Sam Carter/Amanda Tapping Discussion/Appreciation

[Deejay435]

I've felt that Sam is an AJ, they may not show what she does, but I think after a long day at the SGC, she goes home, changes into her leathers get her bike out and hits the road. When she gets to one of those less travelled roads she puts the pedal to the metal (not sure if this applies to bikes ) and just speeds down the highway, hence the speeding tickets which could also be Sam's way of meeting a nice handsome cop. You may think well using a less travelled road (highway) doesn't make her an AJ, but remember, Sam is only willing to risk her own life, not others

On another note, it's the 3'd anniversary of the great black out of 2003, I was wondering how many Samandans were affected by it? I was and I'm pretty sure Deejay must have been too

I was indeed. Though I only lost my own power for a few hours, almost all the clients I was working with-adults with MR who lived in their own homes-lost their power for more than a day. It was quite a scramble to make sure they all had flashlights, and ways to eat without refrigeration or stoves. It was kind of...fun.

Laf, sorry it's just something Vala says that I found amusing. Guess I should have just said Poker Game.

Actually, I was just trying to figure out what King Kong has to do with poker. (Or what a royal marraige is, for that matter.)

[Mandysg1]

I was indeed. Though I only lost my own power for a few hours, almost all the clients I was working with-adults with MR who lived in their own homes-lost their power for more than a day. It was quite a scramble to make sure they all had flashlights, and ways to eat without refrigeration or stoves. It was kind of...fun.

You were lucky then, we went the whole 3 days without power at least we had our BBQ to use to cook with, and we had to scrounge around to find a radio that worked There was only 1 radio station on air and the DJ's were on a very high floor in one of our huge buildings downtown. They were on continuously and weren't relieved, so it was just the 2 of them, trying to relay what was going on. My neighbour actually got news of the blackout from her relatives in PEI

[Tok'Ra Hostess]

I think you're still equating rashness with thrill seeking. And I think they are not the same thing.

You're probably right, but how does one express AJ on television?

Writers/directors/actors express a character's personality traits through consistent character quirks, facial expressions, verbal cues, and I'm just saying that I haven't really seen that much from the SC character to suggest an AJ.

To give an example, for those who watch Atlantis, remember Ford, telling Sheppard that going through the gate "hurt like hell, sir." Then he gives a wicked grin and throws himself backward through the gate. That, for him, was fun, cool, a thrill. Yet, Ford was a good soldier, not rash or unreliable, for all that he showed his feelings about going to Atlantis.


Sam, in COTG, OTOH, got her jollies just by seeing the fluctuations in the event horizon. That thrilled her. The actual ride? Not so much. Then, the thrill of seeing how small the DHD was, and at meeting "Dr Jackson, I presume."

We've seen Sam thrilled at the prospect of fixing her bike. The rest, about how she rides it, is pure, unadulterated speculation/fantasy on our part. And believe me, I wish it were otherwise.

As for Space Race, I'll have to dig that ep up and rewatch. I have to admit, I was hyped to see AJ! Sam in that one and felt so let down by the presentation that it never became a fav for me.

Oh, and someone pointed out that in SR Sam was so excited that Daniel even commented on it, but that seems odd, as well. If Sam was an AJ, wouldn't Daniel's comment have been more along the lines of, "There you go again, you AJ, you?"

[alderleaf]

Actually, I was just trying to figure out what King Kong has to do with poker. (Or what a royal marraige is, for that matter.)

Found it at http://www.soundpoker.com/basics/startinghands.asp

They refer to the pocket cards in Texas Holdem poker

King Kong [cowboys] - two kings
Royal Marriage - King and Queen of same suit

From the ever curious/pedantic
alderleaf

[Deejay435]

You were lucky then, we went the whole 3 days without power at least we had our BBQ to use to cook with, and we had to scrounge around to find a radio that worked There was only 1 radio station on air and the DJ's were on a very high floor in one of our huge buildings downtown. They were on continuously and weren't relieved, so it was just the 2 of them, trying to relay what was going on. My neighbour actually got news of the blackout from her relatives in PEI

I was. My grandmother was without power for more than a day, and parts of town were out several. Fortunately the cell towers held out, so my cell worked the whole time, and I was able to coordinate things for my clients. (And calm the fears of staff who HAD to stay at work-emergency requirement, but who thought the world was ending. Good times. Good times.

