You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Does anyone else ever look at things like rollercoasters and think, 'what a massive investment of resources and human ingenuity for the sake of a couple of minutes of frivolous entertainment'?
I saw a video online yesterday of a new rollercoaster that cover acres of land, and looked quite remarkable for its engineering. Except that such a thing is, ultimately, utterly pointless, and I can't really think of too many things that serve no other purpose at all beyond a couple of minutes of making people smile/scream.
But I suppose I'm not very fun to hang around with.
All the best things in life are utterly pointless.
If it was left up to me I'd abolish everything that actually has a purpose and channel the resources into building more rollercoasters instead
Except that such a thing is, ultimately, utterly pointless,
Unless you're standing there selling tickets. In which case it has a very definite point.
As long as people are prepared to spend a quid for the two minutes of safe screaming, then other people will invest money to give them what they want and turn a profit.
It's a win-win scenario.
I think something similar when I see acres and acres of land being converted into golf courses, bloody loads of them around here.
Does anyone else ever look at things like mountainbikes and think, ‘what a massive investment of resources and human ingenuity for the sake of a couple of minutes of frivolous entertainment’?
I saw a video online yesterday of a new bikepark that cover acres of land, and looked quite remarkable for its engineering. Except that such a thing is, ultimately, utterly pointless, and I can’t really think of too many things that serve no other purpose at all beyond a couple of minutes of making people smile/scream.
But I suppose I’m not very fun to hang around with.
I always think the same thing of video games....
Utterley pointless and only designed to absorb your life while giving nothing in return.
BUT I am a well know killjoy ;o)
A bit ironic bring this to the attention of grown adults who play on children's toys in the woods.
Does anyone else ever look at things like mountainbikes and think, ‘what a massive investment of resources and human ingenuity for the sake of a couple of minutes of frivolous entertainment’?
This is just wrong. As is what 5thElephant says.
Mountain biking can easily transfer into other, important, applications. Like, umm... transport. Oh yes, and fitness.
Rollercoasters and other such things? Not so much.
Oh, and JAG? I'm totally with you.
The thing I don't get about rollercoasters is how ****ing dull they are, yet how exited some people get about them. It is just one of those things people do because it is expected of them, like waving a lighter in the air at a music concert.
[i]This is just wrong. As is what 5thElephant says[/i]
Yeah, but it's good to see, that despite all the broken bits of the forum, the stock STW answers are still working well, eh?
[i]...utterly pointless, and I can’t really think of too many things that serve no other purpose at all beyond a couple of minutes of making people smile/scream.[/i]
Sex? (Obvious not the procreation kind)
Sex? (Obvious no the procreation kind)
I suppose it would depend on how much effort you expend in the process.
I suppose it would depend on how much effort you expend in the process.
Well for me it's normally over quicker than a ride on Nemesis at Alton Towers.
I like the buzz of a rollercoaster but then it's always spoilt when the engineer in me starts thinking things like, my safety is in the hands of a spotty 17 year idiot that's probably on minimum wage and doesn't really give a shit about their job or I wonder if the person that did all the bolts up had a few the night before and missed some!
As somebody said above, most good things are pointless.
I suppose it would depend on how much effort you expend in the process.
Effort?
I suppose we all have things we consider to be utterly pointless, but other people like them a great deal so clearly they are not utterly pointless.
I not keen on endless car chase and shoot up films, or TV detective series. But it's OK, I avoid them.
I suppose we all have things we consider to be utterly pointless, but other people like them a great deal so clearly they are not utterly pointless.
I'm not keen on endless car chase and shoot up films, or TV detective series. But it's OK, I avoid them.
[i]I’m not keen on endless car chase and shoot up films, or TV detective series. But it’s OK, I avoid them.[/i]
Hmm. So what you're saying is that SaxonRider should simply avoid rollercoasters and not type stuff on the internet as to why he thinks they're pointless by typing stuff on the internet about something you think is pointless..?
good point.
Other pointless things: art, literature, music....
a ride on Nemesis
I sometimes offer that when chatting on tinder
I often think that the hours and hours of creative endeavour that people (me included) put into their hobbies is a complete and utter waste of time. It just keeps you occupied until you die.
And on that note I'm off to stare blankly at the wall until it's time for tea.
Hmm. So what you’re saying is that SaxonRider should simply avoid rollercoasters and not type stuff on the internet as to why he thinks they’re pointless by typing stuff on the internet about something you think is pointless..?
