Predictability

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Do you think you're predictable? Do you feel you have the capacity to surprise the people who know you? Do you feel it matters? Do you think unpredictable people are cool, or unstable? Do you think the answers to all these questions are different if you're talking on- or off-line?

― Tom, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

No, not sure, yes, depends, yes

― Nick, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Whatever happened to predictability? The newsman, the paperboy, even mtv...

― Nicole, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm delightfully unpredictable to dull people, and ridiculously obvious to interesting people. But at my core, even the surprising things I do aren't really a surprise to the people who know me, as they know I like to do surprising things. If you know what I mean.

― Mark C, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think I may be unpredictable in a predictable way. Which equals boring. So I'm back to square one. If unpredictable people are amusing and not threatening, then it's probably cool. I should be at Tesco's. I haven't eaten yet today. Acre Lane is calling me. Please stop posting questions that I want to answer.

― alix, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm sure I'm all too predictable. *sulks in room with the Cure turned up loud*

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think predictability is good (and inevitable in any kind of close relationshop) unless the person concerned harbours notions that they're unpredictable. I also think most people are a lot more predictable than they think they are, but then it's my job to believe that.

― Tom, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Plinth.

― chris, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The different answers to the first two questions were based on my pedantic reasoning that it's actually hard to actually predict exactly what someone will do much of the time, yet not be surprised by what they do. Hindsight and all that.

― Nick, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Surely there must be different kinds of predictability. For ex. an emotionally unpredictable person could be said to be slightly neurotic, but someone who seems emotuionally stable but makes erratic life choices, well, they would be neurotic also, probably. Or maybe idealist, who knows.

― turner, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

That last post of mine was particular badly written. What I meant was "it's hard to actually predict exactly what someone will do much of the time, yet the same person's actions can seem unsurprising nonetheless."

― Nick, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I think it's okay to be 'predictable' as long as you're aware of it. If you're not aware of it, you're not in control of it. People who are not self-aware (like certain co-workers) freak me out.

― Kerry, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

To cover my predictability I choose to remain enigmatic.

― Graham, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm fairly predictable. I'll always say something stupid or have a strange idea. It's my curse.

― james, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes, I even surprise myself. We were eating at a deli the other day and Kim was grossed out by her ham & cheese sandwich cuz it was just a big old chunk of meat and some cheese. No lettuce or tomato or anything. So I said, "You can always take half the meat off and throw it on the ground and stomp on it" and even I wasn't sure why I finished the sentence so oddly. It was funny, though.

― Nude Spock, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Oh, last night we were talking about how Kate Spade bags are the same ones you buy on the street for $10. They're made at the same factory. And then we got off onto labels and how it was silly that purses were hundreds of dollars just because of a certain label. And then I blurted out that there will never be a designer purse with a big, cursive "L" on it because of Laverne and Shirley. Didn't realize I had even said it until Kim responded with, "just take the meat and throw it on the floor and stomp on it", which was a reference to earlier silliness. Anyway, I think I have no control over what I say or do. I am a walking suprise factory.

― Nude Spock, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

In 3-D, I can be way more unpredicatable. The internet puts too many constraints on me, I consider who I am talking to, my language, subjects I will discuss much more (it should work in the opposite manner, surely?). I'm less free on the Internet!

― james, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Predictable is boring! Boring is sexy!

So, yeah, I think I'm rather predictable. But not so much in real life, for the reasons James just pointed out. Unpredictable people can be very cool, but ultimately they just wear me out. I can only take so much.

― Arthur, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

This is where I'm supposed to make a horribly immature joke, right?

― Dan Perry, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

No, it's where I make it and attribute it to you before you make it. ;-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am so predictable that when I make one unpredictable comment it is remembered for years. DUD DUD DUD.

― Maria, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

The stupidest thing I've done today, is not post "Ned will say something before Dan gets a chance!" Damn!!

― james, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Yes.
No.
Yes.
Depends on scope and type of unpredictability.
Not really.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Do you think you're predictable?

Yes. Moreso as I get older.

Do you feel you have the capacity to surprise the people who know you?

Do you feel it matters?

Not a lot.

Do you think unpredictable people are cool, or unstable?

A question of degree, I suppose. I don't think "predictability" is a factor of "Coolness". Cool people can be very predictable, though.

Do you think the answers to all these questions are different if you're talking on- or off-line?

Not in my case. I phear that I'm much the same online or IRL.

xoxox

― Norman Phay, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I do exactly the same stuff every day. which has GOT to stop.

― duane, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I can be unpredictable at times. Sometimes I can suprise the people I know, but not usually- they might not be able to say exactly what I will do but wont be suprised when it actually happened (kudos to that person further up the thread...) I think it does matter, especially since I crave novelty and excitement as a means of not thinking about the things that displease me Unpredictable people are usually fairly uncool, if they raise unpredictablility to an art form, never turn up where they are supposed to, hate you one day and love you the next. But hanging out with people who do strange things and say oddities can be really fun, if they do not take their unpredictability to that degree.

― Menelaus Darcy, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

often unpredictability can be ever so predictable. i don't even know what these words mean anymore. its all such a postmodern blur.

― di, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

use of the word "postmodern" is ever so predictable.

gargghhhh! i am trapped in predictability, from whatever driection i look in, everything is predictable.

― di, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

yes no maybe i don't know can you repeat the question?

― Geoff, Monday, 5 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Is it a good thing or a bad thing that the Full House reference wasn't picked up on?

― Nicole, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

the more it snows (tiddley pom) the more it goes (tiddley pom) on snowing how cold my nose (tiddley pom) is growing

― chris, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I thought it best not to say it out loud, Nic, but in my head I was thinking "Everywhere you look there's a heart, and a hand to hold on to". Taking sides: Uncle Jesse v. Uncle Joey?

― Ally, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

You would think Uncle Joey would automatically lose, but he ended doing the nasty with Alanis and causing her to write "You oughtta know" about him. Whereas Uncle Jesse had unsavory relations with a shifty-eyed Mike Love.

― Nicole, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I am very proud that I know almost nothing about "Full House". This is one of the few forms of ignorance that I will happily crow about.

― Dan Perry, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

i think the lyric is actually 'evening tv', not 'even mtv', right?

― ethan, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Can everyone make a concerted effort to break into 'Awesome Aussie Chat'?

― maryann, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

Didn't expect that did ya cobber?

― maryann, Tuesday, 6 November 2001 01:00 (twenty-three years ago)

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