Rethinking Forum/Social Media

Paco Dennis said:
This forum looks like it is faith based and talks politics. Might want to give it a try.

Politics

Here is another one : Religious Forums
Click to expand...
You say that as though religious topics, just like politics, were not allowed here. We are allowed to talk religion here.

Some people seem to think religion is perfectly acceptable only so long as it's not the Christian religion. If someone says they had a spiritual experience after eating mushrooms or they're burning their old boyfriend in effigy, that would be cool, but let them say they're coloring eggs for an Easter basket and they're accused of forcing their religion down everyone's throat.

I don't think anyone needs to be encouraged to go to another forum just because other people don't want to hear their opinions.
 

Magna-Carta said:
As already mentioned here, you do seem quite active. After now looking at your profile, I worked out that you are averaging around 19 posts per day, which is impressive in itself. And if you're contributing to other forums with a similar level of enthusiasm, that’s even more impressive.
Click to expand...
2nd time my "stats" have been mentioned..... I did not know there was a limit, or a "norm" that I needed to observe to be acceptably pleasing to other members. Noted. Thank you for pointing it out.
 
I don’t think rudeness etc has increased, it’s just the size of the audience that has.

In any gathering there are going to be a percentage of folks who are rude, belittling, nasty etc. whether that gathering is an IRL event or an online forum, the only difference being that social media of any kind has the potential for thousands, or more, of “attendees” vs an in person social event. So of course the nastiness will increase in direct proportion to the size of your audience.

The percentage of nasty folks stays the same, but the size of the audience makes the difference between whether you get one disrespectful comment or hundreds of them or anything in between.

Add to that the relative anonymity of the audience which emboldens some people to speak out in ways they wouldn’t if they were face to face. All that nastiness is mitigated some in forums like this where there is oversight and the nasty folks and rule breakers are eventually weeded out.

In spite of that attrition the forum continues to grow because it’s a comparatively safe space compared to many out there.
 
Last edited:
Ronni said:
I don’t think rudeness etc has increased, it’s just the side of the audience that has.

In any gathering there are going to be a percentage of folks who are rude, belittling, nasty etc. whether that gathering is an IRL event or an online forum, the only difference being that social media of any kind has the potential for thousands, or more, of “attendees” vs an in person social event. So of course the nastiness will increase in direct proportion to the size of your audience.

The percentage of nasty folks stays the same, but the size of the audience makes the difference between whether you get one disrespectful comment or hundreds of them or anything in between.

Add to that the relative anonymity of the audience which emboldens some people to speak out in ways they wouldn’t if they were face to face. All that nastiness is mitigated some in forums like this where there is oversight and the nasty folks and rule breakers are eventually weeded out.

In spite of that attrition the forum continues to grow because it’s a comparatively safe space compared to many out there.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the answer. I agree with you. :)
 
@January , why did you post a quote of mine out of context? I said in the very next sentence "I understand your sentiment there". I totally understood she was trying to be helpful by suggesting Who-so-ever leave for awhile but I went on to say...
....clearly there are problematic members who should be the ones to leave and find other ways to fill THEIR time instead of Who-so-ever.
 
Last edited:
This site does seem to have a lot more negative people on it these days. Sometimes it is a real downer to read messages on what might be an otherwise interesting topic. Good grief! Now I am sounding negative. Time to go outside before the infection sets in.
 
CallMeKate said:
I must be an odd duck because I don't give a diddley squat about rudeness, stalking, etc. If I don't like something, I turn away or "give it back"... but hopefully respectfully. However in my "infancy days" here, it didn't always turn out that way. I can provide references. :sneaky:

How exactly do you feel you're being "stalked?" I will say this... if you honestly think our SF forum falls into the category you're upset about, you may seriously need to visit some of the others that are active online and there may be a shock waiting. This is the most civilized forum I've been on, and I starting using them in the mid 90s.
Click to expand...

I've always been an odd duck too. I don't know about you but I consider myself to be a Swan. :D

I usually just ignore rude people. I see no reason to argue. Its pointless.
Especially with those people who think you need to be reeducated because your opinion differs from theirs.

If someone posts a different opinion from mine I just move on. Its their opinion . Theyre entitled to it.
Some people live to be offended. Leave them be. Theyre having fun. :D

Tone and emphasis is everything. Sometimes things dont translate well online.
I always try to remember to use smiles cause I have too much humour. :D

I dont know why anybody would want to stalk me. Im very boring.
 
I don't think you understand what it means to post a quote out of context.
"Posting part of a long post you are replying to" is certainly okay, BUT...
it's not okay to post it out of context to make it appear as something it's not.

You might want to google "what does out of context mean" because it's doing something that isnt fair to the other person.
 
Lara this is one of those times I mentioned earlier about me knowing when to disengage.

Am disengaging now from a circular pointless argument about how to quote: I will continue posting in the way I see fit and you can post further about it or not if you want.

