I may be wrong here, but I don't think I am when I say that the majority of people that have a desire to study Japanese in the U.S. at one time or another take university classes. That isn't necessarily true of this community, but considering the self study nature of the book the site is based off of that isn't surprising. So yes I am making generalizations based on the university setting, but I would say that it isn't an exaggeration to assume that comprises the majority.
I have to disagree with you on the usage of unfortunate. Although the second case is much more casually used, the core meaning still remains. At both times, the underlying message (whether the speaker intends it or not) is that their interests/views/etc. are unfortunate despite the fact that that persons views can't necessarily be helped. The best argument against my view is perhaps that the unfortunate used in the game example is used to mean "unfortunate for ME because I don't have someone to play with" while my first usage is "unfortunate for YOU." That being said, I don't see that as being the most common interpretation. Of course if you keep up with neurobiology/psychology, you could just say that all thoughts are deterministic and free will is just an illusion given to us by our higher brain structures; but taking that view can lead to very unproductive living similar to the effect predetermined salvation had on the early American Christian church.

What are you even arguing about anymore? I don't think anybody cares, but maybe that's just me.

I don't get why he posted this out of the blue on a thread for the world's most expensive cities... ???

Of course no one cares just as no one cares about the vast majority of arguments that occur between 2 people; this just happened to be in a public forum and therefore more evident. Why do it then? Because discussions/arguments are interesting. Talking with someone with a contrasting viewpoint can serve to further one's understanding of an issue regardless of what others around him/her think.

aaroncp Wrote:Of course no one cares just as no one cares about the vast majority of arguments that occur between 2 people; this just happened to be in a public forum and therefore more evident. Why do it then? Because discussions/arguments are interesting. Talking with someone with a contrasting viewpoint can serve to further one's understanding of an issue regardless of what others around him/her think.

I feel dumber after reading your comments.

"I feel dumber after reading your comments."
"regardless of what others around him/her think."
That issue has already been addressed.

aaroncp Wrote:"I feel dumber after reading your comments."
"regardless of what others around him/her think."
That issue has already been addressed.

Your presentation of and clinging to vapid weasel words makes me think you accept the condition I've presupposed, which is that the lack of quality in the views you have presented lessens, rather than furthers those you're contrasting with. I'm satisfied with that.

I am not sure what you consider to be vapid weasel words, but this is merely how I always write. Perhaps you think I am trying to be purposefully verbose, but I just enjoy writing and therefore naturally express a certain level of coherence that is lacking in most written word. As for my concession, you are right in a sense. I am merely conceding that, to me, your opinion is irrelevant as you were not actively taking part in the conversation/discussion/argument and as such your intelligence in relation to the discussion is also irrelevant.

Also though, it is indeed inevitable that in any given discussion the points of one person will be of lower quality than the others. I am perfectly fine with you believing that it is mine that is lacking; although I obviously have a different opinion.

This thread is now about the new Hooters in Japan. Wish I could go. It's all I ever wanted!

nest0r Wrote:Speaking of the world's most expensive cities and Japan, what's the deal with abortion and Hitler? That's gay and retarded. Men suck. Women are inferior. Also, natural disasters happen because God is angry at minorities. Therefore, Japan can be a cheap place to live if you're smart and thrifty. o_O

Come on, you know the real reason why Japan is so expensive - the global media conspiracy to marginalise Esperanto! But they can't keep us silent forever! Dissaltos la obstinaj baroj, per la sankta amo disbatitaj! Japanio fariĝos malmultekostan!

TheVinster Wrote:This thread is now about the new Hooters in Japan. Wish I could go. It's all I ever wanted!

You should've posted this in a months old thread about Japanese fonts. And added that people who don't want to go to a Japanese Hooters if there are no scantily clad Japanese boys with well-developed pectorals are missing out. And then followed up by only restating the general, relative validity of your stating this opinion.

^_^

vonPeterhof Wrote:

nest0r Wrote:Speaking of the world's most expensive cities and Japan, what's the deal with abortion and Hitler? That's gay and retarded. Men suck. Women are inferior. Also, natural disasters happen because God is angry at minorities. Therefore, Japan can be a cheap place to live if you're smart and thrifty. o_O

Come on, you know the real reason why Japan is so expensive - the global media conspiracy to marginalise Esperanto! But they can't keep us silent forever! Dissaltos la obstinaj baroj, per la sankta amo disbatitaj! Japanio fariĝos malmultekostan!

Your opinion is valid! Though a little verbose, but I understand you want to be accurate and capture the potential nuance of every possible intepretation.

If we are going into constructed languages, I prefer Lojban myself. Esperanto seems a little too eurocentric for my tastes. My opinion is more of an observation though since I have very little experience in either.

aaroncp Wrote:So yes I am making generalizations based on the university setting, but I would say that it isn't an exaggeration to assume that comprises the majority.

I'm not sure how you've reached that conclusion, especially since you haven't lived in Japan- the place where Japanese comes from and is actually spoken regularly. You're arguing from a position of ignorance, so I don't really see the purpose of continuing the discussion.

Well the discussion was already over. You must have misinterpreted what I am saying. I was making generalizations about U.S. students that study Japanese, not all students and definitely not the Japanese people as a whole (which is what you seemed to have gotten from what I said).

aaroncp Wrote:I was making generalizations about U.S. students that study Japanese

Had you said that originally we could have avoided this discussion- I don't know what US college students studying Japanese are like, I've only heard the stereotypes. However, that's not what you said:

aaroncp Wrote:I feel like men that ask why we can't have so many hot women in the U.S. are likely to have 1 or more of several problems:

That's why I thought your post was so ridiculous- you basically categorized all men from America - of which I happen to be one - which is likely why I thought your post was so off base.

And I wasn't referencing the Japanese people as a whole, but that's a moot point now.