Can VR warp sense of reality?

[Ken Cheng]

Here's the operating analogy: the people who viewed AVATAR and had this reaction to it are comparable to people who ate a certain food for the first time without knowing that they are allergic to it. It's a rare and unusual allergy, and the people who consumed the food had no idea that they had such an allergy. Now that they've had an allergic reaction, they go to the doctor to find out what's wrong and get cured.

We wouldn't call such people idiots, would we?

Now if those same people knew of such an allergic reaction, and then continued eating the food that caused the reaction in the first place...THEN they would be idiots.

The way I see it, these folks are like the people who had the allergic reaction and went to see the doctor; they aren't trying to eat more of the food.

[Banh Mi]

If they had an alergic reaction to that food. They have a crap immune system that didn't do its job properly.

If their minds had an alergic reaction to the movie. They have crap mental reasoning.

That they are idiots, is just an opinion, it's not a fact. Jaded and I just happen to be unforgiving with out assessment of people. Funny how it's the 2 Psych majors that are this harsh.

[kidd]

Agree with Ken. Many people have illogical reaction to something that they couldn't explain. Therapy found that it boils down to something that happened in childhood that they already forgotten or thought they have gotten over but is actually still buried inside their subconscious.

[kidd]

If they had an alergic reaction to that food. They have a crap immune system that didn't do its job properly.

If their minds had an alergic reaction to the movie. They have crap mental reasoning.

That they are idiots, is just an opinion, it's not a fact. Jaded and I just happen to be unforgiving with out assessment of people. Funny how it's the 2 Psych majors that are this harsh.

Unforgiving, harsh and defensive of own opinion until the very end. Feels like your opinion is under attack?

[Ken Cheng]

If they had an alergic reaction to that food. They have a crap immune system that didn't do its job properly.

If their minds had an alergic reaction to the movie. They have crap mental reasoning.

That they are idiots, is just an opinion, it's not a fact. Jaded and I just happen to be unforgiving with out assessment of people. Funny how it's the 2 Psych majors that are this harsh.

I can't agree with the use of the term "idiocy" here because "idiocy" implies choice. People are idiots because they have a clear choice between a good way and a bad way, and consciously choose the bad way.

For these folks, I just don't see the element of choice that would make them "idiotic." A person can't be an idiot if he/she doesn't have a choice to make.

[Ren Wo Xing]

From dictionary.com:

Idiot: an utterly foolish or senseless person.

From Merriam-Webster:

Idiot: a foolish or stupid person
Idiocy: something notably stupid or foolish

Does becoming suicidal or becoming depressed over a movie qualify as foolish, stupid, or senseless? I think it does.

I'm with Banh Mi and Jaded on this one. Just because they have underlining causes behind their idiocy doesn't negate the fact that they're idiots. Similarly, if you weigh 400 lbs, you're a fatass. Having a genetic reason behind your weight doesn't make you any less of a fatass.

[Banh Mi]

Unforgiving, harsh and defensive of own opinion until the very end. Feels like your opinion is under attack?

Attack it all you want. I welcome the exchange of ideas.

I can't agree with the use of the term "idiocy" here because "idiocy" implies choice. People are idiots because they have a clear choice between a good way and a bad way, and consciously choose the bad way.

For these folks, I just don't see the element of choice that would make them "idiotic." A person can't be an idiot if he/she doesn't have a choice to make.

Different definitions of idiocy then. My definition of idiocy/stupid is probably more like ignorance and naivety to you.

[Ren Wo Xing]

Sad note; some poor schmuck actually died from watching Avatar.

[Guo Xiang]

Sad note; some poor schmuck actually died from watching Avatar.

3-D is not a very comforting aspect, 'cos it makes people feel sick after prolonged time.

[Ren Ying Ying]

let's just all agree that these folks have a "mental illness".

settled?

[remember_Cedric]

Yingying!

If my emotions get involved with a movie (usually something close to reality especially something similar had happened to me) or sort, I won't forget to trigger my disciplinary system to snap out of it fast.

[Ken Cheng]

I think we're missing an important point here: whatever is afflicting these folks isn't voluntary.