Do Not Read This

[Mohit Pandey]

DO NOT READ THIS

It is a common phenomenon to see that cars are parked only where it is written -no parking. We smoke in those places only where it is written "no smoking". We spit in those places only where it is written "do not spit here'.
Further, the virus links declare that no one should click on these links and we generally click on them to see what harm would happen to computer. Infants love to do what they are told not to do. There are innumerable examples showing our instinct of doing only those things which are forbidden to us. Now, what is more evident of this thing is that you ,who has been asked not to read this thread, is reading till the end.

Why is it so? let us discuss.

[Buffy]

Have you ever read "Steal This Book?"

Did you pay for it?

The first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it,
Buffy

[Pyrotex]

Originally Posted by Mohit Pandey

...There are innumerable examples showing our instinct of doing only those things which are forbidden to us. ....

We do not do ONLY those things which are forbidden, or else the Law would forbid only those things which we should do.

Not everyone does forbidden things.

Doing a forbidden thing is not an instinct. It may be partly cultural, say, if you were raised in a community of criminals. It is more likely associated with boredom, novelty or the pull toward something that is potentially pleasurable.

Not all "forbidden" things are really forbidden. For example, reading this thread was not forbidden in any real sense. That was just the TITLE of the thread. It was obvious that the title was chosen to induce curiosity.

What if I had started a thread called "This Thread Has No Title". Does the thread have a title? Of course it does. Yes. It's title is: "This Thread Has No Title".

My reason for viewing this thread was to see if someone had wasted bandwidth on a silly pretense -- or, had provided some content worth reading.

Well???

[Jet2]

I expect to read something unexpected.
Good headline.
Not so good ad.

[Mohit Pandey]

Originally Posted by Pyrotex

We do not do ONLY those things which are forbidden, or else the Law would forbid only those things which we should do.

Not everyone does forbidden things.

Doing a forbidden thing is not an instinct.

well , you just dragged and highlighted a single word of mine from the thread-forbidden. Sorry, I used the wrong word. OK. What I meant to say that we are just curious to do or know about which we are asked not to trouble our mind, aren't we? I never referred to illegal things.

Not all "forbidden" things are really forbidden. For example, reading this thread was not forbidden in any real sense. That was just the TITLE of the thread. It was obvious that the title was chosen to induce curiosity.

OK, it was not forbidden but at at least you were asked not to read this.

My reason for viewing this thread was to see if someone had wasted bandwidth on a silly pretense -- or, had provided some content worth reading.

Well???

well, what is you conclusion-a wastage or worth reading?

[InfiniteNow]

Originally Posted by Mohit Pandey

DO NOT READ THIS

It is a common phenomenon to see that cars are parked only where it is written -no parking. We smoke in those places only where it is written "no smoking". We spit in those places only where it is written "do not spit here'.
Further, the virus links declare that no one should click on these links and we generally click on them to see what harm would happen to computer. Infants love to do what they are told not to do. There are innumerable examples showing our instinct of doing only those things which are forbidden to us. Now, what is more evident of this thing is that you ,who has been asked not to read this thread, is reading till the end.

Why is it so? let us discuss.

It's a clever idea.

My take is that this has something to do with exploring boundary conditions, pushing the edges of proverbial envelopes, and stems from the fact that we as a species are innately curious and exploratory.

I think it has less to do with a desire to break rules than it has to do with a genuine desire to know more. When we are told what not to do, instead of that command/request generating within us a simple desire to do that thing, it concurrently triggers within us a whole additional cascade of psychological activity. We suddenly don't just want or not want to do it, we now also want to know "why not?"

[Eclogite]

Originally Posted by Mohit Pandey

OK, it was not forbidden but at at least you were asked not to read this.

No. I think you are mistaken. Superficially you asked people not to read it, but look at the context: this is a discussion forum. You had opened a new thread. You had given it an interesting title. Everything, other than the very superficial, literal meaning of the words was suggesting, requiring, demanding that the thread be read. With an invitation as plain as that it would have been rude, even unethical, not to read it.

[DFINITLYDISTRUBD]

InfiniteNow- We suddenly don't just want or not want to do it, we now also want to know "why not?"

YEAH! Gosharndit! WHY Not?!?
Are ya wantin to hurt our feelins or somethin?!?

Tell me not to read something ya better believe I'm going to read it!

It would drive me nuts wondering what it is you don't want me to see!

[Mohit Pandey]

Originally Posted by Eclogite

No. I think you are mistaken. Superficially you asked people not to read it, but look at the context: this is a discussion forum. You had opened a new thread. You had given it an interesting title. Everything, other than the very superficial, literal meaning of the words was suggesting, requiring, demanding that the thread be read. With an invitation as plain as that it would have been rude, even unethical, not to read it.

I can only smile at your reply.
In fact, i used that title to justify the fact that we want to know about the thing which we are asked not to do . also, it induced curiosity.