From: bob@medrcw.b17b.ingr.com (Robert Whitehead)
Subject: Re: Is there a problem here. . .?
Keywords: Yes there is, and it's your attitudes
Reply-To: bob@medrcw.b17b.ingr.com
Organization: Vulcan Science Academy Foreign Student Union
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 14:19:47 GMT

In article <1992Nov14.133157.106@cuphub.cup.edu>, ire9934@cuphub.cup.edu writes:
[... loads of commentary deleted...]

|> Sorry if I seem judgmental or rude, but its just something that needs to be
|> said.  If you decide to complain, it's your right, but do us commoners a favor
|> and bitch among yourselves.

With any luck, this can be the final followup to this thread, and we can all get
back to what we were doing.

Yes, Ireland, you _are_ being judgemental and rude; in my judgement, of course.

Are you unaware that there are other things which we might find fascinating or
worthy of our attention which are much more harmful than engaging in Trek trivia
contests?  So we argue about rank stripes or pips on collars; so what?  For all
you know, we might all be recovering alcoholics who use Trek as a tool to divert
us from a craving for something much more destructive.

I might argue that people who indulge in argument over Buddhist philosophy are in
need of a life because they are wasting their time discussing things that will
not take them to the foot of the Throne where they should worship Christ for all
eternity; I would be flamed _mercilessly_, and I would deserve it.

This is a _hobby_, for Pete's sake; we're fascinated by it, just as some people
are hung up on sex.  You want to get all Freudian about it, maybe we're all just
sublimating our natural sexual impulses because we're insecure about our
masculinity/femininity.  Draw your own conclusions.

Maybe some of us like space battles and transporters; I'm enamored of the idea
that maybe the Human race will grow up someday and become more tolerant of
outside ideas.

Now, you should trot on back to class and bury yourself in your books.  Go learn
all about how and why you should think the way your professors do.  Forget all
about individuality; forget all about learning tolerance and forgiveness.  Insist
on strict adherence to a totally practical worldview.  Turn your sights from the
stars and concentrate on how you can better help the Government take your money
and blow it all on useless giveaway programs.

Those of us who love Trek and some of the ideas presented will keep dreaming, and
thinking, and wondering, "What's out there?"  And we'll play our games; you put
the ol' nose to the grindstone and slave away for that degree like I did mine.

And when you finally get out of your ivory tower and have to get a job, maybe
you'll find out (like we did) that you're going to need something to take your
mind _off_ your work.  Sex won't be as important to you anymore; exercise and
sports won't do it for you, except to keep you healthy.  Maybe you'll discover
that some of the better-adjusted, happier people in this world are Trek devotees;
they certainly are in mine.

And when you've had enough of politics, and bitching, and Bill Clinton, and you
want to find someplace to go where the whole point of the game is thinking about
how great a place the Future is, come on back and play with us.  We'll save a
place for you.
-- 
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| Robert C. Whitehead       |
| Intergraph Corporation    | The opinions expressed herein are not 
| Mapping Sciences Division | necessarily those of my employer, not 
| Technical Documentation   | necessarily mine, and probably not necessary.
| Mailpath: bob@medrcw.b17b |
| Phone: (205) 730-1923     |
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From the Real World: bob@medrcw.b17b.ingr.com


"As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy than
to create."
    -- Spock, "The Wrath of Khan,"  Stardate 8130.3