'Are you a 'real person'?' blog discussion

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion to link on the back of Martin's blog. Please read the blog first, as this discussion follows it.

Read Martin's "Are you a 'real person'?" Blog.

Please click 'post reply' to discuss below.

torbrex

There are no real people, I prescribe to the Douglas Adams theory of the population of the universe.

It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them to be in. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.

Memory_Girl

Yup - that's me, a figment of someone's "deranged imagination"

I find the phrase "Real People" thrown around by people almost as an excuse these days.

(Take a deep breath)

"Its all right for him, he has X, Y or Z" - what about "real people" - with "real people" being people just like me, but not like me because I am really a special case and because your case is different to mine and I am not getting the attention I feel I deserve it must be all your fault because it can't possibly be mine - you are not making it about "real people" therefore I have an excuse not to do this as its not really about me is it .....................???"

Reality is please, please grow up and take a little personal responsibility.

MG

Oops one too many teenage students this morning and perhaps one too many espresso too LOL

danothy

I would guess that people who aren't real are the hypothetical people drawn up to fit a particular financial scenario that is being explained ... line that up with someone who believes that their experience or situation is representative of the population as a whole and you apparently get the kind of comments highlighted in the blog entry.

luxor4t

danothy wrote: »

......someone who believes that their experience or situation is representative of the population as a whole .......

"I think, therefore I am but you aren't"

Mandelbrot

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSVs7njeko0

Derivative

This is what I associate with the term "Real People".



On a serious note - I dislike the term.

If you want to talk about poor people, say 'poor people'. If you want to talk about the rich, say 'the rich'. "Real people" is derogatory to those who, by luck or by hard work, find themselves in a decent position.

The current usage of "real" ranks up there with "that's racist" and "PC gone mad" as tools used to stifle and confuse debate.

waqasahmed

I dunno about you, but I'm not real. Every one on these forums are actually bots

Eco_Miser

A real person is an imaginary person rotated ninety degrees clockwise in the complex plane.

oldvicar

Martin's_Blog wrote:

I think it’s slightly sad that people don’t think those who aren’t in the same boat as them are deserving of information or help

One of the finest blogs in a while, Martin.

It's not just a sense of entitlement that some people have developed, its a sense that they are more deserving than anybody else.

The 'compensation culture' where somebody/everybody else must owe me for something which went wrong in my life is partly to blame of course.

ashleyriot

Lol, the magazine, "Real People" above:

"My mate boiled my willy."