People Who Are Not What They Seem

[paramnesia]

For the purpose of this thread and to maintain the anonymity of the parties involved I’m going to use the name Bob.

First is a bit of back story. For a long time Bob didn’t like to talk about the news. In fact, he resented when I’d bring it up though he never told me, preferring to complain to a mutual friend. One may suggest it was because he didn't want to hear bad news or that hearing about other people's suffering made him feel guilty about not being able to do anything about it, but one day he admitted to the mutual friend that it was because he simply didn’t care. He added that he didn't feel a thing about Katrina or 911 because, “A lot of people in Palestine died from wars”. I suppose he resented it, yet in all the years I knew Bob he didn’t do anything personally to raise awareness about Palestine. He didn’t like it when I brought up the latest news regarding that region though. He could blog about it, or make a web page or contribute to local papers or anything if it bothered him so much, but he preferred to sit and complain and nothing else. When the tsunami hit, furthermore, he did nothing, wrote nothing, and sent nothing despite someone he considered a dear friend losing an uncle in the disaster. That’s how much interest Bob had in world events.

Years later suddenly Bob seemed to take an interest in the world around him. He wrote a blurb about a comic book store owner he doesn’t know being shot in a robbery, asking people to donate then weeks later promised to make a donation to the starving and less fortunate. A more optimistic person might think Bob is turning over a new leaf, but I dug a little. It turns out a publisher posted about the robbery first, and a few friends he knows, one possibility connected to a girl Bob has an interest in, posted about the horrible death tolls in China and Myanmar (Burma).

It made me doubt Bob had really changed and he really cared. It seemed to me Bob was trying to impress people or polish up his image. He’s never volunteered, donated, written, or talked about any of this before. He takes up hobbies, like a brief stint trying art, in order to connect to girls he likes. It reminds me of an old Brady Bunch episode where Marsha or Jan (I don’t remember which one) pretends to like bugs in order to get closer to a boy she likes at school. *wry chuckle*

Maybe I’m being too harsh, but considering Bob’s track record, I don’t believe I am. What do you think? Do you have any stories to share about a person or even a situation not being what it seems?

[Helioth]

damned double posts.

[Helioth]

you imply someone must be what they seem: boring.

I don't believe people are boring, but they can change before they die if they are.
Bob doesn't sound too special, but if he is, it's most likely only a result of his surroundings and upbringing, how do we know 'free will' even exists ?

I know this guy Paramnesia who posted this thread on this site about a guy called bob, he sounded like he was recruiting others to point and boo at people they did not understand and considered bad and or conniving even though the people they were or would be pointing at most likely did not even understand themselves.

Don't you think that if Socrates interpreted being named the wisest man as a paradox, because he thought he knew nothing, and he taught Plato who taught Aristotle, don't you think that taking an approach with a little more humility and a little less moral judgement might actually help you and the person you seem to be trying to damn, if it helped them ?

If people can't be genuinely happy or interested or helpful it might not be because they don't want to or aren't interested, but because they haven't been subjects of the empathy you have. In short why do you blame them when you can't say, with certainty, that you'd be any different given you were them ?
moaning and nagging and creating anonymous threads on the internet are hardly going to help anyone in any case, other than bloating your ego ala "...man ,/Drest in a little brief authority,/plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven/As make the angles weep".

How about you do something really useful and tell him what you think and why you think it and what he can do about it, rather than cat fighting it out indirectly and breeding more hate, stigma and confusion.

[Nike]

I think before wondering if other people are what they seem or not, we should make sure that WE ourselves are what we like to think we are - often enough, there's plenty to work on, if we're honest.

[Ilaekae]

I, of course, am perfect, and I spend every waking second making myself even more perfecter...

[ArtZealot]

Hmm... i don't know if i like this "bob" guy. He sounds like he's a little lazy, a little self centered, and probably antisocial. It sounds a bit like his life lacks direction or purpose, and it's pretty sad that the only time he's ever done anything worthwhile for someone else, was with his own self gain in mind. As a matter of a fact, this bob guy sounds like an asshole.

[paramnesia]

you imply someone must be what they seem: boring.

I'm not trying to imply someone must be boring to be what they seem. If this is what it takes to be exciting, label me dull.

How about you do something really useful and tell him what you think and why you think it and what he can do about it, rather than cat fighting it out indirectly and breeding more hate, stigma and confusion.

You're assuming Bob would listen. I knew Bob for years, and during those years he made it very clear he doesn't care. He said so.

[wassermelone]

Ok, so you don't like Bob?

Great?

[paramnesia]

I, of course, am perfect, and I spend every waking second making myself even more perfecter...

You're going to take that secret to your grave, aren't you?

Ok, so you don't like Bob?

Great?

It's not just great. It's awesome.

[corky13]

What is a Bob ? Can I eat it ?

