The amount of American reality TV that there is over here (no offence to Americans here, but your reality TV is unwatchable).

 

None taken. I actually feel pity for you.

 

Most of us with some form of a brain don't even like it either.

I'm starting to think the appeal is that they're entertaining for all of the wrong reasons.

In my country we are usually watching those shows to see how low a human can go. It seems like they are not only stupid as [bleep], but they are also proud of it and have egos the size of Mt. Everest. It is so freaking bad that it is entertaining :D

In my country we are usually watching those shows to see how low a human can go. It seems like they are not only stupid as [bleep], but they are also proud of it and have egos the size of Mt. Everest. It is so freaking bad that it is entertaining :D

 

After reading this, I feel reminiscent of an old show called MxC. I enjoy watching people suffer on reality tv games (sans Wipeout for being too clean), especially the stupid ones. As for the last bit, the "so bad its good" quirkiness always seems to make them better.

Have you guys seen Hardcore Pawn? I watched that once, it was probably the worst TV show I've ever seen. But it was still hilarious and entertaining.

What reality shows are you watching? Real Housewives of [City], Basketball Wives, Bad Girls Club, and the like are all just awful. But other reality shows that actually have a point to them are pretty interesting. Swamp People, Bar Rescue, Oddities, and those all come to mind.

Have you guys seen Hardcore Pawn? I watched that once, it was probably the worst TV show I've ever seen. But it was still hilarious and entertaining.

 

Seen that show. When it mentioned where it was being filmed, I knew what was going to happen.

 

I honestly preferred Pawn Stars prior to History Channel turning into a load of reality TV shows.

Wipeout is one I don't feel guilty about watching because it looks like legitimate fun (for most people at least), and I'd go on the show just to have a crack at the course.

I would love to go on Wipeout... if I only knew how to swim <_<.

I hate the amount of cables I have around my computer. I have X-360 leads, headphones, mouse, monitor adaptor, laptop charger, 9V charger for my guitar pedalboard, two guitar gables running to and from the pedalboard and my headset cables. <_<

 

Same. When I buy a new desk or move (or both) I'm buying some cable wraps to make sure everything is clean.

 

And dust. DUST. EVERYWHRE. getting to the point where I'm going to by cover sheets for everything so at night I cover it all JUST so dust doesnt fall on it non stop.

My dad is yelling at me for writing a paper for class about different church's stance on homosexuality...

My dad is yelling at me for writing a paper for class about different church's stance on homosexuality...

 

He is more concerned with the viewpoint of a paper than the fact you have to write it for a grade? How idiotic.

Wipeout is one I don't feel guilty about watching because it looks like legitimate fun (for most people at least), and I'd go on the show just to have a crack at the course.

 

I'm suprised no theme park has opened a wipeout style course. Decent priced entrance fee and a waiver incase of accident and you're set. I'd love to go.

Wipeout is one I don't feel guilty about watching because it looks like legitimate fun (for most people at least), and I'd go on the show just to have a crack at the course.

 

I'm suprised no theme park has opened a wipeout style course. Decent priced entrance fee and a waiver incase of accident and you're set. I'd love to go.

 

Except they'd likely have to make the course easier and safer because I bet plenty would go into sue rage if they got their ass handed to by that course or something. I'd actually pay to try it too if they get it set right.

Wipeout is one I don't feel guilty about watching because it looks like legitimate fun (for most people at least), and I'd go on the show just to have a crack at the course.

 

I'm suprised no theme park has opened a wipeout style course. Decent priced entrance fee and a waiver incase of accident and you're set. I'd love to go.

 

Except they'd likely have to make the course easier and safer because I bet plenty would go into sue rage if they got their ass handed to by that course or something. I'd actually pay to try it too if they get it set right.

 

That's what the waiver is for, get them to sign before they go in and unless it's something crazy and the park's definatly at fault they can't sue.

People who speak complex words instead of saying it simple, thinking they look smart. If this was an essay or something, it might work; but on forums/chats/IRL it makes you look like a total douche, especially when it's every post/conversation. :|

Especially when 1) They just learned it and showed they put no effort to understanding it or 2) Invoke using it when unnecessary. Yeah, I use a few "big words" myself, but only when conversing with people I know who speak it naturally like my mother and older sisters and drop it elsewhere for pragmatic reasons such as knowing it'll just blur the message. Honestly, there a few of semi-complex words that I feel should be in everyday vocabulary for its uses.

 

Of course, I still use them that I understand naturally just to troll my older brother. Too much fun.

People who speak complex words instead of saying it simple, thinking they look smart.

 

It's a nice assumption, but you might be hyper-generalizing here. It may deliver a point better, but perhaps it's poorly used because of the nature of the audience. I know I've been personally criticized for this, which we've had a long dispute about on this very thread, but I don't see any point in getting frustrated over it. If it's superfluous, sure - but if it's simply a more complex word to express more thoughts once or twice, then what's the need with being upset over it?

Frankly, using complicated language is just bad writing. You risk alienating a good part of your audience and 90% of the time meaning isn't clarified. Keep your writing only as superfluous as it needs to be.

 

Since we had a long discussion on this in the past, consider this my last post on the subject.

It depends on the objective of writing. If it's an argument, i.e. the purpose is to persuade a reader to accept/decline a position, then you've got a fair point. If it's an English assignment based on relevant use of course related terminology, I wouldn't say it's bad at all.

It depends on the objective of writing. If it's an argument, i.e. the purpose is to persuade a reader to accept/decline a position, then you've got a fair point. If it's an English assignment based on relevant use of course related terminology, I wouldn't say it's bad at all.

 

However, these forums are not a composition class, and your audience varies greatly. I'm not that smart, nor am I uneducated; but when I have to look up the definition of 3 words in a post made by someone, I start to not even bother. It almost seems that one would be trying to impress an audience, but in reality, it just offends/alienates them.

It (to be a composition class) is not actually a requirement for the use of an occasional complex term. If it's in an article, I'd say it's fine - as long as it's used in a relevant, meaningful context.

 

If we take the term 'mitigating', for example, it's not overly complex and it delivers a message in a more concise manner. It's nice to have a repository of words to use, especially if it expresses a more complex idea in a single term. I'm not speaking in defense of using what's effectively synonyms to more basic terms, but I'd say they do have merit in the relevant situation.

We do have a decent amount of people with English as a second language and/or non-native speakers here, though. Simplicity is good.

It (to be a composition class) is not actually a requirement for the use of an occasional complex term. If it's in an article, I'd say it's fine - as long as it's used in a relevant, meaningful context.

 

If we take the term 'mitigating', for example, it's not overly complex and it delivers a message in a more concise manner. It's nice to have a repository of words to use, especially if it expresses a more complex idea in a single term. I'm not speaking in defense of using what's effectively synonyms to more basic terms, but I'd say they do have merit in the relevant situation.

I'm fine with words like mitigate - it's the ones that have simpler alternatives that are bad.

I don't mind people that use rich vocabulary so long as they aren't deliberately being pedantic. Sometimes it allows you to convey nuances that would otherwise be lost. If I don't know what a word means, I look it up, it's always nice to learn.

... for something completely different: "pornography [of women] is anti-women." I could write entire essays on this; it's empowering when it's a choice, and to deny people the choice is, ironically, 'anti-women'.