I think that part of it is people being unnecessarily argumentative.
Take two themes for example:
1. The paranormal. If I start a thread about experiencing something that's paranormal in order to get a conversation going with other people who have, you can be sure within three pages, someone will have come on saying how it's all a load of rubbish, cue semantic argument about 'can't disprove negatives' and such like. Why do they bother? If they don't believe these things are true, then why not start their own thread?
2. Brand loyalty arguments. Xbox 360 vs PS3 or Android Vs iPhone. I mean, who cares? If you use one particular set of goods and want to talk about it then why not?
Many of the interjections that you see within threads would've been considered trolling years ago, but we've become so accustomed to it that it generally goes unchallenged these days. I do recall in the 'olden days' that mods were much more proactive in dealing with these sorts of things, on a common sense basis. Unfortunately now, nothing gets done unless the Alert button is hit, and not many people like to dob others in, so nothing gets done.
I try to stay out of anything that involves religion, benefits, single mothers, Maddie Mccann (:eek:), capital punishment. I am now going to add sexisim and animal cruelty to my 'avoid' list
I still always get sucked in to the abortion threads though - they are always the same and I should know better.
For respite I go to the food and pet forums - you rarely get any nastiness in either of those places
I think people (in other threads) don't understand discuss though.
Although i'm goign to have the image of yeti tits seared in my brain now
Discuss gets ignored in favour of being overly pedantic with people they might not get on with in the vain hope of getting some "ownage" and one over on that person, the digs that are in every thread are hilarious when you know what youre looking for... i can imagine the "digee" sitting there smugly going "ha she/he will know thats a dig at them!- i showed them!!" when in reality the person probably hasnt a clue, that makes me laugh - when those get ignored and the digee has to try harder and harder and be more open in their insults to get a response..showing their true colours one bloke shot himself right in the foot doing it the other day to a lovely lady on here.
I try to stay out of anything that involves religion, benefits, single mothers, Maddie Mccann (:eek:), capital punishment. I am now going to add sexisim and animal cruelty to my 'avoid' list
I still always get sucked in to the abortion threads though - they are always the same and I should know better.
For respite I go to the food and pet forums - you rarely get any nastiness in either of those places
Ive started reading the food threads a lot, they remind me of genial WI type meetings like on Calender girls, so nice.
Its all cliques talking crap. I have read this thread and most of it is nothing to do with the original question.
I'm going to disagree. There used to be, and many posters try and make valid, sensible arguments (regardless of whether or not you agree with their conclusions) - they just get drowned out by the noisy (stupid) ones.
And, I've quite enjoyed the ramblings on this thread - there has been no nastiness, just a bunch of posters (none of whom I've discussed with before) having a conversation, with (a lot of) randomness thrown in - it's more like R/L than any thread I've been in in a long long time
Its all cliques talking crap. I have read this thread and most of it is nothing to do with the original question.
I'd say it is an attempt to prove that the original question doesn't apply to everyone who posts here.
I'm not aware that there is a clique involved - and if there is, I'm not part of it. I know a number of the people who have posted in this thread only slightly and one or two - a little more than that. Other than that, the other posters in this thread are not people I know at all. I don't see that being cliquey just because a few people join in with the same line of banter.
I try to stay out of anything that involves religion, benefits, single mothers, Maddie Mccann (:eek:), capital punishment. I am now going to add sexisim and animal cruelty to my 'avoid' list
I still always get sucked in to the abortion threads though - they are always the same and I should know better.
I know what you mean - I get sucked into religion, CT and sciency threads a lot - not because i'm on a wind up, but because I want to understand how people reach a different point. I like sharing evidence and interpretation, becuase (and I know this is DS heresy), i may be wrong
The only time i see cliques is when the same names rush to attack the same people everytime one of their "friends" gets into a heated debate, you can watch and think "right so and so will turn up in a min, and lo and behold.. bang on target they do, to attack the poster debating with their "friend" yet accuse them of this and they are highly indignant and claim not to be freinds with these people at all..
But everytime.. like clockwork.. they come running...same names everytime to the defence of the same people.:rolleyes:.
Its all cliques talking crap. I have read this thread and most of it is nothing to do with the original question.
I've never noticed cliques. Sometimes one poster will reply with a reference to another thread they and the quoted poster were in, but I'm damned if I could attach one username to another.
I have said similar about GD before, I think it changed sometime in the last two - two and a half years but I have no idea why, Advice is a much calmer place much like GD used to be, but even the nastiness if you can call it that is seeping in occasionally over there.
