5 ms·
What was up with the non-sequitur bags of water link?
by robertk 10y ago
What was up with the non-sequitur bags of water link?
- wanderingjew 10y agoI haven't read the article, but I would assume any mention of 'bags of water' would be a reference to a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode. Specifically, the episode where the crew of the Enterprise encounters a silicon-based life form capable of communication with humans. Humans are three quarters water, so the silicon lifeforms (rightly?) refer to the humans as 'ugly bags of mostly water'. To put this into context, it's not uncommon to have the set of people who use and work with technology overlap with the set of people who are sci-fi fans. This is prevalent enough that the culture itself overlaps. Here, I would guess a non-sequitur referring to 'bags of water' is a form of signalling; 'I'm one of you', or something to that effect. I would go so far to say that knowledge of certain sci-fi tropes, plot lines, and even quotes is a requirement for working on certain teams. At the very least, active displays of ignorance of sci-fi culture should be avoided. But then again, I haven't read the article linked to by the OP. It's just a guess.
- otoburb 10y ago>>I would go so far to say that knowledge of certain sci-fi tropes, plot lines, and even quotes is a requirement for working on certain teams. In other words, know your shibboleths[1] to enhance in-group cohesiveness. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibboleth https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shibboleth
- deleted 10y ago[deleted]
- positr0n 10y agoAnother famous source of the "bags of water"/"bags of meat" phrase is the short story They're Made Out of Meat by Terry Bisson. http://www.terrybisson.com/page6/page6.html http://www.terrybisson.com/page6/page6.html
- eltoozero 10y agoOfficer: "Sir, Do you classify as human?" Korbin: "Negative, I am a meat popsicle."
- limaoscarjuliet 10y agomeatbags also functions in Bender's lingo in Futurama
- jankins 10y agoThe inference I made was that it had a second meaning to do with water flowing downhill, since the context is how people will always take the easiest path & can be relied on to ignore any safeguards that aren't strictly required
- rachelbythebay 10y agoSometimes I hide things in my posts that I hope someone will find amusing or interesting. Some are obvious. Others? Not so much.