influence does it have?

No. No. Yes. Far too much.

"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups." ~ George Carlin

 

[Lord Pmann]

First off, my song choices are always good.

Secondly, Sassy- you cant just copy Justa. I’m not gonna issue citations, but...

Anyway, on to my response.

I think social media has done an incredible job of giving people a voice. I say that as a neutral statement. That is their mission and they have done so very well. However, there are a lot of people who are genuinely uninformed or manipulative, which causes problems.

I was watching something the other day where a girl was watching her home movies on a TV back in the late 80s/early 90s. It made me think what a novelty that was. I mean, I think back to my childhood in the 80s and that wasn’t a thing for me. I remember in the 90s my family got a camcorder and I could see videos of my baseball games. And I was amazed that I actually got to see myself on a TV, playing baseball. That was my dream to one day be an athlete and play professional sports. Thanks to some surgeries, loss of interest and donuts, that didn’t happen. But... Seeing myself on TV seemed so cool to me.

But today, that’s not a novelty for children. Before kids can say sentences, they can watch videos of themselves played on FB. We can instantly record a video and broadcast it to however many people follow us. That’s an amazing power we take for granted. As a kid, I could never speak to more than 25 people. I mean, that was the most people I was ever around in a situation where I could be heard. Now, a kid can open up a social media account and speak to whomever.

I’m not saying it’s good or bad. It is both. But the part we’ve lost along the way is the preciousness of information. Because it isn’t novel, it means so little to us. You don’t have to be credible. Thirty years ago there were a handful of well known reporters. They were revered and respected (rightly or wrongly). Today, there are information sources from infinite angles. We have overload. We tune our precious information because there is so much noise.

I think the access to information has actually done the opposite of what one would think. The average person isn’t discerning enough to care whose voice says what. They seek to affirm their own beliefs. Confirmation bias is what drives so many in their consumption of information.

 

[SassySheDevil]

First off, my song choices are always good.

Secondly, Sassy- you cant just copy Justa. I’m not gonna issue citations, but...

I prefer spankings for bad behavior. But...

I've stopped using Facebook as much since the whole lockdown. Although, I think when I do use it, I'm spamming my puppy mostly, so I'm sure people are sick of that.

When it was to keep in touch with loved ones, follow their lives. I enjoyed it more. Now that is has become a place to spew hatred, political debates/beliefs and push the other persons views on everyone. I don't like it as much. But it still helps me follow the lives of relatives and friends who've moved away. I don't get to see my family in Tennessee or Iowa as much as I'd like. So I appreciate that.

I see so many "if you don't think like I do, remove me" posts now. I try and ignore people who are sharing their views that I don't agree with. I don't have to agree. But some people have turned social media into just that. A place to spew hatred and anger. I've started removing those people also. Not because I don't agree with them, but because that's all they've become. I get mad. I get angry. I spout.

It's just become a way to watch how the world is changing, and not necessarily for the better.

It can be a good thing, but also a bad thing. I just prefer to "copy" those that are better with words.

 

[Suz_anne]

But the part we’ve lost along the way is the preciousness of information. Because it isn’t novel, it means so little to us.

This.

And we've also allowed any expectation of privacy to be dissolved. The whole world seems okay with allowing a staggering amount of their life/info to be collected, monitored and sold - all to post countless selfies and acquire likes and followers.

Idiocracy, man. For real.

 

[Lord Pmann]

This.

And we've also allowed any expectation of privacy to be dissolved. The whole world seems okay with allowing a staggering amount of their life/info to be collected, monitored and sold - all to post countless selfies and acquire likes and followers.

Idiocracy, man. For real.

Data and information used to be so scarce. It’s like Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once needs become fulfilled, the motivation for them decreases. It makes me think of this quote:

“When you want wisdom and insight as badly as you want to breathe, it is then you shall have it.”

 

[Dribble]

First off, my song choices are always good.

Secondly, Sassy- you cant just copy Justa. I’m not gonna issue citations, but...

Anyway, on to my response.

