Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

The catch-all forum for general topics and debates. Minimal moderation. Rated PG to PG-13.
_Sethbag
_Emeritus
Posts: 6855
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:52 am

Re: Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

Post by _Sethbag »

liz3564 wrote:I agree with Paul. This guy is a prick. The university that actually accepted him as a PhD candidate should have its accreditation stripped. He's a rambling idiot who can't even consistently form complete sentences.

...

Honestly....I nearly lost my testimony living in Utah. I grew up in California, and the Church in Utah was not the Church I grew up with or knew. The best thing that happened to us was moving to NC with a job transfer. The Church members here actually appreciate your efforts with callings....know how to say "please" and "thank you"...etc.

So this nevermo moves to Utah, and within a year has seen such behavior from Mormons that he's making Youtube videos about it, and you essentially agree with his view of how some Utah Mormons behave, and yet he's a real prick for it? Do you mean that in the "he's 100% correct but he's being mean and nasty and saying very very bad words" way?

And yes, the guy rambles in his video complaints. He's certainly not reading from a script. I'm not sure I ever got what field he's just got his PhD in, but as long as it's not Public Impromptu Railing Against Holier Than Thou Religious Zealots, I think he's probably OK. Let's hope he can write well.

I'm guessing most of us would ramble somewhat if we sat down in front of a camera, without a script, and delivered an impromptu screed against something or someone.

ps: I do recognize how caustic the guy's being. I do sympathize with people saying he's a prick in his videos. I do, however, feel some sort of fascination for what kind of experiences this guy can have had with Mormons in just under a year living in Salt Lake City that can have lead to such loathing?

pps: I lived in Utah for about 8 years after my mission, and I have to say that, like everyone else, Mormons are a mixed lot. Many, like most of my relatives there, would be fine as neighbors or landlords or bosses or whatever. Some would be insufferable. Too bad the Mormon culture doesn't contain mechanisms to sort of reign in the nutjobs, so that they are able to act like jerks to non-members and result in videos like this, or stories like Liz's.
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen
_Some Schmo
_Emeritus
Posts: 15602
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:59 pm

Re: Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

Post by _Some Schmo »

Sethbag wrote: I'm guessing most of us would ramble somewhat if we sat down in front of a camera, without a script, and delivered an impromptu screed against something or someone.

I thought the same thing, Seth, and wanted to give him a pass for it.

But then it occurred to me, if I wanted to create a video meant to somehow influence people and that I intended to upload to YouTube, I would prepare a script and practice it a few times before taping it, and I would certainly review the tape before posting it.

I'm not sure he's a prick as much as he just doesn't have much common sense (if, in fact, his intention was to persuade. If it wasn't, then I don't know what the hell this video was for).

The only way to save this guy is to claim he's actually a Mormon trying to make critics look bad. From that perspective, it's brilliant.
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
_Sethbag
_Emeritus
Posts: 6855
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:52 am

Re: Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

Post by _Sethbag »

I think this is more about performance than persuasion.

Same thing with Twitter, really. It's true that what most people love most of all is the sound of their own voices. I exclude not myself from that. Maybe the guy gets off on "hey I just uploaded a video of myself to Youtube!"

Understanding what I just said can help explain I think at least 80% of homemade, sit-in-front-of-the-web-cam Youtube videos.
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen
_Some Schmo
_Emeritus
Posts: 15602
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2007 2:59 pm

Re: Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

Post by _Some Schmo »

Sethbag wrote:I think this is more about performance than persuasion.

Same thing with Twitter, really. It's true that what most people love most of all is the sound of their own voices. I exclude not myself from that. Maybe the guy gets off on "hey I just uploaded a video of myself to Youtube!"

Understanding what I just said can help explain I think at least 80% of homemade, sit-in-front-of-the-web-cam Youtube videos.

Well, that's a better explanation than mine, although I still question this guy's sense. Why upload utter crap? (And that's likely more of a question about people generally that this guy specifically). I'm sure with a modicum of time and preparation, it could have been monumentally better.

*shrug*
God belief is for people who don't want to live life on the universe's terms.
_Sethbag
_Emeritus
Posts: 6855
Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:52 am

Re: Unfortunately an honest outsiders view of LDS in SLC

Post by _Sethbag »

Well, you're right. And that's why we have guys like Kevinbenko on the one hand, and guys like NonStampCollector and cdk007 on the other. There's a continuum out there.
Mormonism ceased being a compelling topic for me when I finally came to terms with its transformation from a personality cult into a combination of a real estate company, a SuperPac, and Westboro Baptist Church. - Kishkumen
Post Reply