It has come to my attention that is possible to be considered a sex symbol in the IE community. One wonders how on earth it is possible to be considered sexy in cyberspace. To deepen the mystery I am informed a modder who -well, has to be one of the more annoying people on the face of the Internet, is in fact awarded this accolade by many. He doesn't even have a scantily clad well endowed avatar, and makes no attempt to be charming. He isn't even funny.
Is there anyone who can explain this mystery? Surely women modders are not stupid? Is there a distressing undercurrent of masochism within the IE community that needs to be addressed?

Better to by a sex object than a sex symbol. That way you get used, instead of just having posters put up with your face (/other parts?) on them.

Quite intrigued as to who you're referring to...

Duh. Me!

The Iceman Cometh -- he is HAWT

Well actually icelus it can't be you, because you are funny. (Sorry.)
Being a sex object and being a sex symbol are kind of the same, because admirers are just interested in how you look and tend not to look past imagining a quickie with you. Being a symbol sounds better though - representing sexiness, not just being a container for sex. A sex symbol sounds like it something you actively choose to do - being object sounds like it just happens to you whether you like it or not.

Before I reveal the identity of the alleged symbol, or my source, I would like some solid replies to my question. I am pretty sure all of you have information on this subject. ( I would tell all, as is usual wont, but I feel strangely hesitant. Is someone watching?)

Edit: my secondary source suggests this is a kind of adolescent same-sex crush, a kind of "gee, I wish I was like that". I am so relieved. Sort of. The only female modders I know to any degree are Stoplight, Bons, Kismet, St. Jo and Ashara/Domi - and I was sure they would never make such a ghastly error. I can readily believe discharger would be so stupid, but it's still terribly, terribly sad.

Err, ok. I'm in the dark.

OK. Hints.
He likes to make condescending and rude comments, but runs away when the errors in his logic or grammar are pointed out. I think to sulk.

What about now?

Depending on who you 'side' with, that could be a biased comment about almost anyone: either NiGHTMARE or Sim argue often with each other, as does Domi (who is not male), Corvis (who is not a modder), JC (who is a sex symbol), Ghrey (who is a pirate), me (who tries not to argue)...

Well of course it's biased, it's in the quarantine section for a reason. (Hello, it's me.)

Nightmare never runs away from an argument. Clearly not him.
Sim always finishes his arguments by notifying his debatoree of his intention to not talk about it any more. (So far as I have seen.) So can't be him.
Can't be Domi or Corvis - not male/modder.
I have seen jc's muscle shirt and I know he sometimes blurs the line between himself and Kelsey, and thus may get confused when people speak of their adoration for said code and get notions above himself - but I had no idea he was a sex symbol too. However, as he never runs away when people point out errors in his logic, can't be him either. (I see you know more about this sex symbol thing than you let on.)
Ghrey makes rude comments, but not, I think, condescending ones. He is also funny, (well, I laugh) so it can't be him. (I wonder if he is worried or pleased by the admiration he is currently receiving from Lu and ImoenNF. I hope worried.)
Can't be you, as you don't argue. Nor are you condescending and rude.

If you are determined to sit on the diplomacy fence, then get comfy and have a beer or a cuppa. I was only giving clues because you are focussed on the identity of the Said Symbol. What I really want to know is how anybody receives this accolade? Everyone sits around in IRC saying, "Yep, he can put his v.2 under my bed anytime"? Is jc a sex symbol too? How? Why? (My source is going to love this news.)

Heheh. :)

Hey, are you saying I'm not a sex symbol? You, uh, meanie! Bad person! Of course I am!

... does that qualify? ;)

I am vaguely intrigued as to who it is, yeh.

Busted.

Good question; I'm not sure how one would become a sex symbol in a text-based online community. I don't know if JC's a sex symbol, but he's probably the most Adult Male of the modders around there (except Cam, who doesn't pimp himself so much)--not saying that myself, Ghrey et al aren't adult, but just that JC is a little older (so perhaps more apt for sex-symbol status, given that I remember reading most of the women in the IE mod scene are late twenties onwards, while I am 22 and Ghrey, Seifer etc range up to about 26).

That was a long sentence.

That was a long sentence for you. I type sentences like that as off-the-cuff remarks. As for your attempt at condescension/rudeness I could tell your heart wasn't in it.

