This just happened to me on Twitter.

[Brian37]

Ok, so this other atheist is having a serious conversation, someone responds to them about the importance of "peer review". Ok, so I popped a silly joke "If you inspect a pier, does that make it pier reviewed?".........

This idiot acted like I murdered his family, insisting that I not joke. ITS TWITTER YOU FUCKWIT, It isn't the Ritz, or a former debate at Harvard or Oxford. Yes there are things humans do need to take seriously yes. But please, we don't need to walk around with a stick up our asses every second of the day. The funny part on all social media is when people bitch about what others say, and the entire time they have the ability to block them. I made a joke moron, I didn't go on a killing spree.

I certainly do take things seriously, like attacking science or twisting it to prop up myths. I take corporate welfare seriously. I take pollution seriously. I take bigotry and sexism seriously.

But really people, it is not a crime to be silly sometimes.

---

As much as I love Dawkins advocacy he can be a stuffed shirt too. I was warned when before I went to the 07 convention not to ask him to sign a ballcap, Dawkins thinks that is low class. I did exactly that and he looked at me like I had a third eye. He begrudgingly did it, but all I could think was "Hey dude, I bought your book, and you don't have to wear the hat yourself so get a grip".

[Alex K]

I have little experience with the twitters, but isn't it the case that there is no fixed thread of conversation in which one could intrude, but rather individual public tweetses with hashtags marking topics..?

[Brian37]

I have little experience with the twitters, but isn't it the case that there is no fixed thread of conversation in which one could intrude, but rather individual public tweetses with hashtags marking topics..?

I don't care why he objected. When you are an adult, you do your own thing. If you like the library, fine. But no one is required by law to be clones of others. If you don't like what someone is saying, you can ask, but if they don't respond the way you want, on Twitter and FB especially, you control your settings.

[Marsellus Wallace]

Were you wearing the ballcap when you asked him to sign it ? JK :P

I agree with you, life is filled with lots of depressing fucked up shit, sometimes we need to add some sense of humor.

[Brian37]

Were you wearing the ballcap when you asked him to sign it ? JK :P

I agree with you, life is filled with lots of depressing fucked up shit, sometimes we need to add some sense of humor.

My attitude stems from my upbringing. I know my mom and dad just wanted the best for me. But kids are not clones of their parents. I was adopted, my adoptive mom is still alive, but both of them were raised to fit a script that boys do this girls do this, boys don't cry, "buck up, be a man", and looking back at that now, I had different genes and a different personality but was raised by parents who followed the social norms they were sold.

It's funny, my mom hated me getting emotional as kid, got frustrated all the time when I didn't do things perfectly her way, in her mind things were simply and you just did them. We have grown so much closer now because she has learned by seeing others she lives with respond positively to my silliness. Cant change the past, she loves me just as much now and certainly back then. But neither of us had a decent understanding of individuality back then.

When I was a kid and burped even if I excused myself, she would freak out. But now when I do it I say "I made it all by myself" and she laughs now. I love the person she has grown to be now. She and I still have our moments and butt heads, but now it is much easier to deal with because we accept each other's personalities much more than we did when I was a kid. She is much more relaxed now.

I don't mind being formal sometimes but I also don't want to live in a 5 star hotel walking around with a stick up my ass.

[Nine]

I certainly do take things seriously, like attacking science or twisting it to prop up myths. I take corporate welfare seriously. I take pollution seriously. I take bigotry and sexism seriously.

Plus you can joke about things while taking them seriously. Usually its the best way to communicate with people too, it keeps things interesting while you get across in an entertaining way.

[Brian37]

I certainly do take things seriously, like attacking science or twisting it to prop up myths. I take corporate welfare seriously. I take pollution seriously. I take bigotry and sexism seriously.

Plus you can joke about things while taking them seriously. Usually its the best way to communicate with people too, it keeps things interesting while you get across in an entertaining way.

No this is nothing to joke about!(Note to self: Did I think this, or type it?)

[Nine]

No this is nothing to joke about!(Note to self: Did I think this, or type it?)

I hope you did both ;-)

[Brian37]

No this is nothing to joke about!(Note to self: Did I think this, or type it?)

I hope you did both ;-)

I cant remember if I did both.

[Nine]

I cant remember if I did both.

One of us may be going mad. I'm not sure how to figure out who.