The Year We Make Contact...

As of right now, I’m watching 2010: The Year We Make Contact, which is the sequal to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Those who had made the movie tried to make it in a sense that the United States and the U.S.S.R. were still involved in the Cold War. I just got done watching the part in the movie where they try “aero-braking.” There is a part where the elder United States’ doctor attempts to make it through the extreme braking techniques the Russians use. What they attempt to do they call aero-braking in the movie, that is, using the atmosphere of a planet to their advantage. While I am no scientist and could therefore not tell you if this was possible or not, I did find it interesting that the director included, in this exact scene, a moment where a Russian member of the space team, apparently a young, female, naïve member, comes to the United States team member as a form of comfort, most likely as a way to show that we can come together in peace.

In the vein of the movie: I wish I had a young, female, Russian cosmonaut to come hug me in times of dire straights. That would make me feel better no matter what was going on.

Assholemanship

Many people do not know where they stand. Many more people do know where they stand but are unsure that they hold that position. That is where I come in. When I debate people, I take the other side, usually to the extreme. Playing the “Devil’s Advocate” allows me to debate someone and pull out the reasons behind that person’s position. From there it just becomes a matter of trying to sway that person from the position they hold and convince them of my rightness. This, however, is where I become an “asshole.” Once I draw this person into a position where the views seem solidified, I test those now-sacredly held beliefs by turning the argument back around; I flip the debate on its head, so to speak. In all, I enjoy doing this because it truly lets me know where this person stands and it allows me the opportunity for a good, spirited debate. When I flip the argument on people, however, they usually just end up frustrated with me and call me an asshole. From there, I am quick to remind them, as I did when we first started debating, that I am merely playing the part for the rebuttal but most people just assume I am an asshole. Oh well, I am content with being an asshole.