Voltaire's Child
Fool on the Hill
...is that so many of you are well read and imaginative people. I'm sure this is also true in some other cyber forums pertaining to other topics, but this is something I've found to be very noticeable on (Scn) critical forums. I noticed it on a.r.s., too. There are a lot of people who read a great deal, are creative, will get even more obscure literary references or off the wall jokes. A fair number of forum regulars here and on a.r.s are also computer techies, and just smart as can be.
There are times in life where I feel kind of like a square peg. It's not the Scn vs not doing Scn thing at all. I didn't really experience that much more often in CofS than anywhere else. It's a regular every day thing. What I mean to say is, sometimes I'll make a joke or comment that maybe is, oh I don't know, a play on words about something or a reference to some historical event or maybe I want to tell them about some cool book I read or about some message in a movie that I felt was there - soooo... something not really mainstream. And I've often gotten just blank stares or faltering smiles or even "what does that mean?" from coworkers or other acquaintances. God, I sound like a snobbish bitch,but for most of my life, I've been getting from some schoolmates and later, coworkers, the polite bland uncomprehending and uneasy smile and just this bland bland good roads good weather thing. Doesn't always happen- I have plenty of friends who get it. And I've always found some creative and quirky types any place, I went, but they really weren't the MAJORITY in any given place.
And, of course, I can say anything to John and he'll get it, no matter how weird or obscure or dorky it is. And if I'm talking to someone who's not going to appreciate my offbeat and off kilter sense of humor, I just don't bring up anything too weird or off the beaten track and it's all fine.
But the thing is, when I come here and "talk" to other forum regulars or talk to some of the friends I've made on a.r.s.- it's like I don't have to stop and explain all my oddball little jokes or refrain from making them. 9 out of ten times, or so, the person's going to get it and maybe even come back with something even more subtle and fun of their own. I've even met some other exes and other critics, IRL, and it's just awesome and cool how well read and bright and interested in life they all are! So instead of maybe a fourth or a third of the people I talk to actually getting what I mean, in Scn/critical circles it's more like 90%.
And there are people here -and some of my a.r.s. friends- who mention books and types of music and concepts I never even heard of. I think it's amazing and wonderful! Really really refreshing.
I bet if someone did a poll here to see how many of us were booklovers, if most people actually TOOK the poll, it would come out that almost everyone here was a reader. I mean, my god, those are my kind of people.
There are times in life where I feel kind of like a square peg. It's not the Scn vs not doing Scn thing at all. I didn't really experience that much more often in CofS than anywhere else. It's a regular every day thing. What I mean to say is, sometimes I'll make a joke or comment that maybe is, oh I don't know, a play on words about something or a reference to some historical event or maybe I want to tell them about some cool book I read or about some message in a movie that I felt was there - soooo... something not really mainstream. And I've often gotten just blank stares or faltering smiles or even "what does that mean?" from coworkers or other acquaintances. God, I sound like a snobbish bitch,but for most of my life, I've been getting from some schoolmates and later, coworkers, the polite bland uncomprehending and uneasy smile and just this bland bland good roads good weather thing. Doesn't always happen- I have plenty of friends who get it. And I've always found some creative and quirky types any place, I went, but they really weren't the MAJORITY in any given place.
And, of course, I can say anything to John and he'll get it, no matter how weird or obscure or dorky it is. And if I'm talking to someone who's not going to appreciate my offbeat and off kilter sense of humor, I just don't bring up anything too weird or off the beaten track and it's all fine.
But the thing is, when I come here and "talk" to other forum regulars or talk to some of the friends I've made on a.r.s.- it's like I don't have to stop and explain all my oddball little jokes or refrain from making them. 9 out of ten times, or so, the person's going to get it and maybe even come back with something even more subtle and fun of their own. I've even met some other exes and other critics, IRL, and it's just awesome and cool how well read and bright and interested in life they all are! So instead of maybe a fourth or a third of the people I talk to actually getting what I mean, in Scn/critical circles it's more like 90%.
And there are people here -and some of my a.r.s. friends- who mention books and types of music and concepts I never even heard of. I think it's amazing and wonderful! Really really refreshing.
I bet if someone did a poll here to see how many of us were booklovers, if most people actually TOOK the poll, it would come out that almost everyone here was a reader. I mean, my god, those are my kind of people.
I never thought of it that way before, but yes! That is definitely part of the reason that I like it so well here. I wonder if that says something about the kind of people who get into Scientology -- or maybe the kind of people who get out? :confused2: But you're right -- I do not encounter people IRL that I can relate to this way.
) The overall writing ability of scios is really good! I got lots of benefit from clearing tons of words and doing the Grammar Course in scio. Do they even offer it any more?
Mike
