Bizarre Societal Memes

[Captain Jack Harkness]

Okay, so society is growing, but at the same time there's a lot of really stupid ideas that hold out in our society that are bizarre and baffling.

When I talk about "bizarre societal memes" I mean ideas that spread throughout our society that have no rational basis.  One good one is "girls don't play video games and they must be unattractive nerds if they do."  Some other good ones are "healthy is gross" or "bacon because we don't like vegetarians."  One that particularly confounds me is "math is poopy and stupid."

I'm having more trouble conveying what I want to say than I should, but I guess my central theme is "stupid ideas society holds about various subjects."

[Itachirumon]

But....math IS poopy and stupid. Especially Calculus.

[Osama bin Bambi]

But....math IS poopy and stupid. Especially Calculus.

I like math as long as it's not geometry. Fuck that "proofs" shit.

[Yaezakura]

I don't know of anyone who eats bacon because of vegetarians. I just know a lot of people who think vegetarians are crazy for not eating bacon.

However, to build on your girls and games thing, really society as a whole still seems to have this mindset that video games are for kids and dorks, despite the fact most people's grandparents have a Wii by now. I mean, video games now beat out movies and music in America's entertainment industry, yet are still looked at as something people are supposed to grow out of. Nevermind the fact that eSports are now such a huge deal that there are professional game players, who make their living playing video games.

[Sigmaleph]

But....math IS poopy and stupid. Especially Calculus.

I need a glove to slap you with and then challenge you to a duel. Flux integrals at dawn.

[Sleepy]

I wonder how long it'll be before people grow out of the anti-video games mindset, and what will replace it.

[Caitshidhe]

I'm going to stand on the side of 'MATH IS POOPY AND STUPID'. I don't like math. I don't even write numbers if I can possibly help it, and type out the word (like 'seven' or 'eighteen') more than the digits ('7' and '18').

[Zygarde]

I hate math I hate it to the umpteenth power I hate math so much that I despise my race (Arabic) cause they help invent a form of mathematics that I will always hate...algebra.

[ThunderWulf]

I don't mind math since I'm pretty good at it and love science, but I do agree with the gamer thing.  It BAFFLES me that games are still in this day and age shown in such a negative light in general, and especially so in the media.

[Alehksunos]

dont you see, all these games are about is catching those dots and avoiding ghosts. why are today's games about shooting and kicking? wait, girls play video games? even grown men? I thought those were for kids?

Proof that anyone born before 1960, and played more games than Pac-Man, Super Mario Brothers and whatever "mainstream" and utter accessible game doesn't know shit about gaming.

And don't get me started with this "girls don't play video games" trash, back in the Pac-Man days, a woman designed Centipede, so gaming has never been exclusively a "Men's Only Club."* Okay, rather than the whole "sex-sells" thing starting with Tomb Raider and the alienation of women because since then most video games were targeted for heterosexual and/or testosterone-poisoned men. This is why I'll never get into not only the Tomb Raider series, but also games like the Halo, Gears of War and Call of Duty series (let alone the third series featuring bullshit "realism" and the maiming of enemies based on one Muslim ethnicity or another makes me gag). I just don't like video games that are "manly" or objectifies women, even if they actually kick ass instead of are just there for the player's enjoyment.

(Yes, I'm a feminist. Why, what the hell is wrong with supporting gender equality?)

*Oh, yes. I should also mention the Japan-only Sega Saturn cult-classic Napple Tale, whose entire development team were women.

[Flying Mint Bunny!]

I find maths boring, but I have no skill at all for working stuff out in my head.

I really don't get the anti-vegetarian stuff unless they are preachy. I hate it when there is a vegetarian person on Come Dine With Me and they cook a vegetarian meal, and all the other contestants start whining and moaning like little bitches, because they had to go one meal without eating meat.

The anti-video games thing doesn't make much sense to me either, but I think that's just because they are relatively new.

[Witchyjoshy]

The idea that men shouldn't knit because it's a woman's job (go tell the lumberjacks who knit their own socks that they're doing something girly.  I dare you.)

This whole idea that if you don't like sports, there's something wrong with you.  Especially football.  Especially in Wisconsin.

The whole idea that for men, PHYSICAL LABOR RAAAGH is more important than mental pursuits.

How, apparently, video games are not a 'legitimate' hobby.

Beards are awesome, except when you need to get a job, even when said job is outside of the food service industry.

Working at McDonald's means you're a lazy failure at life.  Lazy?

[wrightway]

The idea that anyone with a mental illness is dangerous no matter what the record.

[nickiknack]

"Math is Poopy and Stupid"?? Ok, I never heard that one, that being said that sounds like something a 2 year old would say, and this coming from someone who HATES math.

One meme that annoys me is the whole "Geek/Nerd girls can't be pretty or feminine"bs, sorry I'm an uber star wars geek/nerd and I'm a member of many other fandoms, and love to play with makeup and all that girly girl stuff.

[Sixth Monarchist]

I hate math I hate it to the umpteenth power I hate math so much that I despise my race (Arabic) cause they help invent a form of mathematics that I will always hate...algebra.

Yeah, but an Arab (well, maybe a Kurd) invented robots.

And Daft Punk.