Contrarian

I find fervent belief in any idea irritating. when someone speaks to me with the excited glint of a new convert or the conviction of the true believer, i usually am in for a long-drawn battle where I will be the relentless skeptic. To some extent its driven by my skepticism in claims of "proof", but I dont really need to make a point of it.

today it was about 9/11, a friend of mine has converted to the idea of it all being a hoax after watching the movie zeitgeist on youtube. Excitedly he and his new wife talked about all the questions it raised. Left me infuriated at its incoherence. Alternatively arguing that Bin Laden and Bush were co-conspirators and then trying to prove that Bin Laden's tape admitting the deed was a fake. Alternatively arguing that the plane crash sites were faked and that the debris proved the planes didnt crash and then questioning why NORAD's response to the planes hijacking was so slow and playing as evidence FAA officials calling NORAD about the planes. Alternatively painting whoever is behind the curtain as fundamentally retarded people and geniuses who constructed and maintain the most elaborate global conspiracy ever constructed.

I then got into an argument about the soul. I felt the soul resided at the brain and my friend argued that it existed on a different plane with no real connection to ourselves. The question originating from my idea of replacing neurons one by one with silicon, and seeing when we're not a person. This led me to saying that he was talking about a fictional universe with no real world relevance and he calling me a materialist.

He showed me a video about how the declining european population meant it'll all be islamic in the next 50 years I told him that I knew about this video and the stats were off. He said that by 2050 only 25% of the world would be white, I pointed out that it must be less than 25% now given that just india and china are 2/5ths of the world.

I then got into a mini debate with the newly married friends wife on the arts.. her field.

Not to mention this was supposed to be one occasion when I should have behaved nicely, since they're only visiting london and invited me to their home.

Not to say I came off too strong. Hopefully. With the exception of a few heated exchanges where I think I was patronizing, I was good i think. Interestingly, after an hour or so the friend's begum asked me if I was the youngest and only son, with multiple sisters. She said I fit the profile, describing various features some flattering some unflattering. I took the flattering dismissed the non-ones though they were true. But then these things are generic arent they. I got her back, I guessed that she was the eldest.

Very proper, these people. The dinner was nicely decorated, we all got individual plates, with the rice served as a kindof pagoda. I've never eaten like that. Felt exotic and a little too grown up.