Do we take ourselves too seriously in these forums?

[Devastatin Dave]

I'm guilty of it. I believe that our community is better informed about world events and politics than the average citizen, regardless of which country we reside. But at the same time, do we take ourselves too seriously? Things get heated and sometimes nasty and sometimes our communications are hampered by simple language barriers and the fact that we can't really type the true meaning or feelings we have about a certain topic. But are we way too serious in here?

[JAG]

Never!

[Sjakihata]

Always!

[Don Corleone]

I'm guilty of it. I believe that our community is better informed about world events and politics than the average citizen, regardless of which country we reside. But at the same time, do we take ourselves too seriously? Things get heated and sometimes nasty and sometimes our communications are hampered by simple language barriers and the fact that we can't really type the true meaning or feelings we have about a certain topic. But are we way too serious in here?

Who the hell do you think you are!?!?! WTF are you trying to say!?!? I'm right, and if you disagree with me, you must be the dumbest person on the planet?

Is that what you're referring to? Yeah, I think we all suffer from it from time to time. A little more satire, a little less vitriol would work wonders around these parts. A 'confession thread' where we each publicly admitted a time we later realized we were flat ass wrong wouldn't hurt either. Kudos to those that have taken it upon themselves to admit to it in recent threads (I'm thinking of Lemur & Prole specifically).

[InsaneApache]

I don't. So, just to prove it, a joke.

A man had two great tickets for the Football Association Cup final.

As he sits down, another man comes down and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him.

"No", he says, "the seat is empty".

"This is incredible!" said the man, "who in their right mind would have a seat like this for the FA cup final, the biggest sporting event in the year, and not use it?"

First man says, "well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed to come with me, but she passed away. This is the first Cup Final we haven't been together since we got married".

"Oh ... I'm sorry to hear that. That's terrible. I guess you couldn't find someone else, a friend or relative or even a neighbour to take the seat?"






The man shakes his head... "No. They're all at the funeral"

[Reverend Joe]

Who the hell do you think you are!?!?! WTF are you trying to say!?!? I'm right, and if you disagree with me, you must be the dumbest person on the planet?

Is that what you're referring to? Yeah, I think we all suffer from it from time to time. A little more satire, a little less vitriol would work wonders around these parts. A 'confession thread' where we each publicly admitted a time we later realized we were flat ass wrong wouldn't hurt either. Kudos to those that have taken it upon themselves to admit to it in recent threads (I'm thinking of Lemur & Prole specifically).

I think a confession thread would be a good idea- oh, and Don, since when have you been a senior member?

[Don Corleone]

I think a confession thread would be a good idea- oh, and Don, since when have you been a senior member?

Since I hacked into the member database & changed my status. That's my confession.

[Lemur]

To get somewhat back on topic, I don't think anybody takes themselves too seriously, not to the extent that it's a problem with the whole Backroom. Rather, I think people misunderstand each other. Attempts and humor and sarcasm are the usual suspects. People misread them.

Here's a pretty good study on the subject:

According to recent research published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, I've only a 50-50 chance of ascertaining the tone of any e-mail message. The study also shows that people think they've correctly interpreted the tone of e-mails they receive 90 percent of the time.

"That's how flame wars get started," says psychologist Nicholas Epley of the University of Chicago, who conducted the research with Justin Kruger of New York University. "People in our study were convinced they've accurately understood the tone of an e-mail message when in fact their odds are no better than chance," says Epley.

The researchers took 30 pairs of undergraduate students and gave each one a list of 20 statements about topics like campus food or the weather. Assuming either a serious or sarcastic tone, one member of each pair e-mailed the statements to his or her partner. The partners then guessed the intended tone and indicated how confident they were in their answers.

Those who sent the messages predicted that nearly 80 percent of the time their partners would correctly interpret the tone. In fact the recipients got it right just over 50 percent of the time.

[master of the puppets]

I do, i am generally surrounded by idiots (being in high school) who have no idea what i'm talking about half the time so its always like "uh, next to use smaller words" or "what does that mean" or "lets just nuke the middle east." so its really quite depressing, so i come onto the forums and attempt to sound smart and intellectual but many a time i am proved wrong by someone older and smarter, then i feel shame but then i bounce back with some stupid remark and get back into the conversation. plus i'm learning lots of crap about polotics via the backroom and am so interested that next year i'm going to take "contemparary world problems" its an AP class and supposedly a bitch to take() but i'm up for it.

[drone]

I vote Gah!

Oh, wait, this isn't a poll...

[Reenk Roink]

Absolutely

All we do is ***** and conjecture...

But it is fulfilling in a way...

It's like crack, you know it's bad, but you keep coming back...

[master of the puppets]

so what if your saying is true lemur than most arguments and accusations are simply screw ups, funny. but if this is true how do we ascertain whether corleone is telling the truth abot hacking to be a senior member, DevDav has more posts but is still a norm member. or does it merely have to do with age?

[Don Corleone]

Question isn't whether or not you're in this list... the question is 'which one are you'?

http://http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/index.htm

I think I"m a little too Capitalista for my own good sometimes...

[solypsist]

some people def do - you know who you are.

