What Happens If Chris Actually Does Improve?

[Marvin]

Then she's not that good of a friend to him, and that isn't an indictment of her, it is just that when you measure what she is comfortable with doing for Chris, I wouldn't say she tries all that hard. She isn't obligated to, either. But for any of us to say she is trying her best for him, no she isn't, and considering what we know about their friendship, she doesn't owe him her best.

No one uses "[someone's] best" to mean "doing literally everything you can possibly do".

Like if you loaned someone as much money as you could spare, and then they got cranky because you're not doing "your best" because you could've mortgaged your house to give them more money. No one uses the phrase that way.

If you want me to be more explicit, Anna is genuinely doing her best to help Chris, given reasonable considerations. I don't consider flying out to Virginia to pal around with Chris for a week or so, especially when it wouldn't do shit to help him, to be a reasonable expectation of her.

Then again, she really does nothing more than play gatekeeper. Talking hasn't done anything for him. It didn't stop him from shooting pepper spray, from threatening to use it at Wal-Mart or anything else he's been getting into.

As an aside, how the heck has she not been able to get Chris to drop Kim? I would think that would be a chore Anna would absolutely love to take on.

Anna doesn't play gatekeeper. She's tried for years, but she's almost never succeeded.

 

[GS 281]

No one uses "[someone's] best" to mean "doing literally everything you can possibly do".

Like if you loaned someone as much money as you could spare, and then they got cranky because you're not doing "your best" because you could've mortgaged your house to give them more money. No one uses the phrase that way.

If you want me to be more explicit, Anna is genuinely doing her best to help Chris, given reasonable considerations. I don't consider flying out to Virginia to pal around with Chris for a week or so, especially when it wouldn't do shit to help him, to be a reasonable expectation of her.

Anna doesn't play gatekeeper. She's tried for years, but she's almost never succeeded.

I never said she needs to do anything in her power to do her best, but she doesn't appear to do anything but sit on her ass and text him. So again, if the best she has to offer is to be a passive texting buddy, then she isn't really much "help" at all. I hate to sound insolent, but what is it that she does? Just occasionally text him then? I guess I just don't get it. She has no job or responsibilities as far as I know. Its only $300 round trip from Salt Lake City to Charlottesville. I am sure Chris' Willy Loman Saga could fund such a thing and I am certain he would drop that coin if she would come back to the area for a week. Personally, if I were in Anna's Cons I wouldn't have to be all that close to Chris o be willing to go out there to give him support knowing no one else would.

She's a member of the "no one else" though, as far as I can see, but I am sure there is stuff that we aren't privy to that suggests that totally isn't the case.

 

[Marvin]

I never said she needs to do anything in her power to do her best, but she doesn't appear to do anything but sit on her ass and text him. So again, if the best she has to offer is to be a passive texting buddy, then she isn't really much "help" at all. I hate to sound insolent, but what is it that she does? Just occasionally text him then? I guess I just don't get it. She has no job or responsibilities as far as I know. Its only $300 round trip from Salt Lake City to Charlottesville. I am sure Chris' Willy Loman Saga could fund such a thing and I am certain he would drop that coin if she would come back to the area for a week. Personally, if I were in Anna's Cons I wouldn't have to be all that close to Chris o be willing to go out there to give him support knowing no one else would.

She's a member of the "no one else" though, as far as I can see, but I am sure there is stuff that we aren't privy to that suggests that totally isn't the case.

If I was Anna and Chris offered to fly me out for a week to visit him for the purpose of helping him, I'd tell him no. Chris wouldn't get $300 worth of value out of Anna spending a week with him. It'd be a waste of time and money on everyone's part. There's nothing Anna can do IRL for Chris that would help him. (Well, there are more extreme measures she could do, like staging a coup and helping Chris move out against Barb's will. But that's really iffy and I wouldn't take that gamble.)

Anna's faults, when it comes to dealing with Chris, is that she's a dumbass and doesn't know Chris as well as the trolls do. It's not due to lack of effort or being a bad friend. She's just a dumbass.

 

[GS 281]

If I was Anna and Chris offered to fly me out for a week to visit him for the purpose of helping him, I'd tell him no. Chris wouldn't get $300 worth of value out of Anna spending a week with him. It'd be a waste of time and money on everyone's part. There's nothing Anna can do IRL for Chris that would help him. (Well, there are more extreme measures she could do, like staging a coup and helping Chris move out against Barb's will. But that's really iffy and I wouldn't take that gamble.)

