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apparentparadoxIn general, I don't do memes. I use this journal more as a way to stimulate thought -- either my own or others. Memes don't generally fit into that criterion for me; I find that they often fall into two categories:
* silly things (such as the Wedding Meme). I have nothing against frivolity, I just don't want to put them in my blog.
* ways to find out things about the person. I think that these are interesting, but I'm too private a person to post such things in general. I don't want people to know me better. I'm quite happy with only my close friends knowing me very well (c.f. "introvert").
So, when I'm "tagged" with a meme, I either ignore it, or change the rules (as I did here.) Recently,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
otterpop58 tagged me with this meme:
Name five items or services with which you could be bribed. Money is the obvious example so don't list it. After your answers 'tag' at least five people so that this will spread like a stinky wildfire.
I was going to ignore it, but then I started to think about my answer and decided that my thoughts might stir some others to contemplate this issue. The strange thing for me is that I really couldn't come up with anything! Maybe I'm being pedantic, but I interpret "bribe" to mean something that would encourage me to change my behavior in some way. In other words, the "briber" wants something and so gives or does something positive to/for the "bribee" in order to get the "bribee" to act in a particular fashion. [If it's a negative thing, than it's more of a threat than a bribe.]
Maybe it's just because I'm a control freak or maybe because I'm an introvert, but I can't imagine a bribe that would actually change my behavior. Sure, I like chocolate chip cookies and flying first class, but being given those things wouldn't change my behavior.
I'm not saying that there aren't ways to manipulate me into doing something, but the things that would influence my behavior that I can think of are all internal to me. For example, I'm a very loyal friend, and seeing a friend in need, I would modify my behavior to help that friend in most cases. But, it isn't anything that the friend could do -- it's based on whether I view that person as important. Similarly, I would change my behavior based on a perception that it is the "right" thing to do (better for the environment or better for society). Again, that is based on what I internally value, and it isn't something that I think is very susceptible to being used as a bribe.
Now I'm really wondering whether I'm just made differently, whether I'm interpreting "bribe" differently, or whether there are others like me.
So, thanks,otterpop58, you got me thinking.
[For anyone tempted to try to manipulate my behavior, be warned that I'm very stubborn, and will often reject something that I might want just to be "independent". Also, I hold a grudge for a long time, so don't mess with me unless you're willing to pay the consequences.]
* silly things (such as the Wedding Meme). I have nothing against frivolity, I just don't want to put them in my blog.
* ways to find out things about the person. I think that these are interesting, but I'm too private a person to post such things in general. I don't want people to know me better. I'm quite happy with only my close friends knowing me very well (c.f. "introvert").
So, when I'm "tagged" with a meme, I either ignore it, or change the rules (as I did here.) Recently,
otterpop58 tagged me with this meme:Name five items or services with which you could be bribed. Money is the obvious example so don't list it. After your answers 'tag' at least five people so that this will spread like a stinky wildfire.
I was going to ignore it, but then I started to think about my answer and decided that my thoughts might stir some others to contemplate this issue. The strange thing for me is that I really couldn't come up with anything! Maybe I'm being pedantic, but I interpret "bribe" to mean something that would encourage me to change my behavior in some way. In other words, the "briber" wants something and so gives or does something positive to/for the "bribee" in order to get the "bribee" to act in a particular fashion. [If it's a negative thing, than it's more of a threat than a bribe.]
Maybe it's just because I'm a control freak or maybe because I'm an introvert, but I can't imagine a bribe that would actually change my behavior. Sure, I like chocolate chip cookies and flying first class, but being given those things wouldn't change my behavior.
I'm not saying that there aren't ways to manipulate me into doing something, but the things that would influence my behavior that I can think of are all internal to me. For example, I'm a very loyal friend, and seeing a friend in need, I would modify my behavior to help that friend in most cases. But, it isn't anything that the friend could do -- it's based on whether I view that person as important. Similarly, I would change my behavior based on a perception that it is the "right" thing to do (better for the environment or better for society). Again, that is based on what I internally value, and it isn't something that I think is very susceptible to being used as a bribe.
Now I'm really wondering whether I'm just made differently, whether I'm interpreting "bribe" differently, or whether there are others like me.
So, thanks,
otterpop58, you got me thinking.[For anyone tempted to try to manipulate my behavior, be warned that I'm very stubborn, and will often reject something that I might want just to be "independent". Also, I hold a grudge for a long time, so don't mess with me unless you're willing to pay the consequences.]