Two things I don't understand.

[Tervuren]

Allright, item one.

At some concerts I observe that the crowd parts down the middle, scrunching up on each other to make a wide divide.

Then at some particular part of the song the two sides run at each other. I don't get it.

Seems like it would hurt.

Great way for a concussion or broken limbs.

What gives? What is the fun?

Item two, engagement rings.

I'm not sure I understand this one.

I can understand wedding rings, but engagement rings just don't make sense.

So why do we have this custom?

All right, carry on.

[Jims5543]

Pay good money for a concert, spend the entire damn concert recording it on your cel phone.

Witnessed this myself 10 rows from stage at Foo Fighters a month or so ago.

I cannot understand why you even bother to go if you are gonna watch it through your phone screen the entire time.

And who enjoys watching that video after? It has to suck, nothing beats being up close and seeing / feeling the music in person, nothing.

[KFC911]

#1- You need to pick better concerts ...

#2- De Beers marketing a century or so ago

[Superman]

1. I have no idea

2. Ask a woman

3. If these are the only two things you don't understand, then you're WAY......WAY ahead of me.

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

Pay good money for a concert, spend the entire damn concert recording it on your cel phone.

Witnessed this myself 10 rows from stage at Foo Fighters a month or so ago.

I cannot understand why you even bother to go if you are gonna watch it through your phone screen the entire time.

And who enjoys watching that video after? It has to suck, nothing beats being up close and seeing / feeling the music in person, nothing.

Facebook video of a concert the next day is awful. Grainy video of some random colors off in the distance, with a bunch of mumbled sounds
It is simply a look what I did thing

[Tervuren]

When it comes to the crowd filmed recordings:

It is nice to have up to perhaps five people in different parts that can make good recordings and share them.

If you can't make a good one, leave it be.

When everyone does it I find myself shaking my head.

If the end result is poor, I can't see why do more than a few seconds.

[Jim Richards]

There’s more than two things that I dont understand.

[Tervuren]

There is a cure for the holding out cell phones problem.

I might put that cure in one of things I'm not sure I understand.

[Gogar]

I'm looking for two things I DO understand.

[LakeCleElum]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Allright, item one.
Item two, engagement rings.

I'm not sure I understand this one.

I can understand wedding rings, but engagement rings just don't make sense.

So why do we have this custom?

Engagement ring. Kinda like a hotel reservation:

You have marked your territory, let others know that spot it taken. But, you have the option to back out.

[Icemaster]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Engagement ring. Kinda like a hotel reservation:

You have marked your territory, let others know that spot it taken. But, you have the option to back out.

Just make sure the cancellation policy is known and one you can afford. Trip insurance might help.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Allright, item one.

At some concerts I observe that the crowd parts down the middle, scrunching up on each other to make a wide divide.

Then at some particular part of the song the two sides run at each other. I don't get it.

Seems like it would hurt.

Great way for a concussion or broken limbs.

What gives? What is the fun?

Either (a) you go to some weird-ass concerts, or (b) you're describing a modern mosh pit and don't seem to understand the geometry...

I have never seen a crowd split apart then run at each other.

[Bill Douglas]

It's interesting that engagement rings are expensive. Very expensive.

However wedding rings are just a cheap band of gold.

I guess when you have got them that far you don't need great displays of extravagance, the deal is already closed.

[RKDinOKC]

Expensive rings were around a long time before Debeers. Greek and Roman times.

Engagement rings were given as promise, usually to ensure the contract of marriage before the marriage so they could have premarital sex.

The expensive engsgement ring was expensive as it stood for part of the bride's dowry.

The engagement ring is worn with the wedding band, on the outside of it.

[ckelly78z]

I never go to concerts with mosh pits...mostly classic rock bands or country.

Recording events like concerts are a feeble attempt to capture the feeling you get when you are present (rather like the multiple pictures of trees when in the mountains). Nothing can beat actually being there.

Engagement rings are a sort of promise to marry...it makes the woman feel secure, and horny.

[T77911S]

the ring is easy, the woman has something to show all her friends and its just another way to get money from you.

I don't understand the concert Q. parts down the middle?

the cell phone thing aggravates the hell out of me. got some idiot in front of you holding his phone up blocking MY view.
also, as a drummer I go on youtube to learn a song and all you get is these "people" now posting a crappy, shaky video of song you cant even hear because its recorded on, wait for it, a PHONE!!
NOBODY wants to see your phone video of a concert.
I wonder how many people go back and actually watch it again on their phone.

sorry for the rant. had to say something to guy in front of me about 2 weeks ago because I was watching the concert through HIS phone.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by T77911S

the cell phone thing aggravates the hell out of me. got some idiot in front of you holding his phone up blocking MY view.
also, as a drummer I go on youtube to learn a song and all you get is these "people" now posting a crappy, shaky video of song you cant even hear because its recorded on, wait for it, a PHONE!!
NOBODY wants to see your phone video of a concert.
I wonder how many people go back and actually watch it again on their phone.

sorry for the rant. had to say something to guy in front of me about 2 weeks ago because I was watching the concert through HIS phone.

You got off lucky. I was at an 'event' and the family in front of was holding up iPads to video...

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by Superman

1. I have no idea

2. Ask a woman

3. If these are the only two things you don't understand, then you're WAY......WAY ahead of me.

Why ask a woman? If a man is giving the ring then men must have their reasons.

I must say I did not make this list inclusive of everything I do not understand.

Originally Posted by KC911

#1- You need to pick better concerts ...

Originally Posted by Pazuzu

Either (a) you go to some weird-ass concerts, or (b) you're describing a modern mosh pit and don't seem to understand the geometry...

I have never seen a crowd split apart then run at each other.

I find it interesting that there is no assumption about whether I give out engagement rings or not but there is an assumption about going to concerts.

If I didn't get it why would I do it?

Knowledge can be gained via other means that do not require personal presence.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

At some concerts I observe

Would make the normal person think that (a) you have been to several concerts, (b) that at some fraction of them there is this behavior, and (c) that you have physically seen it in person with your own two eyes.

Instead, what we were supposed to get was that you spend too much time on youtube, watching concert videos, and have, on some occasions, seen this activity through the eyes of the passive observer...namely, a video camera.


Saying that, I believe that you have seem some type or variant of "slam dancing", which, from the point of view of an external camera, might appear to be groups of people spreading apart and running towards each other. In fact, it's a far more complex ballet than that, one which would be hard to explain to the Great Unwashed. Best understood from within.

[Tervuren]

People say they watched a foot ball game, when they saw it on TV.

It is possible to observer/watch without being there at the time in physical form.

If you want to get really bothersome about terms:

If we step outside in broad daylight and "see the grass"(or if you don't have grass whatever is out there) we are seeing sunlight that has taken a path that included the grass.

So we're looking out at the sun, the grass is not generation sufficient light in of itself to be a significant source to our vision.

At night when driving my car I see my headlights and not the road.

Take away what is not a light source in the visible spectrum, and we see nothing. Many of the objects we describe as objects we observe, are really the observation of a separate light source that has interacted with that object on its path to be observed by our eyes.

Hope that was amusing. The world is a weird place.

The key to communication is the ability to predict the assumptions of others about what you say.

I pointed out the assumption as interesting because it is alien to me to have made this assumption. Call it some form of re-calibration if you will.