Mermaids preventing peace and harmony

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MattRose

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I'm working with 2 men in the 30's who are from one of the countries often in the news. I won't mention the country as I don't want to paint everyone there with the same brush. It's near Afganistan. Anyway these guys have some advanced education, but I don't think they have any degrees from universities. They are working alongside me processing data for the oil industry. One of them recently asked me if I had ever seen a mermaid. I have worked in an offshore career for 25 years so the question was at least sensible if coming from a child. At first I didn't understand exactly what he meant, but soon realized that he believed in mermaids. I told him that there weren't any, but I don't think he believed me. I put it down to just a goofy guy and moved on. Two days later the other guy asked me if I knew about the Little Mermaid statue in Copenhagen. I was a bit wary this time and said that I hadn't seen it. He asked me if the statue was real. I asked what he meant by "real". He said that it was a real mermaid who turned to stone waiting for her lover. I suggessted that he could look on the internet to see when the statue was dedicated, erected, etc. He said the internet might say when the statue was moved there, but it was actually a real mermaid that turned to stone. He even asked our secretary when he couldn't get the "correct" answer from me.

These 2 men represent 100% of the people I know from this country. What if these guys' beliefs are not considered odd in their own country? The US is now trying to work with this country to stop the spread of terrorism. What chance do we have winning the hearts and minds of these people if their minds are empty? How hard is it to convince them that America is the great satan? Can we do anything to turn the tide on terror if we have to compete with mermaids?
 

Jane_the_Bane

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You know, these beliefs are no more insane than most of the stuff Biblical literalists in the West consider true. It's familiarity that makes the latter appear less silly.

But yeah, vast portions of the world haven't quite arrived in the 21st century as far as an understanding of the natural world is concerned - some with better excuses than others.
 
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Amber the Duskbringer

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QFT Jane. We haven't explored something like 10 % of the ocean? I know that animals and fish do one thing and they do it well, is to dart off at any potential danger or unknown thing. So us going down with submersibles and only seeing 20 feet or less in front of you, you never know.. It is entirely possible something like that or something that looks like it exists. Course I love the whole cryptozoology thing :p
 
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MattRose

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QFT Jane. We haven't explored something like 10 % of the ocean? I know that animals and fish do one thing and they do it well, is to dart off at any potential danger or unknown thing. So us going down with submersibles and only seeing 20 feet or less in front of you, you never know.. It is entirely possible something like that or something that looks like it exists. Course I love the whole cryptozoology thing :p

And what country are you from?
 
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awitch

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You didn't tell them about the Fiji Mermaid?

Reminds me of the story I read from a few weeks ago about a town in Iceland trying to appease cranky elves who were believed to be causing problems at a construction site.

I would guess the US has the majority of crazy beliefs.
 
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awitch

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Amber the Duskbringer

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Sorry, Amber. My post about the Fiji Mermaid was a tongue in cheek reply to Matt, not to you.

Another reason why New Jersey is the best state is that we have the Jersey Devil.

Oh sorry :p Oh I looooooove reading about that one. The description pic used to send chills down my as a kid. I have always loved this stuff. I guess as a kid I must have been like Dib :p

Have you read about the thunderbirds they supposedly have here in the south? Those are crazy, I loved reading up on. I mean I don't fully believe everything I read but I love reading about everything. I scan the archives of /x/ 4chan archives all the time, so many fun stories to read.
 
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awitch

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Have you read about the thunderbirds they supposedly have here in the south?

The giant birds that snatch little kids and fly away with them? The creatures I find to be rather silly, but love the stories attached to them. Spookier the better. My favorite is Slender Man - completely made up Internet phenomenon, and there are some great fake pics of him.
 
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MattRose

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This has the potential of being a very interesting thread.

:clap:

Well so far, not so good.

Please let's get off the SyFy channel. I wanted to discuss what can be done with a population that believe that there are half-fish/half-human creatures. These guys don't believe there are strange creatures out there. They believe in humans with fish tails, not tales about human fish. Can we teach them about democracy? Would they survive under democracy?
 
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Gardenia

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Can we teach them about democracy? Would they survive under democracy?

Uh. Last I checked we had a ton of people who are living in democracies who still believe in weird things (bigfoot, to name just one). Belief in random mythological figures isn't limited to just one population/one government type.
 
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MattRose

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Uh. Last I checked we had a ton of people who are living in democracies who still believe in weird things (bigfoot, to name just one). Belief in random mythological figures isn't limited to just one population/one government type.

There will always be a minority that believe in "random mythological figures". The % of people in the US that believe in bigfoot, UFOs, etc. is much less than half. What if the majority were this gullible? Can we deal with them as one would with a "normal" country?
 
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