I've been on here almost a year and I think it's always been like this in GD.
At first you don't get what's going on, then I think you become wiser to it all and choose the threads you post in more wisely - it's the only way to remain sane I find!
My pet hate is when the first reply or two to a thread is just pure sarcasm or nastiness. :mad:
Great Points!
There are some threads that get tiring, the Muslim ones particularly. Some days I may want to debate in all seriousness, other times I just want to chat innane drivel, as long as I have the option to do both, I'm happy.
I do worry that a lot of people on here don't have very thick skin
In my 4.5 years I've only been truly riled on very few occasions (and I have never, ever been banned )
I guess I just fail to get too wound up by people on an internet forum!!
I don't care if someone on here disagree's with me (in fact I think some posters are here purely to disagree!!) I don't care what posters here think of me to be honest....
I know some people are a little more delicate than I am but maybe they aren't cut out for DS (I am not excusing downright nastiness or singling posters out - but on the whole my motto is 'if you can't stand the heat step away from the thread')
Comments
I think an IQ tester might also be useful sometimes
The problem is most of us post crap whilst were sober.
Also some of the best posts/threads have been when people were drunk. Remember the "I'm drunk ask me anything" threads a few weeks back.
I didn't even understand the question.
Sometimes going random is funny. (with respect.)
Seriously though it's a discussion forum not a debating society.
^^ Yep.
Oh no, it isn't!!!
Youve set her off again!!!
I think people (in other threads) don't understand discuss though.
Although i'm goign to have the image of yeti tits seared in my brain now
Its all cliques talking crap. I have read this thread and most of it is nothing to do with the original question.
I try to stay out of anything that involves religion, benefits, single mothers, Maddie Mccann (:eek:), capital punishment. I am now going to add sexisim and animal cruelty to my 'avoid' list
I still always get sucked in to the abortion threads though - they are always the same and I should know better.
For respite I go to the food and pet forums - you rarely get any nastiness in either of those places
Discuss gets ignored in favour of being overly pedantic with people they might not get on with in the vain hope of getting some "ownage" and one over on that person, the digs that are in every thread are hilarious when you know what youre looking for... i can imagine the "digee" sitting there smugly going "ha she/he will know thats a dig at them!- i showed them!!" when in reality the person probably hasnt a clue, that makes me laugh - when those get ignored and the digee has to try harder and harder and be more open in their insults to get a response..showing their true colours one bloke shot himself right in the foot doing it the other day to a lovely lady on here.
Ive started reading the food threads a lot, they remind me of genial WI type meetings like on Calender girls, so nice.
I'm going to disagree. There used to be, and many posters try and make valid, sensible arguments (regardless of whether or not you agree with their conclusions) - they just get drowned out by the noisy (stupid) ones.
And, I've quite enjoyed the ramblings on this thread - there has been no nastiness, just a bunch of posters (none of whom I've discussed with before) having a conversation, with (a lot of) randomness thrown in - it's more like R/L than any thread I've been in in a long long time
I'd say it is an attempt to prove that the original question doesn't apply to everyone who posts here.
I'm not aware that there is a clique involved - and if there is, I'm not part of it. I know a number of the people who have posted in this thread only slightly and one or two - a little more than that. Other than that, the other posters in this thread are not people I know at all. I don't see that being cliquey just because a few people join in with the same line of banter.
I know what you mean - I get sucked into religion, CT and sciency threads a lot - not because i'm on a wind up, but because I want to understand how people reach a different point. I like sharing evidence and interpretation, becuase (and I know this is DS heresy), i may be wrong
But everytime.. like clockwork.. they come running...same names everytime to the defence of the same people.:rolleyes:.
I've never noticed cliques. Sometimes one poster will reply with a reference to another thread they and the quoted poster were in, but I'm damned if I could attach one username to another.
Seems pretty fluid to me.
Great Points!
There are some threads that get tiring, the Muslim ones particularly. Some days I may want to debate in all seriousness, other times I just want to chat innane drivel, as long as I have the option to do both, I'm happy.
In my 4.5 years I've only been truly riled on very few occasions (and I have never, ever been banned
I guess I just fail to get too wound up by people on an internet forum!!
I don't care if someone on here disagree's with me (in fact I think some posters are here purely to disagree!!) I don't care what posters here think of me to be honest....
I know some people are a little more delicate than I am but maybe they aren't cut out for DS (I am not excusing downright nastiness or singling posters out - but on the whole my motto is 'if you can't stand the heat step away from the thread')