Spiderweb Demographics 2008
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Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
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written Sunday, January 27 2008 21:46
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In the spirit of past demographics threads, here's a new spiderweb census. This one is a poll instead of an invitation to post your own responses. That makes gathering data easier, but it also makes the answers necessarily more restrictive. This is particularly egregious for categories with lots of possible answers (religion, language, and nontraditional gender come to mind) so feel free to post your "other" answers in the thread. For these categories I took most of the printed options from my previous analysis so I could arbitrarily include the more likely answers without digging through wikipedia for hours on end. Poll Information This poll contains 16 question(s). 89 user(s) have voted. You may not view the results of this poll without voting. function launch_voter () { launch_window("http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=poll;d=vote;pollid=LQCnSXZxLEfm"); return true; } // end launch_voter function launch_viewer () { launch_window("http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=poll;d=view;pollid=LQCnSXZxLEfm"); return true; } // end launch_viewer function launch_window (url) { preview = window.open( url, "preview", "width=550,height=300,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status,menubar=no,scrollbars,resizable,copyhistory=no" ); window.preview.focus(); return preview; } // end launch_window   -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central "Slartucker is going to have a cow when he hears about this," Synergy said. Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7420
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written Sunday, January 27 2008 23:27
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Since most people are visual learners, I present to you my pedigree, that you may better understand the noble Manaliana family.  Look at all the different races I can get away with making fun of! -------------------- You lose. Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 6934
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written Sunday, January 27 2008 23:30
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I'd really like to point out that I find myself in disagreement concerning question 9. While I'm having a hard time finding arguments for agnosticism being a religion, I can sort of bend my mind around that one. Atheism clearly is no religion at all. Apart from that I enjoy these polls as much as I enjoy being surprised by what kind of people lurk behind their online identity. -------------------- Always be true to yourself - unless you suck Posts: 183 | Registered: Sunday, March 19 2006 08:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Monday, January 28 2008 00:05
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The political question is awfully hard to answer. I settled on "moderate" for both because I figure that all my extreme views on individual issues balance each other out. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Monday, January 28 2008 00:14
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quote:Yessir, you must really hate them atheists. If it helps you sleep at night, think of it as merely "one's opinion of religion". But in all honesty, I'm pretty sure atheism counts as a religion. What about it specifically irks you, or is it just a knee-jerk reaction? -------------------- TM: "I want BoA to grow. Evolve where the food ladder has rungs to be reached." Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7420
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written Monday, January 28 2008 00:20
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quote:I have this same problem, especially when I take the those stupid spectrum tests. "Sure, people should have freedom of speech, but the government should, in turn, be able to tap their phones as well." Thus, tests come back moderate, even though few people would describe me as such. -------------------- You lose. Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 6700
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written Monday, January 28 2008 01:18
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quote:I, too, have the same problem. Though most simply descibe me as "out there." While I do like being described as somewhat of a centrist, I wish that society as a whole would get it into their heads that economics, social mores, ethics, and legislation, and other "issues" are two- and three-axis fields in and of themselves. -------------------- The Silent Assassin asked me not to fill in this survey for him. That's okay. I couldn't answer most of the questions anyway... maybe the one about siblings... -------------------- -Lenar Labs What's Your Destiny? Ushmushmeifa: Lenar's power is almighty and ineffable. I like speaking my mind, when the voices let me hear it. Posts: 735 | Registered: Monday, January 16 2006 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 6934
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written Monday, January 28 2008 01:31
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quote:Oh dear. I don't hate 'them atheists' at all. It's just that I think applying a religious view of the world to people (like me) who don't have one is a bit odd. What specifically irks me is this: if you count atheism as a religion, you're infact defining my view of the world by what I don't have (namely faith), or what I don't believe in (namely some supernatural power and/or authority). By that rationale, you could also call me a non-milk-drinker after inquiring my favourite beverage. So, in all honesty, whether you believe atheism counts as a religion or not, doesn't change that. -------------------- Always be true to yourself - unless you suck Posts: 183 | Registered: Sunday, March 19 2006 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 32
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written Monday, January 28 2008 03:36
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I'm fairly sure atheism does count as a religion. I don't really understand why it bothers you that much. Almost any scientific field can be called a religion. There's no definitive proof that these things are true, they just seem to happen all the time when we test them. Do you have faith in gravity? [ Monday, January 28, 2008 03:39: Message edited by: Lt. Sullust ] -------------------- Lt. Sullust Quaere verum Posts: 2462 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 6934
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written Monday, January 28 2008 04:03
