Wearing orange on St. Patrick's Day

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

I think what we're getting at, BRTD, is that for people who place a high value on their culture, their culture is a 'scene' of sorts. Irish-American Catholic BRTD would very possibly spend his entire life with a ready-made 'scene' in which to get drunk and engage in reductionist politics. Your obsessive tendencies seem more fundamental to your personality than what you're actually obsessed with.

Also, drunk (?) Oakvale is awesome.

[Mechaman]

brtd i love you but you know you litereally make no sense ever. you would not be the same person if you were had irish ancestry.

Why not? As I noted before not all Irish Americans are obnoxious about it. If my parents were Irish but as big about their ethnicity as they were about being German or Swedish (that is basically not at all) it would be essentially a non-factor. And how would that prevent me from getting into the scene? Like I noted, my friend is in the scene, and does not care one iota about being Irish.

Yes, but your friend isn't you (emphasis).

[Oakvale]

WHAT IF EAMON DE VALERA WAS SCENE

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I think what we're getting at, BRTD, is that for people who place a high value on their culture, their culture is a 'scene' of sorts. Irish-American Catholic BRTD would very possibly have a ready-made 'scene' in which to get drunk and engage in reductionist politics for his entire life.

Also, drunk (?) Oakvale is awesome.

Well perhaps but I don't place a high value on my culture. Like what of my friend mentioned before? Similarly I'm pretty sure you don't hear as much about Italy from Guy Picciotto as you do from Phil.

Also North Dakota doesn't have much of an Irish culture "scene" to get engaged in.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

WHAT IF EAMON DE VALERA WAS SCENE

This is why you're one of my favorites.

Well perhaps but I don't place a high value on my culture. Like what of my friend mentioned before? Similarly I'm pretty sure you don't hear as much about Italy from Guy Picciotto as you do from Phil.

Also North Dakota doesn't have much of an Irish culture "scene" to get engaged in.

You're missing the point.

[TDAS04]

BTRD, if heritage does not matter to you, why do you display the Swedish flag?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

See the thing is:

1-This wouldn't change my musical taste.
2-I couldn't get obsessed in Irish Catholic culture because being such a Catholic would mean contradicting my basic values.

I mean why is it so hard to imagine Irish Catholic BRTD getting into the scene and renouncing Catholicism and then evolving basically the exact same way?

BTRD, if heritage does not matter to you, why do you display the Swedish flag?

Ya know, I can't even remember. I put it up there a long time ago. I think it might've been to troll someone. I really forgot it was even there until you reminded me. The only thing I remember about what flag I put up was that I had a Vietnam flag during the 2008 election season as an anti-McCain symbol.

[Oakvale]

BTRD, if heritage does not matter to you, why do you display the Swedish flag?

Sweden is so scene most people dont even know its scene

[Oakvale]

anyway BRTD as me and Belgian have tried to tell you before Catholicism is the original 'scene'. i think if you were catholic you'd be really into it and probably end up becoming a priest.

"Father BRTD, forgive me for i have sinned"
"LOL you should come to the Mass tonight, it's going to be sick, i got hooked up with some primo incense"

[TDAS04]

Just wondering.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Just wondering.

Yeah thinking about a bit I think it was either a counter to someone on an "OMG I'M SO IRISH" or Phil on a "I'M SO ITALIAN" kick, or something about being thankful to Swedish voting patterns in the Midwest. Mind you my background is basically just "generic Midwesterner", half Swedish/half German, as generic as it comes. And I'm even part Catholic in ancestry, 1/4 Catholic, 1/4 Baptist, 1/2 Lutheran. Which might actually play a role in my ambivalence to heritage and culture, I don't come from a background with type of strong culture to begin with.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

WHAT IF EAMON DE VALERA WAS SCENE

Scene Fein?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

1-This wouldn't change my musical taste.

It very well might.

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If you'd been raised Catholic you might perceive your basic values as being different. I think your basic value, as it stands, is in fact developing obsessions because you think that makes you better able to, as Plato would say, 'carve nature at its joints'.

