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

you're welcome!

nonsence, thats not more than you deserve!
i think its pretty safe to say that you deserve more than two chocolate bars.......

Well I don't have anything to send you.......Although I was thinking about what I could. I found another camera yesterday (much better one this time, so the pictures will actually probably turn out alright), and I could try burning music onto a CD or something......

ok
cool!
that'd be really fun!

you could send me anything, and i'd be happy.
i'm one of those silly people that get excited when they get something in the mail.

Well I am too, if it's from the right person.

*looks around, wonders who he could be talking about*

*Pulls a mirror out of his pocket and hands it to her.* That's who I'm talking about.

*looks at herself in it*

me!?

awww......
thanks

Anytime.

*Suddenly realizes that they've gone way off topic, and left Jerms standing in the cold.*



Sorry about that, man. Here, have some .

Nono, it's okay. I'm not cold. Well, not because of you guys, anyway.

Mmmcake.

I agree that a sense of humour possibly evolved to combat depression, but then why did we evolve depression? It seems to me that if they evolved to counter each other, then it would surely have been easier to have evolved neither of them?
I was talking to someone a while ago who thought it was some kind of learning system - most of our comedy is based on pain and suffering, and quite often we laugh as a 'phew I'm glad it wasn't me!' sort of a response. But I'm not convinced either way.

"I'm on at the same time as you jerms!" Gah! I missed you again!!!
I sent you a text, and it wasn't until after I'd logged off that I found out that it hadn't actually sent because the reception in this building is so shocking.

I'M CURSED!

wow.... i come on... i see you're little eyes..... and then minutes later, it seems, you sign out!
i'm here now!

maybe i'll send you a text you allways seem to get mine....lets hope it works.

too bad that text didnt even send but then it never seems to make it to me anywys


i think i will send you a text!

there sent!

and also...... X says hi
but hes really really really busy doing homework right now, and so cant come on

Not anymore though! Finished that stupid thing, finally!

~*~I agree that a sense of humour possibly evolved to combat depression, but then why did we evolve depression? It seems to me that if they evolved to counter each other, then it would surely have been easier to have evolved neither of them?~*~

Hmm.....I think you're right.....But on the other hand........

It's my understanding that evolution directly effects physical aspects, and not emotional ones. Let's assume that the brain evolved so the cells would be more likely to survive in their habitat. Well of course you'd already have to have some sort of body for that to make sense, but I don't pretend to be an expert on this. Anyway, the brain evolved in such a way that it's thought processes had a necessary side effect. Namely, anything that can think can also see how to improve things for itself. From this you develop want. Instead of doing something just to survive, the creature does it so that it can survive, but survive comfortably as well. Now of course that means that they'd have to /realize/ that one situation is preferable to another. And so they can be pleased to be in a better one than the other. Similarly, they can be saddened to be in a worse situation, rather than a better one, and strive to improve that situation. From here I draw the conclusion that emotions evolved so that a species could not just survive, but thrive.

*Pause.*

So.............

Do you have a standard time that you come on, or is it completely random?

A couple of hours before you, it seems. I had thought that I could stay until late evening and therefore be on at the same time as you guys, but by sheer random ko-inky-dink I've had to leave early for one reason or another every day.

I agree with your argument, X. I know from my studies on machine learning techniques that it's possible to train a neural net simulation a very specific behaviour using a second 'mentor' n-net, and a simple and exact concept of 'right' and 'wrong'; which in this case is synonymous with 'good' and 'bad', 'comfortable' and 'uncomfortable', 'painful' and 'pleasurable' and so on. You can do the same thing with human brains using electrodes, sometimes with disasterous consequences. Like in Michel Crichton's book 'the Terminal Man'. A little outdated but it's still a valid example.

This also explains why the natural state for the average human is to be slightly depressed on average; it causes us to want to change our environment and our life, and stops us from stagnating. As you say, it helps our species (and others, I assume) to not just survive, but to thrive.

I hope you come online soon; I might have to give in and do some work otherwise.

*looks lost in all the techincal talk*

*thinks, once again.... for about the millionth time... jerms is so smart*

*Is rather starting to agree with her.*

*....lets make that billionth time....*

Alright Jerms, here's a question for you, where'd your name come from? It seems like everybody has some odd reason for their h2g2 names.

Which name?

"Jerms".

That one's not just an online name. My friends in RL usually call me that too.
It started when I lived with another Jeremy; one of us needed a nickname because it was getting too confusing for any flatmate who answered the phone.
Actually it was still confusing; I had a ten minute conversation with a guy I didn't know in South Africa for no reason, one time.