this dude built a life size 27 feet tall AT-ST in his backyard! very cool.

[Diefenbaker]

Time to dress up as Ewoks and knock it over for perfect re-enactment.

[Thoronmir]

It obviously doubles as a "fort" for the kids who play on that swing set.

Well, there ya go. All we need to do is affix some monkey bars to the Mona Lisa and then we won't have to burn it for having been a waste of time.

[Thoronmir]

Time to dress up as Ewoks and knock it over for perfect re-enactment.

At 6'-4", I will be the largest Ewok.

 

In High School (circa 1978), I attended a Halloween party as the World's Shortest Giant. My friend Bill (6'-0") went as the World's Tallest Midget.

[TUXs]

Well, there ya go. All we need to do is affix some monkey bars to the Mona Lisa and then we won't have to burn it for having been a waste of time.

Well...no....that's not exactly what I was saying either...lol

[MadDutchman]

I log on to the game twice a week and I haven't been on this forum in a few days, never mind the 3 months before I started posting again a few weeks ago. Maybe that's all you do, but I'm studying for exams to, you know, achieve a higher education to better myself and the society I inhabit. Some of us have meaning in our lives outside swtor.

 

As someone who already has a higher education I'm going to come out and say you are full of ****.

[Aeristash]

It obviously doubles as a "fort" for the kids who play on that swing set. They are undeniably inspired to dream and imagine when they enter that AT-ST and play with their friends, or even alone. It's a "tool" for building imaginations and inspiring people to dream.

 

Setting a mood. Real useful.

[Knorlac]

Setting a mood. Real useful.

 

So everything that doesn't have an immediate and practical use is garbage...what a grim outlook on life you must have.

 

EDIT: And as for the Mona Lisa...go ahead and burn it. I almost got squashed pushing through the crowd to get a look at it.

Edited April 29, 2016 by Knorlac

[Ksilvante]

This just goes to show that no matter what you do, someone is going to piss and moan about it.

[Aeristash]

As someone who already has a higher education I'm going to come out and say you are full of ****.

 

Considering the source, how unsurprisingly unsurprising. You can state that with no inkling as to what that education you're attempting to elevate your own over is? An associates would be considered higher that a HS diploma, a bachelor is higher than an associates, a masters is higher than a bachelors, a doctoral is higher than a masters, ect & so forth. One would think someone with a higher education of any kind would've fleshed out their conviction with detailed analysis. As it stands, this looks like nothing more than an attempt to make ones jab look relevant. If you were simply questioning how often I post, well, we all have public post histories with dates.

[Thoronmir]

EDIT: And as for the Mona Lisa...go ahead and burn it. I almost got squashed pushing through the crowd to get a look at it.

Can't do it now. The Contractor already ordered the monkey bars and the Supplier charges too much to restock once the item ships. The contract with the Installer doesn't include a Termination for Convenience clause, so, absent breach by the Installer, we'd be on the hook for his lost profits. Not to mention the design fees already sunk into this project. At this point, the only financially viable option is to move forward and add the monkey bars.

 

Then again, we can void the contract due to impossibility of performance, and I bet the Mona Lisa is insured against fire loss ...

[MadDutchman]

Considering the source, how unsurprisingly unsurprising. You can state that with no inkling as to what that education you're attempting to elevate your own over is? An associates would be considered higher that a HS diploma, a bachelor is higher than an associates, a masters is higher than a bachelors, a doctoral is higher than a masters, ect & so forth. One would think someone with a higher education of any kind would've fleshed out their conviction with detailed analysis. As it stands, this looks like nothing more than an attempt to make ones jab look relevant. If you were simply questioning how often I post, well, we all have public post histories with dates.

 

Very well then, let me go into some detail as to why you are full of ****

 

I have my Bachelor of Science, Specialization Computing Science. This means I design and build a great many software systems, many of which of considerable complexity.

 

In order to reach that point, I built a LOT of systems of no practical application whatsoever, and many items of practical application that already exist and do it better. Why? to see if I can. To learn, and otherwise better myself

 

Do you really think I gained nothing from those activities?

 

The guy who built this would have learned many things in the doing. Is the knowledge of how to build a model AT-ST useful? Not likely. Is the engineering and mechanics that went into doing that? Absolutely.

 

EDIT: To be more clear, what level of higher education you are trying to achieve is irrelevant, the process applies to any level of higher education. And I'm not just referring to post-secondary here.

Edited April 29, 2016 by MadDutchman

[ikinai]

Setting a mood. Real useful.

 

I am so clever, that sometimes I don't understand a single word of what I am saying.

[Aeristash]

Very well then, let me go into some detail as to why you are full of ****

 

I have my Bachelor of Science, Specialization Computing Science. This means I design and build a great many software systems, many of which of considerable complexity.

