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Comments 8

nestdweller February 4 2009, 22:40:44 UTC
Also, I'm sure you can tell that I am quickly descending into madness in my few days without a true home. I expect that in a few days I'll be pushing a shopping cart full of trinkets through the streets.

Can I have your game consoles and computer?

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mymatedave February 5 2009, 00:28:07 UTC
dammit nestdweller, I was going to ask him that.

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m_mcgregor February 5 2009, 18:43:48 UTC
Who says you can't have true and loyal friends on the internet?

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mymatedave February 6 2009, 09:22:29 UTC
Well, if you're not going to be able to use them, they should at least be sent to a loving home.

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ponderoid February 5 2009, 01:24:13 UTC
47% of all statistics are made up. :)

Congrats on your COA wins, btw. *hugs*

*** Ponder

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m_mcgregor February 5 2009, 18:45:16 UTC
Ah, yes, that does cheer me up a bit. I should probably thank everybody for the votes and all that...

But my laziness is overwhelmed by actually having to go out in search of a new place to live, so I won't! Take that, loyal fans who seem to appreciate my work! Ha!

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mushmeister February 5 2009, 04:57:51 UTC
Y'know, I never really questioned that one, but I guess 85% would be pretty high even if it's a not a direct "Give a speech or I'll kill you right now" situation. I always figured it was proximity at work, if that's the right word. As in, it's just easier and more urgent to worry about having to speak in front of a crowd (or any other specific phobia, for that matter) than it is to worry about any of the countless things that can kill you in the blink of an eye in our wonderful 21st century world.

I never once believed that 85% percent of the population would choose death over public speaking, but I would believe that upwards of 85% rate public speaking higher than death in the hierarchy of things that scare them. Change it to something specific like "Death via chainsaw decapitation in the next ten minutes" and the numbers will plummet, but keep it at generic "death" and yeah, I could see it.

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m_mcgregor February 5 2009, 18:47:10 UTC
I thought the same thing, actually. I could see someone having a more physical fear reaction to the thought of having to go make a speech than to the abstract thought of death, mostly because by the time you're an adult, you've probably learned how to deal with the concept of death without having a panic attack.

Still, I think the only survey I actually saw on the subject was an Australian one that suggested that about 20-25% of those surveyed listed public speaking as their number one fear. Hardly a majority, and there's a lot of wiggle room if it was multiple choice or something like that.

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