Editor in Chief Bill | 15 Apr 2020 4:20 p.m. PST |
On a scale of 0 (none) to 10 (max), how much of a contrarian are you? Defined as "a person who opposes or rejects popular opinion." |
Thresher01 | 15 Apr 2020 4:25 p.m. PST |
Depends. 8+ on a good day. |
von Schwartz | 15 Apr 2020 4:29 p.m. PST |
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Coyotepunc and Hatshepsuut | 15 Apr 2020 4:31 p.m. PST |
Probably 11-13. I'm a good candidate for Oppositional-Defiance Disorder. I argue against the majority just because it's there. |
HMS Exeter | 15 Apr 2020 4:39 p.m. PST |
Sorry to answer a question with a question, but, how do you define popular opinion? It's a bit difficult to think of all that many things about which there is a popular consensus. Kanye West is at least a 6.5 on the nuts-o-meter. I hate shoveling snow. Diarrhea is unpleasant. Car insurance is a necessary evil. I dislike getting sand in my underwear. Having new shoes is a mixed blessing. There are few joys quite like finding out that you didnt really lose your keys after all. Pomegranates are overrated. The primary reason that there is still a North Korea is that Japan is downwind. The moon is awful purty. |
14Bore | 15 Apr 2020 4:43 p.m. PST |
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Frederick | 15 Apr 2020 4:46 p.m. PST |
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Mike Petro | 15 Apr 2020 5:05 p.m. PST |
Only when investing in the market. |
KSmyth | 15 Apr 2020 5:15 p.m. PST |
I'm a retired teacher and therefore a rule-follower. Being contrary just to be so is a waste of time and energy. However, I appreciate thinking out of the box and creativity if that's what you mean. I'm calling it a 5. |
Oberlindes Sol LIC | 15 Apr 2020 5:22 p.m. PST |
That's an excellent question, and I'm glad you asked it. Many people are talking about contrarianism and its related doctrines, anti-contrarianism and conformism. These are very interesting, and, dare I say, controversial, subjects, and bear substantial consideration. And in that light, I'm going to give the due consideration, all the consideration that they are due. |
Parzival | 15 Apr 2020 5:26 p.m. PST |
I reject the premise of the question. |
Syrinx0 | 15 Apr 2020 6:07 p.m. PST |
Normally I would consider disagreeing with Parzival but in this case he is totally correct. |
brass1 | 15 Apr 2020 6:55 p.m. PST |
There is something about "popular" that makes my skin crawl. Sometimes I can control it but usually I let it ride. Let's face it, most people are stupid and the bigger a group of people is, the more MoronIdioticon particles they're going to release into the atmosphere. LT |
Bashytubits | 15 Apr 2020 8:08 p.m. PST |
If it is popular I am against it.
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Zephyr1 | 15 Apr 2020 9:24 p.m. PST |
I'm usually the last to know what's going on… |
WehrWulf | 15 Apr 2020 9:37 p.m. PST |
Not necessarily. I could be arguing in my spare time. |
HMS Exeter | 15 Apr 2020 10:47 p.m. PST |
MoronIdioticon… The only con we're likely going to be involved with in the near future. |
Huscarle | 15 Apr 2020 11:00 p.m. PST |
+1 Brass1, and I'm definitely opposed (9) to populism (just another word for stupidity). |
ZULUPAUL | 16 Apr 2020 2:29 a.m. PST |
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GildasFacit | 16 Apr 2020 2:39 a.m. PST |
I'm with Brass1 – stupidity seems to be the norm from where I'm sitting so why should I go along with them. I can't see why a teacher thinks they are slaves to rules, I did 32 years teaching and was at odds with management most of the time. Looking back I still think I was right and had plenty of evidence to show that. Populism (in the political sense) is more about manipulating public opinion than actually riding it. I never really went in for fads as a youngster either, definitely a genetic trait, I think, as my kids seem to all have strong views and the nouse to back them up. |
tabletopwargamer | 16 Apr 2020 3:16 a.m. PST |