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quote:It bothers me so much because it is contradicting what this sort of world view is about. Science (as in natural science) is not based on the belief in a supernatural power or agent. The means of proving things are much more sound and solid than just an opinion. It's not so much the difference between 'I believe in God' vs. 'I don't believe in God' but 'I see no reason/evidence/hint/indication for the existence of a god (or any god for that matter)'. To me that's not religion as it's not like atheists believe in a non-god. And, no, I don't believe in gravity either. I see it happen. I think the theory makes sense, as do the rather fitting pieces of evidence, which don't just seem to happen when we test for them. They happen, again and again. And they cause themselves to happen, again and again. I don't have faith in gas - I've cooked too much with it. I also don't believe in margerine. Does this make me a dairy-ist, or an a-margerinist, or just somebody who respects food? -------------------- Always be true to yourself - unless you suck Posts: 183 | Registered: Sunday, March 19 2006 08:00 |
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Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
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written Monday, January 28 2008 05:45
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Just say that Religion = religious beliefs. Atheism is definitely a religious belief. It is definitely not an organized religion (at least not to my knowledge), which is what many people think of when they see "religion". Now, back to the regularly scheduled topic please. If you want to have a huge argument about science and religion yet again, do it in a topic without a poll, s'il vous plait. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central "Slartucker is going to have a cow when he hears about this," Synergy said. Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 6934
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written Monday, January 28 2008 05:59
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quote:If you say so... after all, you made the poll. Who am I to argue with that. quote:I respect your wishes, O-Grand-Master-of-what-is-definite. -------------------- Always be true to yourself - unless you suck Posts: 183 | Registered: Sunday, March 19 2006 08:00 |
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Councilor
Member # 6600
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written Monday, January 28 2008 06:07
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Originally by Slartucker: quote:In some ways it is organized. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686828,00.html Dikiyoba. -------------------- Episode 4: Spiderweb Reloaded Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7420
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written Monday, January 28 2008 07:44
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quote:Indeed. The assumption that all religion must be organized religion will be the death of us all. It has already been the death of so many. -------------------- You lose. Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Monday, January 28 2008 08:52
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'Other' for religion. I am some steps closer to becoming a Witness, but have not yet taken the plunge. Pun intended. :P No arguing, please. -------------------- Pannaan kaikki hippulat vinkumaan! ^_^ Ooh! Riibu's Kolo - January Blues - Geneforge, +2, +3 - My Elfwood Gallery and DevArt page So many strange ones around. Don't you think? Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Monday, January 28 2008 09:36
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(I hate to borrow a line of reasoning from the movie Dogma, but it's the plainest articulation of the idea that I've heard.) There's a difference between having an idea and having a belief. I have a lot of ideas that I think are true, but I try to bear in mind how certain I am of different things. For instance, I'm pretty sure about universal gravitation, because I know enough about the evidence that there's not much reason to doubt. (And I'm not getting into GR or quantum gravity, here.) I'm a whole heck of a lot less sure of my ideas about what would be best for the U.S. economy, not only because I don't know a lot about economics, but also because the evidence for such things is not terribly complete or convincing. A belief, at least by this definition, suggests 100% certainty. You believe, and that's not going to change on the basis of evidence. An idea is more likely to get revised as you learn more. Along these lines, I heard a lecture from a religious fundamentalist who objected to being criticized for being so sure that he was right, and he asked, basically, if people were saying that he should think that he was wrong. People chuckled, and it was a great rhetorical gesture, but it utterly missed the point: the alternative to believing that you are right is not believing that you are wrong, but allowing for the possibility that you are wrong. Or, as the philosopher Chris Rock put it, "You can change an idea. Changing a belief is trickier." Some atheists believe (in this sense) that there is no god of any kind. Some try to live without belief entirely, which is rather different, obviously. I am of the latter sort. Thus, speaking about my religious "beliefs" raises certain difficult issues of terminology before we even get to what my opinions are. -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Monday, January 28 2008 10:13
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I believe in lurve. -------------------- Synergy, et al - "I don't get it." Argon - "I'm at a loss for words..." Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 2759
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written Monday, January 28 2008 11:10
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This poll is fun. But even better is the Tullegolite family tree. Which, being on lain on its side, was presumably cut down at some point... Edit: After clicking on Slarty's link, I found it amusing to compare two of the previous censuses: http://pied-piper.ermarian.net/topic/1/1609 http://pied-piper.ermarian.net/topic/1/3221 Edit 2: Can you believe, Kelandon was a newbie in the first one! [ Monday, January 28, 2008 11:54: Message edited by: Micawber ] -------------------- Geneforge 4 stuff. Also, everything I know about Avernum | Avernum 2 | Avernum 3 | Avernum 4 Posts: 1104 | Registered: Monday, March 10 2003 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 5360
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written Monday, January 28 2008 12:56