I think social media has done an incredible job of giving people a voice. I say that as a neutral statement. That is their mission and they have done so very well. However, there are a lot of people who are genuinely uninformed or manipulative, which causes problems.

I was watching something the other day where a girl was watching her home movies on a TV back in the late 80s/early 90s. It made me think what a novelty that was. I mean, I think back to my childhood in the 80s and that wasn’t a thing for me. I remember in the 90s my family got a camcorder and I could see videos of my baseball games. And I was amazed that I actually got to see myself on a TV, playing baseball. That was my dream to one day be an athlete and play professional sports. Thanks to some surgeries, loss of interest and donuts, that didn’t happen. But... Seeing myself on TV seemed so cool to me.

But today, that’s not a novelty for children. Before kids can say sentences, they can watch videos of themselves played on FB. We can instantly record a video and broadcast it to however many people follow us. That’s an amazing power we take for granted. As a kid, I could never speak to more than 25 people. I mean, that was the most people I was ever around in a situation where I could be heard. Now, a kid can open up a social media account and speak to whomever.

I’m not saying it’s good or bad. It is both. But the part we’ve lost along the way is the preciousness of information. Because it isn’t novel, it means so little to us. You don’t have to be credible. Thirty years ago there were a handful of well known reporters. They were revered and respected (rightly or wrongly). Today, there are information sources from infinite angles. We have overload. We tune our precious information because there is so much noise.

I think the access to information has actually done the opposite of what one would think. The average person isn’t discerning enough to care whose voice says what. They seek to affirm their own beliefs. Confirmation bias is what drives so many in their consumption of information.

There is a lot in here. So I quoted it.

 

[Lord Pmann]

It seems we don't have a lot of faith in humanity and social media. Understandable, if you have ever SEEN social media.

Today's question is short, but goes deep (teehee). Do you think the nature of a person is inherently good or bad? Furthermore, do you think humans are genuinely good in their actions?

Human Nature by Michael Jackson

https://youtu.be/ujDSiL600nc

 

[hotwords229_A]

Neither. As I’ve said numerous times before, we are just Apes in Pants.

A child steals another child’s toy. Is that evil, or animal instinct? We teach ourselves to be more civilized, but we still have those instincts, desires and traits.

There are evil people, of course. There are also evil animals. The lions of Tsavo, the Jersey shore shark, Elmo.

I don’t think we are inherently evil or good. I think we just are. Making a choice to do something vicious to someone, knowing it is wrong, is certainly evil. But out of 7 billion people in the world (approx) most people choose to be good. In spite of what the news reports.

There is good and evil in the world, but, I think, it is more conceptual—derived from a “civilized” society.

That said, I choose to be good. But somewhere in the world, someone looks at me as an American, a Capitalist, a Male, a White guy, or whatever and thinks that I’m the one who is evil. That’s their choice. Fuck them!

Does that make me evil? Possibly.

But like Clint Eastwood says, “deserve’s got nothin to do with it”

 

[JerseyJade]

I Michael Jackson.

 

[StacyLeigh]

Today's question is short, but goes deep (teehee). Do you think the nature of a person is inherently good or bad? Furthermore, do you think humans are genuinely good in their actions?

I'd like to think we aren't born evil (like in horror movies) but I don't think we are naturally good or bad. I tend to believe our environment influences a lot of our behavior but that there is a level of personal responsibility in every action we take. Growing up in a "bad" neighborhood doesn't mean you will be "bad", but it certainly makes it more difficult to make "good" choices. Growing up in a "better" neighborhood doesn't mean you will be "good" but it helps. We are born in that middle ground but also a little weak and easily influenced to swing to one side or the other.

I believe people WANT to DO good and as a whole I think we ARE good in a lot of way, but I think very few people are good just for the benefit of serving others. I'm pretty sure even Mother Theresa felt some level of personal satisfaction in helping the disenfranchised.

I also wonder if doing good isn't sometimes just for show. For example, people donate to charity but they usually want people to know that they do. And people will run into burning buildings to save a pet but also kill animals for a dinner.

