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The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

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Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#61

Post by Evolved »

eropple wrote: post #32
tjradcliffe wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sure, because what fun are facts? What have facts ever done for us? Other than cured disease, ended hunger, doubled lifespan. But lately , I mean! Why anyone would ever choose bullshit over facts is beyond me. Facts are interesting. Facts are fun. Bullshit is just the unrestrained spew of the ignorant ego. There's no point to it other than mate competition, and making what amount to factual claims that are known to b…

All of this is well and good, but has very little to do with a bullshit session with one's friends where everybody involved is having fun with an argument about something that is ultimately meaningless.

@eropple - I agree and if it pleases the court I'd like to narrow down your statement to the idea that interacting with actual people should take precedence to interacting with your smartphone as that skill seems to be getting whittled away.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#63

Post by Evolved »

ciupicri wrote: post #22

If he wants to engage people he should switch to trolling.

Trolls are what folks in my day used to call assholes. Trolling isn't just joking with your buddies about something innocuous. It has become an excuse for just being a jerk to people and hoping they don't pop you in the nose. On the other hand there are genuine good pranksters whose craft is finely honed and deserving of appreciation.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#64

Post by Evolved »

crazygringo wrote: post #5

I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing. Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive. (And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fa…

I wouldn't oppose this and I'd probably even further it with a put-away-the-phone rule to encourage social interaction. That and it certainly helps with women/girls to be able to bullshit effectively because even if they know you're lying it is quite disarming and even charming and intriguing to engage in such banter. Another thing that helps with women is not necessarily having an expensive car but a nice car.

"I always tell guys, put away your phone and work on your car. Nobody ever got laid in the back seat of an iPhone." - Billy Gardell

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#65

Post by Evolved »

HCIdivision17 wrote: post #36
crazygringo wrote: post #5

I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing. Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive. (And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fa…

I'm rather shocked at the fairly visceral reactions a lot of people are having here. This is pretty classic conversational shenanigans. We had a blast with this in college; either you play along or counter with something equally preposterous or unprovable. Looking up the answer is cheating. It's like a game of verbal Calvin Ball or Mornington Crescent. As noted elsewhere in this thread (edit: at least one level up it…

Would this qualify as well? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f68VXKMZT1Q

I think you nailed it with the shenanigans reference. So long as it doesn't cross the border into inappropriateness or blatant insults it's just lighthearted humor to break the ice or stimulate conversation. After all, if we wanted boring robots to talk to there's always SmarterChild.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#66

Post by onion2k »

cbd1984 wrote: post #23
crazygringo wrote: post #5

I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing. Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive. (And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fa…

I disagree. The conversation is so much more interesting when there are more connections, more tangents to explore than one mind can contain. Facts build on facts, and you can chase down endless rabbit holes when you're not limited to what one wrinkly lump of cholesterol can scrape out of its interconnected canyons.

Except exploring those connections is something people do by quietly clicking links on their screen and reading out the facts presented to them. That is not conversation.

Conversation is sharing personal interpretations of the world. It should be ok to be wrong. You'll always gain far more insight in to people around you, build closer bonds with them, and have more fun if you're willing to let a few trivial mistakes slide.

Conversation is not simply sharing facts.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#67

Post by lloeki »

JoshTriplett wrote: post #14

The story posted in the article provides a romanticized illustration of how finding knowledge in a world without easy access to it can produce an adventure. (I like that it doesn't directly say which of the 1994 or 2014 versions was better , though there's sure an implication from how they're painted.) On the other hand, access to information can produce an adventure, as well; so can many other things. In the end, th…

> On the other hand, access to information can produce an adventure, as well

How many of us, solo or in a group, ended up reaching for the asked piece of information basically instantly on Wikipedia, yet, serendipitously hooked on by another piece of information, ended up bouncing around page upon page like a pachinko ball until one says "wait, how did we get up to this already?".

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#69

Post by chris_wot »

bung wrote: post #46
polarix wrote: post #45

I'm struggling to identify what it is about this nostalgia that infuriates me so deeply. Perhaps it's just fascinating to me that so many people find it fun to be in stupid situations. I find it barbaric and twisted. More productively, I wonder how people would respond to this after having grown up with the boundary of their 30s knowledge horizon roughly equivalent to that of humanity's experts 10yr prior. Anyone bor…

1. Provide instant answers to everyone on the planet 2. No one ever lies again 3. ??? 4. Star Trek becomes real

You'll get a Riker.

Re: The Fine Art of Bullshit, Killed by Google

#70

Post by gurkendoktor »

crazygringo wrote: post #5

I have a rule I always follow, and have convinced many friends of too -- no Googling/Wikipedia-ing in social settings. If nobody knows something (trivia-like), it's almost always a lot more fun to continue not knowing. Sure, look it up when you get home. But a little group self-discipline goes far in keeping the fine art of bullshitting alive. (And it's not just the answer that kills the conversation, but also the fa…

But sometimes Google can keep a non-bullshit, non-serious conversation going, say when two friends talk about a movie and it doesn't ring a bell, but then you google it and the first image suggestion reminds you that you've seen it too, and it was THAT movie! Back into conversation...

Or when something is on the tip of your tongue for an hour.

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