4 ms·

Playing devil's advocate, is that not itself a statement of sorts?

by smichel17 9y ago

sidcool 9y ago
I don't get you
- jfoutz 9y ago
  A marketing person would say you like simplicity and reliability. You'll probably pay more for something if it has perceived quality above it's peers. Being slightly overbuilt leads to reliability. For example, you have a good chance of wearing boots rather than sneakers, because they can deal with mud puddles or snow or whatever. They cost more, but they are simple and reliable in all environments. You are expressing those values, other people pick up on it. just because you don't cultivate an image, you still have an image.
petra 9y ago
>> Seriously, my phone should just work, it is not an expression of anything. reply It's a statement a large share of poeple would say, so it doesn't mean much.
epicide 9y ago
It is a statement, but not one that his selection of phone is making. In other words, if he states that's why he got a particular phone, then yes. However, just by having a particular phone, nobody can draw any significant information from it other than he owns a phone. There is always the significant chance that the person did not choose their phone (e.g. work phone).
amiga-workbench 9y ago
I'd say so, I have the same mentality and only buy Sony Xperias & ThinkPads. I like functional black slabs that don't try to be "trendy"
notheguyouthink 9y ago
I'm curious how to differentiate "public expression" between something you intend, and something you don't - too. Ie, if OP uses a flip phone from the 90s, s/he may clearly not care about their phone and may not use it as a form of expression. Nevertheless, I'll be damned if it doesn't express something about that person. That person is deviating from the norm, which is always an expression of something - knowingly or otherwise. So I'd argue that even if they wanted to be needlessly pissy in these comments about how untrue the statement is to their own personal self - I'd argue it's still accurate. It may not be an intended form of personal expression, but it's definitely one of many things that informs the nearby public. Everyone makes external "book cover" readings, after all - to one degree or another.

Playing devil's advocate, is that not itself a statement of sorts?

sidcool 9y ago

I don't get you

jfoutz 9y ago
A marketing person would say you like simplicity and reliability. You'll probably pay more for something if it has perceived quality above it's peers. Being slightly overbuilt leads to reliability. For example, you have a good chance of wearing boots rather than sneakers, because they can deal with mud puddles or snow or whatever. They cost more, but they are simple and reliable in all environments. You are expressing those values, other people pick up on it. just because you don't cultivate an image, you still have an image.

petra 9y ago

>> Seriously, my phone should just work, it is not an expression of anything. reply It's a statement a large share of poeple would say, so it doesn't mean much.

epicide 9y ago

It is a statement, but not one that his selection of phone is making. In other words, if he states that's why he got a particular phone, then yes. However, just by having a particular phone, nobody can draw any significant information from it other than he owns a phone. There is always the significant chance that the person did not choose their phone (e.g. work phone).

amiga-workbench 9y ago

I'd say so, I have the same mentality and only buy Sony Xperias & ThinkPads. I like functional black slabs that don't try to be "trendy"

notheguyouthink 9y ago

I'm curious how to differentiate "public expression" between something you intend, and something you don't - too. Ie, if OP uses a flip phone from the 90s, s/he may clearly not care about their phone and may not use it as a form of expression. Nevertheless, I'll be damned if it doesn't express something about that person. That person is deviating from the norm, which is always an expression of something - knowingly or otherwise. So I'd argue that even if they wanted to be needlessly pissy in these comments about how untrue the statement is to their own personal self - I'd argue it's still accurate. It may not be an intended form of personal expression, but it's definitely one of many things that informs the nearby public. Everyone makes external "book cover" readings, after all - to one degree or another.