Did the new Penny Arcade story make anyone else uncomfortable?

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Meatspinner

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Kalezian said:
I dont like drug users, any drug users, any user of any drug. Namely because the money spent more often than not ends up in the hands of cartels.

If you absolutely want/have to smoke weed, then you should grow it yourself, for your own consumption.


[small]also, I know like, five people who died from a Marijuana overdose after they injected it into their arms[/small]
The money ends up in the cartel's hands, namely because it's illegal

[small]also, you aren't meant to inject weed into your bloodstream, the oil will do a number on your arteries[/small]
 

chadachada123

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Fun fact: Intelligent people are far more likely to use illicit drugs than stupid people.

There are a variety of possible reasons for this. The first is that DARE programs and the like tend to use very simple messages that wouldn't appeal to someone with, well, the ability to think in a complex manner. In addition, DARE, etc tend to outright lie about the effects of drugs/alcohol, and while this scare-mongering works well for the uneducated, the educated both will recognize when what they've been told is full of shit but ALSO research the effects themselves and make a reasoned and informed decision to try it themselves. A calculated risk.

A link on the subject, which, despite its very obvious bias (they are outright incorrect in saying that psychoactive drugs have largely negative effects and few/no positive effects), has the source for the fact I provided above:

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/201010/why-intelligent-people-use-more-drugs

With weed legalization spreading throughout the US, I think you'll finally start to see the many absolutely pathetic rumors about weed start to melt away. And this comic doesn't seem to be advocating use, just advocating thoughts on the subject.
 

omega 616

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Kaulen Fuhs said:
Owyn_Merrilin said:
Always so literal. Fine I'll admit my mistake (personally, I blame character development in films), I should have said "intelligent people are lazy and stupid at times" ... although, without reading back I am like 40% sure I said somewhere.

I bet there are intelligent people with no vices, there has to be one.
 

Phuctifyno

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xPixelatedx said:
then the world is quite literally passing you by.
That would require being inside a spaceship or station that was completely still. Except... in a universe where all bodies are in constant motion how does one calculate complete stillness, since all speeds are measured relatively to one another...?... [tokes] whooooaaaaa!


OP: Even if it's somewhat outlawed here in Canada, I've never considered weed to be taboo or something worth getting uncomfortable about. Almost everybody I know has smoked it at some point, and a lot of their parents too. Sure, there are a few who do it too much, but excess of anything is unhealthy.

It's something I figured was just kind of a widely accepted "under the table" aspect of society (like those VHS tapes at the back of your parents' underwear drawer), and that only the squarest of cops, politicians, devouts, and organizations gave a damn about it. And most people consider those guys kind of a joke anyway, aside from the fact that they have power and like to waste shitloads of tax money on needless incarceration. Considering the huge amount of movies, shows, songs, etc. about it, I also figured it was the same any place else, even though I know the strictness of laws around it vary from place to place.

That being said, somebody writing an article to express their opinion about weed has little to no effect whatsoever on my opinion of that person or that site. Unless it was, like, an article about how to laso and hang kittens with ropes made from weed... [tokes again] whooooaaaaa!
 

Timmey

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It didn't make me feel uncomfortable. If anything it just reminded me that they should legalise it in the UK, at least then they could tax it and take away the criminal element.
 

Silvanus

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omega 616 said:
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Intelligence has nothing to do with doing dumb shit, youtube was built on this idea. Type in "fail" into youtube and see how many videos come up, then see how many times you think "how can anybody be this stupid".

People are like electricity, always take the easiest route. Why work out to feel good when you can buy booze? Plus the social pressure 'cos it's so cool to drink and the stigma of "the sober one is the boring one".

I mean look at this, I attack alcohol and people start jumping to it's defense like I just attacked your favorite band or game. It's more akin to an emotional response than "well, yeah alcohol is a damaging and extremely dangerous drug that is ingrained in our culture".

You're argument is nothing but "smart people did it so it's a smart thing to do", which is so sheepish! "well my favorite celeb dyed her hair red, so I will".

...That was never his argument. You are the only one who asserted a link (a negative one), and provided no evidence; Owyn argued that your link didn't exist. He didn't argue for a positive link between alcohol and intelligence; that's a strawman.

People aren't jumping on you because you opined about alcohol; they're jumping on you because you called them all stupid, without providing any evidence.
 

omega 616

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Silvanus said:
...That was never his argument. You are the only one who asserted a link (a negative one), and provided no evidence; Owyn argued that your link didn't exist. He didn't argue for a positive link between alcohol and intelligence; that's a strawman.

People aren't jumping on you because you're opinionated about alcohol; they're jumping on you because you called them all stupid, without providing any evidence.
Now you're just beating a dead horse, read my previous post.

I never directly called them stupid, get mod wrath for that. I made a mistake, which I have admitted to and hopefully corrected any misunderstandings.