[astrogeologist]

Sounds to me like a continuation of the episode Revisions...I thought they left that planet...oh maybe they went back and brought the computer with them, and now its rewriting everything

Perfect analogy!

actually, they didn't. they're now tryining to fix things, but i think it's too late. i think the poor ratings of season 10 are the direct result of the poor season 9. so the only thing they truly got away with is destroying their own show.

I agree that the low ratings for Season 10 are just a continuation of the ratings slide from Season 9. However, I don't think that it means that they will cancel the show yet. They might, they might not - we just don't know what their ultimate budget lines are, nor if there are folks with $$ who are willing to front $$ for a few lower rating years in the hopes that higher ratings years will come soon in the future.

Comments on Leadership:

Spoiler:

I can't believe that they are running the show with a New Guy as the Leader of seasoned veterans Carter, Jackson and Teal'c. And they are going to do at least 2 seasons, maybe 3 or more, with the New Guy as the Leader of the team of original heroes.

For me, SG-1 was O'Neill, Carter, Jackson and Teal'c. Over eight years, they became legendary, bigger-than-life scifi heroes. The flagship team. The ones who saved Earth so many times that folks have lost count. Did they make mistakes, yes, but overall, they came out ahead. Heroic legends.

O'Neill departs (behind the scenes because RDA leaves, on screen, he gets promoted).

So, a New Guy takes over the leadership of the other Legendary Original Three?

It just makes absolutely no sense. No matter what backstory they were to create for the New Guy.

Carter, Jackson and Teal'c should be mentoring and leading.

And yet, TPTB did it. They brought in a New Guy and put him in charge of the seasoned veterans (he's the lead both in the storylines and in terms of the show).

They did it. And beings that it has gone on for a season and half, and will be two seasons, maybe three. I'd say that, yes, they did get away with it.

And I just don't understand it. I don't understand fan reactions that were OK with it. There are fans out there who feel that a New Guy should lead the seasoned veterans that are Carter, Teal'c and Jackson. I don't get it.

Aaaaaagggghhhhh!

Waaaaaaaaaaaah!

[Strix varia]

I think you're still equating rashness with thrill seeking. And I think they are not the same thing. There may be some thrill seekers/adreniline junkies who are rash, but it does not logically follow that all are.

A person can be more than just a thrill seeker-entire personalities are not defined by one trait. Sam is a soldier first-jumping out of a plane in order to go on a secret mission into a country where they're really not all that welcome is hardly the time, for someone who is straight-laced and bound by the rules as Sam, to be jumping in glee and need a quelling look from her CO.

I agree with Dem as well-you don't just jump off a building without planning it out in advance; you don't snowboard down K2 on a whim-no matter what an adreniline junkie you may be. Either that or you're not an AJ for very long.

Getting back to the beginning of this discussion-which was that tptb have shown more of Mitchell's thrill seeking side than Sam's, I still disagree. I do think they've shown Sam's thrill seeking side better than Mitchell's. I don't see where they've shown us any of Mitchell's. They've shown us rash behavior. And they've had Mitchell tell of possible explainations for it (I'm a thrill seeker, When you almost die, like I did, you believe you can do anything.) but they haven't shown anything that points to thrill seeking. They've shown hyperactive-that I would believe.

