This is why we keep chairs on the front porch. Sometimes, it’s worth the weather to have a nice chat
“Let’s talk about Klingons around Uranus.”
– herp-a-derp
Astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all.
You can put the new name up Urectum.
Q: what was spock looking for in kirk’s toilet?
A:
THE CAPTAIN’S LOG
… You know what? I’ve got time. Do you want some tea or coffee?
Legitimately would invite them to chill with me on the porch. I’m not inviting them in though
Vampires ain’t gonna trick me a third time.
It’s not like vampires can drink each other’s blood, right?
(You can trust me…)
Is that why you’re on the third transporter room? Just beam them out from where you are. Reclaim your space!
on?
I am Transporter Room 3. Or I might just be an amalgamation of all the consciousnesses Chief O’Brien has
stored in the pattern bufferuhhhh beamed up… Yeah beamed up.You’d be surprised how much silver is in a transporter though. Vampires just slide right out.
We should do that. lol
There’s a couple of science-based social groups (usually ‘skeptics’ is in the name, a la Skeptics Society) where I live (SLC) so might be a very good place to start recruiting ‘sales’ people in your own areas…
Do we have to stop at science?
I’m totally down to welcome in strangers who want to talk history or philosophy, too. Roving bands of people, seeking shelter by paying with their special interests.
Just go hang out in the student union or in the mall of your nearest state university. You’ll find plenty of people eager to talk about all sorts of topics.
Terry Pratchett kinda did this in one of his discworld sub-series.
There were teachers that would roam from town to town teaching for small amounts of money, or eggs, or carrots, or whatever. It was like tinkers only with information.
I guess this is somewhat historical? Norway had wandering “singers” that went around and told stories, in exchange for a meal. The stories were partially educational, partially entertainment. Basically infotainment of the time.
Edit: I think the name was “scalden” iirc.
Honey, it’s the Arch users, hide!
This sounds somewhat like the end of Fahrenheit 451.
Shit motherfucker, you had me at abiogenesis.
Come on in
Where do I sign up?
“Hunny! The nerds are here, break out the nice silverware!”
I don’t let anyone in my house but I would gladly setup a few chairs, picnic umbrella, folding table and a tray if frosty beverages on the front lawn. Why the front? Maybe some neighbors will join in and we can have a science block party with music, balloons, and Mr. Wizard/Bill Nye style physics demonstrations.
Cool idea in theory, will be immediatly overrun with people trying to discuss phrenology in reality
Can I be your neighbor?
I have this notion that one day it would be nice to be neighborly enough to just put out a sign that says “fresh coffee”, “brunch”, “Beer on tap” or whatever as a signal that people should drop by for a chat.
But I’m not really in my neighborhood’s demographic. It’s an older neighborhood, and the only folks close to my age seem like extreme introverts.You know how some people are really into.putting up flags? Some hang pride flags, others political flags or country flags, etc. I say you should hang a flag of your favorite hobby (assuming PG rated). Into D&D? Hang a D&D flag. Maybe one of those introverts will be curious enough to say “nice flag”, and you take it from there.
That depends, do they have the reference material to back it up, or are they just quoting the headlines?
They should knock to Bill O’Riley and show him how tides work.
If there’s a way to make buckets of money and secure obscene amounts of power by going door to door and talking about phosphene, then I guarantee you someone will do it.
Science says there are multiple realities. Can science please take me to this one?
The other day at a family gathering, I found myself explaining CRISPR in tones normally reserved for religious fervor.
Excuse me. Do you have time to hear about the good word of our Lady and Savior, Jennifer Doudna?
As a former Jehovah’s Witnesses turned atheist, you all have fun, but I’m not spending my Saturday knocking on doors anymore.
Good on you. Thank you for seeing reason. That was objectively awful.
I’m genuinely curious about how the average interaction went, given that you weren’t immediately turned away.
I’ll second what QuantumSparkles said. Mostly uninterested or feign interest so you go away. Rarely actual anger. People have an inherent politeness that kicks in here.
Not that someone inside could say it, but you tend to hope that people won’t come to the door. Lots of doorbells either don’t work or you can’t hear them from the outside, so you learn tricks to pretend to press it.
I was raised that way and got out in my late 20’s (way too long). 7/10 doors nobody answers, most of the people who do either say “no thank you” or “thanks but I have my own religion”, a fair amount of the time you’ll get someone who feigns interest and takes the material just so you’ll leave and they don’t have to feel impolite (it’s not impolite to say no). Sometimes you’ll get someone legit interested. Sometimes you’ll get someone who a n g e r y
That’s fascinating. If you don’t mind me asking what percentage would you say were angry? And where were you knocking? (Approximately).
I worked in a call centre for a summer (no hard sell but it was an awful job) and location and politeness were directly correlated.
I’ve only had one JW call to my door. I’m atheist a long time now. Well over thirty years but we had a very nice interaction. He called back a second and third time, bless his heart.
Very small percentage were angry, hostile, or adversarial. I’d say less than 10%. And we preached everywhere. That was the point. Suburban, rural, city, houses, apartments, even businesses
That’s fair
This sounds fascinating. I would totally invite them in.
It also reminds me of a horror story I read that had been written before heavier-than-air flight became possible, but seemed within reach. The story had been written just a few years before the Wright brothers success at Kitty Hawk.
The author imagined ferocious jellyfish-like creatures that lived in the upper atmosphere, and kept themselves aloft with gas-filled bodies. Interesting idea.