 

[LurkingPhoenix]

It seems we don't have a lot of faith in humanity and social media. Understandable, if you have ever SEEN social media.

Today's question is short, but goes deep (teehee). Do you think the nature of a person is inherently good or bad? Furthermore, do you think humans are genuinely good in their actions?

Human Nature by Michael Jackson

https://youtu.be/ujDSiL600nc

INDIVIDUALS are selfish beings at their core.

PEOPLE are not, based on societal pressures and some residum from primate brains.

But there are individuals who put others' needs above their own for the greater good. That's what separates us from animals by and large.

 

[Orchidea73]

Today's question is short, but goes deep (teehee). Do you think the nature of a person is inherently good or bad? Furthermore, do you think humans are genuinely good in their actions?

I believe both in nature and nurture. People are complex and put in the "right" circumstances we're capable of doing both incredible good things, acts of heroism etc, and/or horrible things.

 

[Lord Pmann]

I take a more pessimistic view on humanity. I do think we are born “flawed”. Maybe not bad. But flawed. Definitely selfish.

With that, we must learn to be civilized and look into the needs of others. It is a learned behaviour and not instinctual, for the most part.

 

[clistenovena]

I Michael Jackson.

I Michael Jackson before the head-on-fire Pepsi incident. After that, it just got sad.

Through nature and nurture, each individual human is a flawed entity. That said, a few precious souls try daily and diligently to better the world around them. Some do good much of the time. Many think about do-goodery and make attempts here and there. All the others suck.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

It seems we don't have a lot of faith in humanity and social media. Understandable, if you have ever SEEN social media.

Today's question is short, but goes deep (teehee). Do you think the nature of a person is inherently good or bad? Furthermore, do you think humans are genuinely good in their actions?

Human Nature by Michael Jackson

https://youtu.be/ujDSiL600nc

Neither. "Good" and "bad" are just concepts and standards created by the culture one is currently located within. Morality is a social construct, a flawed one at that, that varies from location to location, tribe to tribe. One place it is moral to worship cows, another, it just fine to eat them. Killing is immoral, unless there is a war, or for punishment, then it is the moral, the just, choice. Most of what is viewed as the worst atrocities committed by man to some were committed under the veil of morality to others. What humans are is a social animal. They will more often default to working within their social tribe and work towards cooperation with their tribe. Whether that means feeding their neighbors or torching their neighbors home, both groups will argue it is the right, the moral thing to do. In the end it just depends upon which group, culture, tribe, is acting and which one is judging. Humans are simply a social animal who also happen to have the largest brain and most intricately developed frontal lobe.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Great comments. I’m going to go one more day with a deep thinking question and then we may get back to something lighter.

Justa mentioned morality is a social construct. I believe that, to an extent. But I also think we all agree certain things are right or wrong, regardless of culture, religion or whatever upbringing one may have. I’m paraphrasing a quote I vaguely remember from someone I also can’t remember (possibly C.S. Lewis)... but he said that the person who believes there are no universal truths can be proven wrong the moment you take from him that which he earned.

From where does morality originate? Is it a sliding scale? Do you believe in universal truths? Where do you get your guidelines for morality? Religion? Family? Philosophers?

Again, we may hit on some touchy subjects, so please let’s be respectful and keep politics out of it. This group is always good about allowing people to be free with their words with no or very little judgment. That judgment usually comes from me though, so it’s okay.

 

[Justadesperatewifeandmom]

Great comments. I’m going to go one more day with a deep thinking question and then we may get back to something lighter.

Justa mentioned morality is a social construct. I believe that, to an extent. But I also think we all agree certain things are right or wrong, regardless of culture, religion or whatever upbringing one may have. I’m paraphrasing a quote I vaguely remember from someone I also can’t remember (possibly C.S. Lewis)... but he said that the person who believes there are no universal truths can be proven wrong the moment you take from him that which he earned.