Maybe I'm missing your point, but to me being an AJ involves a certain level of (b)rashness in regards to risk. Even the best planned trip up Mt. Everest involves considerable risk as evidenced by the number of people who die on the mountain. The folks who participate in X-treme sports accept that breaking bones is a natural result of what they do. To me, accepting that level of risk is brash and rash in the sense of lacking caution. They like the risk; they like the danger; and they willingly accept the potential consequences that go along with it. Okay, I may die on the mountain. Okay, my parachute may not open, and if it doesn't, I'm going to go splat. It's a risk I'm going to take because I like the rush that comes from the danger.

I just don't see Sam taking unnecessary risks with her life, if for no other reason than she knows damn well how important she is to the program. I don't see her taking off on a bike to blow off steam. If you ride a motorcycle, you accept the risk that you're going to be turned into road pizza by somebody in another vehicle who doesn't see you. I see Sam going to the gym to blow off steam. I see her sparing with Teal'c.

Sam gets enough adrenaline in her day job, and she obviously finds that very rewarding. She isn't intimidated by danger (which is very different from seeking danger out). I'm not even saying she doesn't like the adrenaline rush that she may get on missions. But I also don't think she'd want to miss out on an important mission because she wiped out on her bike. No way. I don't see her doing things on mission that involve unnecessary risk just to get a rush from it. It doesn't fit her personality type, which is detail and control oriented. Sam is a thinker, not a feeler. She's always thinking about the future, not the present. To my mind, AJs are in it for the feeling (the rush) and the moment (which is now).

[astrogeologist]

Here's an excellently written short Carterfic. It does get J/S shippy at the end; however, it does a wonderful job of young Sam and describing her love for physics, her fiestiness and the major events throughout her life.

Speed of Light by Rowan Darkstar

[astrogeologist]

On the Adrenaline Junkie topic, I think the first time I heard reference to it was when AT was describing how the writers originally had Carter 'tending her flower garden' on her off time in The Curse. I think (and you folks can correct me if I'm wrong), but I think AT said that she read the female stereotype of 'tending flowers' and thought something along the lines of 'No, this character is someone who flies jets and travels to other worlds... she's an adrenaline junkie', and she went to the writers and they agreed to show Carter as working on a classic motorcycle - and AT thought that was much more fitting for the character of Sam Carter than 'tending flowers in her garden'.

We don't truly get to see anything more about this side of Carter highlighted until Space Race, where part of the motivation for the story was to highlight this aspect of Carter's character. Complete with the official SciFi.com spoilers and episode summaries using the term regarding Carter's 'need for speed'. The episode did highlight a risk-taking, fun-loving side of Carter that generally was not shown.

So, I agree with just about everyone's posts on this topic. Personally, I like this aspect of Carter's character, and I think it fits nicely with her ability to pilot jets and alien hybrid spacecraft - and I am *so* glad that they didn't show her as 'tending her flowers' on her downtime in The Curse. [Teal'c or Jack would have been great characters to show tending a flower garden in their off time - just blow those macho stereotypes away, and show the guys as needing some time for introspection and quiet 'centering'... hmmm... perhaps it's too much like Kel'nor'reem... which means that it's too fitting for Teal'c... and therefore would have been the most fun as an aspect of Jack's character ]

I do agree that it would be great if they'd showed more of her 'need for speed' in her off-time. Some footage of her riding the motorcycle (and with a helmet, it could have been a stunt double if they were truly worried about the insurance), and/or in a car rally or some sort. Some shots of her test-piloting some new advances to the X-302's or whatever is the newest developing little fighter ship they are working on.

It's too bad that we don't have those shots, but even without them, I can take the 'I'm having fun, now, sir' comment and attribute it to the Adrenaline Junkie who also finds it fun to read and memorize Goa'uld ship schematics.

[DEM]

Maybe I'm missing your point, but to me being an AJ involves a certain level of (b)rashness in regards to risk.

I just don't see Sam taking unnecessary risks with her life, if for no other reason than she knows damn well how important she is to the program.

Sam gets enough adrenaline in her day job, and she obviously finds that very rewarding. She isn't intimidated by danger (which is very different from seeking danger out).