Bye.
 
January said:
Lara this is one of those times I mentioned earlier about me knowing when to disengage.

Am disengaging now from a circular pointless argument about how to quote: I will continue posting in the way I see fit and you can post further about it or not if you want.

Bye.
Click to expand...
I'm still trying to figure out what all this is about ? but yes I know it is not my business - bye!
 
Who_so_ever said:
Seriously questioning being on forums (not just this one) and social media. I hadn't been active on any sites in several years. During my time away what seems to be 'acceptable' has changed drastically. Personal attacks, rudeness, stalking an individual's posts & comments to mock or berate them. The list goes on.

Am I the only one that feels this way? I doubt it.
Click to expand...

In general throughout the Internet social media sites, video hosting sites, groups and forums, yes I've noticed an increase in bad netiquette over the last 15 yrs or so. I used to be on a lot. Not so much anymore because, while it's the best thing to practice, it gets tiring blocking, ignoring and avoiding train wrecks.

Even when it comes to creativity forums, which I love, there's an increase in rude, snarky, aggressive members. You know it is bad when you begin to rarely post even simple questions or experiences for fear of someone misunderstanding, misjudging or attacking.

I have lost count of the # of groups I've joined and left over the past few years. I've exhausted myself with searching and looking. My activity is very narrow now. SF is one of 3 sites only that I'm on. Another is a quiet, beneficial, peaceful creativity site. The 3rd is a support group for members of an ecommerce site. That's it and I'm thankful for them.

I've thought so many times of starting forums/groups myself. In the creative world we say if you can't find it, make it. I've rejected the idea time and time again because I don't want to deal with moderating the increasing offenses and craziness. And social site netiquette is not the only thing I've noticed that has degraded but I wanted to address specifically what you asked. The net-scape is just not the same positive place as it used to be overall, and it is sad.
 
DailyArtsyCrafter said:
In general throughout the Internet social media sites, video hosting sites, groups and forums, yes I've noticed an increase in bad netiquette over the last 15 yrs or so. I used to be on a lot. Not so much anymore because, while it's the best thing to practice, it gets tiring blocking, ignoring and avoiding train wrecks.

Even when it comes to creativity forums, which I love, there's an increase in rude, snarky, aggressive members. You know it is bad when you begin to rarely post even simple questions or experiences for fear of someone misunderstanding, misjudging or attacking.

I have lost count of the # of groups I've joined and left over the past few years. I've exhausted myself with searching and looking. My activity is very narrow now. SF is one of 3 sites only that I'm on. Another is a quiet, beneficial, peaceful creativity site. The 3rd is a support group for members of an ecommerce site. That's it and I'm thankful for them.

I've thought so many times of starting forums/groups myself. In the creative world we say if you can't find it, make it. I've rejected the idea time and time again because I don't want to deal with moderating the increasing offenses and craziness. And social site netiquette is not the only thing I've noticed that has degraded but I wanted to address specifically what you asked. The net-scape is just not the same positive place as it used to be overall, and it is sad.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your response. I appreciate the honesty and you answering my question rather than reading into it. :)
 
DailyArtsyCrafter said:
In general throughout the Internet social media sites, video hosting sites, groups and forums, yes I've noticed an increase in bad netiquette over the last 15 yrs or so. I used to be on a lot. Not so much anymore because, while it's the best thing to practice, it gets tiring blocking, ignoring and avoiding train wrecks.

Even when it comes to creativity forums, which I love, there's an increase in rude, snarky, aggressive members. You know it is bad when you begin to rarely post even simple questions or experiences for fear of someone misunderstanding, misjudging or attacking.

I have lost count of the # of groups I've joined and left over the past few years. I've exhausted myself with searching and looking. My activity is very narrow now. SF is one of 3 sites only that I'm on. Another is a quiet, beneficial, peaceful creativity site. The 3rd is a support group for members of an ecommerce site. That's it and I'm thankful for them.

I've thought so many times of starting forums/groups myself. In the creative world we say if you can't find it, make it. I've rejected the idea time and time again because I don't want to deal with moderating the increasing offenses and craziness. And social site netiquette is not the only thing I've noticed that has degraded but I wanted to address specifically what you asked. The net-scape is just not the same positive place as it used to be overall, and it is sad.
Click to expand...
Sorry you have had these experiences. It can make you question the value of belonging to a group. There will always be a few rotten apples in every barrel, and it can be hard to ignore them. Everyone is entitled to have a view about whatever is being discussed. It's when others try to force their beliefs on you that the trouble seems to start.

Bullies are an unfortunate reality of life. In the physical world, you can confront them and even punch them in the nose, but in the virtual world where they are hiding behind a keyboard, you can't do that, and they know it, so there is never any winning on a one-to-one basis. Fortunately we have Matrix to give them the boot when they step over the line. JMO
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top