I'm fortunate to live in a country where guns are an almost non-existant problem for society. This doesn't stop me from getting agitated whenever I hear an argument made in favour of their use and possession.
Today's culprits who espoused the virtues of firearms were the Socialist Alternative nutbars who feel it necessary to be both terrified of attack and filled with unholy hatred simultaneously.
Their view, along with many others, is that if more people had guns, there would be less crime. After all, how could you get raped or mugged if you could easily put hot lead in their skulls and prevent the crime from happening in the first place?
Imagine how safe it would be if everyone had a weapon. Every man, woman and child with a six-shooter, well-trained in marksmanship and ready to defend themselves at even a moment's notice. Criminals beware! Dark alleys will no longer be your haven; women's chastity will remain intact and children can play in the streets without fear of molestation. And every citizen can look at one another, and smile, safe in the knowledge that they are all equally well-prepared. God's radiance will shine down upon us all and peace and happiness will be our only laws.
Yeah. I think I'll set aside issues of practicality (the thousands of accidental deaths), morality (disproportionate retribution; killing to protect one's wallet) and talk about fear instead.
This type of society is a horrifying one; where people are so fearful of attack, and so distrustful of one another they feel compelled to carry deadly weapons with them at all times.
The world is a scary place to live in for humans. There are dangers from without such as from vicious and poisons creatures, and from within, such as those coming from the caprices and gluttonous appetites of evil men. Anyone who has ever encountered "the Prisoner's Dilemma" is also aware of the contradiction involved in trusting fellow men, as a single person acting in their own best interests will have disastrous consequences for all others. Altruism may not even exist in this world.
These facts may be true. The difference between myself and the gun owner is that I choose not to live in such a craven manner. The world is scary? Fine. Altruism is a lie? Whatever.
I'll trust the guy walking next to me despite these hard truths. He may end up stabbing me and taking my Video Ezy membership card. But until he does, I'll relish the company.
Have your guns. I'll enjoy my bright and fearless world.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Capes
Why is it that the cape is seen as a ridiculous garment for regular people? At what point did it become the exclusive purview of flamboyant superheroes and megalomaniacal villians?
Everyone looks better when they are wind-tousled; doubly so when they have a cape billowing. I'm still puzzled as to why it's considered more trendy to have your thin tie blowing in the wind, but the cape is considered to be the height of cheesiness.
Unless you happen to be the Ballerina Man, capes add mystique and allure. Perhaps I want to look deep and dark without having any vampiric aspects, or self-loathing for said vampirism.
I went to a store earlier looking for capes, and I even asked several staff members for assistance. They just looked at me blankly like I was some kind of idiot; like I was deliberately and maliciously wasting their time with my pursuit of frivolous comic-book attire.
It's not comic book attire. I want a cape. If nothing else, it will look less stupid than my ninja outfit does; at least until I get my smoke bombs to work properly.
Everyone looks better when they are wind-tousled; doubly so when they have a cape billowing. I'm still puzzled as to why it's considered more trendy to have your thin tie blowing in the wind, but the cape is considered to be the height of cheesiness.
Unless you happen to be the Ballerina Man, capes add mystique and allure. Perhaps I want to look deep and dark without having any vampiric aspects, or self-loathing for said vampirism.
I went to a store earlier looking for capes, and I even asked several staff members for assistance. They just looked at me blankly like I was some kind of idiot; like I was deliberately and maliciously wasting their time with my pursuit of frivolous comic-book attire.
It's not comic book attire. I want a cape. If nothing else, it will look less stupid than my ninja outfit does; at least until I get my smoke bombs to work properly.
Monday, October 4, 2010
Honesty
I've often found that being honest leads to simplicity in life. People will always know where they stand with you when brutal honesty is used in all aspects.
There are two consequences of this lifestyle; the first is a dramatic decrease in people who want to spend time with you. This is actually a better thing than it sounds; I may end up with less friends but it does mean that the ones left either like me or can tolerate my abrasiveness.
All the others were people who may have liked the faux-identity that I would have been presenting, had I not been honest. In other words, I would have fake friends to match the fake personality constructed to get along with people.
The second consequence is that every conversation I have becomes far more fun and fascinating. There's no pretense and there's never any of the traditional "small talk". That doesn't mean that there aren't any inane or stupid conversations, only that everything that is going to be said will be filled with either ideas, humour or reminisces. The removal of the space-filler chat is, one again, my primary concern. :P
There are two consequences of this lifestyle; the first is a dramatic decrease in people who want to spend time with you. This is actually a better thing than it sounds; I may end up with less friends but it does mean that the ones left either like me or can tolerate my abrasiveness.
