What Keeps You Motivated?

Nobody said if you aren't motivated you shouldn't be learning Japanese. You need to work on reading what people say rather than what you think they said.

And you need to work on making yourself easier to understand instead of forcing people to scrutinize every single word you write before coming to a conclusion about what you actually mean.
 
And you need to work on making yourself easier to understand instead of forcing people to scrutinize every single word you write before coming to a conclusion about what you actually mean.

I'm not going to start targeting my posts at a sixth-grade reading level.

My point earlier in the thread was made in a perfectly clear manner, which most certainly was not telling him he shouldn't study Japanese.
 
I learned Hiragana in about 3 days and then Katakana in 1 by comparison to Hiragana. I used the old writing system, and it worked fine enough. I have to say that I was motivated, since the Romaji system seemed so incredibly stupid and hard to read at the time.

I doubt any one in high school has no free time. I did quite a bit when I was there, but always had several hours of nothing to do each day that I filled with TV, music, or friends.
 
I doubt any one in high school has no free time. I did quite a bit when I was there, but always had several hours of nothing to do each day that I filled with TV, music, or friends.

In my boarding school, i have so little free time. you really don't know. And to Mike, that is how i perceived what you said early in the thread. if that's not what you meant I'm sorry i misinterpreted what you said, but maybe you should be more careful with your phrasing and diction.
 
My point was that you needn't feel you have to force yourself to study Japanese. That's very different from telling you to quit.
 
I see that now. As I said, I am sorry for misinterpreting you.
 
I'm not going to start targeting my posts at a sixth-grade reading level.

My point earlier in the thread was made in a perfectly clear manner, which most certainly was not telling him he shouldn't study Japanese.

How easy a text is to understand is a question of good style, not reading level.
 
How easy a text is to understand is a question of good style, not reading level.

I will use small words. I will keep things short. I will do it just for you. Are you pleased now?

That you have trouble understanding my posts is your problem, not mine.
 
I will use small words. I will keep things short. I will do it just for you. Are you pleased now?

That you have trouble understanding my posts is your problem, not mine.

Small words don't make a text easy to read. I thought you know that, especially since you're so good at Japanese. Or are you telling me a text for grade schoolers without kanji is easier to read than a normal kanji text? Assuming, of course, you can already read.
 
Small words don't make a text easy to read. I thought you know that, especially since you're so good at Japanese. Or are you telling me a text for grade schoolers without kanji is easier to read than a normal kanji text? Assuming, of course, you can already read.

Your opinion of my composition has been noted, and will be ignored. You are free to continue discussing it by yourself if you wish.
 
Now that's just unnecessary. You're a real jerk you know that? You need to take it easy with the sarcasm. I thought forum staff ]ENFORCED the rules, which should include respecting other members which I certainly don't feel you do. You may think I'm hyper sensitive, but I think a lot of people feel the same way I do.
 
Now that's just unnecessary. You're a real jerk you know that? You need to take it easy with the sarcasm. I thought forum staff ]ENFORCED the rules, which should include respecting other members which I certainly don't feel you do. You may think I'm hyper sensitive, but I think a lot of people feel the same way I do.

"Respecting" other members doesn't include being obligated to write in the way they wish to dictate. I listened to his opinion and I choose to exercise my right to ignore it. He is free to continue expressing it. What is your beef with that?

It isn't as though I engaged in such disrespectful activity as gratuitous name calling.....which is what you did by calling me a jerk. Practice what you preach, brother.

Do the rules you think should be enforced include "respecting" other members? Or do you merely think they should include that? If the latter, why would you expect anyone to enforce a nonexistent rule?

For that matter, what does it even mean to "respect" other members? I disagreed in an entirely civil manner. You're the one ramping it up with juvenile name calling. Where did you get the idea I was being sarcastic? I was in dead earnest.

And to think I took you off the ignore list yesterday. That was certainly a premature decision on my part.
 
I thought forum staff ]ENFORCED the rules, which should include respecting other members which I certainly don't feel you do.

We cannot enforce respect. We can try to discipline members by imposing infractions and bans if deemed necessary, none of which will result in more respect. As I told you in my PM last night, there is always the option to put members on the Ignore list. Calling someone a jerk isn't exactly respectful either, is it?
 
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What I said was not unnecessary. I don't think you need to tailor your diction, I think you need to be more respectful. I am not being a hypocrite for stating my opinion that I think you're rude. But, I suppose there's really no need for anymore flaming. I don't feel like fighting anymore on Christmas.
 
I am judgmental, opinionated, and blunt. That is quite commonly mistaken for rudeness.
 
I am judgmental, opinionated, and blunt. That is quite commonly mistaken for rudeness.

I was a lot like you a short while ago. I still am to a degree, but I try not to outwardly display my feelings of contempt for everyone. The life of an unbridled cynic is a lonely one, but the life of a tactful cynic is one of wisdom.
 
Are you saying I was displaying contempt? I was entirely civil.

What constitutes "cynical" is likely to differ greatly between one who has ridden the planet around the sun sixteen times and one who has made the trip forty seven times.

(And I can't ever recall having seen anyone called a cynic when it wasn't intended as an insult).
 
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I didn't mean you displayed contempt. Well enough is enough I suppose. Why don't we get back on track with this discussion. This argument is a waste of time
 
Motivation typically arises from passion, necessity, suffering, fear, or other such stimuli. It is impossible to artificially create. Fortunately, there is a substitute which works just as well for your purposes, which is determination. A streak of bullheaded, stubborn as a jackass determination will accomplish things that mere motivation won't even attempt.
 
Your opinion of my composition has been noted, and will be ignored. You are free to continue discussing it by yourself if you wish.

-> After this the discussion was done for me and I'm surprised this is still going on. Lestat, this is perfectly fine. I feel that I've been understood, and what Mike does with this understanding is his beef, not mine. He is free to disagree with me however much he wants, as long as I'm getting understood the way I want to I'll be happy.

This might not be apparent from the way I talk to him, but I kinda like Mike, I just tend to disagree with him a lot and quite strongly. This is bound to happen. He's an old fart and he lives in a weird country far, far away from me. He has an entirely different realm of experience from mine. He also knows Japanese very well, while a lot of the people here... well, don't, including me. This doesn't make him a be all and end all authority, but it sure means that the things he says are statistically more likely to be correct than what I say.

Of course, I still think I'm right all the time and he's wrong, but that's another matter :)
 
I think it's quite easy to find your lost motivation. Persistence over a short period of time almost always brings back my motivation.
 
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