I think the decision to drink is a stupid one, the people who drink aren't stupid ... see the difference? Getting a tattoo of your partners name is a stupid move but the person who got the tattoo might have a PHD.
 

omega 616

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Kaulen Fuhs said:
omega 616 said:
Kaulen Fuhs said:
Owyn_Merrilin said:
Always so literal. Fine I'll admit my mistake (personally, I blame character development in films), I should have said "intelligent people are lazy and stupid at times" ... although, without reading back I am like 40% sure I said somewhere.

I bet there are intelligent people with no vices, there has to be one.
You're almost certainly correct; the biggest problem is, in my mind, the demonization of these "vices", despite there being plenty of circumstances under which there is no victim to speak of. Can alcohol cause great harm and ruin lives? Of course, but it does not do so necessarily. The trick is to find balance in such a way that vices enrich our lives by allowing a way for one to enjoy themselves without causing havoc in other areas.
I still don't think we're on the same wave length, in my ideal world (which sounds very Hitler-like) alcohol and all drugs would be gone (as would a lot of other stuff that would not only derail this thread but get me flamed). Think of all the people who would still be alive if the drunk driver couldn't have been drunk? How many work days spent curing a hang over? How many millions saved instead of treating drunks? How many beatings could have been stopped if the person wasn't drunk? And why do people do it 'cos it's the easiest way to relax/have fun.

I know I sound like one of the bad guys in a film "think of the potential you're wasting ... I'm doing it for your own good" but it's what I believe.

One of my personal pet peeves is people pushing there views onto other people (vegans making you feel bad for eating a burger, for example), so I am not going to attack anybody for drinking, smoking or doing drugs ... it's your life, do as you please with it. If you know the risks and are happy with them, then who am I to stop you?

I only state my opinions 'cos that is what you do on a forum.
 

Silvanus

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omega 616 said:
Now you're just beating a dead horse, read my previous post. I never directly called them stupid, get mod wrath for that. I made a mistake, which I have admitted to and hopefully corrected any misunderstandings.
You're right, I missed that one. Sorry, didn't mean to retread old ground.
 

sb666

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This actually reminds me of one of my favourite parts of The Boondocks.
 

TheRightToArmBears

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omega 616 said:
I'm sure you're going to love another person quoting you here, but I have a point I'd like to make.

Whilst I see your point, I think it's a very generalised view; I feel it's certainly possible for an intelligent person to weigh up the risks and decide that moderate usage of certain drugs is an acceptable risk for the gains that it may bring. After all, every action has some level of risk- you could go for a run and get hit by a car. I'm not saying drugs are great and people should be rolling around in piles of coke, but I do believe it's possible to enjoy the benefits of certain drugs given a healthy degree of caution. I don't think that intelligence has much bearing on which way a person would decide though, very clever people will draw entirely different conclusions on everything.

You've gotten quite a bit of flak, so I tried not to come across as a dick.
 

Paradoxrifts

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Nope. It did not make me feel uncomfortable at all. Although if he keeps it up Tycho might be out of a job. :p
 

bobajob

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I've somewhat of a checkered past with regard to drug (mis)use;

I have seen a couple of documentaries, very scientific & mature in their approach but the net conclusion was that if every drug going right now was to be re-classified, tobacco & alcohol would be straight-up class A, throw your ass in jail & throw away the key, whereas the currently perceived class A's MDMA and speed & class B cannabis would be either legalised or class C, but basically not enforced very much, due to scientific & anecdotal evidence clearly showing them to be physically & generally less harmful, especially long-term. (come on, doctors surprisingly seem to be prescribing Amphetamines all the time these days FFS)
Heroin & Cocaine would still be categorised as class A, according to the studies. Makes sense.

From personal experience, I would have to agree.

Still, everything in moderation, eh? ;-)

Mad world we live in.
 

JemothSkarii

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I don't like marijuana.
Whether it's illegal or not doesn't bother me, it's one of those things that creep me out. Maybe it's because of bad experience but I hate seeing it's effects. But at the same time I hate seeing the effects of alcohol. Sure I can joke about it and laugh about it but seeing it seriously used scares me.

I enjoy a drink with family every now and then, but one drink of bourbon and coke I will stretch out over an hour. One of those 'love the taste hate, the effect things' (same goes with spirits on their own). I don't care if it gets legalised, but I would more than likely not associate with someone that smokes it.

Does the comic make me uncomfortable? No, it doesn't.
 

Baneat

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You can do whatever you want with your comic but I feel there's a certain line and scope a comic which, till now, has just been a funny strip that should not be crossed for everyone's benefit.

At least it ended on a joke, it took three strips to make one.
 

Comrade Richard

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Baneat, that's a bit unfair don't you think? Penny Arcade isn't stooping to the same lows as CTRL-ALT-DEL and I'm a little offended you'd even insinuate that; of course I'm one of those people who hates the author so...