Born Christian but not "born again."

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[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by Friedhamster]

I know that NIN isn't the point of your thread, but any band that has 3 multi-platinum albums can't really be considered fringe in even the broadest sense.

I find myself questioning the validity of universalistic individualism, it seems like all it ever leads to is a lot of navel-gazing and a distinct lack of awareness beyond the individual sphere. I'm starting to think it would be better if everyone ascribed to at least a couple collective identities beyond the family, sex/gender and age-group.

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[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by Friedhamster]

I find that people seem to think it's so great to dodge labels even though they fit the bill for them. As if a label doesn't allow for tendencies not stereotypical of said label. It's all very silly and I don't think it's particularly meaningful.

You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.

I need to go add something to that "how do you know when you're an adult" thread -- when you stop caring about what labels others would attach to you, and you stop attempting to attach labels to yourself.

If people continually ask you what you "are", like what kind of sub-sub-subculture pigeonhole you stick yourself into, tell them to fuck off and find some new friends. Preferably ones over the age of 25.

He is, however, the all singing, all dancing shit of the Earth.

Dear Mr Friedhamster,
I accept the fact that I had to participate in this thread for whatever it was I did wrong. But I think you're crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you wanna see us. In the simplest terms, the most convenient definitions, but what we found out is that each one of us is a brain, and an athlete, and a basketcase, a princess, and a criminal. Does that answer your question? Sincerely yours, The Breakfast Club


[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by PointBlank]

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[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by Friedhamster]

All of us.

Judging from the fact that we're all on a porn site, I'd say just under 100%?

Screws just fall out all the time, the world's an imperfect place.

Yeah, that's kind of like asking "Who loves boobs?"

Good question, this seems more like a ramble that's best suited for a journal entry or a friends thread post.

Based on what I've seen you post here on SG, though, if you're into the whole label thing, just tell people "I used to be _____, but now I'm just an attention whore."

Consider, though, that people on the street don't generally ask you what you are unless either a) they're insanely immature and are deeply into the whole label thing, or b) you're being a complete spaz and they're wondering what the hell is wrong with you (in other words they really mean to say "what are you suffering from?"). One or two random oddballs asking, okay fine. But enough that you're driven to start a thread about it?

~Trilo~

Perhaps you're thinking of purely social labels and such, but I'm not certain. Would you differentiate between something as meaningless as "goth" or "emo" and something like a racial, ethnic, religious, or economic grouping? Being an aboriginal person certainly has more impact upon who I am and how I am treated than say my geeky interests in computer games and science-fiction. Individually, I'm just some 24 year old guy with a smattering of education and a list of interests. My identity only really unveils itself after a person gets to know what sorts of social constructs I attach myself to...

The problem I see with "I am an individual to the exclusion of everything else" is that it precludes any sort of meaningful collective action. If you refuse to identify with anything larger than a circle of friends and a family (or two), then how do you interact with the rest of society, if at all?

I suppose it comes down to whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: "Society isn't just a collection of individuals."

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[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by PointBlank]

Show Dick some respect!

Not to add to the dogpile here, but I really disagree with this. People can always lump you together based on what you do. I see tons of movies. Okay, so I'm a movie geek. I read comics. Further "geek" emphasis. No matter what you do or enjoy, there will always be a label, and all it really does is identify you in a group of people who you can easily have a conversation with because you have a few similar interests, however different you may be as people. It's all very harmless until people make it something more.

Further, though, I really disagree that this generation is the generation of the individual. Every generation seems to think this, that their generation is so different from the prior one and that they're going to change the rules. And nobody does. There's not much emphasis placed on individualism now. There's a certain amount of lip service paid to it, but by and large we conform just like prior generations.

Given that I heard the term "Generation X" thrown about when I was maybe eight years old in reference to teen-agers and people in their early twenties, I'm not sure even that term applies anyway.

As a kid, I would carry small Bibles (usually two) in my pockets to the arcade. I though God would help me kill all the Space Invaders.

My spirituality/religion is more complicated now, but today I'd rather shag on a stack of Bibles.

Bingo.

They're... uh... not.

http://www.answers.com/topic/generation-x

::edit:: Huh. Wikipedia defines it as "Generation X, the period roughly between 1964 and 1984" -- which strikes me as really, really broad. The previous cut-offs I've seen were anywhere between 1975 and 1980.

[Edited on Mar 14, 2006 by Shalome]

I'm "born again" to The Noodly One.