the weather

[wolfgang von gothmoth]

Does the weather have more say in our lives than we realise?

[Unidian]

Not really.

[Katy]

Does the weather have more say in our lives than we realise?

yeah, and stars billions of lightyears away, too.

[Carl G]

Does the weather have more say in our lives than we realise?

The question is nonsensical. Some people realise more than others.

But yes, environmental conditions affect us greatly.

[MindExpansion]

what kind of say?

Once upon a time when I went on a camping trip. The weather in the early morning was very noisy and had a wistling quality to it.
Well one morning I could have sworn that nature was tring to communicate with me I just couldn't make the words out.

My grandpapa has rheumatoid arthritis, so whenever he's in pain, I can anticipate that it may rain soon.

I'm not sure what you meant, can you be more specific? What have you heard about or comtemplated that correlates weather with human...?

I'm like I sponge and knowledge is my water.

[Carl G]

ME,

In English, the word "say" has several meanings. Here it is defined as "influence", the question being "how much influence do you think the weather has upon people and their behavior?"

You are using the word "say" to mean "communication." I don't think anyone here is thinking Nature talks to us (although it is possible, as many Native Americans would attest).

[ExpectantlyIronic]

You are using the word "say" to mean "communication." I don't think anyone here is thinking Nature talks to us (although it is possible, as many Native Americans would attest).

I'm totally down with the idea that clouds have rich inner lives, and a deep desire to chat it up with us ground walkers. Or, then again, probably actually not. Nevertheless, we all flirt with animism. Particularly when inanimate objects get infuriatingly in the way of where we're walking. Stupid chair...

[Katy]

Well, the first thing I do when I wake up in the morning (besides swear at my alarmclock) is go to weather.com and I do have a pretty quick emotional judgement of the information on the page though I don't know that that really affects the rest of my day. If I don't get my morning walk because it's thundering I feel a bit less-good than otherwise, though. But I'm not sure that's the weather affecting anything so much as activities that take place in the weather (walking in the heat, driving in the snow...)

[HUNTEDvsINVIS]

I feel safe when it rains. I am one of those people who like to "snuggle up" and cruise around in poncho's and stuff. Plus when it rains there are fewer homeless people and creeps hanging around on the streets because they don't want to get wet and freeze to death. I also like the sound on rain, and I hate the sun because I am so pale and want to stay that way. When it rains I am at my peak. Lightning is awesome. The other day we had this "repetitive lightning series", where every 5 seconds you hear these, like, explosions. Ok, so, first I thought they were gun shots because they were so loud but later I realised it was the weather. Can't wait for winter. The perfect excuse for hot chocolate : ) Weather is magic ( :

[Shahrazad]

Hunted,

You seem to be doing so much better moodwise. I'm happy for you.

[DHodges]

Does the weather have more say in our lives than we realise?

As far as I can tell, the weather has exactly as much impact on my life as I realize.

[Carl G]

Does the weather have more say in our lives than we realise?

As far as I can tell, the weather has exactly as much impact on my life as I realize.

That's rather circular, isn't it. How would you actually know how much impact it is having?

[ExpectantlyIronic]

Carl,

That's rather circular, isn't it. How would you actually know how much impact it is having?

What he said was just a clever tautology. It would make no sense for someone to say "As far as I can tell, the weather has more impact on my life then I realize" from a logical standpoint. What you realize, and what you can tell, are generally thought of to be exactly the same. One could, on the other hand, say that "as far as I can tell, the weather had more impact on my life then I realized."

[Carl G]

*The dreaded double post strikes again.*

[Carl G]

CG: That's rather circular, isn't it. How would you actually know how much impact it is having?

EI: What he said was just a clever tautology.

What's clever about it?

It would make no sense for someone to say "As far as I can tell, the weather has more impact on my life then I realize" from a logical standpoint.

No, but it might be honest. Especially, if worded thusly: the weather probably has more impact on my life than I realize.

What you realize, and what you can tell, are generally thought of to be exactly the same.

Duh.

One could, on the other hand, say that "as far as I can tell, the weather had more impact on my life then I realized."

What, you change "has" to "had" and "realize" to "realized" and suddenly we've got Logic 101? How's that?

[Elizabeth Isabelle]

One could, on the other hand, say that "as far as I can tell, the weather had more impact on my life then I realized."

What, you change "has" to "had" and "realize" to "realized" and suddenly we've got Logic 101? How's that?

One can only "tell" what they realize now. In retrospect, one could realize that one was in error.

