[2011-May-23] zach is unoriginal

[Kaharz]

That's called narcissism.

Or superiority complex, illusory superiority, Pollyanna principle, the Forer effect (aka the Barnum effect), egotism, and so on. They are at least slightly different in some way, but the end result is usually the same.

[Edminster]

I would like to point out, that the first panel has a grammatical error. It should say, "as I" not "as me."

It's actually definitely "as me". Standard English takes the same pronouns for prepositional case as in objective case, and "as" is being used as a preposition in this sentence, rather than as a conjunction (ex. "as I am"). Some people mistakenly replace many instances of "me" with "I", which is a very common example of hypercorrection. Moreover, if that fact were somehow not true, it would still be totally irrelevant, as people use both in colloquial language, and it may very well happen that one form will supplant the other in the future. In fact, many speakers do not even agree on this, so the question is entirely moot, but if we're following very technical and made-up rules it should be "as me". Not like I would kick up a fuss if he used either one.

EDIT: Fuck you for making me use prescriptive linguistics!

It's okay to turn his own weapons against him.

[voodooKobra]

Standard infallible linguistic argument number 1: It sounds right.

[smiley_cow]

I count that as miscegenation, unfortunately. Ah, sadness, for Zach had just to withhold his racemixing one more day and I would've stayed. But no.

I depart. This is my final post.

May the ideals of the French Revolution always live on in your souls, fellow space negroes.

Oh, and one final message:
YOU GOT TROLLED

How is that a spoiler?

Wait, Roman was a troll? Next you're going to tell me that the Fiji Mermaide is really just a monkey and a fish sewn together, or that Microsoft hasn't really acquired the Catholic Church some other such nonsense.

[Dr. Howard]

I would like to point out, that the first panel has a grammatical error. It should say, "as I" not "as me."

It's actually definitely "as me". Standard English takes the same pronouns for prepositional case as in objective case, and "as" is being used as a preposition in this sentence, rather than as a conjunction (ex. "as I am"). Some people mistakenly replace many instances of "me" with "I", which is a very common example of hypercorrection. Moreover, if that fact were somehow not true, it would still be totally irrelevant, as people use both in colloquial language, and it may very well happen that one form will supplant the other in the future. In fact, many speakers do not even agree on this, so the question is entirely moot, but if we're following very technical and made-up rules it should be "as me". Not like I would kick up a fuss if he used either one.

EDIT: Fuck you for making me use prescriptive linguistics!

Both are grammatically correct. Take this sentence as an example: "'Your mother is just as proud as me,' said the father to the child with good grades." But should he have said, "Your mother is just as proud as I?" As with similar constructions using than, there is a traditional rule stating that the pronoun following as … as … constructions must be in the nominative case, demonstrated by the fact that "she is just as proud as I" is really a truncated version of the sentence "she is just as proud as I am," which makes use of ellipsis. Another way to put it would be to say that the second as functions as a conjunction, not as a preposition, in these sentences. Whatever the merits of this logic, the as me construction is very common in speech and appears regularly in the writing of highly respected writers. Moreover, you can argue that the second as is really a preposition in these constructions and demands the objective case. And there is the objection that as I constructions are overly formal, even pretentious. In short, both constructions are defensible and both are subject to attack. When you want to play it safe, use the as I construction, but throw in the verb to make it a clause: "She is just as proud as I am."

[Astrogirl]

At least this thread will not become a 17 page argument about Ayn Rand.

[Edminster]

have we ever had one of those? I can't imagine an argument going any further than calling the randroid retarded and ignoring it.

[Astrogirl]

No I mean the xkcd thread on the equivalent comic. There was violence.

[Edminster]

yet another reason why I try to avoid doing things the way XKCD does things.

[Kovvy]

No, no, no, this doesn't add up at all!

[GUTCHUCKER]

I'm gettin kinda tired of rc being permabanned

[Edminster]

i could un permanently ban him if you like

but i get the feeling that is not what you meant

[AHMETxRock]

Has my goodwill stockpiled while I was away? Can I act up again as well, or am I still on probation from what I did before. I dunno if I like someone being worse than me here. I mean, Cirtur goatse'd us a few times but I think that i got a non offensive word filtered through sheer willpower is pretty impressive.

This kind of comic has been done though. There isn't really much of a spin on it.

[Oldrac the Chitinous]

Don't you worry, Ahmet. You'll always be our special troll.

[Lethal Interjection]

I always found the idea of "self-awareness" very interesting. I remember there was a commercial for E-harmony (a high-end dating site) which mentioned that one of the questions (for compatibility) was "how self-aware are you?" I can't imagine anyone answering that in the negative.
I mean, I do tend to think I'm more self-aware then most, but at the same time, I can recognize that a considerable portion of that is low self-esteem. I can find my faults better than many because I have a moderately low self-esteem.
Either way, I'm not sure the concept of "self-awareness" is all that useful.