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Age: 13. Gender & sexual orientation: Male, bisexual. Marital Status: In a relationship. As much as a relationship is at this age, at least. Virgin: Thanks, Nalyd's full. But yes. Ethnic Origin: European. Nationality: American. Languages Spoken: English, German(Not well, but the basics at least) Religion: Atheist Economics Status: Lower Middle Class. Political Leanings: Economic, Social Freedoms. Highest Completed Educational Degree: Middle School Primary Academic Area of Interest: Biological Sciences. Primary Occupation: Student. Spiderweb joining: 2006 Preferred CPU: Mac. Because Nalyd is supposed to be doing an essay. -------------------- Fear us, mortals, but never envy, for though we burn with power, our fuel is our sorrows. Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Monday, January 28 2008 13:14
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(There's a bizarre wireless sweet spot in this hotel room in London. It only works if I sit right here; two meters over there, the link dies. I suppose I'm pirating from someone, but my conscience is assuaged, perhaps wrongly, by the consideration that the wireless payment hub here is not working.) Not believing in things is indeed different from believing that things are not so. But in another sense it is just as much a firm metaphysical bet as a firm belief one way or another. What I mean is: It's all very well to try to go through life without drinking anyone's Kool-Aid. But the problem is that once you get past the next 24 hours, at any given time, one's instinctive urges don't usually provide enough guidance for how to direct one's life. And living for the next 24 hours pretty much guarantees that one will not accomplish anything of more lasting significance. So if you want to accomplish anything of lasting significance, you pretty much have to buy into some notion of what constitutes lasting significance. And beyond the 24 hour time scale, inborn instinct does not seem to provide such a notion. So if you want to have longer term meaning, you have to drink some Kool-Aid. There's an existentialist-agnostic Kool-Aid that makes some sort of transcendent virtue out of authentically living the life of uncertainty. But accepting that as a meaningful significance is chugging down some Kool-Aid nonetheless. Can you say Amen to that? Perhaps you can. I'm not arguing, here, just saying how it seems to me. -------------------- Listen carefully because some of your options may have changed. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 4574
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written Monday, January 28 2008 13:40
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Age: 13 Gender & sexual orientation: Male, heterosexual Marital Status: In a relationship. As much as a relationship is at this age, at least. Virgin: Until the day I'm married. Ethnic Origin: European. German, English, and probably some Scandinavian too, as both sides of my family lived in Minnesota for some time. Nationality: American. I prefer to call myself a Statesman or Unioner though, as America is the name of not one, but two continents. Languages Spoken: English, Australian, American, Canadian, New Zealandic, Sealandic, Jamaican, Bermudan, Latin Religion: Atheist Economics Status: Upper Middle Class Political Leanings: Economic, Social Freedoms. Highest Completed Educational Degree: Elementary, dear Watson. In Junior High. Primary Academic Area of Interest: Civil Engineering. City Planning and the like. Primary Occupation: Student Spiderweb joining: 2004. Probably didn't become anything communal until 05/06 Preferred CPU: PC -------------------- "I'm happy I'm the mentally disturbed person I am." -Nioca "Yes, Iffy is a demon." -Iffy Posts: 1186 | Registered: Friday, June 18 2004 07:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 4682
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written Monday, January 28 2008 14:12
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I have both American and Australian citizenship. -------------------- Do not underestimate the power of the mechanical pencil. Join the Dark side. We have cookies. "Hey, Patrick, feel this random pipe. It's squishy"-Nils Posts: 834 | Registered: Thursday, July 8 2004 07:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 13637
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written Monday, January 28 2008 14:18
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Age: 22 Gender & sexual orientation: Female, heterosexual Marital Status: In a relationship Virgin: Nope Ethnic Origin: European. Irish-Italian. Nationality: American. I'm thinking about applying for dual citizenship with Ireland though. Languages Spoken: English, French, Irish Gaelic Religion: Discordian Economics Status: Poor (starving artist?) Political Leanings: Moderate Highest Completed Educational Degree: BFA Primary Academic Area of Interest: Art Primary Occupation: Got a job - work in a steel fabrication/welding shop Spiderweb joining: 2008. I was a lurker for a long time though. Preferred CPU: PC - Used to be Mac but I can't afford the darn things anymore! I still have my trusty G3 though. Posts: 1 | Registered: Monday, January 28 2008 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Monday, January 28 2008 14:18
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If atheism is the belief in the nonexistence of God, agnosticism neatly fills in as the belief that you don't know enough to believe in either the existence or the nonexistence of God. That's where I'd put myself along with being Jewish and along with thinking there is a higher spiritual entity, although the way I conceive of him/her/it/Him/Her/It isn't at all standard Jewish canon. —Alorael, who would say that maybe there should be a distinction made for empirical atheism/agnosticism. No God until demonstrated otherwise. Not proven, necessarily, but at least raised as a serious possibility. All of this is rather far afield of the original question, which is as much or more about broad categorization and culture than it is about specific faith in this or that. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6489
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written Monday, January 28 2008 17:23
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I know this sounds a bit obsessive, but could people please stop referring to their computers as CPUs? A CPU is a component of the computer, but is not the computer. For that matter, Macs and PCs use the same CPUs. :P [ Tuesday, January 29, 2008 02:43: Message edited by: Tyranicus ] -------------------- "Dumbledore returns from the dead and declares it to be hammertime, Harry proceeds to break it down, Voldemort is unable to touch this." —Dintiradan Spiderweb Chat Room Avernum RP • Summaries • OoC • Roster Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 1556 | Registered: Sunday, November 20 2005 08:00 |