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Plubbingworth comments on Rationality Quotes October 2012 - Less Wrong
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I'm going to adopt at different social strategy and not be the obnoxiously nosy guy with no boundaries. Some things I'm curious about really aren't my business and actively seeking to uncover information that people try to keep secret is usually a personal (and often legal) violation. The terms 'industrial espionage' and 'stalking' both spring to mind.
Curiosity didn't kill the cat. The redneck with the gun killed it for tresspassing.
As I was growing up around here, I discovered that there are certain curiosities which are always welcomed in this redneck sort of area. They include such lovely questions as;
"What church do you go to?"
1. "You root for the home sport team, right?" 2. "...Do you follow sport at all?" 3. "Why not?!" (They progress like this the more you answer "No")
"Politics? Politics? Politics? Politics? Politics? Politics? POLITICS?"
Any curiosity more complex than this is usually just there to serve these three topics.
But if you answer correctly (cough) these questions three, it's basically like using the Konami Code or something. Just in case you're ever in the South.
Now I'm curious about how the progression continues. (In Italy, I am asked what football (soccer) team I support all the time, but when I say “I used to support Juventus, but I haven't actually followed football in years” they usually leave it at that, and when they do ask me why and I say stuff like “I just don't enjoy it anymore” they never progress any further.)
Usually I try to give similar answers that halt the line of conversation.
"I've never cared for sports, I shouldn't play for health reasons, it's not interesting to me, I don't understand the point, I've got other things to do, my dog was killed by a rogue football and I've never been the same since that fateful day", etc.
I've never actually answered "No" to the question "Why not?!", but I feel as though I should try, now...
So, I've never really let it progress beyond that point. As a kid, I did that with both religion and politics, by giving noncommittal answers.