Why does Studio Eight work?

[Doreen Peri]

As I said, speak for yourself.

I'm not a republican. But I'm not a misfit or an outcast.

Neither are the other people who post here.

Geesh. What world do YOU live in?

I don't even understand why you'd speak for yourself, come to think of it, and call yourself such things. I'm sorry to hear you would think so lowly of yourself.

[Lightning Rod]

extraordinary people are by definition misfits and outcasts
haven't you learned that by now?

I'm proud to be a misfit and an outcast.
Hence my reference to Bradbury's novel

[Doreen Peri]

No. I haven't learned it because it's not true.



gnight

[stilltrucking]

I know I fit right in cause I was born to follow.

[mtmynd]

Are astral hobos misfits or outcasts?

[mnaz]

Probably...

Hey, I won't shy away from that misfit outcast thing, (by the way...)

Seems about right.

Not that I'm unusually given to the extraordinary, or anything like that.

[mtmynd]

mnaz, now you, my friend, are most definitely a self-imposed outcast... casting yrself out into the deserted deserts of this land.

[eugeneherman]

whoever said art was the disease of society was right!

[Lightning Rod]

Geronimo sits on his pinto atop a lonely mesa
it is dawn for the outcasts
they shiver like jews in the wilderness
cocksure and abandoned

The lowest caste, chaste and beckoning
untouchables yearning
Highwaymen and hobos
marginal souls with hope in their rucksacks

[Doreen Peri]

Probably...

Hey, I won't shy away from that misfit outcast thing, (by the way...)

Seems about right.

Not that I'm unusually given to the extraordinary, or anything like that.

Alright well if you feel you're an outcast, that's fine. We've never cast you out of here.

In my opinion, using the term "outcasts" for an entire community of people is not only untrue, but rude. A more insulting term is "misfits." You all may think I've lost my sense of humor but the author of these words has stated that he wasn't trying to be funny, so there you have it.

Our community members are not misfits. Extraordinary individuals is a good description, yes. Artistic and talented beautiful people who are definitely not misfits in any stretch of the imagination. Our community members are not outcasts, either. Each member is loved and accepted here and also in their own real-life communities.

I shouldn't have posted to this thread again, probably, in response to these derogatory terms, but the name-calling has made me angry so I'm repeating myself.

Praise goes much farther than belittlement. To state that the terms "misfits" and "outcasts" somehow indicate extraordinary qualities is just plain bunk.

...

I donno why everybody who posts here does but I'm glad they do. It's a small community but a vital one, in my opinion... vitally artistic, vitally positive, vitally creative.

There's nothing misfit or outcast about the site or the community members.

[Lightning Rod]

doreen,

Don't you know that being a misfit and an outcast is something to be proud of, not a derogatory reference?

When I refer to myself or others as a misfit or an outcast it means that they don't fit into this society of waste, greed, shallowness, stupidity and vanity that is the norm. It's a compliment to say that someone doesn't fit into this cesspool.

Let me list a few outcasts and misfits for you:

Adam & Eve
David
John the Baptist
Jesus
Martin Luther
Galileo
Copernicus
Almost every great artist you can name
Buckminster Fuller
Tesla
Mozart
Bukowski
need I go on?

[Doreen Peri]

I wouldn't call any of those people you listed misfits and outcasts. Yes, those are derogatory terms.

Those people you listed were extraordinary individuals. Individuals with a gift to the world.

The world did not reject these people... the world did not cast these people out... the world did not refer to these people as outcasts and misfits.

On the contrary! The world reveled in their wisdom, their discoveries, their artistry, their talents, holding them up to be adored, praising them, giving them recognition!

I wouldn't include Bukowski on the list of great artists, though, but almost all of the great artists you can name were anything but misfits and outcasts! They were and are revered and accepted!

American Heritage Dictionary - mis·fit

One who is unable to adjust to one's environment or circumstances or is considered to be disturbingly different from others.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) -
out·cast
–noun
1. a person who is rejected or cast out, as from home or society: In the beginning the area was settled by outcasts, adventurers, and felons.
2. a homeless wanderer; vagabond.
3. rejected matter; refuse.

As you see by these definitions, none of the people you listed fit AT ALL into the descriptions of misfits and outcasts. Exactly the opposite!

I am also proud not to reject society's waste, greed, shallowness, stupidity and vanity. But just because I and others who think like me do not subscribe to such social ills, does not mean we are misfits or outcasts. It simply means we CARE enough to speak out and to try to do something about the social ills if we are able.

So, no, you are using the terms wrong. You have apparently written your own definitions in your head.

Oh and you might want to remove Jesus from your list since you have adamently proclaimed he never existed. To list him here when you consider him a myth doesn't make much sense, does it?

[Lightning Rod]

Adam & Eve--cast out of the Garden of Eden

David--started out as a lonely shepherd

John the Baptist--lived in the desert and ate grasshoppers

Jesus--you tell me I don't believe he existed. this shows how much you misunderstand me. Number one, you don't know what I believe and #2 I don't care if he existed in material form or not. I believe in what he stands for. And you can't say he wasn't an outcast and a misfit because (a) he didn't fit into the orthodox jewish religion because of his teachings, making him a misfit and (b) It's hard to imagine being any further outcast than the cross on a friday night.

Martin Luther--excommunicated (outcast)

Galileo-- books banned by the Pope and excommuicated

Copernicus--books banned

Almost every great artist you can name

Buckminster Fuller-- relegated to working on the fringes because his ideas were too revolutionary

Tesla--had most of his inventions stolen and died in poverty after giving the world much of what Tom Edison and George Westinghouse took credit for.

Mozart--was buried in a pauper's grave

Bukowski--probably the only one of these examples that was able to make a living being a misfit
-------
I will soon be a literal outcast
think about it

[Doreen Peri]

I thought you said Adam and Eve didn't exist either.

What's being a lonely shepherd have to do with being a misfit or an outcast?

What's living in the desert and eating grasshoppers have to do with being a misfit and an outcast?

Whether Jesus existed or not doesn't matter? OK. Just because his story is about the fact that he didn't fit into the orthodox jewish religion doesn't make him a misfit. It makes him a revolutionary or sorts. Because he was put to death in the story, doesn't make him an outcast, it makes him a condemned criminal.

Being excommunicated from the church means you've been outcast from an organization but not from society. Does that make you a misfit? Not in my opinion.

Having written books which are banned by the church only makes the person outcast by the church, not by society and doesn't even imply that they were misfits.

Revolutionary ideas don't make a person a misfit. Sure they might make a person outcast from society but none of the people who post on these boards have had revolutionary ideas which have made them outcasts from society.

Having your inventions stolen and dying in poverty doesn't make someone a misfit or an outcast. It makes them a victim of theft and a poor person. *shrug*

Being a genius of a musician yet dying poor doesn't mean the person was an outcast or a misfit. Just means they didn't make money on their music when they were alive.

I know nothing about Bukowski other than, in my opinion, his poetry was weak, but that's just my opinion. If he made a living out of being a misfit, good for him, I guess.

I'm sorry. I'm in pain. I don't know how to fix it.

[Lightning Rod]

I'm sorry. I'm in pain. I don't know how to fix it.

don't give me the old "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you" line unless you are about to spank me