We're using terms differently. What you're describing (Sam) is not a non-thrill-seeker. Impulsivity, hyperactivity, recklessness, and sensation seeking (aka thrill-seeking) tend to be used synonymously or jumbled together, but that is erroneous. They're all different.

brash. Hasty and unthinking; impetuous

FH Farley. (1986). The Big T in Personality, Psychology Today.

These high-profile people are risk-takers and adventurers who seek excitement and stimulation wherever they can find or create it. For some, the thrills are mainly in the physical domain; for others, they're mainly mental and for still others they're a mix of both. I believe that thrill-seeking can lead some Type T's to outstanding creativity (I call this 'T plus'), but it can lead others to extremely destructive, even criminal, behavior ('T minus').

The Type T Personality (or 'Big T') is one end of a continuum; at the opposite pole is the 'Type t personality' ('Little t'): someone who clings to certainty and predictability, avoiding risks and the unfamiliar. Such people are usually neither criminal nor creative --they're gray compared with the bold red of the Type T Personality.

One particularly interesting difference shows up in their thinking styles. Big T's are what I call 'transmutative thinkers.' Some of our research suggests that they are exceptionally facile at shifting from one cognitive process to another and at transforming one mode of mental representation into another. They may move with greater ease from the abstract to the concrete and back compared with Little t's.

This facile style of thinking is probably related to the high degree of creativity seen in some Big T's. They can approach a problem from many angles and have many entry points into its solution, flexibly transforming the data into a variety of representations, thus increasing the likelihood of new solutions and insights. Their tendency to seek the novel, unknown and uncertain, combined with their risk-taking characteristic, further enhances their likelihood of being creative. Conversely, Little t's, who usually don't have this cognitive style and avoid uncertainty, novelty and risk-taking, are unlikely to be highly creative.

J.W. Roberti (2004). A review of behavioral and biological correlates of sensation seeking. Journal of Research in Personality, 38, 256–279.

Sensation seeking individuals tend to engage in behaviors that increase the amount of stimulation they experience. Such behaviors (e.g., interest in stimulating occupations, drug use, driving recklessly, etc.) involve seeking out arousal. The activities to fulfill the preferred arousal vary in the amount of risk associated with them. Risk taking is a correlate of sensation seeking but is not a primary motive in behavior (Zuckerman, 1994). Sensation seekers accept risk as a possible outcome of obtaining this arousal, yet do not seek out risk for its own sake (Zuckerman, 1994).(emphasis added)

Association of certain sensation seeking traits with broader factors of personality leads to a debate about "good" and "bad" forms of sensation seeking. Zuckerman (1994) defined impulsive, unsocialized sensation seeking (ImpUSS) and non-impulsive, socialized sensation seeking as two forms of sensation seeking. Glicksohn and Abulafia (1998) suggest that impulsive, unsocialized sensation seeking (ImpUSS) is comprised of three subcategories on the SSS-V (Disinhibition, Experience Seeking, and Boredom Susceptibility) and the Psychoticism (P) scale from the EPQ-R-S. Non-impulsive, socialized sensation seeking is comprised of the Thrill and Adventure Seeking (TAS) subscale of the SSS-V. Furthermore, high sensation seekers who have elevated scores on Disinhibition and Boredom Susceptibility subscales are more conniving, nonconforming, nonconventional, and lack planning skills (Glicksohn & Abulafia, 1998). When impulsivity is combined with a high sensation seeking profile, there may be less sensitivity to risk and a lack of planning by the individual. For example, prison inmates have been found to exhibit hostility, impulsivity, negative emotions, and anger (Knust & Stewart, 2002).