All the others were people who may have liked the faux-identity that I would have been presenting, had I not been honest. In other words, I would have fake friends to match the fake personality constructed to get along with people.
The second consequence is that every conversation I have becomes far more fun and fascinating. There's no pretense and there's never any of the traditional "small talk". That doesn't mean that there aren't any inane or stupid conversations, only that everything that is going to be said will be filled with either ideas, humour or reminisces. The removal of the space-filler chat is, one again, my primary concern. :P
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Game Review: Rise of the Argonauts
I'm really enjoying this game. It's called a fantasy action role-playing game but really it's a hack-n-slasher with some minor variations with the speed and gratuity of said hacking and slashing.
The game loosely follows the story of Jason, of the Golden Fleece fame, as he attempts to undo the murder of his bride and literally travels to hell and back to do it.
The story is your typical multi-part search quest where you have to find three enchanted McGuffins to help you do the Jesus thing on your sexy dead wife.
The love:
This game is getting a little old at this point - one of the earlier releases for the Xbox 360 - it's nearly three years old. Despite this, it's aging very well - the graphics are still pretty, and while they'll never WOW you, the characters are all well drawn and the battle animations are all very satisfying to watch.
There are two things that I really love about this game.
The first is the music. Each location is made vastly different by the usage of horns, low-tone vocals and woodwind instruments. Each piece of music sets the scene perfectly and conveys a true sense of being in ancient Greece. The reason why I mention the musically specifcally is that quite a few games fail in this regard; Halo has adequate music but it doesn't really make you feel like you're on an alien planet fighting a whole bunch of pantsless blue bipedal creatures. Argonaut's music just feels right.
The second part that is remarkable is the characterisation of the gods in the game; as you embark on your quest, four of the ancient Greek deities bless you directly with their strength, power and wisdom.
What's enjoyable about this is that they are excellent representations of the mythology - Ares, god of war, is bloodthirsty, direct and respects only courage and determination; Hermes, messenger of the gods, is a magnificent trickster whose every line is a witticism or a jest; Athena, goddess of wisdom, is as stuffy and pompous as you'd expect from a deity who cares for nothing but virtue.
Jason himself gets well characterised - his speech is proud, defiant, and filled with grief at his loss. It's also a welcome change for the primary protagonist to be a fully-developed King, rather than a noble-in-training like in the Prince of Persia trilogy.
The hate:
There are a few quibbles that I have with this game. For starters, it's fairly buggy at times, especially in combat; oftentimes I will execute a flashy and entertaining whirlwind of death only to have the finishing blow ruin the effect because the man on the receiving end of my blade is now lying a half metre above the ground while clipping out of a rock.
Most of the NPCs tend to be unexpressive and blandly voiced, which is disappointing when compared to the quality and expressiveness of Jason.
I'd really expect Grandma Erudite to be a little more upset than simply "oh dear, that's terrible news. I need to sit down" after I just bifurcated her son for gambling.
Which brings me to my biggest complaint - the moral choice system. All of your choices fit into one of four categories - based on your four patron deities. The choices are
(1) Apollo - adherence to duty and most likely for "canonical" decisions
(2) Athena - wise and fair; justice will be done but it won't nearly be as satisfying as
(3) Hermes - perpetually smart-arse; and finally my favourite
(4) Ares - almost always violent. How do you get your wife back from the dead? Killing motherfuckers. That guy just called your wife a whore and your homeland filled with loose women. Are you going to ignore it as a king should, or are you going to stab that dickhead through the eye socket with your spear?
Herein lies my complaint with the moral choice system. I inevitably will pick the Ares choice every time because every other choice makes Jason look like a complete wuss. What kind of king waxes philosophical with the murderer of his queen when there's a flaming mace in his hand that would look so much cooler adorned with man-brains?
The choices have an impact on the game but there's just no way that anyone would want to do any of the other choices. I don't want the non-violent solution to a problem in a hack and slash game. I want the asshole option, the dickhead option, the bastard option and maybe even the "GOD NO! MY EYE! YOU STABBED ME IN THE EYE AFTER I SURRENDERED!" option.
It's fun without being all consuming - the playtime is probably about 12 hours total; so it's a relatively short game for a single-player only experience. But there is nothing quite as satisfying as watching Jason go slow-mo as he chops an Ionian mercenary into halves.
The game loosely follows the story of Jason, of the Golden Fleece fame, as he attempts to undo the murder of his bride and literally travels to hell and back to do it.