...

[~Faust~]

Why am I reading discussions like this? Ah yes, sweet procrastination...

[Blue]

What is a Bob ? Can I eat it ?

...

After over 9,000 hours of research, i found discovered the identity of Sir Robert of the Bubble.

[corky13]

Hmmm...Bubbles...yummy


okay...enough of the spam.

[daestwen]

I'm not who I seem.

...

I'm Batman.

[Ilaekae]

...which explains the teddy bear panties on the outside of your jeans...

[paramnesia]

Those aren't panties, they're underoos!

Speaking of bubbles, I want one of these.

[OldJake666]

I know a lot of people that act extremely different in different places. I for instance act a bit differently online than I do "IRL". Also my friend who is quite friendly online is actually very quiet in real life. I have a few friends like that actually and visa versa. Also a few of my friends act WAY differently at home than they do at school.

[VulgarDragon]

Well, I wouldn't say that I am much different in RL, but I do talk a lot more on internet than I would in person, mainly because I can't communicate much in person.

Ok, by the way I think I know who Bob is.....


Bob the Tomato...yes, of course, you can eat him!!!!

[PuppyKitten]

I just feel sorry for Bob. It's not his fault he's apathetic.

And the one time that a person (his new muse) inspires him enough to reconsider his cynical views, his friends call him "fake" behind his back on some forum where he can't defend himself.

D:

[Renegade89]

He takes up hobbies, like a brief stint trying art, in order to connect to girls he likes.

So it wasnt about the happy little trees?


(holy incongruence batman!)

[TheDirtSyndicate]

i dunno if im BORING...
i just took this test:
http://www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv

my score:
Purgatory Repenting Believers Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo Virtuous Non-Believers Very Low
Level 2 Lustful Very High
Level 3 Gluttonous Moderate
Level 4 Prodigal and Avaricious High
Level 5 Wrathful and Gloomy Very High
Level 6 - The City of Dis Heretics Very High
Level 7 Violent Extreme
Level 8- the Malebolge Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers High
Level 9 - Cocytus Treacherous High

Seventh Level of Hell

Guarded by the Minotaur, who snarls in fury, and encircled within the river Phlegethon, filled with boiling blood, is the Seventh Level of Hell. The violent, the assasins, the tyrants, and the war-mongers lament their pitiless mischiefs in the river, while centaurs armed with bows and arrows shoot those who try to escape their punishment. The stench here is overpowering. This level is also home to the wood of the suicides- stunted and gnarled trees with twisting branches and poisoned fruit. At the time of final judgement, their bodies will hang from their branches. In those branches the Harpies, foul birdlike creatures with human faces, make their nests. Beyond the wood is scorching sand where those who committed violence against God and nature are showered with flakes of fire that rain down against their naked bodies. Blasphemers and sodomites writhe in pain, their tongues more loosed to lamentation, and out of their eyes gushes forth their woe. Usurers, who followed neither nature nor art, also share company in the Seventh Level.

[Helioth]

I think before wondering if other people are what they seem or not, we should make sure that WE ourselves are what we like to think we are - often enough, there's plenty to work on, if we're honest.

yep.

and complete2:

"First Level of Hell - Limbo

Charon ushers you across the river Acheron, and you find yourself upon the brink of grief's abysmal valley. You are in Limbo, a place of sorrow without torment. You encounter a seven-walled castle, and within those walls you find rolling fresh meadows illuminated by the light of reason, whereabout many shades dwell. These are the virtuous pagans, the great philosophers and authors, unbaptised children, and others unfit to enter the kingdom of heaven. You share company with Caesar, Homer, Virgil, Socrates, and Aristotle. There is no punishment here, and the atmosphere is peaceful, yet sad."

-

"I'm not trying to imply someone must be boring to be what they seem. If this is what it takes to be exciting, label me dull."

I said you implied people were what they seamed and that is boring and that implies that people are boring also.
To be exciting you must not only be exciting to others, you must be exciting to yourself, a surprise, or capable of being so at times.
There is no secret excitement to being dull, it is not like moss. To be dull is to be dull, I have a suspicion you're confusing or rather trying to confuse; muddy the waters, of what I think exciting and or dull, I wouldn't mistake some great fire in someone for aught or some waterfall of verbal diarrhea for all.

This isn't to say people don't have the capacity to be exciting, or change, but that it seems to be a matter of attitude.

"You're assuming Bob would listen. I knew Bob for years, and during those years he made it very clear he doesn't care. He said so."

Perhaps you've just not shown him the light ? As "Nike" said, we should look at ourselves. Perhaps we should look at how WE are trying to influence others and it's only a matter of that, and the mastery of it, until they bend to our perceived will and vision of 'good' action and its prescription.