I don't hey the scope of the question. Do you mean is global warming sized contrarian? |
UshCha | 16 Apr 2020 3:36 a.m. PST |
I can't help if the rest of the world is wrong. Its not me that's out of step. Popular is often idiotic, wrong and devisive, ego point 1. "Eat Sh**, a billion flys can't be wrong" sums it up. |
etotheipi | 16 Apr 2020 4:14 a.m. PST |
I have very little understanding of what popular opinion is. For example, I dislike getting sand in my underwear. I didn't realize that large swaths of people had an opinion on HMS Exeter getting sand in his underwear. |
Dynaman8789 | 16 Apr 2020 4:29 a.m. PST |
I don't reject popular opinion – I ignore it. |
Joes Shop | 16 Apr 2020 5:01 a.m. PST |
I'm not. I come up with reasoned opinions based on evidence and due diligence. Popular opinion – means nothing to me and as stated above, I ignore it. |
Tgerritsen | 16 Apr 2020 5:26 a.m. PST |
I'm not a contrarian, YOU are. :) |
korsun0 | 16 Apr 2020 6:05 a.m. PST |
It's better to die on your feet than nod obsequiously…. |
TodCreasey | 16 Apr 2020 6:08 a.m. PST |
I would say a 7 as I pick my battles. In my games club it has been somewhat of a blessing as I always like the army no one else does. If you do Romans, I'll likely do the Sassanids or Goths. If you do Greeks I have Persians ready and I have Muslim armies for when you start your Crusaders |
Slow Oats | 16 Apr 2020 7:36 a.m. PST |
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Slow Oats | 16 Apr 2020 7:41 a.m. PST |
To be fair UshCha, those billion flies AREN'T wrong. It's perfectly acceptable for them to eat s**t. |
rustymusket | 16 Apr 2020 8:34 a.m. PST |
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SpuriousMilius | 16 Apr 2020 9:43 a.m. PST |
Why are you asking us about this at this particular moment? |
Ed Mohrmann | 16 Apr 2020 11:48 a.m. PST |
Seriously, Bill ?!?!? You are asking that question of a bunch of WARGAMERS, who will argue the difference in the shades 'scarlet' and 'claret' in British officers' uniform coats C. 1815, who will beat into the ground the artillery practice of firing by prolong, who will go on and on and on about 'grapeshot' being Naval only or a sort of 'super sized' cannister and – well, you get the idea… As for me – I'm with Brass 1 |
Raynman | 16 Apr 2020 11:50 a.m. PST |
You make it sound like it's a bad thing! |
Corporal Fagen | 16 Apr 2020 12:36 p.m. PST |
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Cerdic | 16 Apr 2020 12:44 p.m. PST |
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Oberlindes Sol LIC | 16 Apr 2020 7:05 p.m. PST |
TGerritson for the win. Unless you disagree. |
Lucius | 16 Apr 2020 7:12 p.m. PST |
When I was younger I prided myself on being the principled contrarian. When I got older, I realized that other people thought I was just a pompous jerk. They were mostly right, and I try not to do that anymore. |
GildasFacit | 17 Apr 2020 5:44 a.m. PST |
One of my bosses once related to me that one of the other managers had described me as an 'unprincipled bastard'. He corrected him by saying that I was a 'principled bastard'. I'm happy with that !!! Being called a pompous jerk by mindlessly conforming idiots doesn't make you wrong. |
Gunfreak | 17 Apr 2020 9:00 a.m. PST |
All the good contrarian jokes have been said, so I won't stoop that level. |
Henry Martini | 18 Apr 2020 5:32 a.m. PST |
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McLaddie | 18 Apr 2020 10:37 a.m. PST |
I thought being contrarian was something required of 'old fogies' I know our family has abided by that tradition for generations. It certainly is apparent in politics today. I'm against it on principle. |
The Last Conformist | 21 Apr 2020 10:48 p.m. PST |
One of the disappointments of getting older is the realization that the received opinion frequently is received for good reasons. |
McLaddie | 22 Apr 2020 3:31 p.m. PST |
Last Conformist: Which 'received opinion' are you speaking of. I am receiving opinions all day long, both on-line and socially-distancing. |