The story is your typical multi-part search quest where you have to find three enchanted McGuffins to help you do the Jesus thing on your sexy dead wife.
The love:
This game is getting a little old at this point - one of the earlier releases for the Xbox 360 - it's nearly three years old. Despite this, it's aging very well - the graphics are still pretty, and while they'll never WOW you, the characters are all well drawn and the battle animations are all very satisfying to watch.
There are two things that I really love about this game.
The first is the music. Each location is made vastly different by the usage of horns, low-tone vocals and woodwind instruments. Each piece of music sets the scene perfectly and conveys a true sense of being in ancient Greece. The reason why I mention the musically specifcally is that quite a few games fail in this regard; Halo has adequate music but it doesn't really make you feel like you're on an alien planet fighting a whole bunch of pantsless blue bipedal creatures. Argonaut's music just feels right.
The second part that is remarkable is the characterisation of the gods in the game; as you embark on your quest, four of the ancient Greek deities bless you directly with their strength, power and wisdom.
What's enjoyable about this is that they are excellent representations of the mythology - Ares, god of war, is bloodthirsty, direct and respects only courage and determination; Hermes, messenger of the gods, is a magnificent trickster whose every line is a witticism or a jest; Athena, goddess of wisdom, is as stuffy and pompous as you'd expect from a deity who cares for nothing but virtue.
Jason himself gets well characterised - his speech is proud, defiant, and filled with grief at his loss. It's also a welcome change for the primary protagonist to be a fully-developed King, rather than a noble-in-training like in the Prince of Persia trilogy.
The hate:
There are a few quibbles that I have with this game. For starters, it's fairly buggy at times, especially in combat; oftentimes I will execute a flashy and entertaining whirlwind of death only to have the finishing blow ruin the effect because the man on the receiving end of my blade is now lying a half metre above the ground while clipping out of a rock.
Most of the NPCs tend to be unexpressive and blandly voiced, which is disappointing when compared to the quality and expressiveness of Jason.
I'd really expect Grandma Erudite to be a little more upset than simply "oh dear, that's terrible news. I need to sit down" after I just bifurcated her son for gambling.
Which brings me to my biggest complaint - the moral choice system. All of your choices fit into one of four categories - based on your four patron deities. The choices are
(1) Apollo - adherence to duty and most likely for "canonical" decisions
(2) Athena - wise and fair; justice will be done but it won't nearly be as satisfying as
(3) Hermes - perpetually smart-arse; and finally my favourite
(4) Ares - almost always violent. How do you get your wife back from the dead? Killing motherfuckers. That guy just called your wife a whore and your homeland filled with loose women. Are you going to ignore it as a king should, or are you going to stab that dickhead through the eye socket with your spear?
Herein lies my complaint with the moral choice system. I inevitably will pick the Ares choice every time because every other choice makes Jason look like a complete wuss. What kind of king waxes philosophical with the murderer of his queen when there's a flaming mace in his hand that would look so much cooler adorned with man-brains?
The choices have an impact on the game but there's just no way that anyone would want to do any of the other choices. I don't want the non-violent solution to a problem in a hack and slash game. I want the asshole option, the dickhead option, the bastard option and maybe even the "GOD NO! MY EYE! YOU STABBED ME IN THE EYE AFTER I SURRENDERED!" option.
It's fun without being all consuming - the playtime is probably about 12 hours total; so it's a relatively short game for a single-player only experience. But there is nothing quite as satisfying as watching Jason go slow-mo as he chops an Ionian mercenary into halves.
Drunk, Part 2
I happen to like being me, and being around my friends, when drunk. My friends become relaxed and unafraid to say what they're really thinking.
All people have insecurities, no matter how confident they are in themselves or their purpose. What's most interesting to me is the things that people show about themselves when inebriated through the structure of what they say, rather than in the things they say specifically.
There is the one who expresses his dissonance between the relaxation caused by alcohol and the loss of rigid control that he proudly acquits himself with. If he could loosen up in his day-to-day life he wouldn't have such a rough time when blotto.
There's the one who can't express his emotions effectively but manages to crack open his shell to show his gooey-creamy centre; the bear who loves to love.
Someone less discreetly is the one who worries that their circle of friends would shrink significantly if not for their current relationship. The sheer joy that's expressed upon reaffirmation of their friendships is something that could only happen when drunk.
I'm told that I'm largely the same when plastered, though the supposed "veneer of class" comes off and I words that I would normally not say get said; neither angrier, happier or more melancholic, only louder and more obnoxious. I tend to express my dissatisfaction with my current identity.
