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    The O'Neill Paradox

    Jack O'Neill was a pilot in the air force at SOME point right? He did after all fly the X302. It is also my understanding that training to be a pilot requires some serious academic commitment and fortitude. Yet at the same time, Jack O'Neills character, who while may be smart, has the attitude of complete laziness when it comes to learning about just about anything. So how was it that he managed to get through the air force training for a pilot? Pilot training consists of aircraft systems, flight regulations, instrument flying, aerospace physiology, navigation, flight planning, and aviation weather. So it isn't as if he can just say, "Carter!" to the whole training situation and then be told, "You'll be flying a plane, sir."

    #2
    I imagine that was many years ago and nowadays doesn't want to hear and think through the technobable. I think it's pretty obvious that he's much smarter then he gives off, but just lazy, as you said. I can tell you that despite being an engineer, I still don't like to hear a paragraph of technobable when you can say a sentence in laymen talk.

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      #3
      Colonel O'Neill is older, wiser, and far more impatient. He understands things just fine, he just doesn't like discussing it in minute detail. That's why he yells, "Carter," so she'll just get to the point. Do you want someone to give you blueprints of your vacuum cleaner and give you detailed explanations of how the thing works... or do you want to know where to plug it in, where the power switch is, and how to use attachments?

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        #4
        Technobabble 101 is not required. O'Neill is smarter than he let's on. He probably does know a lot about mechanics (just not physics, alien tech and archeology)

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          #5
          It's possible that when he was learning to fly he gave it his all, now he doesn't.
          Jedi_Master_Bra'tac, previously known as wako!


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            #6
            in easy terms he doesnt give too hoots any more as he did all the hard stuff now its easy
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              #7
              Plus, am I correct in thinking that a person doesn't get to be an officer in the Air Force without some kind of college training or degree(s) of some kind - thus, college education or higher education of some kind?

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                #8
                Originally posted by hedwig View Post
                Plus, am I correct in thinking that a person doesn't get to be an officer in the Air Force without some kind of college training or degree(s) of some kind - thus, college education or higher education of some kind?
                Which brings up another good point. Didn't O'Neills clone mention he either did very poorly in high school or didn't finish it at all? Although I doubt a drop out can be an air force pilot, so maybe it was the former.

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                  #9
                  Originally posted by The6thRace View Post
                  Which brings up another good point. Didn't O'Neills clone mention he either did very poorly in high school or didn't finish it at all? Although I doubt a drop out can be an air force pilot, so maybe it was the former.
                  He said "We (Jack and Clone).... didn't really embrace high school"

                  From the context scene I think it was heavily implied he meant he didn't "embrace" it socially
                  Jedi_Master_Bra'tac, previously known as wako!


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                    #10
                    Originally posted by hedwig View Post
                    Plus, am I correct in thinking that a person doesn't get to be an officer in the Air Force without some kind of college training or degree(s) of some kind - thus, college education or higher education of some kind?
                    To be an officer you need a four-year college degree. To get promoted above a captain you need a graduate degree.

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                      #11
                      i dunno, my uncle john was in the air force and he has an O'Neill like attitude. and can we really call it a paradox? there seems to be nothing contradictory about it.
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                        #12
                        O'neill is simply like many, many people in this world. He learned as a means to an end, to get a college degree so that he could get a job—after getting it, he didn't care anymore. Sam and Daniel learned for the sake of learning, and continue to do so, and are fascinated by any new knowledge (technobabble). I'm like them and love (and say) technobabble, but my father is like O'neill—very intelligent, but not really showing or caring about his knowledge except as it applies to his job (computer science). And as O'neill sees his job as military officer, he really doesn't need all that stuff he learned.

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                          #13
                          This can all be settled by the fact that a real General, who guest starred on the show, said that there are plenty of real Colonels in the Air Force who act exactly like Jack.

                          And some, worse.

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                            #14
                            Originally posted by The6thRace View Post
                            Jack O'Neill was a pilot in the air force at SOME point right? He did after all fly the X302. It is also my understanding that training to be a pilot requires some serious academic commitment and fortitude. Yet at the same time, Jack O'Neills character, who while may be smart, has the attitude of complete laziness when it comes to learning about just about anything. So how was it that he managed to get through the air force training for a pilot? Pilot training consists of aircraft systems, flight regulations, instrument flying, aerospace physiology, navigation, flight planning, and aviation weather. So it isn't as if he can just say, "Carter!" to the whole training situation and then be told, "You'll be flying a plane, sir."
                            Jack O'Neill in the film was much smarter than RDA's version. RDA gave the character a "thickness" for the sake of humor.

                            If Jack was real...than he would pretty much be a genius. Not only for pilot training but also for military career school. His degree in military operations would have to be master's or above...for major general...probably even higher.

                            In order for Jack to be an officer, promoted to full colonel, he cannot be as thick as RDA played him. And the show even had carter stating he was smarter than he let on...but in real life, any colonel who acted like Jack wouldn't be tolerated for very long. Doesn't matter how many time you saved the earth from aliens too.


                            Originally posted by DeRoest View Post
                            Technobabble 101 is not required. O'Neill is smarter than he let's on. He probably does know a lot about mechanics (just not physics, alien tech and archeology)
                            Kind of need to know physics to be a pilot. Need to be really good at math too. Need to know weather patterns, aviation mechanics...with modern aircraft...a bit of a computer wiz.

                            He doesn't need to speak 37 different languages.

                            Carter as a pilot does fit with her scientist and mechanical background.
                            Grammar, Logic, Rhetoric.

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                              #15
                              Acting thick =/= being thick.

                              And as I just said, there are apparently people like O'Neill in the Air Force.

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