On Thu, Sep 12, 2002 at 09:56:29PM +1000, [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Unlike the floridly decorated yet macho psychoanalyst Dr Shampoo,
Macho? Me? Ô.-
> I am not professionally qualified in this area. Yet I firmly
> believe that spending more time than you can afford on golf
> is classic addictive behaviour, similar to gambling, drug, food
> or sex addiction.
As mister Savigne himself mentioned, he is no professional
and therefore the mistake he makes here should be attributed
to the confusion of the neophyte.
Perl golf, is obviously an addiction. But where
mister Savigne errs is in the nature of this addiction.
Addictions to drug, food and sex pertains to the id --
the reptilian part of the brain dealing with basic
needs and pleasures. Perl Golf addiction, however, is
linked to the ego -- home of consciousness and, more important
here, hubris.
This complex addiction is in fact highly
comparable to Western religion. Indeed, it's not mere
coincidence that Perl Golfers, when deeply involved in there
activity of predilection, find themselves often hissing or
shouting sacred words. And what to say of those epiphanies
where golfers suddenly write programs in tongues, that no-one
can understand but that still does the job?
Yes, Karl Marx said that religion was the opium of the
masses. I would take no great risks by advancing that
golf is the crack of perl programmers.
Anyway, more details on this fascinationg topic once
I've finished my book "Hackers in the Mist", a vivid
narration of my years spent in the midst of a herd of
programmers and the insight I gathered out of it.
> I plead guilty to addictive behaviour and
> can heartily recommend Dr Shampoo's new and improved intensive
> therapy treatment (three sessions for just $199.99, money-back
> guarantee).
$199.99, *Canadian* dollars, I might add.
`/anick
--
($a,$z)=(sort split'',$_=';/ t3&% ,/"tD/"(t,31)/"f')[0,-1];
s/./chr(ord($z)-ord($&)+ord$a)/eg;print
