Sunday, December 17, 2006

crying, while eating, but not praying, in front of a wooden computer

Things that caught my eye while reclining on the sofa, with a hangover, reading the Independent on Sunday this afternoon:

Ever looked at your computer and thought: well, this is all very well, but if only the whole thing, keyboard, monitor, mouse and all, were made entirely out of wood. And not just any old wood, what I'd really like is a choice of woods in a variety of shades and finishes. Or maye a nice polished grey stone finish would be better? We've all been there. And now there's somewhere you can go to indulge your wildest ligno-technological fantasies: here. I fancy a piece of finest Bubinga, about which the website has this to say, according to Google's translation facility anyway:
Singular PC keyboard from substantial Bubinga. Alternatively as PS/2 or USB variant available. Manufactured - as it offers us nature - from a piece massif wood. This master achievement is reflected in the continuous grain process over each individual key again. For highest reliability the proven micro switch technology from the house Cherry provides. Whereby we you a long life span to guarantee can. We load you our 26 different wood sorts your favorites to select.
So that's all pretty clear then. Incidentally the website doesn't specify any prices (if you have to ask, you can't afford it, presumably), but you should apparently expect to pay around £2,500 for the full set in wood. If you want the full set in bright green malachite then your guess is as good as mine.

Anyone who knows me knows my views on religion: don't panic, I'm not about to go off on one here, that can wait until I'm less hungover. But a vexed question for people such as myself is: what do we call ourselves? Atheist is fine, some people prefer humanist, personally I've never seen the need to worry about it all that much. Some people evidently do, though, so they presumably thought long and hard about what name to come up with. And what did these presumably intelligent people decide to call themselves, so as to be able to promote and explain their views to the world? Wait for it.....the Brights. Can you imagine a name more calculated to make anyone not immediately sympathetic to the cause switch off, fly into an incoherent rage, start lobbing fatwas around, etc.? Not that I'm suggesting goading the religious is necessarily a bad thing, nor that there isn't an inverse correlation between degree of religious belief and intelligence, but do you really expect to be making lots of new friends when your organisation's motto appears to be "We're cleverer than you - and we know it"? Not very bright at all, really.

Lastly - what the blinking flip is all this about?

4 comments:

The Black Rabbit said...

Atheists, by coining such new terms such as 'brights' are doing no worse than religious zealots in my eyes, who have 'seen the light' and are the 'enlightened few' etc...
Maybe Dawkins' term 'NONTHEISM' fits the bill better I suppose, but like you, I'm really not that bovvarrd.

electrichalibut said...

....and obviously us nontheists are actually the enlightened few; I just wonder how many unenlightened minds they're going to change with a name like that.

The thing is, though, that agonising for any length of time about it grants it an importance it doesn't deserve - I mean, I don't worry about a label to represent my non-belief in goblins or the tooth fairy.

And the counter-argument to that, of course is that there aren't powerful, well-funded, government-lobbying groups promoting a belief in goblins or the tooth fairy (well, not unless David Icke is to be believed), so there's no need. Organised religion, however....

.....oh, I dunno. Anyone fancy a pint?

The Black Rabbit said...

It may well be a calculated ploy to retaliate in a childlike way, against 'organised religion'? That would seem possible, or indeed probable.
My problem with organised religion, especially christianity, sometimes, (if I have one), is that you are effectively 'wrong' or 'misinformed' or 'stupid'? and 'damned for all eternity' if you DON'T believe. Do Christians still think Muslims and Hindus are damned as well as atheists? Maybe?
Everbody is different and has had different life experiences. I do know how I feel about some related matters - I certainly don't need to give my thoughts a name or term though.
I do feel that one really shouldn't believe one is better or more intelligent than others who don't share one's specific view on such matters.
Therefore, what I'm TRYING to say is that I'm not surprised at all that some Atheists are calling themselves 'Brights'. Some Christians (and other 'religious' people) clearly regard themselves as BETTER than other people, and in a clique or closed club of sorts.

Tanglefoot please...

The Black Rabbit said...

forgot to add this -

"My Dad is bigger than your Dad"
It's the same thing in my view.
Pointless!

Another pint please...