My friends aren't more fun to be around when they're drunk. I do get to know them better every time it happens though.
All people have insecurities, no matter how confident they are in themselves or their purpose. What's most interesting to me is the things that people show about themselves when inebriated through the structure of what they say, rather than in the things they say specifically.
There is the one who expresses his dissonance between the relaxation caused by alcohol and the loss of rigid control that he proudly acquits himself with. If he could loosen up in his day-to-day life he wouldn't have such a rough time when blotto.
There's the one who can't express his emotions effectively but manages to crack open his shell to show his gooey-creamy centre; the bear who loves to love.
Someone less discreetly is the one who worries that their circle of friends would shrink significantly if not for their current relationship. The sheer joy that's expressed upon reaffirmation of their friendships is something that could only happen when drunk.
I'm told that I'm largely the same when plastered, though the supposed "veneer of class" comes off and I words that I would normally not say get said; neither angrier, happier or more melancholic, only louder and more obnoxious. I tend to express my dissatisfaction with my current identity.
My friends aren't more fun to be around when they're drunk. I do get to know them better every time it happens though.
Cool
I tend to think that cool is a state of confidence rather than of indifference. Cigar smoking and smooth jazz can be cool to a guy who does that; he's cool because he loves those things. He's confident in his identity and is secure in himself. The most pimply-faced lisping nerd can be awesome if he does what he loves and doesn't care what the majority opinion thinks of his pastimes.
The problem comes when you have an innately cool activity, such a smoking, and add in an insecure wannabe teenage who's trying his best to "fit in"- I will inevitably want to lamp these guys one just to see how cool they really look when they've got tears pouring down their faces.
I have never seen a happy guy who wasn't cool. Indecision, whining about how the world sucks (and not having any kind of alternatives) and pretentiousness isn't cool.
I'm trying to be happy here. It's not pretentious to experiment, to discover what one likes.
The problem comes when you have an innately cool activity, such a smoking, and add in an insecure wannabe teenage who's trying his best to "fit in"- I will inevitably want to lamp these guys one just to see how cool they really look when they've got tears pouring down their faces.
I have never seen a happy guy who wasn't cool. Indecision, whining about how the world sucks (and not having any kind of alternatives) and pretentiousness isn't cool.
I'm trying to be happy here. It's not pretentious to experiment, to discover what one likes.
Drunk, Part 1
I got a little inebriated last night. Not completely plastered, but a little toasty and otherwise relaxed. I probably would have enjoyed myself more had I not been the designated driver, but it was my turn and I do my fair share for my friends and family.
It's been said that alcohol changes people; it makes them more violent, or depressed, or rape-happy. Guys transform addled, gorilla-like sex fiends, and girls becomed highly vulnerable targets for the aforementioned simians; we all know how women are equal to men - especially physically. Men regress to the level of Cro-Magnon man and women simply cease being rational at all apparently.
I don't buy it. Alcohol is an inebriant, depressant and intoxicant. It's not a miracle drug that can make all your dreams and nightmares a reality. It relaxes, it poisons and it lowers inhibitions. This means that it doesn't make you do things you would never do; it means that it increases the likelihood of you doing something you wouldn't normally do.
I think alcohol is more revealing of character than most people would like to admit. If they're angry, suicidal, horny or silent, the inebriation has shown what is on their minds. I'm fortunate to have friends who have no insecurities of this type.
I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm confident and I'm weak; no moreso drunk than sober.
If you want to convince me that alcohol changes people, show me a self-realised individual who is different drunk than when sober.
It's been said that alcohol changes people; it makes them more violent, or depressed, or rape-happy. Guys transform addled, gorilla-like sex fiends, and girls becomed highly vulnerable targets for the aforementioned simians; we all know how women are equal to men - especially physically. Men regress to the level of Cro-Magnon man and women simply cease being rational at all apparently.
I don't buy it. Alcohol is an inebriant, depressant and intoxicant. It's not a miracle drug that can make all your dreams and nightmares a reality. It relaxes, it poisons and it lowers inhibitions. This means that it doesn't make you do things you would never do; it means that it increases the likelihood of you doing something you wouldn't normally do.
I think alcohol is more revealing of character than most people would like to admit. If they're angry, suicidal, horny or silent, the inebriation has shown what is on their minds. I'm fortunate to have friends who have no insecurities of this type.
I'm angry, I'm sad, I'm confident and I'm weak; no moreso drunk than sober.
If you want to convince me that alcohol changes people, show me a self-realised individual who is different drunk than when sober.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)