Example:
On Sunday, Joe Blogs' arthritis is acting up. Joe Blogs has no idea why. Someone asks him if the weather ever has any effect on him. Joe says "no."

On Monday, the weather is cold and rainy. Joe Blogs sees his friend Paul. Paul says "I knew the weather was going to be awful. Whenever there is a front coming in, my arthritis acts up something awful." Joe remembers the question about if the weather ever effects him, and he now can tell that the weather had more impact on his life than he realized.
.

[ExpectantlyIronic]

Carl,

What's clever about it?

It was relevant, true, and amusing (to me).

No, but it might be honest. Especially, if worded thusly: the weather probably has more impact on my life than I realize.

Realized. You mean "the weather probably had more impact on my life than I realized."

What, you change "has" to "had" and "realize" to "realized" and suddenly we've got Logic 101? How's that?

Simple. That's logic. As the logician Lewis Carroll would write in his fictional tale Alice in Wonderland:


"Then you should say what you mean." the March Hare went on.

"I do," Alice hastily replied; "at least -- at least I mean what I say -- that's the same thing, you know."

"Not the same thing a bit!" said the Hatter, "Why, you might just as well say that 'I see what I eat' is the same thing as 'I eat what I see'!"

"You might just as well say," added the March Hare, "that 'I like what I get' is the same thing as 'I get what I like'!"

"You might just as well say," added the Dormouse, who seemed to be talking in his sleep, "that 'I breathe when I sleep' is the same thing as 'I sleep when I breathe'!"

"It is the same thing with you," said the Hatter, and here the conversation dropped, and the party sat silent for a minute.

[Katy]

I think one could say "I think the weather has more of an effect on my life than I realize" (present tense) if they're admitting that they're ignorant on the subject but don't plan to think any further about the subject?

[Carl G]

CG: No, but it might be honest. Especially, if worded thusly: the weather probably has more impact on my life than I realize.

EI: Realized. You mean "the weather probably had more impact on my life than I realized."

No. There is nothing incorrect in saying that generally, day to day, the weather probably affects me more than I know.

[DHodges]

Actually, I pay a lot of attention to the weather. I watch the forecast every morning before I leave the house, and check it again during the day. I have a hypothesis that people's behavior is influenced by humidity: they tend to act irrationally when it is very humid out (1). This could possibly have something to do with variations of atmospheric pressure on the inner ear.


Maybe the question should be rephrased: "Are other people affected by the weather more than they realize?"

And then we could answer yeah, maybe. But who really knows what other people realize and what they don't? Most people give the impression of having the awareness of a Muppet.










(1) If only they would act rationally when it is not that humid...

[Shahrazad]

(1) If only they would act rationally when it is not that humid...

I haven't experienced an unhumid day in years. Lucky are those who do.

[ExpectantlyIronic]

Carl,

No. There is nothing incorrect in saying that generally, day to day, the weather probably affects me more than I know.

That's not what you said though. Sure, I incorrectly guessed at what you meant to say, but that only demonstrates my point further. If you aren't prepared to make logically correct statements, then you should be prepared for them to be misinterpreted. That said, the Lewis Carroll quote was something of a self-mockery. There's something profoundly silly about such minor quibbles, but I've already got myself involved in this conversation, so I might as well make sure that I'm not being misinterpreted.

[Katy]

I have a hypothesis that people's behavior is influenced by humidity: they tend to act irrationally when it is very humid out (1). This could possibly have something to do with variations of atmospheric pressure on the inner ear.

Interesting - do you have anything behind this?
Off the top of my head I'm inclined to look at all the world religions popping out of the middle east and wonder if it's the opposite...

[Jamesh]

I have a hypothesis that people's behavior is influenced by humidity: they tend to act irrationally when it is very humid out (1). This could possibly have something to do with variations of atmospheric pressure on the inner ear.

My view is that consistently hot climates create cultural personalities that are more emotional overall, and this is what creates increased levels of irrationality. They are more outdoorsy and this invigorates the emotions.

Cold climates tend to create cultures that are more rational -there is alway the danger of death from cold and a dearth of food in winter. The environment keeps people indoors and they are less free to let their emotions run wild, or the family will come down hard on them.

Such cultures can become a bit too emotionally repressed and lacking in excitment. Mundane sorts of places.

[MindExpansion]

People tend to get emotional in uncomfortable situations. Others die (heat-stroke)

I'm sure you all heard of winter blues. I hear its quite a serious condition for some.

Summer and fall are my favourite. I just realized I have the most joy, during those seasons.