From where does morality originate? Is it a sliding scale? Do you believe in universal truths? Where do you get your guidelines for morality? Religion? Family? Philosophers?

Again, we may hit on some touchy subjects, so please let’s be respectful and keep politics out of it. This group is always good about allowing people to be free with their words with no or very little judgment. That judgment usually comes from me though, so it’s okay.

Isn't is supposed to be one question?

I think ones moral philosophy is created from all the above. The foundations begin with our family, and often, a possible introduction into religion. It is then shaped by the larger community of which the family belongs. The educational system then adds a broader picture where one will be exposed to different philosophies and cultures through their art and literature. If religion wasn't introduced early, it is now being introduced as a cultural foundation, because one can not understand other cultures without having a basic understanding of the religions widely practiced there. At this point, the moral compass is likely still a two dimensional conceptualization with many black and white concepts as outside of their immediate community any conflicting information is theoretical book knowledge and not truly experienced. The final pieces come in as we venture off in life and leave our static, comfortable circle, and experience more of the world outside of those who were indoctrinated into the social circle the exact same way we were and those around us were and see most do not live by all the same absolutes that we have always accepted as the "right" way. My moral compass was indeed formed the typical way and my true appreciation of how highly diverse the concept is did not fully reveal itself until I invested energy in seeing the depth of that diversity and experience as many different communities and consociations as I could.

I do believe there are some universal truths, but not many. For most things that people hold as their truth, one can find another group who holds the opposite as their truth. Universal truths, Our corporeal form will weaken, fail, and decay. Whether you believe in heaven, hell, spirits, nothing, or think like my son did a couple years ago that our dead dog is a tree frog on another planet in another galaxy, the universal truth is the mortal form will fail. Universal truth, humans need a form or caloric and liquid intake at period intervals. Choosing not to accept that will lead to death. Humans create waste from the consumption of the above, not doing so means the body is already failing.

I believe the concept of morality is too broad to be a binary scale. It just can't be summarized in a linear form. It is a spherical as the planet itself, well except maybe to the flat Earth folks.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Isn't is supposed to be one question?

No! It's however many questions I want to ask!

But apparently this was a heavy one. Oops.

 

[Suz_anne]

No! It's however many questions I want to ask!

But apparently this was a heavy one. Oops.

Yeah, I just can't. There's so much heavy right now.

 

[StacyLeigh]

From where does morality originate? Is it a sliding scale? Do you believe in universal truths? Where do you get your guidelines for morality? Religion? Family? Philosophers?

It all depends on whether you look at it from a top-down or bottom-up approach.

In top-down morality either God (by way of religion) or Reason (by way of philosophers) formulate principles to be imposed on human conduct. (Golden Rule, Ten Commandment, Utilitarianism) These all imply that we are ethically flawed from the get go and need rules to ensure cooperative "good" behavior.

By the way, you should have started with ethics as a basis for what we deem moral....but I digress...

In bottom-up morality it is group behavior (need for survival) that has evolved into an impulse we have to be fair, kind, and empathetic. I tend to favor this view - in that morality is formed for each of us through evolution and daily interactions with others. I think we all have an instinctual need to be considerate and just to each other, though these may not be spelled out the same way for everyone.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Yeah, I just can't. There's so much heavy right now.

Understood. I shall lighten it up for tomorrow.

 

[Lord Pmann]

Alright, let's get back to softer subjects like boobs and flaccid cocks for a while.

One of the things I enjoy best about Lit is the collective stories we all share. There are so many stories I read here that are just absolutely wonderful. And I don't mean the kind people write, but your actual experiences.

Today I'd like to ask, what's your most amusing sex story?

I'll tell my story here:

https://voca.ro/kiZfGXeQf36

Song of the Day:

My Ding a Ling by Chuck Berry

https://youtu.be/hMddte6yD2w

 

[Suz_anne]

Are you implying that sex can be fun?

 

[Lord Pmann]

Are you implying that sex can be fun?

That's the theory. But I'm always thinking, "Damn this is costing me a fortune." Or, "Gosh that pepper spray burns."