So. I guess I will have to wait for icelus and Cliffette to pop in and give some more insights into this curious phenomenum. After we get more info on how cyberspace sex symbols are made we'll be able to tell if you qualify.

I'm fairly certain I know who it is, since the same observation has mystified me, but I'm not going to be the one to steal the thunder. I've done that twice this month already. Three strikes and you're out, dontcha know?

I guess you since you are mystified too, you have no insights to share as to how this sort of thing occurs. Great. I was counting on you. However, it is reassuring to know that the whole thing boggles the mind of others too. I'd hate to be a snob.

Sometimes when I talk I diverge from the original point, or say what I was saying in quite a roundabout way... so I guess sometimes I type like that too! Actually, I've sometimes wondered if people talk the same way that they type (and whether the answer is the same in formal and informal settings). I think the answer is often, but not exclusively, yes.

;_;

You guys must pay more attention than me. :)

My assumption at first was Ghrey, because Ghrey = pirate, pirate = Johnny Depp = sexy.

But seeing as I don't find Ghrey condescending or annoying, I am left at a loss.. Maybe I'm in the wrong age range for the focus group.

In the meantime, if anyone wants to explain to me how to measure the distance to a star using parallax in a clear and succinct manner, you will be granted immediate sexiness regardless of age, gender or modding status.

I started typing a reply, the realised that Wikipedia is both clearer and more succint than myself. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parallax Go random sexy encylopaedia writers!

Are you an astrophysicist?

Terrific. Able to explain the distances of a star parallax, but can't tell me why and how anyone can be considered a sex symbol when they are online.

I don't want to disparage Ghrey's attractiveness so I won't go ahead and say just because Johnny Depp is sexy does not ergo mean Ghrey is. For someone who needs to know about parallaxes you can be very unscientific at times, Cliffette.

Look, let's leave aside the question of who. Why? How? You're modders! You must have an insight into this amazing phenomenom. Come on, concentrate.

Well I'm working out an equation for the Sx quotient of modding that takes into account heat (T) and sweatiness (s), number of posts (n), condescension (Cn), average version number of mods (A) and rudeness (:-P).

So far I've got Sx(mod) = Ts^n x Cn / A + :-P

It was funnier in concept than application.

I am also a reasonable chef (not just British food, too). :)

I am the opposite of an astrophysicist - I studied molecular biology. :)

Look. You're both very funny. But anytime you would like to give serious consideration to my question, I'm ready.

I am currently looking through my mental database for a modder who fulfils the sexy requirements: bad, smouldering etc etc; while simultaneously having five stars in the annoying/condescending/rude proficiency (nerdy modder joke! I'm not totally gone from the scene yet) and am coming up with a blank.



But as for the actual question you're asking, Eral, I think you can achieve sex symbol status in the modding community if
i) your posts exhibit enough slouchy nonchalance/insolence yet in a rough-diamond, non-arrogant sort of way (the Cowboy Hypothesis),
ii) you demonstrate intelligence, brooding melancholy and passion whilst posting said posts (the Male Members of the Buffy Cast Hypothesis) and
iii) you have a scantily clad, well-endowed avatar (the Johnny Depp in Pirates Hypothesis).

Maybe your guy's rude and condescending posts are being mistaken for (i). Or maybe your modder has a way with his WRITE_BYTEs.

Hey, cool. I did a bit of that myself, but never got my head around protein kinase kinase kinase kinase kinases... the naming system for some things can be a bit odd, eh? :)

Eral: I don't know.

Same reason so many of us can enjoy a pretend romance while playing a computer game. Human capacity for imagination. Both fills in the blanks and glosses over the flaws.

Bex, that is a lovely way of describing why science is so attractive to many people. It sounds good even to me, and I much prefer to answer questions like "What is gravity?" by saying, "Umm, it's magic." [It's a joke, don't have heart palpitations C and A.]
OK. So we don't know. Well, all right. The fact that none of us have any insight into this means all of us are in our right minds, and it's always nice to have confirmation of this periodically.

I'm in my left mind, not my right.

Uh huh. But if I said that, you might cry.