 

In order to reach that point, I built a LOT of systems of no practical application whatsoever, and many items of practical application that already exist and do it better. Why? to see if I can. To learn, and otherwise better myself

 

Do you really think I gained nothing from those activities?

 

The guy who built this would have learned many things in the doing. Is the knowledge of how to build a model AT-ST useful? Not likely. Is the engineering and mechanics that went into doing that? Absolutely.

 

EDIT: To be more clear, what level of higher education you are trying to achieve is irrelevant, the process applies to any level of higher education. And I'm not just referring to post-secondary here.

 

Prop designers have been doing the exact same thing he did, with functional models, that didn't need a pole holding them together, for the last 30+ years. The only practical application from that engineering knowledge thus far has been building shinier models. But keep trying to squeeze water out that stone.

[FlavivsAetivs]

What are you getting your degree in, because if it begins with "Bachelor of Arts" then Carpentry, machining, woodworking, etc. are probably all far more useful skills than it. Someone who can build something like that will always have a job because it's clear he has skills from digital electronics to knowing how to level ground in order to put something on it to make it stay. I bet you don't know how to wire those circuit boards like that, or machine the parts needed to make the cannons move.

 

~ Eudoxia

Edited April 29, 2016 by FlavivsAetivs

[Knorlac]

Prop designers have been doing the exact same thing he did, with functional models, that didn't need a pole holding them together, for the last 30+ years. The only practical application from that engineering knowledge thus far has been building shinier models. But keep trying to squeeze water out that stone.

 

I don't think I'd let my children play in it if it was not fixed with said pole...

[MadDutchman]

Prop designers have been doing the exact same thing he did, with functional models, that didn't need a pole holding them together, for the last 30+ years. The only practical application from that engineering knowledge thus far has been building shinier models. But keep trying to squeeze water out that stone.

 

Do you think those prop designers started their careers building such creations? Or do you think it is more likely they started with something small or useless and worked their way up?

 

Just because a task does not contribute directly to the pool of human knowledge, does not make it a waste of time, as it will still contribute to the personal knowledge of an individual.

 

 

I for one am rather curious what you define as a useful and practical use of your time. And do include details on what you have done, or plan to do in the near future, to meet that definition?

 

Because right now all you are doing is arguing with a random guy on the internet about total nonsense, and while I'm enjoying it immensely, I'm guessing this does not fit within your criteria for time well spent.

[Aeristash]

What are you getting your degree in, because if it begins with "Bachelor of Arts" then Carpentry, machining, woodworking, etc. are probably all far more useful skills than it. Someone who can build something like that will always have a job because it's clear he has skills from digital electronics to knowing how to level ground in order to put something on it to make it stay. I bet you don't know how to wire those circuit boards like that, or machine the parts needed to make the cannons move.

 

~ Eudoxia

 

I currently aiming for my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I've been pondering how best to word my career choice, but as that other thread taught me, some subjects are best left untouched here. In short, I'm aiming to be a psychiatrist.

[Aeristash]

Do you think those prop designers started their careers building such creations? Or do you think it is more likely they started with something small or useless and worked their way up?

 

Just because a task does not contribute directly to the pool of human knowledge, does not make it a waste of time, as it will still contribute to the personal knowledge of an individual.

 

 

I for one am rather curious what you define as a useful and practical use of your time. And do include details on what you have done, or plan to do in the near future, to meet that definition?

 

Because right now all you are doing is arguing with a random guy on the internet about total nonsense, and while I'm enjoying it immensely, I'm guessing this does not fit within your criteria for time well spent.

 

Couldn't agree more. I have formulas to figure out and here I am procrastinating in this debate. Well back to it. Ta.

[FlavivsAetivs]

I currently aiming for my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I've been pondering how best to word my career choice, but as that other thread taught me, some subjects are best left untouched here. In short, I'm aiming to be a psychiatrist.

 

As useful as human psychology is, and I know because I'm defined under the DSM-V as legally autistic (which I vehemently fought although as just some random dude with Asperger's my voice was not heard), frankly the job market is flooded in all the liberal arts fields. I would have LOVED to be a classicist, but there's no jobs for Roman historians or Latin teachers. So I decided I'd do Chemistry and am working on Graphene Supercapacitors instead.

 

Respectfully, I understand completely a desire to do what you love, which I couldn't do.

 

The fact of the matter is you shouldn't put someone down for doing something they love, it takes engineering skills to do something like that. That's a far more constructive (pun intended) use of his time than playing a videogame like SWTOR.

 

~ Eudoxia

Edited April 29, 2016 by FlavivsAetivs

[Khevar]

In short, I'm aiming to be a psychiatrist.

