Just like in our DNA...

Martijn Faassen m.faassen at vet.uu.nl
Thu Oct 7 14:27:29 EDT 1999


Guido van Rossum <guido at cnri.reston.va.us> wrote:
> François Pinard <pinard at iro.umontreal.ca> writes:

>> When I finally got the joke, I found it _so_ American-centric and _so_
>> displaced, that it was not funny at all.  These people were imposing their
>> non-sense on me, just for the narrow pleasure of laughing between themselves?
>> I very vaguely remember that children do that at the start of adolescence.
>> This humour was rather immature, and in my feeling, not very respectful.

> Take it easy, François.  It's part of learning a culture.  It can be
> fun.  I've been doing it for four years now, and there still are
> tons of cultural references I don't get.  "Getting" a reference for me 
> is an enjoyable experience, not frustrating like you describe.

I've been doing it too, and not even in the US -- but I've been online for
a while now, and there's lots of things I've picked up.

I remember asking someone back in '91 what the word 'slang' meant, and even
more amusingly, I recall myself asking "What does 'getting laid' mean?" :)

It's an enjoyable experience to me too. I've seen references in lpmud
source to Swedish words. I've also been exposed to quite a bit of
Finnish culture through online experiences. Etc, etc.

> While we're on the subject: I still don't understand why a DNA
> reference is considered objectionable marketing speak by some.  I've
> never heard DNA references in marketing speak, I think.  In stupid
> Sci-Fi movies, yes.  But marketing?  Must be another cultural think
> I'm missing. :-)

Microsoft DNA, anyone? :)

Anyway, talk all you like, Guido. Not that I have anything to say about
it. :)

Regards,

Martijn
-- 
History of the 20th Century: WW1, WW2, WW3?
No, WWW -- Could we be going in the right direction?




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