I left my last board home, several years ago, because it had become impossible to discuss anything with anybody there without the 'dickwads' showing up to make the hateful comments and/or derail the thread. And yes, it does wear you down when you cannot make the most innocent post withut somebody calling you a name, questioning your motives, judging you, or accusing you of something. There have been times at USMB that I have been tempted to leave for the same reason, but there is an occasional grown up thread that is sufficiently ineresting to offset it. And I've gotten tougher and more introspective over the years too.
So I know exactly where Gracie is coming from, except that I admit I bristled a little bit when she targeted "people of faith" as the primary culprits. While I have been a bit discouraged at the unChristian behavior of some of my Christian friends here, I will say that I have been targeted, accused, and attacked by the non-religious and Atheists far more often than I have had problems with people of faith. So let's at least call that one a draw. It is not 'religion' or lack thereof that prompts such behavior, but. . . .
. . . .hanging out my temporary shingle here. . . .
And five cents may be all this is worth but, in my opinion, the childish, hateful and petty here:
1. Are people who are naturally that way
2. People who want to be that way in real life but don't dare do that so they vent here under the shield of anonymity--such people are far more selfish than having any concern for others IMO. . . .
3. Those who don't read well or carefully and don't give the other person an opportunity to qualify or clarify but rather jump to unwarranted conclusions and create a toxic situation that the other person never intended. . . .
4. The insecure and immature who has little or nothing to contribute but tries to build his/her own ego by bullying others with neg rep or hateful comments. . . .some do this even to newbies on introduction threads.
5. The self righteous--both religious and non religious--who think bludgeoning others into submission or defeat makes them look smart and - well - righteous.
6. Those who truly don't take any of this seriously and do this as some kind of sport and are doing it to entertain themselves. These are harmless enough and the wise are even more wise to not take them seriously. Unfortunately for them, they sometimes so stereotype themselves, they make it difficult to take them seriously even when they are motivated to be serious.
7. Those who are commissioned or paid to use any means necessary to derail and, if possible shut down, any thread of substance that casts their political or social group in a bad light and they often use the hateful, snarky, judgmental, accusatory, or stupid statement to start the food fight that will do it. And because it seems to be human nature that such bait cannot be resisted, they often succeed.
SUMMARY: The advice to not take the hateful seriously is very good advice, but in truth, advice is often much easier to give than it is to take. We can choose how we will respond to others. We can't always choose how we feel.
...Oh, never mind..
