The Off Topic Topic

[Maladict]

I love Squeeze.  I love him because I disagree with everything he says but he never gets butthurt when challenged, unlike a number of posters here.

He's a lot like Shelf in that regard, but with flakier ideas.

FWIW I also like that you're wrong about everything but never offeneded

Sure, you can say "it's insulting but I understand it's their nature," but that doesn't change the fact that no one else appears to find that statement insulting.

Although the "it's in their nature" thing can be true - especially if you're coming from the UK where we talk in riddles with complicated politeness rules (what is it about islands off major continents? ). I don't think the French are rude but the Dutch certainly are because they really pride being direct and honest (both horrifying to us).

I remember doing a training session when I was working for a big global company on communication across cultural barriers and the number of continental Europeans who thought the Brits were being basically deceitful in emails by not saying what they mean, while we found some of their phrasing rude because it said exactly what they meant

True. It can be very tiresome having to decipher Britishness. 

I'm dealing with a Finnish customer for the first time. It's fantastic, same directness but none of the attitude.

[Grey Fox]

Yes. Britishness is so annoying.

A year ago, I was involved in 3 way between Montreal-UK-Italy.

The Italians were basically threating death since the Brits would not commit to fucking anything. While us in Montreal were just trying to decipher wtf these Euros were doing with our stuff.

Dumb shit is what they were doing.

[Sheilbh]

Thinking back when I was working with European offices in my old role - my favourites were the Dutch and the Italians. They'd always answer the question which is not a given in a law firm, normally they were pretty commercial too and almost always in budget - or they'd warn if they were going over-budget.

The worst to deal with, in my experience, was the French because and this may just be a legal culture thing, they were incredibly formal and rigid on hierarchy. I used to have to deal with the French team and the partner would refuse to acknowledge or respond to my emails because I was more junior and basically I'd end up just having to write emails for my boss to send so they were on an equal footing. It was ridiculous

[HVC]

Funny how you're so triggered by Josq 

 

I love Squeeze.  I love him because I disagree with everything he says but he never gets butthurt when challenged, unlike a number of posters here.

He's a lot like Shelf in that regard, but with flakier ideas.

Every once in a while I think Josephus has lost his mind and then have to reread the poster name.

[Eddie Teach]

Josquius triggered by a micro-agression from left-leaning le Monde (l'Immonde ?).

  

Nah, I'm not triggered. I know how the French are. Insulting is just the way.

Eh, you can't print an article that doesn't exist yet. That conclusion seems pretty "natural".

[Josquius]

.

Funny how you're so triggered by Josq 

 

I love Squeeze.  I love him because I disagree with everything he says but he never gets butthurt when challenged, unlike a number of posters here.

He's a lot like Shelf in that regard, but with flakier ideas.

Likewise. You're nearly always wrong and have some dodgy ideas about the world but don't seem to mean bad and are alright.

[Josquius]

I wonder if anyone else has noticed this phenomena or if its just me and a few randomers on reddit....

Say you're born in 1980.

Looking at photos/video of teenagers in the late 80s and early 90s they will always look really mature and grown up. They aren't kids. Theyre adults.
Because 10 year old you looked up to these 16 year olds as really mature cool people that's what they forever remain.

Go forward to 2000s teens - you see what they are.
Go further back to 1970s teens - you see what they are.
But for teens that overlap an actual period of your childhood, your mind plays tricks on you.

[crazy canuck]

I think it's an age and stage thing. At my age all young people in all decades look young

[PDH]

I remember being quite little when I was young.

[Eddie Teach]

When I was young, I was quite small for my size. At least, that's what some desert codger told me.

[Tamas]

Anyone want to come to the Gaslight Anthem concert in London on 18th August?

[Admiral Yi]

Likewise. You're nearly always wrong and have some dodgy ideas about the world but don't seem to mean bad and are alright.

[Sheilbh]

I weirdly have appointments this weekend so have to be places. Which is a shame, because there's a couple of protests I wanted to join. Today a trade union organised Ukraine solidarity protest and tomorrow a trans rights protest. But really annoyed I couldn't go to today's - I'm a sucker for shows of solidarity and the big union banners marching, but I also just really like their new chant "Put an end to Putin's reign - arm, arm, arm Ukraine"

It's the right answer and I know it'll be attacked by the left as "cold war trade unionism" but I'm just very happy to see a genuinely anti-authoritarian left back and vocal after a few years of dominance by the Stop Some Wars coalition

[Jacob]

That is a pretty decent chant, yes

[Sheilbh]

There was an American left-wing but pretty pro-Putin journalist (I think he was maybe on the Young Turks or Chapo - so that sort of dirtbag left) covering it who was shocked to be told by someone that they wanted to see "Puting hanging from a lamp-post like Mussolini" and then, when his views became apparent, to "fuck off"

He later tweeted in some surprise: "The basic position of the British Left: We're "no fans" of Boris, but we fully suport his policy on Ukraine, except insofar as we think he should *escalate and intensify* the UK's military commitment". Which is, I think, basically the correct position. Poor guy'd probably have a stroke if he read about Clem Attlee.

It also shows how much partisanship/polarisation is an issue in the US - although he's pro-Putin so maybe it's just him - but he seems to struggle with the idea that the left wouldn't just automatically take the opposite position of Johnson because they're on the other side.