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Because he'd be acculturated very differently.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

The only thing I remember about what flag I put up was that I had a Vietnam flag during the 2008 election season as an anti-McCain symbol.

I hope you understand now that you've had some years to mature what a sick, vile move that was

[TDAS04]

Just wondering.

Yeah thinking about a bit I think it was either a counter to someone on an "OMG I'M SO IRISH" or Phil on a "I'M SO ITALIAN" kick, or something about being thankful to Swedish voting patterns in the Midwest. Mind you my background is basically just "generic Midwesterner", half Swedish/half German, as generic as it comes. And I'm even part Catholic in ancestry, 1/4 Catholic, 1/4 Baptist, 1/2 Lutheran. Which might actually play a role in my ambivalence to heritage and culture, I don't come from a background with type of strong culture to begin with.

I get what you're saying.  I also have a heavily-mixed heritage, both ethnically and religiously; I'm far more of a mutt than you, actually.  I agree that people should be able to choose their religion regardless of ethnicity.  I've not been raised strongly in any religious tradition, but I am leaning towards joining the ELCA, which seems to fit my beliefs.  However, it was quite close between the ELCA and a couple of other liberal Protestant denominations; I'm giving the Lutherans an edge as a nod to my little bit of Norwegian background.  You obviously don't approve of that.  Heritage may not mean everything, but it's OK for it to count a little.  I'm also proud that my Norwegian ancestors were staunch Republicans.  In the 1800s, when the Republicans were good, that is.  The Norwegians hated slavery.

[patrick1]

WHAT IF EAMON DE VALERA WAS SCENE

Scene Fein?

Hahahahahaha.  Great job.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

1-This wouldn't change my musical taste.

It very well might.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

If you'd been raised Catholic you might perceive your basic values as being different. I think your basic value, as it stands, is in fact developing obsessions because you think that makes you better able to, as Plato would say, 'carve nature at its joints'.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Because he'd be acculturated very differently.

The thing you aren't taking into account is there is basically no difference between "Catholic culture" and "Lutheran culture" (assuming said things even exist) in North Dakota and most of Minnesota. There is no real segregation or signs of cultural differences between the people from each group (it's not like it was an issue in my high school) and conversions are very commonplace, extremely uncontroversial and don't really bug anyone besides hardcore right wing Catholics and olds who are probably mostly dead today but unfortunately weren't in 1981. It's tough to imagine the church I was confirmed in* having much of an effect on my development at all. This is just not a big deal in the Upper Midwest and a big part of why I found the crazy "cultural Catholicism" people talk about so alien.

*Especially considering how much of a joke my confirmation was to me.

Just wondering.

Yeah thinking about a bit I think it was either a counter to someone on an "OMG I'M SO IRISH" or Phil on a "I'M SO ITALIAN" kick, or something about being thankful to Swedish voting patterns in the Midwest. Mind you my background is basically just "generic Midwesterner", half Swedish/half German, as generic as it comes. And I'm even part Catholic in ancestry, 1/4 Catholic, 1/4 Baptist, 1/2 Lutheran. Which might actually play a role in my ambivalence to heritage and culture, I don't come from a background with type of strong culture to begin with.

I get what you're saying.  I also have a heavily-mixed heritage, both ethnically and religiously; I'm far more of a mutt than you, actually.  I agree that people should be able to choose their religion regardless of ethnicity.  I've not been raised strongly in any religious tradition, but I am leaning towards joining the ELCA, which seems to fit my beliefs.  However, it was quite close between the ELCA and a couple of other liberal Protestant denominations; I'm giving the Lutherans an edge as a nod to my little bit of Norwegian background.  You obviously don't approve of that.  Heritage may not mean everything, but it's OK for it to count a little.  I'm also proud that my Norwegian ancestors were staunch Republicans.  In the 1800s, when the Republicans were good, that is.  The Norwegians hated slavery.

