The mindset of the typical message board poster

[HUGGY]

yes, in my opinion, liesmatters is a paid poster.


as for the socks.... attention whore is the proper term for them. They keep coming back for more.

But who doesn't love a good chew toy before it gets itself banned.

As we got closer to the election in Nov., I was pretty sure a couple of paid posters showed up. Very articulate, obviously with a great command of the issues and quick with the comeback. And the ones I read were left wingers. Obama had a really good 'Net campaign.

Those your legs? Hope so They are attention getters. Better any troll. eusa_angel:

agreed.... they are still amusing to watch...even if they are paid trolls.

I think it would be helpfull in this discussion if you would answer Zeke's question...

 

[saveliberty]

I thought the garbage in, garbage out rule still applied?

 

[Si modo]

I think that the Internet is what one makes it.

Exactly. And, at USMB, there is so much to enjoy. One can find a good debate and one can find a hysterical flame thread.

Lemonade is good stuff, but some just have difficulties finding the good in things.

I prefer going through life enjoying things...even tragedies, because they are great learning experiences.

 

[Mushroom]

Next question. Has this forum affected the manner in which you debate elsewhere on this board, or others. Meaning do you follow the different rules set forth in this forum in other forums or do you adjust to fit the other forums and boards as well or do you just avoid other forums and boards altogether, or at least try to?

Actually, it is from message boards that I have developed my general pattern I use in any forums I am a member of.

Most of those I belong to are like this, but I am somewhat unique in that I primarily stick to the Military threads. I occasionally wander to History, Science, or Conspiracy Theory, but that is rare. I also sometimes wander "recent posts" and will comment on something that catches my eye, but I tend to stick to military 90%+ of the time.

Myself, I try to be as neutral as possible, trying to use facts or past events to back up my claim. And one thing I hate with a passion is people who make claims and are unable to validate them. They just repeat something they heard somewhere else, without even trying to show that what they are saying is true.

Personally, I tend to ignore posts that are obviously "political", because that is really just personal opinion and there is no real "right" or "wrong" answer.

 

[Foxfyre]

I have always loved debate and give and take discussion. I loved the debate team and I loved coaching and judging debate. When I teach, I structure my classes to encourage a lot of give and take and invite differences of opinion. Everybody is expected to know it, but nobody is required to approve or accept what I teach.

I don't think I am any different on line than I am in person except that I am more likely to verbalize my opinions/perceptions/conclusions about things on line more easily than I feel comfortable doing in most social settings in real life. And there is opportunity to deal with a much wider variety of concepts and subject matter here than I usually have opportunity to discuss in person on a day to day basis.

But I don't enjoy the do-it-for-fun insults and zingers that are typical on so many threads so the FZ is usually not for me. And I walk away from threads that dissolve into food fights or insult fests. But....and this is abn important but....I don't harbor any negative opinions about those who do enjoy that and power to you all who get a kick out of it.

This is the first board I've ever participated on that had a rep system and I don't miss that at all on boards that don't have it. I like giving pos reps though.

It took me awhile, but I have learned that in this environment as much as in real life, I can control how I will respond to people and will not allow them to make that choice for me. If I was to give any newbie to message boarding any advice at all, it would be that.

 

[daveman]

It took me awhile, but I have learned that in this environment as much as in real life, I can control how I will respond to people and will not allow them to make that choice for me. If I was to give any newbie to message boarding any advice at all, it would be that.

Well said. No one can hurt your feelings or make you angry unless you've first given them permission to do so.

We give that power to those whom we love. But anonymous internet message board posters? Why would you give that power to people you don't even know and are never likely to meet?

Never understood that.

Oddly enough, when I point out that other posters don't have the power to dictate my emotions, they insist they do and say I'm "daving".

 

[Michelle420]

Started in this forum to , hopefully preclude pointing fingers at any specific posters. As that is not my intent with this thread.

