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[helpful]

For example, Albert Ellis died today and NOBODY said anything.

Um, and I am being dead serious here, Who?

Thanks. I wish people when they reference people they would give a little context for the reference.

I mean, if I said I liked k.d. laing, I wouldn;t leave it at that; I would say I like k.d. laing, the singer, or the Canadian vegetarian singer, or something like that.

http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/07/24/albert-ellis-dead-at-93/

[walker_percy]

Your thread, [ponders Krispy Kreme's superiority to Dunkin' Donuts] in possibly confusing passionate discussion of an issue with effective action, upholds another stereotype of academics as self important cloistered blatherers. [Looks for car keys while calculating distance to nearest KK.] I would rather register my discontent with Bush and his ilk in the voting booth -- and by God, I shall, I shall! -- and use this forum for discussion, yes, but of either a more fun or speculative sort. By fun, I mean talking about my favorite subject, my two girls' utter superiority to the rest of mankind. By speculative, I mean talking about poop, pee pee, lesions of the pubic area, smelting, fear of mirrors, and Catholic epistemology [lost appetite, forget donut.]

[georgia_guy]

And to the recurring recommendation for a donut, I realize it is simply banter.  But how is it different from "take a pill", "have a drink", "hit up, baby"?

Doughnuts are non mind altering, and taste really good. Essentially it means relax, and try to have fun a bit.

If you look around on the forums, you will find that we have SEVERAL threads dealing with health care issues, global warming and so forth. In fact, we even have one celebrating a member of the media for refusing to report on Lindsey Lohan.

We just ALSO have threads dealing with less weighty issues.

[walker_percy]

Personally, I like the chocolate covered ones. From Shipley's.

Anyway, if I tried to think about all the serious stuff all the time, I'd go insane. Thankfully, I have my daughter, and we have the fora to help us escape the real world from time to time!

Shipley's! Are you in TX?

[case_insensitive]

More people were up at midnight, waiting in line to buy Harry Potter, than were up worrying about all the serious problems in the world combined.

Academics are actually people, as hard as that is to believe.

Besides, I've already talked about all the serious stuff well before lunch, with the colleaugues I actually work with.

So, to answer the title of this thread, no, not at all. Have a doughnut! O

I am only guessing here that perhaps just maybe I don't really know but say for example there might possibly be more people hungry or out of work or uninsured than are/were worried about Harry Potter.  Call me crazy, it's just a guess.

My point is not about the pleasure of banter.  It is about the preponderance of banter.  I would ask how any content analysis of this forum would differ markedly from standard media's preoccupation with Lindsey Lohan.

And to the recurring recommendation for a donut, I realize it is simply banter.  But how is it different from "take a pill", "have a drink", "hit up, baby"?

It's an online forum. Banter is its reason to exist.  Can't you get that?

[genespleen2]

the power of this forum...

I gotta ask--and seriously--what the h*ll kind of "power" do you mean???  Chronicle Forums are funnies for academics, and death-ditches for trolls.  That's really about it.  It is a place of help, advice, venting, and ranting, but it's not a place directed towards public service.

(And I hate to say, but if you were an astute student of online fora and the internet in general, you would've known that.)

[walker_percy]

I was a little surprised when nobody had replied to my topic asking for intellectual or thoughtful writings/ blogs that folks read online. 

I honestly wanted to know what smart and interesting things were being read and pondered.  What I got was, well, that none of you read anything interesting except what face cream to use and where to find cute outfits.  Not this isn't important and fun to talk about, but it is odd that we NEVER discuss anything more... high brow.  For example, Albert Ellis died today and NOBODY said anything.

Spouse says that my statements are too strong.  Spouse thinks that the forums are the escape place to come and talk about fun things to get away from the academic stuff.  Maybe that's true.  I'm not embarrassed about the less "heavy" topics; however, I wish we could be more serious at least some of the time.

go to www.therestisnoise.com, Alex Ross's classical music blog.

[goldstein]

the power of this forum...

I gotta ask--and seriously--what the h*ll kind of "power" do you mean???  Chronicle Forums are funnies for academics, and death-ditches for trolls.  That's really about it.  It is a place of help, advice, venting, and ranting, but it's not a place directed towards public service.

(And I hate to say, but if you were an astute student of online fora and the internet in general, you would've known that.)

It's what you make it, isn't it?

[genespleen2]

the power of this forum...

I gotta ask--and seriously--what the h*ll kind of "power" do you mean???  Chronicle Forums are funnies for academics, and death-ditches for trolls.  That's really about it.  It is a place of help, advice, venting, and ranting, but it's not a place directed towards public service.

(And I hate to say, but if you were an astute student of online fora and the internet in general, you would've known that.)

It's what you make it, isn't it??

Here, GS, have at it: http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,32985.0.html

You might also want to visit the Career Seeking sections, or the non-Tenure Track and Tenure Track sections, etc. etc.

"It's what you make it," after all...

[goldstein]

Yeah, not looking for a job. Thanks for the kind thought though.

[grasshopper]

There are intellectual threads on the fora. Just not in the Meet-n-Greet section.


You know, I was thinking about this the other day. I was talking to a friend about what I watch on tv, and to be honest, it's pretty damn embarassing.

Then I realized that all the people I know who poo-poo boob-tube television are those pseudo-intellectual types. You know the ones: they work mind-numbingly boring jobs during the day, and "smart tv" and documentaries are the only intellectual stimulation they really get.

I, on the other hand, have spent the morning reading freaking Derrida for my stoopid comps. And then, on the coffee date I set up as a break, I end up talking about what I've read with my friends, who are also grad students. In the afternoon, I'll be working on a paper or an article or something. My day is filled with intellectual activity.  

After that kind of day, I like a good CSI rerun. And maybe a bit of the Lonely Hearts Club thread.

You know what I'm saying?  

[gennimom]

Ah, no, I think Shipley's started right here in Mississippi. The first one was in either Columbus or Hattiesburg. I know there are two in H'burg, one in Starkville, one in Oxford (I think), and one in Horn Lake (just south of Memphis).

Hmm. No, scratch that. It started in Texas, but it has been here for a long time! Love, love, love Shipley's! I don't like the way Krispy Kreme ices their donuts before putting the chocolate topping on. Too sweet!

The nearest Shipley's is two blocks away. Yum!

[walker_percy]

I know exactly what you are saying. Working on a viola and piano piece. Lots of f-ing notes, pulling them out of my swollen brain for hours. Give me some fricking Forensic Files and a frozen pizza come five o'clock.

[walker_percy]

Ah, no, I think Shipley's started right here in Mississippi. The first one was in either Columbus or Hattiesburg. I know there are two in H'burg, one in Starkville, one in Oxford (I think), and one in Horn Lake (just south of Memphis).

Hmm. No, scratch that. It started in Texas, but it has been here for a long time! Love, love, love Shipley's! I don't like the way Krispy Kreme ices their donuts before putting the chocolate topping on. Too sweet!

The nearest Shipley's is two blocks away. Yum!

Hah, I am right next door, in Alabama. As we say in Alabama, thank God for Mississippi. Well, we used to say that. We suck even worse than you guys, now. And we don't have Shipley's.

[gennimom]

Ouch! No Shipley's? The horror! Well depends on where in Alabama you are. If you are in Tuscaloosa, Columbus is less than an hour away!

Hey, we may try for a Southern Forum get-together. So far, GD, Case and I are talking about it. Wanna come?