[JAG]

Nice site Don, I am pretty well defined with Ideologue and Pinko, though that doesn't bother me :p

[Kagemusha]

Yes we are.And if anybody is trying to say otherwise i say it has to be somekind of plan of the left and hippies or part of the rights grandcheme to take over the world.Edit: Oh And moderates suck

[Lemur]

so what if your saying is true lemur than most arguments and accusations are simply screw ups, funny.

I think it's true. I'd say that 95% of arguments are misunderstandings, and 5% are real, deep-seated disagreements. (And int truth, disagreements can be settled without rancor, so 100% of flame wars are misunderstandings.)

Senior Patron has nothing to do with post count or age, or at least that's how I understand it. It's all about contribution to the Org, in whatever form that contribution takes.

[Devastatin Dave]

. but if this is true how do we ascertain whether corleone is telling the truth abot hacking to be a senior member, DevDav has more posts but is still a norm member. or does it merely have to do with age?

It has to do with the fact i won't pose nude for some photo shoots for Soly. He's a meany when it comes to holding grudges!!!
Actually Don posts mostly substantive posts while I'm more a less a troll that is here to make the mods look good and pretend like they are actually doing something..

[Paul Peru]

Question isn't whether or not you're in this list... the question is 'which one are you'?

http://http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/index.htm

I think I"m a little too Capitalista for my own good sometimes...

let's see.. I'm part Evil Clown, part Ideologue, part the kind of guy who couldn't be bothered to look through all those characters.

And Soly is right. I do. But did he have to say so?

[Lemur]

I want to be a Rottweiler Puppy. Not because the description is so great, but because I really, really like the name.

Oh, and the original link is broken, I think. Here's the corrected version:

http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/index.htm

[rory_20_uk]

Would it be a very good idea or a terrible idea to have a thread with people's views on which attributes apply to those that live in this ecosystem?

[A.Saturnus]

It's always possible to find a compromise.

[GoreBag]

Yeah, most people here do.

[Hurin_Rules]

Yes, I think most people do too.

[rory_20_uk]

As a medic, in my job I've got to be nice to people I'd shoot without a second's thought - the rude, violent, frequent attenders.

Here I can be me, or at least a super condensed version of me with all the stops out, no holds barred.

In a way things are more intense here as one's age, background etc etc are stripped away and there is nothing but our ideas: it's not the way we look, our accent etc etc that we can say was the reason for the problem, it was purely the argument that we advocated.

And here given the audience we generally do feel a greater impetus to get "learned" people to agree with us, as opposed to the cattle god in his Divine wisdom has populated our more immediate surroundings.

[Goofball]

Question isn't whether or not you're in this list... the question is 'which one are you'?

http://http://redwing.hutman.net/~mreed/index.htm

I think I"m a little too Capitalista for my own good sometimes...

And just to prove we don't take ourselves too seriously, everybody should pick a few of the caricatures and match them up with the Org member you think they most closely resemble. But you have to start with yourself.

I'll go first:

Goofball = "Ego" with a hint of "Artful Dodger" and a pinch of "Issues"
DevDave = "Troglodyte"
Navaros = "Deacon"
Redleg = "Filibuster"
Beirut = "Eagle Scout" (unless Israel is being discussed)
Divinas Arma = "Centurion"
Master of Puppets = "Acne"
Pindar = "Android"
Kukri = "Diplomat"
Fragony & AdrianII = "Duelists"
A. Saturnas = "Philosopher"
Just a Girl = "Garble"
Gawain & Hurin Rules = "Tireless Rebutter"
and yes Don, you are "Capitalista"

As I said, these are caricatures only and none of the Org members are 100% like the picks I matched them up with. Don't be offended. I really do love all of you.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

And just to prove we don't take ourselves too seriously, everybody should pick a few of the caricatures and match them up with the Org member you think they most closely resemble. But you have to start with yourself.

I'll go first:

Goofball = "Ego" with a hint of "Artful Dodger" and a pinch of "Issues"
DevDave = "Troglodyte"
Navaros = "Deacon"
Redleg = "Filibuster"
Beirut = "Eagle Scout" (unless Israel is being discussed)
Divinas Arma = "Centurion"
Master of Puppets = "Acne"
Pindar = "Android"
Kukri = "Diplomat"
Fragony & AdrianII = "Duelists"
A. Saturnas = "Philosopher"
Just a Girl = "Garble"
Gawain & Hurin Rules = "Tireless Rebutter"
and yes Don, you are "Capitalista"

As I said, these are caricatures only and none of the Org members are 100% like the picks I matched them up with. Don't be offended. I really do love all of you.

Why do you hate Kais...er...Freedom?

I think me = Filibuster

But anyway, I'll do everyone later.

[Don Corleone]

Oh Goofy, don't be so hard on yourself. You're not Ego at all. You are Artful Dodger & Issues, but come on, you've got more Idealogue in there then you're willing to admit. Gay marriage, anyone?

[Don Corleone]

Oh and Kaiser, if it makes you feel any better, you are 50/50, Acne/Troglodyte.

[Kaiser of Arabia]

Oh and Kaiser, if it makes you feel any better, you are 50/50, Acne/Troglodyte.

Hrm...Conservatives turning against each other. What has this world come to?