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scythemantis In reply to snowpeach [2010-02-09 14:14:31 +0000 UTC]

I'll never understand how anyone can find insects anything other than gorgeous...they're practically walking flowers...

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snowpeach In reply to scythemantis [2010-02-10 09:04:41 +0000 UTC]

Well, you can't compartmentalize people's tastes nor expect everyone to fancy each and every thing as you do. Obviously, it's all about perspective and the capacity to be respectful towards all life forms and their interests, isn't it?

I may not be so crazy about insects in general; that doesn't mean I wish to condemn them all to extinction and am wholly incapable of appreciating their intricately fascinating anatomies, and alien-like behaviors. There is a level of respect that must be duly reserved for whatever significant purposes they serve the ecosystem, definitely.

That being said, I certainly won't pretend to like ticks and mosquitoes the same way I like ants and butterflies; or will I claim that a cockroach festering on God-knows-what is a gorgeous, walking flower. Just saying.

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scythemantis In reply to snowpeach [2010-02-10 16:38:01 +0000 UTC]

Cockroaches are ESPECIALLY gorgeous to me. They look like little amber sculptures.

Insects of every phyla have every single trait that the human mind is normally pre-programmed to find beautiful, such as precise symmetry and clean textures to name a few. It's almost universal for people around the world to find plants, birds and most fellow mammals inoffensive, so obviously there are definitions of beauty that come very close to being "objective," and the fact that an equal majority of people find insects creepy, scary or disgusting is so inconsistent that science even recognizes it as an oddity. Studies have found that the phenomenon is restricted to certain cultures.

Our ancestors would have needed to eat insects quite commonly, so this disgust even goes against our basic survival instincts.

Opinion or not I will defend them at every turn

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snowpeach In reply to scythemantis [2010-02-12 02:26:17 +0000 UTC]

That's really amazing, but once again, I don't believe I ever said I found insects offensive or did I describe them in such a deeply derogatory way that might give you proper cause to fight me on this matter.

"I may not be so crazy about insects in general; that doesn't mean I wish to condemn them all to extinction and am wholly incapable of appreciating their intricately fascinating anatomies, and alien-like behaviors. There is a level of respect that must be duly reserved for whatever significant purposes they serve the ecosystem, definitely."

You know, if you took the time and common sense to decipher the context clues in my last comments, you'd have seen that I kept an open mind about them and even went far to say I found them fascinating.

So thank you for sharing your very heartfelt interests and knowledge. I am certain that every member of the insect kingdom known and unknown to man are chanting your very name in wild applause and with genuine pride for your efforts and
admiration.

On the other hand, why are you picking a fight and unnecessarily nitpicking over my opinions which are directed more towards ~somefield 's artistic prowess than undermining any species? I was already trying to extend a hand to calm you down and politely explain my end without being rude to you or being dishonest about what I felt on the matter, and you're still going at it like you want a definite approval of your omniscient insect advocacy.

What was your point in replying to that cordial gesture aside from looking like a persistent, elitist jerk? That insects are beautiful and some people are insufferably and culturally odd for not seeing them the way you do? I'd take the opportunity to remark on your racist undertones here but I'll not bother making this discussion longer than it is.

But okay, fine. You're absolutely right. Insects are beautiful and some people are insufferably odd and will always be culturally diverse and will not always see things the way others do. That's what a little thing called individuality is all about but that does not mean we all can't get along and try to understand each other. Or did your insect friends not teach you that? There's a thing called common decency and appropriateness which is highly sought after in human society. Please, look it up.

I'd like to end this senseless thread here in respect for Mr.~somefield and his other watchers. I did not intend for my one comment of praise to spawn a thread of negative vibes.

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scythemantis In reply to snowpeach [2010-02-12 04:20:12 +0000 UTC]

Seriously...reading and re-reading this I cannot for the life of me figure out how I struck a nerve with.

I NEVER thought you found insects offensive, I fully comprehended your reply, appreciated your open mindedness, and wasn't even talking about your point of view, disagreeing with you, or fighting with you in any way. You only reminded me of interesting studies I'd been keeping up with, and I thought we were having a friendly exchange about other people's perceptions and a little science.

There isn't any negativity or attitude in my post, and certainly no "racist undertones." You don't need to "calm me down" since I've been calm from the start. My response to you was supposed to be just as cordial as yours, I thought you were nice and was trying to be interesting and nice in turn...I was making conversation.

I've never experienced such an unexpected and random explosion of anger over completely neutral comments before : /

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snowpeach In reply to scythemantis [2010-02-12 17:23:24 +0000 UTC]

In respect for ~somefield , let's continue the discussion elsewhere and not spam his page with this silliness.
Please check your notes, I've replied to you there. Hopefully, a resolution can be made.

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scythemantis In reply to snowpeach [2010-02-12 03:50:02 +0000 UTC]

Whoa...what? You seem to think I've been hostile when I've only been offering a perspective on something I thought was interesting. I didn't even think I was coming off as ANYTHING but friendly and respectful of absolutely everyone.

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starspawn07 In reply to scythemantis [2011-07-05 15:08:20 +0000 UTC]

!snowpeach was clearly overreacting.
I'm writing this ( 1 year late -,- ) to assure you that you're not the crazy one

anyways, I think insects are beautiful too
( though where I live, mosquitoes are a very real danger to human life :/ )

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