Vocational Interest Blank (SVIB) correlated with scores on a sensation seeking scale. High sensation seeking scores positively correlated with vocational interest patterns associated with novel situations, stimulating surroundings, unstructured tasks, and flexibility in their approach as major components of their occupational demands. Males with high sensation seeking scores tended to choose scientific or social service careers (e.g., psychologist, psychiatrist, and social worker). In contrast, low sensation scores were related to structured, well-defined tasks with order and routine in the occupation. For females, traditional vocations (e.g., housewife and home economics teacher) were negatively related to sensation seeking scores, whereas sensation seeking scores were positively related to occupations with stimulating occupational demands.

Investigation of personality traits of individuals already in a chosen occupation has been completed. Zaleski (1984) found that sensation seeking scores were related to certain chosen professions. Occupations including firefighters, mountain rescue, and mine rescue squads tended to have higher thrill and adventure seeking scores when compared with sportsmen professions (e.g., race car drivers, mountain climbers, and parachutists). The sportsmen group also had elevated thrill and adventure seeking scores of the SSS-V. Furthermore, both groups had elevated scores on the disinhibition scale when compared with a matched control group.

Although some occupations are risky, many are non-risky yet stimulating. In a study by Waters et al. (1976), it was found that pre-flight students in the US Navy indicated high external sensation seeking and thrill and adventure seeking preferences, yet have low disinhibiting and experience seeking behaviors. Similarly, Roberti (2003) recently found that sensation seeking characteristics are related to undergraduates interested in forensic identification. Forensic identification is a scientific occupation focused on documenting, collecting, analyzing criminal evidence with occupational demands that are constantly changing with high external stimulation. Furthermore, stress responses to an acute psychological challenge were associated with sensation seeking scores. This set of findings indicates that forensic identification students can find adequate, non-risky stimulation in their occupational choices.

The previous review of the literature indicates that sensation seekers have a variety of risky and non-risky choices for obtaining stimulation. (emphasis added)

(end quotations)

[ccdsah]

Here's an excellently written short Carterfic. It does get J/S shippy at the end; however, it does a wonderful job of young Sam and describing her love for physics, her fiestiness and the major events throughout her life.

Speed of Light by Rowan Darkstar

Thank YOU

[Coley]

Maybe I'm missing your point, but to me being an AJ involves a certain level of (b)rashness in regards to risk. Even the best planned trip up Mt. Everest involves considerable risk as evidenced by the number of people who die on the mountain. The folks who participate in X-treme sports accept that breaking bones is a natural result of what they do. To me, accepting that level of risk is brash and rash in the sense of lacking caution. They like the risk; they like the danger; and they willingly accept the potential consequences that go along with it. Okay, I may die on the mountain. Okay, my parachute may not open, and if it doesn't, I'm going to go splat. It's a risk I'm going to take because I like the rush that comes from the danger.

I just don't see Sam taking unnecessary risks with her life, if for no other reason than she knows damn well how important she is to the program. I don't see her taking off on a bike to blow off steam. If you ride a motorcycle, you accept the risk that you're going to be turned into road pizza by somebody in another vehicle who doesn't see you. I see Sam going to the gym to blow off steam. I see her sparing with Teal'c.

Sam gets enough adrenaline in her day job, and she obviously finds that very rewarding. She isn't intimidated by danger (which is very different from seeking danger out). I'm not even saying she doesn't like the adrenaline rush that she may get on missions. But I also don't think she'd want to miss out on an important mission because she wiped out on her bike. No way. I don't see her doing things on mission that involve unnecessary risk just to get a rush from it. It doesn't fit her personality type, which is detail and control oriented. Sam is a thinker, not a feeler. She's always thinking about the future, not the present. To my mind, AJs are in it for the feeling (the rush) and the moment (which is now).

Just my 2p worth

I think there is a lot of difference between being a rash and being a thrill seeker. I love rock climbing for all sorts of reasons - including the rush. It is dangerous, but I do not consider myself rash. I evaluate the dangers involved and act accordingly to minimise the risk. I do not try and push my grades, I climb routes which I have enough information for, I climb in a safe considered manner. A rash climber would be one who just decided on a route which was out of their experience level, who did not consider the equipment that would be needed, or what the escape route options were etc etc.

