h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Lucinda: in a nutshell, I thought that this entry was puerile, pointless, fairly disgusting, unedifying, uninformative, useless, disaffecting, more likely to revolt than to engage the reader, and well below the typical standards of both hootoo and your own output. When you put your mind to it you can write very well about topics which people do want to read about. This isn't one of those times. It is simply an account of how crass people can be while showing no redeeming intelligence or wit. Rather like the heyday of punk when the audience used to gob at the band: I was there, I saw it, and I didn't do it for the same reasons I don't like this article.

Second, you think I'm being censorious in wanting this pulled. Well, as far as I can work out, the article has already been through PR, got slated there, hasn't really changed at all and now has been resubmitted to PR. 'So what's changed?' you ask. I would have thought that the answer is all too obvious: if anything, standards must have gone up. This *I* regard as a change for the better.

'I'm pushing the boundaries' of what is acceptable is an all-too-common defence used by the talentless attention seeker. I know you're not talentless, but as to the second part, I reserve my judgement.

FM

At least the meme that the boundaries might be worth pushing is out there now.

a talentless attention-seeker called Ben

You said it, not me.

Children children, children, put those blow torches down. Yes, and you over there, I can see that can of petrol, put it down at *once*. Thank you, now then, let's see.

The entry is factual, and informative. It informs you about a fairly icky card game, probably best avoided. After reading this entry, ppl will be able to make a judgement for themselves if ever invited to partake in a game. This can only be a good thing. Disgusting to read? Not in my opinion, someone earlier mentioned that encountering it on the front page wouldn't "brighten anyone's day". Well, neither would:

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They all deal with pretty unpleasant subject matter- that doesn't make the entries *themselves* disgusting or worthless.

The entry doesn't glorify the game- it reports on it in a old, factual manner.

Damn! And there was me thinking I was a talented attention-seeker!

(Note to self: Must try harder....)

B
(who should be working on the web-site she is payed to improve, and not the one she hopes to improve)

Well, If the only way one can elicit interest from some other jaded researchers is by putting articles like this in the EG, I'll take 'pedestrian and boring' over 'crass and juvenile' any day, thank you.

BTW: I really don't think the Guide needs 'improving'. It works perfectly well as it is.

... and that's *your* *opinion*- which you are perfectly entitled to. That doesn't give you the right to bandy around pages of vilotric calling for entries to be moved straight out of PR, when there clearly isn't a consus that that's what should be done. We're both Scouts- that doesn't give either of us Godlike powers...

BTW, FM, I would agree that the *game* is "crass and juevenille"- that doesn't make the entry so.

And what the hell is a "consus" anyway?

What is the *point* of this entry, while we're at it? The other entries mentioned all had a *purpose*: Spitting: a social and biological basis for a common yet replusive human function (purpose: to give a biological context to a social taboo). Cannibalism: an account of a human activity which has definitely taken place but been swept under the carpet (purpose: to give a social/historical context to a social taboo). Torture: an inhumane way of oppressing others which demeans both the torturer and the tortured (purpose: to open the eyes of the reader to a less-than perfect world). Elisabeth Bathory: a quasi-mystical sadistic figure demystified (purpose: to explore how myths of monsters arise from aberrant human behaviour).

All take part/have taken part in the *real* world. All are unpleasant. All these entries nevertheless seek to inform rather than to provoke a reaction, which is more than can be said for this one. Whatever its intentions, this entry is minimally informative, has *no* credible social context, isn't rooted in the *real* world, and, most objectionably, leaves the reader with an inescapable sense of having their sensibilities manipulated for the sole amusement of the author; no-one, least of all me, likes having their strings pulled. The entry has *been* through PR already and met with a pretty hostile reception. I can only assume that the author is resubmitting it to fulfil some need to shock, because whatever other purpose it might fulfil escapes me totally.

If you think I'm being vitriolic, by the way, then you don't know me very well. I'd just be disgusted if this got onto the front page.

FM (of Tunbridge Wells)

I agree with Spiff (post # 35) here.

The entry is not offensive.

The subject matter might not be very pleasent, though I find some reactions here slightly over the top.
Lucinda's written better entries (IMO), but that is no criterion for the EG.

There are entries on vomitting (and people really loved that one in PR, IIRC), testicle cuffs , BDSM and a bunch of other things which touch on similar levels of 'ickyness' (to the majority's taste).
Can't see why we can't have this one in, then.


Tube


PS: The guide works perfectly well as it is? I'd say it's running smoothly ATM...
AAauuuuuuuuuuuuu!

I'd like to know what purpose this would serve in the edited guide? This appears to be an account of a drinking game played by a few people Lucinda happens to have met. I don't find it informative or interesting. Just a personal view. i don't find it particularly offensive either, but since when has "It's not offensive" been sufficiet to get into the guide.

Purpose of this entry? To inform us about a game called "Seven Card W**kstain" which never really caught on in the UK.
Might not be as much of a purpose as the Torture entry has but it has one and the Guidelines do not say anything about purpose.

Simpost.

I propose that this entry be the first in an underground edition of the guide, H2G2 - W**KSTAIN EDITION. To qualify for entry in this infamous collection, you have to get an Italic to admit that the entry fits the guidelines, but is too gross or extreme or [insert excuse here].

Winning entry to the W**KSTAIN EDITION would be an even more exclusive endeavo(u)r than getting into the Edited Guide.

Congratulations, Lucinda! You've set the standard to which the rest of us will always aspire. (The hoopier among us, at least.)

"You've set the standard to which the rest of us will always aspire".
Some of us anyway. The grown-ups will meanwhile stick with the EG.

"The grown ups"?

Grow up!

ups