Anna's faults, when it comes to dealing with Chris, is that she's a dumbass and doesn't know Chris as well as the trolls do. It's not due to lack of effort or being a bad friend. She's just a dumbass.

I can agree on her being a dumb ass and the "trolls" knowing Chris better. I don't agree that $300 in LEGO and DLC is a better investment than a close friend being around for a week. I don't think we will ever agree on this, but thank you for your insight. I always come away understanding the Chris phenomenon a little better when you post on it.

 

[ThatGuy]

If I was Anna and Chris offered to fly me out for a week to visit him for the purpose of helping him, I'd tell him no. Chris wouldn't get $300 worth of value out of Anna spending a week with him. It'd be a waste of time and money on everyone's part. There's nothing Anna can do IRL for Chris that would help him. (Well, there are more extreme measures she could do, like staging a coup and helping Chris move out against Barb's will. But that's really iffy and I wouldn't take that gamble.)

Anna's faults, when it comes to dealing with Chris, is that she's a dumbass and doesn't know Chris as well as the trolls do. It's not due to lack of effort or being a bad friend. She's just a dumbass.

The problem with this is altisim. Chris has improved, but he has his limits.
Second, china. Uuuhh nooooooooo. We know of chris's lack of personal space issues, I wouldn't be near him.

 

[Hollywood Hulk Hogan]

Anna's faults, when it comes to dealing with Chris, is that she's a dumbass and doesn't know Chris as well as the trolls do. It's not due to lack of effort or being a bad friend. She's just a dumbass.

And an attention whore, brother

 

[BRICKS Wangler]

psshh, the Only Way Chris Could imrpove if if he be shitting his pants more, know what Im sayin? my boy abedisi Thought up that one

 

[timtommy]

Its only $300 round trip from Salt Lake City to Charlottesville. I am sure Chris' Willy Loman Saga could fund such a thing and I am certain he would drop that coin if she would come back to the area for a week. Personally, if I were in Anna's Cons I wouldn't have to be all that close to Chris o be willing to go out there to give him support knowing no one else would.

I am not sure what she would do in Charlottesville in a week.

She could probably be fairly useful in Chris' life if she moved back to town permanently and hung out with him a lot. Or at least have the potential to be useful, she might fuck it up.

But a week? Chris doesn't have anything going on that could be materially helped in a week. And she can communicate with him regularly by phone/email/text. Probably almost as effective.

Then again, she really does nothing more than play gatekeeper. Talking hasn't done anything for him. It didn't stop him from shooting pepper spray, from threatening to use it at Wal-Mart or anything else he's been getting into.

I am not sure that was a forseeable problem. Shit happens.

As an aside, how the heck has she not been able to get Chris to drop Kim? I would think that would be a chore Anna would absolutely love to take on.

She seemed to try. Didn't she have a spat with Kim on facebook a little while ago?

People like Anna have to be careful to keep the ass-patting up, or face being cut-off. If she is too controlling in a way Chris doesn't like, she might lose any ability to help him.

So maybe she doesn't want to go too far with Kim. According to Marvin, she might not be the brightest bulb, so she might not know how to do it effectively.

But most of all, I don't think Chris is particularly high on her priority list. If she can knock out some of the low-hanging fruit with a quick text or email, she is happy to do it. But beyond that she seems both out of her depth and beyond her level of motivation.

 

[GS 281]

But most of all, I don't think Chris is particularly high on her priority list. If she can knock out some of the low-hanging fruit with a quick text or email, she is happy to do it. But beyond that she seems both out of her depth and beyond her level of motivation.

That's basically my point. She's not evil or bad, just Chris doesn't matter that much to her and people make her out to be highly engaged doing all this stuff. He's basically a name in her phone book.

 

[Jerkologist]

Chris already did what a lot of you guys are talking about. After Bob died in 2011, we didn't really hear much from him for ages. And prior to the Calling Out saga, he had maintained radio silence for 11 months. Based on what we know of his offline activity during those periods, it can be assumed that Chris simply "shutting up and leaving the internet" is basically him sitting around, playing PS4, and eating McNuggets. I don't know that that would be an improvement over producing sporadic content and selling Sonichu merchandise on ebay. This is technically the most productive he has been since high school.

 

[timtommy]

Chris already did what a lot of you guys are talking about. After Bob died in 2011, we didn't really hear much from him for ages. And prior to the Calling Out saga, he had maintained radio silence for 11 months. Based on what we know of his offline activity during those periods, it can be assumed that Chris simply "shutting up and leaving the internet" is basically him sitting around, playing PS4, and eating McNuggets. I don't know that that would be an improvement over producing sporadic content and selling Sonichu merchandise on ebay. This is technically the most productive he has been since high school.