I hope you learn a bit of empathy before you acquire patients interested in treatment.

[dvrocc]

updated! seems he built this 8 months ago after waking up one day lol

[JennyFlynn]

I currently aiming for my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I've been pondering how best to word my career choice, but as that other thread taught me, some subjects are best left untouched here. In short, I'm aiming to be a psychiatrist.

 

Personally, I wouldn't have 'wasted' my time on something like this however I do admire the man who did. Does it have a practical use? Probably not but does that make it a piece of junk or waste of time? No. The man learned to do something he'd never done before, good on him. Someone who spots the structure might smile for just a moment, enjoying the sight of it. A smile on a person's face is invaluable. It doesn't matter that that smile or the structure has no practical value when the emotional value can be priceless.

 

Imagine something like this built by a person who suffers from depression and working on that piece of art is the only thing that brightens their day, that makes them feel useful and makes them feel like for once.. getting out of bed is worth it. Would you sit there and claim it's a waste of time? You're studying to be a psychiatrist, you may face patients who suffer from say BPD and little projects like this are what help them get through life best as they can.. if it helps them and nurtures their psyche, would you still sit there and claim it's a waste of time and energy?

 

And the above is just an example of course and in this case, the man's reason for the built wasn't an emotional one from what I understand but still.. why burn it down just because you don't see the point in it yourself? You have the freedom to express your opinions of course but that doesn't mean you necessarily have to kick everything you don't like. Even though this isn't your job or study here on the forums and you're entitled to your own views.. it probably wouldn't hurt you to practice some empathy and understanding, to try a different perspective once in a while instead of your own straight and extremely narrow views.

 

Also..

Looking at artistic expression will not stop the body from deteriorating in any form

No, looking at art won't cure cancer for example but it can make a person happier. Feel more joy. Make their physical suffering more bearable and there's plenty testimonies that say happiness has a positive effect on one's general health. But I guess such things have no value to you.

Edited April 30, 2016 by JennyFlynn

[Lunafox]

Why did he have to offend me and why do I have to be jealous of him to think the project is a meaningless waste of time? Why can't I just simply think it's a waste of time because I can see no value in it? Why does it always come down to the 'hater' justification when people can't cope with conflicting perspectives? Smh...

 

It's not meaningless if he had fun doing it, or if his kids love it. I bet his kids think it's the neatest thing ever, and they're probably really proud to show off what their dad did. Those friends probably all wish their parents would/could build something like that too.

 

I'm amazed at how real it looks. He must've spent a lot of time studying pictures to get it just right. Time is a person's currency, and they spend it, in the ways that give them value.

[Crossward]

JD/MBA here. Spent most of my 20's in school. I got my undergrad in psychology too, so I'll weigh in.

 

From a strictly utilitarian standpoint, he has a point. Whatever knowledge he gained from building it, whatever inspiration we or others draw from seeing it, and whatever enjoyment he obtained from creating it are likely not outweighed by the monetary cost, time, and energy necessary to construct it. I'm willing to at the very least grant that this premise may be true.

 

But that comes with perhaps the real question: does it matter? Are we obligated to use our abilities in the most utilitarian way to be ethically upstanding, or above Aeristash's mocking? By logging in even once, are we committing an ethical transgression by not utilizing our ability to improve society to the fullest? Are we biological machines who exist solely to function for others?

 

That, I believe, is the true implication Aeristash brings up. To that, I offer this comic: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2305#comic

 

Does the character have the ethical obligation to do what the people demand of him, since that's the most useful to society? If the answer is yes, then the man who made the ATST should be admonished for not using his resources to benefit others in the most efficient way.

 

Is the character's freedom to choose how he spends his personal resources more important than what is strictly the most beneficial to the largest number of people? If so, then the ATST creator should be admired for what he accomplished, as he chose to accomplish it for its own sake.

 

Utilitarianism is fun!

Edited April 30, 2016 by Crossward

[Aeristash]

I hope you learn a bit of empathy before you acquire patients interested in treatment.

 

Empathy is granted on a case by case basis. Furthermore, as to its place in psychiatry, I find it a poison. When one becomes too close to another, their perspective of matters is greatly altered to tailor to that persons comfort rather than their rehabilitation. A psychiatrist who is close to their patient is not going to say anything that will make them relive the trauma that put them in their current state, even if said trauma is the key to their salvation. It makes me sick to see psychiatrist keeping patients busy with puzzles & games because they're too close and too scared to tunnel through the darkest recesses of their psyche and touch what truly ails them. Those who do that aren't doing their job, they're fluffing their quota with busywork for a paycheck. A psychiatrist diagnoses and heals the mentally afflicted, not keep them complacent in a gilded cage of their own madness. But that's all I'll say on that.