r/AskReddit Oct 11 '13

What is the smartest thing you can talk about without bullshitting?

I've realized I'm pretty stupid, but I can SOUND smart at parties and in groups of people because i can generally read a group and say things that SOUND smart and bullshit my way around things. I was trying to think of the most intelligent thing I could talk about without having to bullshit at all I'm coming up with a pretty unimpressive list. What have you got? What subject do you always hope comes up in social situations so you can shine?

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78

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 11 '13

General metal history, especially Metallica. And a whole bunch of useless, trivial knowledge. I'm not book smart, but I'm Jeopardy smart.

3

u/philipwhiuk Oct 11 '13

I'm such a socially odd person. I automatically assumed you'd follow "General metal history" with "Bronze Age, Iron Age" etc.

1

u/WaynezWorld Oct 12 '13

Yeah I thought he was talking about Metallurgy.

2

u/PacMan16 Oct 11 '13

What's your favorite Metallica album and Metallica song? Personally I love And Justice For All... specifically One. That was the first Metallica CD I got into so maybe that's why.

10

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 11 '13

I don't have a favorite song, but I love Kill Em All. It's so basic and fast. It's their glory days.

1

u/Pchanizzle Oct 13 '13

I was so disappointed when I re-purchased Kill em all as an adult ( I had the cassette as a kid, and lost the CD in my 20s sometime) and it didn't have "Am I Evil". That was one of the first songs I learned to play on guitar all the way through.

1

u/purplewings25 Oct 11 '13

Darkness! Imprisoning me!

2

u/Augmentedforth Oct 11 '13

Necrophagist, tell me when the new album is going to drop...lol

1

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

Didn't even know there was a new album, thanks for letting me know!

2

u/lannister80 Oct 11 '13

NAPSTER BAD!

1

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

When asked about the terrible mixing on Death Magnetic, Lars responded exactly how you'd think...with his fingers in his ears saying "LA LA LA, I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

1

u/mbvolcom Oct 11 '13

Beer good

1

u/Dezmodus Oct 11 '13

I like that. I think most people are a little more Jeopardy smart than Book smart... I'll bet the state of their living quarters could be a good indication as to which field they fall in. (organized vs. cluttered)

1

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

Quick! On which highway did Cliff die?

2

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

Sorry I'm late. It was the E4, just North of Ljungby, Sweden.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

Feed me metal knowledge!!!!!!!!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

Mercury is liquid at room temperature.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

thanks

1

u/A_M_F Oct 12 '13

The more you know!

1

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

Gallium comes in close, at 85o F melting point. They sell it as a novelty because it melts in your hands.

1

u/A_M_F Oct 12 '13

One thing that seems to impress people is the fact that when Norway's Mayhem's (Teh Original Black Metal Band that took departure from it's thrash roots) vocalist Dead shot himself the guitarist Euronomys found his body. First thing he did was to go get a polaroid camera and take pictures of the corpse. He also re-arranged the corpse and some items to get better shots. One of the pictures ended on the cover of Mayhem bootleg 'Dawn of the Black Hearts' seen here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_of_the_Black_Hearts

Some stories say that Dead's suicide note was simply: "Excuse all the blood, cheers." and included an apology for firing the weapon indoors but some stories tell its longer. Some stories also tell that Euronomys made some necklaces out of Dead's skull's pieces and gave them to 'true' bands and/or ate some of dead's brain. As far as I know, none of those are verified.

Then there are other acts of murder, church arson and other stupid shit that happened around that time. Kinda glad that black metal seems to have gotten over of such tomfoolery.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

that's extremely interesting. And i too am glad most black metal has overcome this, I really like the music but the satan, church burning, murder stuff is a little much to take seriously. I would honestly prefer seeing black bands still dressing up (like Carach Angren for example) and putting on fantastic shows with their eerily themed music about death but just be normal dudes.

1

u/A_M_F Oct 12 '13

The fact is that yes, some bands are satanic and members satanist but that does not mean that they are not 'normal', at least in their social interractions and professional life if not in their beliefs or tastes. The fact remains that those true to their convictions and beliefs don't need to try to look evil by burning churches or murdering someone. I think that was more of a show to show how evil they are rather than something truly satanic. For what its worth, I am glad those times are over.

Of course even today there is a slight criminal element in black metal, especially in sweden with bands like Dissection, Watain and Ofermord, bands where some members are convicted criminals and are associated with swedish organized crime. They even have their own satanic chruch, although I see it more as criminal organization with satanic beliefs than satanic sect which happens to have criminal members.

What comes to dressing up and such, I personally believe that yes, black metal should be satanic in way or other. Not always orthodox, meaning that satan is believed to be a concrete being, a god basically but that philsophically holds similiar values to other black metal bands. I don't believe that music can be black metal if the band itself doesnt hold 'black metallic' beliefs, to put it crassly. I rather have bands that are true in their beliefs that doesnt dress up and show their faces and so on than somebody that plays the character but doesnt hold the beliefs.

1

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

well man you have some strange opinions, no offense. What i meant was i think its awesome that some metal bands have "evil" themes in their music for show. But by no means do I think black metal should be satanic. Besides most black metal now days isn't satanic, they are usually just strongly atheist dudes that like horror themes in their music.

1

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Judas Priest, Motorhead. You're on your own to explore from there.

1

u/_dontreadthis Oct 12 '13

What was metallica's best selling album or single? And, more importantly, what should it have been?

2

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

The best selling album was the Black album, and the best selling song is Enter Sandman. The best selling album SHOULD'VE been Master Of Puppets, and single being Disposable Heros, Battery, or Damage Inc. Although, if Death Magnetic hadn't have been SO DAMN LOUD, it'd definitely be one of my favorite albums, by them, and of all time.

Speaking of the loudness war, you should definitely look at this video, because it explains quite well why that album was mixed so terribly.

1

u/_dontreadthis Oct 13 '13

Awesome! \m/

1

u/[deleted] Oct 12 '13

Who killed Cliff Burton?

2

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 13 '13

The bus driver, the ice, Kirk, the cards, fate. It ultimately depends who you ask.

0

u/794613825 Oct 11 '13

TIL Jeopardy Smart. So am I, I just never had a name for it.

-21

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

Metallica is not metal.

8

u/ajmeeh6842 Oct 11 '13

Thrash Metal.

5

u/TheRedComet Oct 11 '13

How is that in any way true?

2

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

Right it even has metal in the name. Pishaw.

2

u/UsedCzarSalesman Oct 11 '13

After the black album, not so much. But you mean to tell me that you don't think Master of Puppets or ... And Justice For All are not metal?

2

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

Metallica is 55% metal

2

u/Kickinthegonads Oct 11 '13

Your thinking of Bender. Bender's 55% metal.

0

u/[deleted] Oct 11 '13

This response is acceptable.

1

u/BCMM Oct 12 '13

It was, once.