So... Eral, who is it? If you're worried about being spied on, use the super secret pig latin encryption system. :)

Andyr, the kinase kinase kinases were why I came to adore biochemistry and sealed my fate as a science dork. Abandon hope all ye who enter the Kreb Cycle!*

My favourite enzyme was PEPCK (phosphenol pyruvate carboxykinase - and once upon a time, I knew what its role was), but there was one special enzyme that kept expanding and expanding because each time you unabbreviated the abbreviation, another abbreviation would pop up... I can't remember what it was, but I wish I did.


* Not that the KKKs were in the Kreb Cycle, but it's better than the MAP Kinase Cascade or whatever it was.

Are you ready?

(Drum roll...) Exoduds.

I am sorry(well, not really) to once again dis one of Andyr's friends, but as Andyr is an unusually tolerant and good person and it is possible that only Jesus had a higher level of acceptance of others, I am not going to lose too much sleep over it.

Perhaps now Cliffette you are able to shed some light on the mystery? (Andyr, you may wish to go off and find out some more about kinases. Or something. )

I'd shed light on the matter but seeing as I cannot recall any posts by Exodus, the only light I can shed would be some sort of diffracted light or possibly not even in the visible spectrum.

Exodus = Seifer = something else @ Black Sheep Mods (something to do with a fish or something)

What's it say about me that I knew from the first post exactly who Eral was talking about even though I have no business knowing that?

My source suggests to me Cliffette and Andyr probably do not notice this stuff because they are too pre-occupied with solving the mysteries of the Universe.
I am glad that you did, Bex. I was beginning to think I'd lost my gift for description. But do you know why?

Ah, Seifer. I guess if you share his way of thinking, you would find him a strong example of leadership. So my theory is that power makes you attractive.

Myself being a case in point. Being dictator of Namc has done wonders for my complexion. :)

Killer intuition.

Seriously, I do pay a lot of attention to human dynamics, because they're nifty (guess that makes me more of a social scientist). I didn't have to think of who could be a modding community sex symbol... just whose alleged sex symboldom could inspire this thread. ;)

Do I know why someone could be considered an online sex symbol? It's not unlike forming any other kind of assessment of someone based on what you can glean from some pictures and text, positive or negative. You can certainly decide whether you like a person or not, from reading what they write... so some people may take that a step further. It's fantasy. Also, some people do seem to find arrogance attractive (Edwin romance, anyone?)... and they might not be so enchanted IRL. Or maybe they would, the poor things.

And then there's that... uh whatsit?... "Why do you look so cool in every picture I've ever seen of you?" something. Urgh. Thuggish maybe. Does that mean cool? I can't keep up with the kids these days.

Gawd... I feel so damned catty.

Nothing wrong with feeling catty. Cats are observant and know the secrets of the universe. :)

To be more serious and to repeat myself in a less succinct form, I think some people find Seifer admirable because he is their 'man of action' in cyberspace and does the things that they wish they had the guts to do - things that some might perceive as rude, but others perceive as the right and just thing to do. ie He is the fearless leader who takes the fall for the team, regardless of the consequences.


Also, sorry Seifer if you're reading this. :-/

No apology needed. Whilst you're more then happy to force your opinions of me down the throats of anyone near enough to listen, I'll not extend the same benevolence to you. I'll extend to this though, you and I haven't had enough personal interaction for you to justify those comments. If you're taking your cue from observation, most scientists/psychologists will tell you that it's probably flawed methodology. If you're taking your cue from other people, sheep don't have much credibility I'm afraid.

I wonder what it is about me that causes people to confuse me with others. As I recall, 'twas I started this thread and I believe it clearly states the purpose of the inquiry. How a quiet chat here in Quarantine equals forcing my views down everybody's throats, I don't know. Any inquiries you have can be directed to my inbox which is currently empty so there's plenty of room there. Please don't importune Cliffette any longer - it would be so sad if she had to bane you. Good for her skin, though, and I myself find that a very powerful reason for doing something.

I was hoping he was going to explain it. It's a shame he gets so readily confused and unable to concentrate on the topic. Never mind, Cliffette and Bex have done an excellent job. Now we just need to hear from someone who experiences this admiration. Or did.

Seifer, thanks for showing up to defend yourself. While I could write 5000 words explaining why I responded to this thread*, my overriding feeling is that I am sorry that this will cause ill-will between us. So I will leave it at that.

Merry Christmas everybody, may 2006 be a good one. :)




*That is, if you were addressing me - I'm not sure if you were.