Rather, I wish to discuss ( or debate, because in this context they mean the same thing) whether the bickering, arguing, lying, deceitfulness, denial, and just outright dishonest we see on message boards is a microcosm of real life, or if rather it is merely a product of the anonymity provided by message boards.

In either case, my next question is why do people feel the need to resort to such tactics to win what is essentially pointless debate?

I think it's a mixture of the two myself. I think people ARE that big of assholes in real life, but know that if they behaved to the extremes that they behave on anonymous message boards someone would put their dick in the dirt.

Next question. Has this forum affected the manner in which you debate elsewhere on this board, or others. Meaning do you follow the different rules set forth in this forum in other forums or do you adjust to fit the other forums and boards as well or do you just avoid other forums and boards altogether, or at least try to?

I try to have a civil discussion.

Sometimes it gets heated usually depends on the topic being discussed.

I would guess the level of emotion and civility depends on how emotionally, or intellectually invested an individual is in the issue.

Even people who are decent can lose their temper from time to time.

I would imagine that is the same for others who post at messageboards.

 

[Foxfyre]

It took me awhile, but I have learned that in this environment as much as in real life, I can control how I will respond to people and will not allow them to make that choice for me. If I was to give any newbie to message boarding any advice at all, it would be that.

Well said. No one can hurt your feelings or make you angry unless you've first given them permission to do so.

We give that power to those whom we love. But anonymous internet message board posters? Why would you give that power to people you don't even know and are never likely to meet?

Never understood that.

Oddly enough, when I point out that other posters don't have the power to dictate my emotions, they insist they do and say I'm "daving".

Yeah, the insults and psychoanalysis and negative commentary is pretty persistent if some don't like your point of view. I wish the negatives thrown at me were as kind as 'daving', but I just figure those who seem wired to be unkind or hateful have more problems than any of us will ever be able to deal with on line. Such people are far more likely to incur my pity, but they can't hurt my feelings.

I can't say I've never had my feelings hurt on line though. Some people you do get to know on line--a few of these I've subsequently met in person and I already knew them due to our online communication whether that be message boards, Facebook, in a multiplayer game, or whatever. And some of these you let your guard down and a genuine friendship develops. And it is hurtful when they betray you or get mad at you or unfriend you or whatever, most especially when there is nothing you can do about it. But as you said, you have given them permission to hurt you so oh well.

At the end of the day, if you don't have more fun or get more pleasure out of doing this than anything else, it simply isn't worth doing.

 

[daveman]

It took me awhile, but I have learned that in this environment as much as in real life, I can control how I will respond to people and will not allow them to make that choice for me. If I was to give any newbie to message boarding any advice at all, it would be that.

Well said. No one can hurt your feelings or make you angry unless you've first given them permission to do so.

We give that power to those whom we love. But anonymous internet message board posters? Why would you give that power to people you don't even know and are never likely to meet?

Never understood that.

Oddly enough, when I point out that other posters don't have the power to dictate my emotions, they insist they do and say I'm "daving".

Yeah, the insults and psychoanalysis and negative commentary is pretty persistent if some don't like your point of view. I wish the negatives thrown at me were as kind as 'daving', but I just figure those who seem wired to be unkind or hateful have more problems than any of us will ever be able to deal with on line. Such people are far more likely to incur my pity, but they can't hurt my feelings.

I can't say I've never had my feelings hurt on line though. Some people you do get to know on line--a few of these I've subsequently met in person and I already knew them due to our online communication whether that be message boards, Facebook, in a multiplayer game, or whatever. And some of these you let your guard down and a genuine friendship develops. And it is hurtful when they betray you or get mad at you or unfriend you or whatever, most especially when there is nothing you can do about it. But as you said, you have given them permission to hurt you so oh well.

At the end of the day, if you don't have more fun or get more pleasure out of doing this than anything else, it simply isn't worth doing.

Indeed.

But trust me -- I've been called worse things than a "daver".