Actually I don't have too much of a problem with that, considering I was ELCA for most of my life (and still am I suppose on Christmas and when I'm with my family.) My mom is from the Catholic side of the family and apparently had a lot of issues with the church, decided to not get married in it and get married in my dad's ELCA, and this had some friction with some older relatives who are now all dead today, which contributed greatly to my hatred of "cultural Catholicism". It's an violation of one's individual freedom.

[traininthedistance]

oh god I just realized you're wearing orange on the atlas forum in anti-honor of st. patrick's day

as they say on the interwebs: what is this i can't even

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I actually did a see a bunch of people at church (Protestant obviously) wearing green for the record.

[patrick1]

I actually did a see a bunch of people at church (Protestant obviously) wearing green for the record.

Alert the internet, not all hipster church going Minnesotans are obsessive sectarians. You really have to let this go man.

[ilikeverin]

1-This wouldn't change my musical taste.

It very well might.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

If you'd been raised Catholic you might perceive your basic values as being different. I think your basic value, as it stands, is in fact developing obsessions because you think that makes you better able to, as Plato would say, 'carve nature at its joints'.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Because he'd be acculturated very differently.

The thing you aren't taking into account is there is basically no difference between "Catholic culture" and "Lutheran culture" (assuming said things even exist) in North Dakota and most of Minnesota. There is no real segregation or signs of cultural differences between the people from each group (it's not like it was an issue in my high school) and conversions are very commonplace, extremely uncontroversial and don't really bug anyone besides hardcore right wing Catholics and olds who are probably mostly dead today but unfortunately weren't in 1981. It's tough to imagine the church I was confirmed in* having much of an effect on my development at all. This is just not a big deal in the Upper Midwest and a big part of why I found the crazy "cultural Catholicism" people talk about so alien.

*Especially considering how much of a joke my confirmation was to me.

Er, this (1) isn't at all uncommon outside the Midwest and (2) is a recent phenomenon (50s/60s-ish?), even in the Upper Midwest.  You must not talk to many people your grandparents' age.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

1-This wouldn't change my musical taste.

It very well might.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

If you'd been raised Catholic you might perceive your basic values as being different. I think your basic value, as it stands, is in fact developing obsessions because you think that makes you better able to, as Plato would say, 'carve nature at its joints'.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Because he'd be acculturated very differently.

The thing you aren't taking into account is there is basically no difference between "Catholic culture" and "Lutheran culture" (assuming said things even exist) in North Dakota and most of Minnesota. There is no real segregation or signs of cultural differences between the people from each group (it's not like it was an issue in my high school) and conversions are very commonplace, extremely uncontroversial and don't really bug anyone besides hardcore right wing Catholics and olds who are probably mostly dead today but unfortunately weren't in 1981. It's tough to imagine the church I was confirmed in* having much of an effect on my development at all. This is just not a big deal in the Upper Midwest and a big part of why I found the crazy "cultural Catholicism" people talk about so alien.

*Especially considering how much of a joke my confirmation was to me.

Er, this (1) isn't at all uncommon outside the Midwest and (2) is a recent phenomenon (50s/60s-ish?), even in the Upper Midwest.  You must not talk to many people your grandparents' age.

I got the impression it wasn't just a Midwestern thing, but in the past I've been told it is a big deal in the rest of the US and I just didn't see it because of a Midwestern view. And the only time I talk to people my grandparents' age is if I'm giving them tech support.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

It's possible that Irish Catholic BRTD wouldn't be from North Dakota.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

It's possible that Irish Catholic BRTD wouldn't be from North Dakota.

Then the difference would not come from being Irish. And I'd probably still put as much value on culture and heritage, I never did even as a teenager.

And come to think of it, a Jawbreaker shirt as I wore today is kind of appropriate for St. Patrick's Day, it's celebrating a rather important part of my culture.

[Nhoj]

As far as the holiday goes in the US its just another excuse to get drunk, irish ancestry or not.