I think most people would say that being an internet laughingstock like Chris is a net-loss over being some nobody playing vidya and eating shitty food.

Although I think I see your point. Chris has reduced his public internet persona to facebook and eBay. He communicates with the world on his terms. Either to make money, or to post about issues like lesbians and blarms that he is passionate about. An argument could be made that he benefits from having an audience for these things.

The counterargument would be that that audience primarily consists of people who know all of the embarassing details of his life and are just waiting for him to fuck up to laugh at him. Do a few medallion sales make up for having a decently active forum dedicated to laughing at you?

 

[Tubular Monkey]

The counterargument would be that that audience primarily consists of people who know all of the embarassing details of his life and are just waiting for him to fuck up to laugh at him. Do a few medallion sales make up for having a decently active forum dedicated to laughing at you?

Except in Chris's head, the last 8 years are when he and Sonichu became innernetfamous. Sure there were some trolls along the way, but there were also whirlwind romances with celebrities and the skyrocketing popularity of lectric kedgehog pokymon.

 

[Zarkov]

I never said she needs to do anything in her power to do her best, but she doesn't appear to do anything but sit on her ass and text him. So again, if the best she has to offer is to be a passive texting buddy, then she isn't really much "help" at all. I hate to sound insolent, but what is it that she does? Just occasionally text him then? I guess I just don't get it. She has no job or responsibilities as far as I know. Its only $300 round trip from Salt Lake City to Charlottesville.

I think it's a moot point. Chris does not wish to improve, at least not in the way the vast majority of Kiwis want him to. No matter how long Anna would stay with him, it wouldn't do jack shit. Chris rejects all advice. The only documented instances we have of Chris actually listening to someone are when Barb told him to drop his attraction sign and to stop sperging about being a virgin with rage (in public at least). What can Anna do ? Trying to help Chris is like punching a brick wall. He would not listen. If anything he'd probably alienate her for good.

 

[ChurchOfGodBear]

I think it's a moot point. Chris does not wish to improve, at least not in the way the vast majority of Kiwis want him to. No matter how long Anna would stay with him, it wouldn't do jack shit. Chris rejects all advice. The only documented instances we have of Chris actually listening to someone are when Barb told him to drop his attraction sign and to stop sperging about being a virgin with rage (in public at least). What can Anna do ? Trying to help Chris is like punching a brick wall. He would not listen. If anything he'd probably alienate her for good.

Yes. This. And, in addition, it's been said but it bears repeating: Anna's has two qualities that appeal to Chris: she tells him what he wants to hear and she possesses a functional vagina. She's made it clear to Chris (as clear as anything ever is to Chris) that the latter asset is not offered to him... so if she takes the former off the table, Chris has no reason to have Anna in his life.

 

[Stress Sigh]

Before Chris can improve he'd first have to confront most of his problems stem from himself and as time goes by its looking a little bleak if that'll happen before Barb passes. Though is it possible for Chris to improve enough to a semi normal life with the internet eager to pounce on his next episode? Really his best option in life so far would be to look into some kind of half way home or assisted living programs or if he could swallow his pride he could try to milk his e fame some more for donations.

 

[DrunkTails]

if he could swallow his pride he could try to milk his e fame some more for donations.

That could actually be of profit for Chris, but its not pride that holds him back. Its, sadly, his ego and his poor lack of ingenuity . He could use his efame notoriety to make money from it like with his medallion production, but his ego refuses to let him see possibility in negativity. He doesn't think on a plan on how he can make money, he might as well expect money to just fall down from the sky.

Sadly Chris can never have a normal life. The combination of his poorly thought actions, poor upbringing and the internet basically monitoring his actions means that no matter how much he tries he can never escape the shadow of his past.

 

[Ravenor]

With Anna, I think she is the closest thing to a real "Friend" Chris can maintain these days, arms length trying to battle off the Troll's in the only way she can (despite being a failed one her self), and as Marvin said Chris is beyond a week long visit, in a week what could she really accomplish? This isn't like helping a friend out after a relative has passed away, or has just had something traumatic happen to him. He is a barely functional man with a stunted IQ who has never had to anything with his life as the state has footed the bill and he's been allowed to live that kind of life by a disinterested mother and a father who just gave up in the end.

To get Chris close to normal would take years of prolonged help he just won't get as he doesn't think he need's it or would it be available to him.