Well it could be construed as pointless.
Practically all the good stuff humans do is frivolous. I for one have been known to have sex without intending to reproduce, for example. We can't spend all day hunting and gathering.
Practically all the good stuff humans do is frivolous.
Yup.
Now where did I put that powerkite?
Practically all the good stuff humans do is frivolous. I for one have been known to have sex without intending to reproduce, for example. We can’t spend all day hunting and gathering.
Except that sex for pleasure requires no serious expenditure of resources. And in any case, it can be argued that sex encourages coinherence and community. So even sex-for-pleasure proffers additional advantages.
I guess I am thinking specifically about the relationship between resource expenditure and derived benefit. The amount of physical and intellectual resource that goes into the creation of a rollercoaster seems rather high for something that - as far as I can see - offers no further benefit.
It gives some people a fleeting feeling of happiness and that of itself Is priceless.
Those of you who think video games are pointless, what’s your take on film?
Someone wrote a bit of a book about this once. He doesn't specifically mention rollercoasters or mountainbikes. Or jetskis for that matter. Or even casual sex.
<h1 class="passage-display" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px 0px 20px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1;"><span class="passage-display-bcv" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 10px;">Ecclesiastes 1</span><span class="passage-display-version" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; display: inline;">New International Version (NIV)</span></h1>
<h3 style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: 500; line-height: 1.1; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px; font-size: 1.55em;"><span id="en-NIV-17317" class="text Eccl-1-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;">Everything Is Meaningless</span></h3>
<p class="chapter-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span class="text Eccl-1-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="chapternum" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-size: 24px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; position: relative; line-height: 0.8em; bottom: -0.1em; left: 0px;">1 </span>The words of the Teacher,<span class="footnote" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; vertical-align: top; top: 0px;" data-fn="#fen-NIV-17317a" data-link="[a]">[a]</span> son of David, king in Jerusalem:</span></p>
<div class="poetry top-05" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-left: 1em; position: relative; padding-left: 2.6em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">
<p class="line" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span id="en-NIV-17318" class="text Eccl-1-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">2 </span>“Meaningless! Meaningless!”</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">says the Teacher.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">“Utterly meaningless!</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-2" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">Everything is meaningless.”</span></span></p>
</div>
<div class="poetry top-05" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 1em; margin-left: 1em; position: relative; padding-left: 2.6em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;">
<p class="line" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"><span id="en-NIV-17319" class="text Eccl-1-3" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">3 </span>What do people gain from all their labors</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-3" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">at which they toil under the sun?</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17320" class="text Eccl-1-4" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">4 </span>Generations come and generations go,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-4" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">but the earth remains forever.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17321" class="text Eccl-1-5" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">5 </span>The sun rises and the sun sets,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-5" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">and hurries back to where it rises.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17322" class="text Eccl-1-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">6 </span>The wind blows to the south</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">and turns to the north;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">round and round it goes,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-6" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">ever returning on its course.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17323" class="text Eccl-1-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">7 </span>All streams flow into the sea,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">yet the sea is never full.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">To the place the streams come from,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-7" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">there they return again.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17324" class="text Eccl-1-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">8 </span>All things are wearisome,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">more than one can say.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">The eye never has enough of seeing,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-8" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">nor the ear its fill of hearing.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17325" class="text Eccl-1-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">9 </span>What has been will be again,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">what has been done will be done again;</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-9" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">there is nothing new under the sun.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17326" class="text Eccl-1-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">10 </span>Is there anything of which one can say,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">“Look! This is something new”?</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">It was here already, long ago;</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-10" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">it was here before our time.</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span id="en-NIV-17327" class="text Eccl-1-11" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"><span class="versenum" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 12px; line-height: 22px; position: absolute; vertical-align: top; top: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-weight: bold; display: block; left: -4.4em;">11 </span>No one remembers the former generations,</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-11" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">and even those yet to come</span></span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="text Eccl-1-11" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">will not be remembered</span><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="indent-1-breaks" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; font-family: monospace; font-size: 0.42em; line-height: 0;"> </span><span class="text Eccl-1-11" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;">by those who follow them.</span></span></p>
<span class="indent-1" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased;"><span class="text Eccl-1-11" style="box-sizing: border-box; -webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; position: relative;"> </span></span>
</div>
Yay for the new forum!!
I for one have been known to have sex without intending to reproduce, for example.
I prefer it with 2, but each to their own.