[Lotet]

the thing is, there are those ppl in this world, that really dont care about anyone but themesleves, im one of them.
the thing is, when one act like bob does, i think hes ashamed for not caring. i was too but when i realized there was no point pretending to care, i quit, and now im accepting, and beeing completely fine being egocentring and only doing things thay are to my gain.

my point is, a lot of people pretend to be some1 theyr not case they are afraid/ashamed of what they really are.
and i can clearly see myslef in bob in that way, cause i share hes same unsympatic non caring personality.

[Costau D]

i can share some storries about myself, the thing is, thera are those ppl in this world, that really dont care about anyone but themesleves, im one of them.
the thing is, when one act like bob does, i think hes ashamed for not caring. i was too but when i realized there was no point pretending to care, i quit, and now im accepting and beeing comepleatly fine being egocentring and only doing things thay are to my gain.

my point is, a lot of people pretend to be some1 theyr not case they are afraid/ashamed of what they really are.
and i can clearly see myslef in bob in that way, cause i share hes same unsympatic non caring personality.

That is so cool!

[OldJake666]

Purgatory Repenting Believers Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo Virtuous Non-Believers Very Low
Level 2 Lustful High
Level 3 Gluttonous Extreme
Level 4 Prodigal and Avaricious Very High
Level 5 Wrathful and Gloomy Extreme
Level 6 - The City of Dis Heretics Extreme
Level 7 Violent High
Level 8- the Malebolge Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus Treacherous High

Fifth Level of Hell

The river Styx runs through this level of Hell, and in it are punished the wrathful and the gloomy. The former are forever lashing out at each other in anger, furious and naked, tearing each other piecemeal with their teeth. The latter are gurgling in the black mud, slothful and sullen, withdrawn from the world. Their lamentations bubble to the surface as they try to repeat a doleful hymn, though with unbroken words they cannot say it. Because you lived a cruel, vindictive and hateful life, you meet your fate in the Styx.

Nice... 8)

[PuppyKitten]

The river Styx runs through this level of Hell, and in it are punished the wrathful and the gloomy. The former are forever lashing out at each other in anger, furious and naked, tearing each other piecemeal with their teeth. The latter are gurgling in the black mud, slothful and sullen, withdrawn from the world. Their lamentations bubble to the surface as they try to repeat a doleful hymn, though with unbroken words they cannot say it.

That description is beautiful. I want to paint that very badly now.

[light]

For the purpose of this thread and to maintain the anonymity of the parties involved I’m going to use the name Bob.

First is a bit of back story. For a long time Bob didn’t like to talk about the news. In fact, he resented when I’d bring it up though he never told me, preferring to complain to a mutual friend. One may suggest it was because he didn't want to hear bad news or that hearing about other people's suffering made him feel guilty about not being able to do anything about it, but one day he admitted to the mutual friend that it was because he simply didn’t care. He added that he didn't feel a thing about Katrina or 911 because, “A lot of people in Palestine died from wars”. I suppose he resented it, yet in all the years I knew Bob he didn’t do anything personally to raise awareness about Palestine. He didn’t like it when I brought up the latest news regarding that region though. He could blog about it, or make a web page or contribute to local papers or anything if it bothered him so much, but he preferred to sit and complain and nothing else. When the tsunami hit, furthermore, he did nothing, wrote nothing, and sent nothing despite someone he considered a dear friend losing an uncle in the disaster. That’s how much interest Bob had in world events.

Years later suddenly Bob seemed to take an interest in the world around him. He wrote a blurb about a comic book store owner he doesn’t know being shot in a robbery, asking people to donate then weeks later promised to make a donation to the starving and less fortunate. A more optimistic person might think Bob is turning over a new leaf, but I dug a little. It turns out a publisher posted about the robbery first, and a few friends he knows, one possibility connected to a girl Bob has an interest in, posted about the horrible death tolls in China and Myanmar (Burma).

It made me doubt Bob had really changed and he really cared. It seemed to me Bob was trying to impress people or polish up his image. He’s never volunteered, donated, written, or talked about any of this before. He takes up hobbies, like a brief stint trying art, in order to connect to girls he likes. It reminds me of an old Brady Bunch episode where Marsha or Jan (I don’t remember which one) pretends to like bugs in order to get closer to a boy she likes at school. *wry chuckle*

Maybe I’m being too harsh, but considering Bob’s track record, I don’t believe I am. What do you think? Do you have any stories to share about a person or even a situation not being what it seems?

You have the perception and idea of people akin to someone who is considerably socially incapable

[Lotet]

That is so cool!

eeh no its not.
>,<

[corky13]

Purgatory Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo Low
Level 2 Very High
Level 3 Low
Level 4 Moderate
Level 5 Very High
Level 6 - The City of Dis Very High
Level 7 High
Level 8- the Malebolge Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus Moderate

8th level for me...a lot of sadomaso is going on down there...