Who is Toxic to ward's him getting help, Barb obviously but worse is Rocky. She may mean well but the kind of treatment she offers people is best suited to people with personally huge issues like divorce, worried about a ill friend etc not the really crippling stuff like Autism, an the whole host of other issues Chris has (an the fact the Court finds that kind of help acceptable is beyond me) by all means that should be available but only in addition to a trained psycological professional, not a well meaning but ill equipped an ill educated member of the local Church.

The thing is Chris has got a huge lag time in his development, I think we are seeing him enter his rebellious teen phase as he is standing up to Barb with the Tom Girl stuff, sneaking off to impulse etc. When Barb does pass away (not to turn it into that thread) he will go through a post Bob passing era and then he will feel more free and we will see additional improvements but nothing approaching what we would like to see or would be normal for a Man of his chronological age.

What I'd like to see him improve in is his appearance, I know he already see's himself as what ever he wants to be either the Hansom Hunk, or the Curvaceous Woman who turns every head in a room (I guess he kinda does just not in the way he thinks). But he shop's at the most awful places semi rural charity shops and I think that's mostly out of habit, I'd like to see him go to some shop an buy some new clothes an pay attention to his appearance that would go miles towards him getting accepted as normal.
In addition to that I'd like him to get another hobby somthing out of the house he lives either mostly in his head, or a few square meters only ever being exposed to what he chooses to be exposed to getting him out of his 100% controlled comfort zone would be a good thing for him.

 

[Alec Benson Leary]

I think Anna gave up a while ago, guys. She realized she can't do anything for Chris because he'll sabotage it all anyway. Now she's basically no different from his other Facebook friends who don't interact with him.

 

[CalmMyTits]

That begs the question: is it really improvement if it doesn't make Chris happier? Like, if you applied the changes everyone regards as "improvement" to Chris' life, he wouldn't be any happier. In fact, he'd be positively miserable.

I can't see how putting Chris into a starkly different situation and forcing him to live a life that just makes him unhappy as an improvement.

This is why I'm annoyed at people getting preachy about how Chris should get a job. While it sounds like a good plan on the surface, in reality, it's a really dumb suggestion. A part time job would make Chris miserable for the slight benefit of little extra money. He wouldn't socialize or become more normal or anything like that. All that would happen is that he'd be angry and resentful the whole time.

I have to respectfully disagree here, good sir.

There are a few things that WOULD improve Chris' life.

A healthier diet - this would improve Chris' overall health, and would also likely improve his mood and energy levels, not to mention a lower incidence of dirty, crapped briefs. I think overall Chris would be happier if he didn't feel so tired/sluggish/had better health numbers (blood pressure, cholesterol, etc)

Less vidya - I don't propose cutting out vidya altogether, it;s been shown that some vidya can actually be healthy for some people. But Chris is very dependent on it/electronic media, I think he would benefit from some downtime every day. Pick up a book, take a walk, whatever.

Now, the job thing... I think Marvin has a valid point here, but it would depend on the job. Social interactions/customer service is not right for some people. It wouldn't work for Chris to be a cashier/customer service rep/salesman/whatever. I know I would be miserable with that kind of job - and that is why I work in a job that requires very little interaction with actual customers, and limited interaction with coworkers. I think a part-time job just doing something like stocking shelves (during 3rd shift when the store is closed) or something like that may be appropriate for Chris. It would be a change of pace for him, not require any screen time, and have him moving around, without the stress of constant social interaction.

 

[Marvin]

Less vidya - I don't propose cutting out vidya altogether, it;s been shown that some vidya can actually be healthy for some people. But Chris is very dependent on it/electronic media, I think he would benefit from some downtime every day. Pick up a book, take a walk, whatever.

He doesn't play many video games.

Now, the job thing... I think Marvin has a valid point here, but it would depend on the job. Social interactions/customer service is not right for some people. It wouldn't work for Chris to be a cashier/customer service rep/salesman/whatever. I know I would be miserable with that kind of job - and that is why I work in a job that requires very little interaction with actual customers, and limited interaction with coworkers. I think a part-time job just doing something like stocking shelves (during 3rd shift when the store is closed) or something like that may be appropriate for Chris. It would be a change of pace for him, not require any screen time, and have him moving around, without the stress of constant social interaction.

Like yeah, personally, I could stock shelves for four hours a day. It wouldn't be fun, but it also wouldn't be torture. But again, I can do lots of fun things in that same amount of time.

The only difference is the money.

And Chris really doesn't need money. This would be a retarded waste of his time.