It is pretty dangerous to drive a car these days. Is everyone who drives a car rash just because they are taking a risk?

You can be a thrill seeker without being rash. As long as one considers the risks first they cannot be regarded as rash. If one considers the risks and still goes ahead - then they are a risk taker rather than rash

IMO anyway!!

[Uber]

Just my 2p worth

I think there is a lot of difference between being a rash and being a thrill seeker. I love rock climbing for all sorts of reasons - including the rush. It is dangerous, but I do not consider myself rash. I evaluate the dangers involved and act accordingly to minimise the risk. I do not try and push my grades, I climb routes which I have enough information for, I climb in a safe considered manner. A rash climber would be one who just decided on a route which was out of their experience level, who did not consider the equipment that would be needed, or what the escape route options were etc etc.

It is pretty dangerous to drive a car these days. Is everyone who drives a car rash just because they are taking a risk?

You can be a thrill seeker without being rash. As long as one considers the risks first they cannot be regarded as rash. If one considers the risks and still goes ahead - then they are a risk taker rather than rash

IMO anyway!!

I agree with this.

I was watching something about ice mountain climbers. They were talking about how a big part of it was competing against and challenging yourself and the need for nerves of steel because you're literally hanging off an icy cliff. Adrenaline rush galore.

That being said, they do a ton of preparation, figuring out the density of the ice, the temperature, how it's packed, etc. to determine what specific tools they'll use to make the climb. Not being prepared equals falling to your death and taking your team with you. Rashness is simply not an option.

I think she fits in this realm of adrenaline junkie. She loves the rush but isn't idiotic. Like an ice climber, she prepares and studies to make sure she doesn't get herself killed but that doesn't negate the thrill.

[Strix varia]

brash. Hasty and unthinking; impetuous

In my dictionary:

brash: heedless of the consequences (audacious); uninhibitedly energetic or demonstrative; lacking restraint and discernment; aggressively self-assertive; bold

junkie: a peddler or addict; a person who derives inordinate pleasure from or who is dependent on something

Apparently I have a different concept of what an adrenaline junkie is (which is the original term being used in this discussion, as opposed to thrill-seeker). To me, the name implies somebody who is lacking restraint and discernment when it comes to getting their adrenaline fix. In my mind, adrenaline junkies are willing to take great risks to get their rush, sometimes heedless of the potential consequences because they are dependent on it.

I've done firefighting and emergency response; I've been a storm chaser, and I like to beat on people with clubs. But I don't consider myself to be an adrenaline junkie because I am not addicted to or dependent upon adrenaline. I *like* to garden. (I might consider the possibility that I'm a closet thrill-seeker.)

[DEM]

Apparently I have a different concept of what an adrenaline junkie is (which is the original term being used in this discussion, as opposed to thrill-seeker).

I think so. Those excerpts (above) were meant to show how I understand what people, in general, mean when they say 'adrenaline junkie'. Social scientists do not use the term 'adrenaline junkie'; they use thrill seeking, sensation seeking, etc., but they're describing the same phenomenon.

Furthermore, if nothing else, I can't imagine why AT ever would describe Carter as characterologically 'lacking in restraint' or an 'addict'. IOW, to me, AT was using 'adrenaline junkie' in the loose way, as described below.

from Wikipedia:

'Adrenaline Junkie' is a colloquialism used to describe somebody who appears addicted to the effects of adrenaline.

A typical adrenaline junkie enjoys engaging in extreme sports and other intense or dangerous activities, such as: (list omitted).

Less obvious but just as dramatic adrenaline junkies include gamblers, snow sports enthusiasts, highway speeders, emergency medical personnel, emergency response personnel, SWAT officers, stock market traders, and argumentative people.

Although the term "adrenaline junkie" is normally used facetiously and without any genuine implication of addiction, there may be an element of truth to the description.