"What is Privacy?" "What does it mean to take something personally?"

Questions in that vicinity are interesting. I was once able to write as a disembodied voice, convinced that I had possession of THE truth, and that description of personal details was unnecessary and distracting. That writing was only ever read by a very small circle, members of whom knew my language, so communication was smooth, and I was assured of the clarity of my truths.

Now? Things are more complicated. People second-guess, attempt to reconstruct your intentions and often mess up pretty badly. There's too much behind-the-curtain peeking going on.

But isn't this intended? Believing everything you hear is incredibly naive and dangerous, isn't it?

Since when were the only two choices trust and distrust? IMO, the appearance of skepticism is too often used to mask the lack of imagination and intelligence. Remember that both creation and destruction are needed for growth. Ideas diversify, and the tree of possibilities grow. Combined with the trimming of critical insight, the mind then takes form. Both steps are needed, a balance must be sought.

How does this relate to the personal aspects of conversation? I think it is much easier to share the methods with which one trims ideas, especially since such trimming is often done in the name of objectivity. It is the sharing of creativities that is rare and technically more difficult, because of personal differences and even privacy concerns. It is that type of conversation that I seek.

A Good Introduction to Turing Machines and the Busy Beaver function.

Just started watching The Melancholy of Suzumiya Haruhi thanks to a recommendation from Hui. This anime is having the same effect on me as FireFly. It's making me feel really really happy watching it. Such an odd thing.

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There are TV shows that put normal people in extraordinary situations, where the viewer relates to the protagonist by thinking "Yeah I may feel and appear mediocre, but I'll bet I could kick ass if the time came."

The special thing about Haruhi is that she is an extraordinary person in a normal setting. She truly believes she is extraordinary, and wears it on her sleeve from day one, never condescending to any standard of normality. I find that inspiring.

Of course, Haruhi is aided by the fact that her extraordinarity just happens to be the truth. There are no if's and but's to her position in the center of her world. The story isn't meta-religious dogma requiring the protagonist to go through various trials and tribulations to earn some overvalued prize. Her greatest/only enemy is boredom plain and simple, and since the only enemy of an anime series is also boredom, this is a perfect alignment.