Debate Thread

Ugh, this reminds me of this:
http://www.salon.com/2012/03/06/the_small_sexist_joke_that_became_a_big_deal/


I mean.... IT'S A FUCKING JOKE, PEOPLE! The guy who did this was not sexist, he was not subtly stabbing at women. He was just bored, and thought it would be funny.

There are lots of long words in there and I am so proud of myself for reading them all.

I agree with you, JT.

A problem with Internet news sources is that they just copy/paste and paraphrase other Internet news sources, without really reading up on the topic, so they can get their news out as fast they can so they can get as many views as possible; woe betide the outlet to run an article last. It's like a game of Chinese Whispers, what the first person reports is never the same as what the last person reports.
I guess that really has not too much to do with the point you're making but I can't think of anything else to contribute to the topic.

Semicolon wrote:There are lots of long words in there and I am so proud of myself for reading them all.

Best quote ever.

Also, carrying over from MLP thread:

Dewmann wrote:EVERYPONY IS ASEXUAL.

END OF STORY

Yeah, for the purposes of MLP: FiM this is the answer I'd go with. Try not to conflate sex and sexuality and all that jazz,

Katls Nalcrato wrote: Modern socity is not freindly twords gays(no offence Jonny),

Don't worry about it, although while a gay character in MLP is potentially problematic (essentially due to how fluid and uncertain sexuality can be in your younger years) we shouldn't avoid a gay character just because there's an outspoken majority against it. I mean, gay people exist and that's absolutely fine. What would be the main arguments against including a gay character?

Would it be fears of "promoting" a gay lifestyle? I would argue that people are ultimately gay or they aren't. (Or somewhere on that spectrum but whatever.) While your sexuality might be somewhat uncertain (or nonexistent) in your younger years, the conclusion you eventually come to is, I think, going to be pretty fixed regardless of outside influences. I mean, most people grow up in pretty heteronormative environments: we have hetero parents, watch and read things with hetero relationships in them, and yet we don't turn out to be hetero ourselves. Moreover, is there such a thing as a typical gay lifestyle? We don't all go out clubbing or like fashionable clothes or even engage in the same sex acts. Would we say we have a typical hetero lifestyle?

Secondly, would there be fears of promoting gay sex or something? Like I said earlier, we shouldn't really conflate sex and sexuality because they're two seperate things. I would define sexuality as being attracted to someone. I would define sex as actual physical activity. Based on that we're exposed to sexuality every day and there's nothing wrong with that. I mean, we had Rarity going out with Celestia's nephew and we know how tame that was. And would it be so awful if she'd been going out with a niece instead?

I learned about gay people from a Simpsons episode, when I was about 8 or 9, maybe a little younger or older. Looking back I think I knew I way gay from a very young age, about 5 or 6, although I didn't necessarily understand what that meant just yet. But the feelings were there, and I think I wouldn't have minded a children's show with a gay character in. It's not deviant, or dirty: it's honestly a pretty unremarkable occurrence in my opinion and I wouldn't have minded being told a bit more about homosexuality when I was younger. People are gay or they aren't and no amount of censorship or "promotion" is going to change that. The best thing to do is say "gay people exist, and that's okay".

I agree with you one hundred percent, Jonny.


It would be exactly the same as keeping black people out of a show, because a lot of people don't like them. (Sort of.)

As for the asexual thing, like I said. Lauren Faust has stated that ponies do in fact have sex. So, I say it's perfectly natural for them to make relationships and such. And if someponies are homosexual, then so what?


EDIT: I would like to say that I disagree with you about the sexuality being firm thing. Im young, sure, but not so much younger than yourself. And, while Im rather sure of my own sexuality, I think it's rather common to meet bisexual people.


Unless, you just meant that as people get older, they get more sure of their sexuality, and decide whther they are gay, straight, or a bit of both. In which case, I agree.

I meant that as people get older they get more sure of their sexuality, yeah.

Also, reading some other posts in the MLP thread there were shows with gay people in. I must not have encountered them.

I also think Lickity Split is gay, as well. Although Im not certain if that's just something someone pulled out of their hat, or if it's what the community agrees on, or what.

But everyone agrees that Lyra and Bon Bon are lovers.

Honestly, these subtle hints at some of them being gay are better than the blatantly obvious gay people on some other shows. I think MLP's (Hypothetical) version of gay ponies is more realistic, and better, for children and adults to be exposed to. I like how it makes them seem like an acceptable part of society, and treats them fairly and with understanding.

I've met plenty of gay people in my life, and they aren't odd people like a lot of TV shows portray them.

From my perspective, it seems like video games have the least stereotypical gay characters I've ever seen.

Gay Tony from GTA IV, does admittidly seem like a coke-snorting, gay bar owning queen, but that's just the persona he puts out for publicity, and in private, he's a cynical and intelligent man who knows that his addiction is ruining him.

And it seems like half the characters in Fallout: New Vegas are gay or bisexual, but you'd never know for most of them, particularly Arcade Gannon (Who reminds me of Jonny for some reason.)

That guy looks nothing like a blastoise...[]

Or a train....

Or a red lion-thing. Which reminds me: I really ought to post a picture of myself. I'm a little like Arcade, actually.

For some reason, Im not surprised.

I meant him and Arcade have similar personalities. I look deeper than what I see on the outside, unlike JT and Zebra.

I still only imagine Jonny looking like Frink.

PI IS EXACTLY 3!

And Arcade is kind of like a more down to earth Frink.

Also, this.

Gorgro wrote:I still only imagine Jonny looking like Frink.

Not Dug wearing the Cone of Shame? []

RANDOM NEW DEBATE BECAUSE IM BORED TIME GO!



The legalization of marijuana: Go!


I think it should be legal. I don't smoke it, nor am I ever going to. I hate how it smells, and hate how it makes people act (Annoying as fuck.) BUT:

It should not be illegal. It is hypocritical to make it illegal, and, quite frankly, unconstitutional.

I think it should be legalized. Like Zebra though, I don't smoke it. It's a lot safer than taking other, more harmful narcotics (Crack, Speed, Meth, etc.), and i'm pretty sure the crime rate would drop considerably. But keep the part where if you piss positive for marijuana, you can't get a job. I'd rather not work with a bunch of lazy potheads.

Actually, most people I know who do pot are more productive than those who don't.



It focuses you to one thing, and allows you to get that one thing done. But, the side-effect is: You turn into an annoying fuck.


So......

Lucky you. All the people I know who smoke pot are just lazy as fuck.

Then again, all the people I know who somke it are older (40-50).


That probably has something to do with it.

...Probably. Mine are 19-25.

Lazers gonna laze; cannabis doesn't make people lazy.
If someone is passing up work to sit back and smoke it then that's because they've got their priorities wrong; cannabis isn't chemically addictive.

I think it should be legal, yeah.

It's just a moral issue for me. It's incredibly hypocritical to make it illegal, but allow cigarettes to be legal.