Is it just me

[sweetness6280]

Or are we having an unusual amount of difficulty understanding one another?

More and more threads are filled with back and forth posts which seem to be an attempt to clarify one's position and help someone else understand. I know my words have been misunderstood, and I have seen numerous instances of others as well. I have seen some of these post wars go on for pages before it becomes clear that their differences are minor, or even imagined, but too often it seems the conflict turns into a personal attack before anyone realizes what is happening.

Sometimes it also seems that we are either taking words out of context or just skimming a post, not reading every word before passing judgment on someone's opinion. Little words can make a big difference in the meaning. Often the conflicting posters are posting so quickly after one another, I wonder if we are reacting before we clarify their meaning in our heads.

We seem "loaded for bear" (sorry VM ) in our discussions, almost ready to find the most offensive connotation possible for our fellow posters. The written word (i.e. boards, IM, etc.) already brings with it the inability to inject tone or nuance into the words. Are we projecting our attitudes and ideologies onto other's words, and in the process, reading more into what someone says than what is there?

I can argue with the best of them, my father made sure of that, but lately the attacks have become less debate and more denegrate.

There is not a single person on this site that I ever want to reach the point where I feel the need to denegrate or resort to name calling. I hope I haven't, but if I have, please accept my apology. It is easy to get excited about issues, but it is so destructive to attack someone's character or intelligence.

The AH seems more touchy and kneejerk than usual... or maybe it is just me.

 

[oggbashan]

No.

It's not just you.

The problem with message boards is that all you can post is bare words without emphasis of tone. Although we are supposed to be authors, the potential for misunderstanding is large.

The recent US elections have polarised opinions. People are more intense than usual. Whatever you think of the results and whoever or whatever you voted for - it has been a long and bitter process. The wounds of that process are still raw and easily inflamed.

This will pass.

Og

 

[Safe_Bet]

No.

It's not just you.

The problem with message boards is that all you can post is bare words without emphasis of tone. Although we are supposed to be authors, the potential for misunderstanding is large.

The recent US elections have polarised opinions. People are more intense than usual. Whatever you think of the results and whoever or whatever you voted for - it has been a long and bitter process. The wounds of that process are still raw and easily inflamed.

This will pass.

Og

I KNOW that I am now subject to major knee jerk reactions and am hyper sensitive to comments. My marriage may have been voted away and I am exceedingly angry about that fact and am angry at the people who made it happen.

Thank you for this thread because it reminds me that flailing out in anger in every direction really serves no constructive purpose.

 

[sr71plt]

It's pretty much to be expected on unmoderated discussion boards with regular posters only posting to provoke.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Technology is still in it's infancy. Come the day that we no longer depend on keyboards and can do all our conversations by webcam the temperature should drop. But that will take a while. Of course, when the day comes that we all tune into the World Wide Mind . . .

 

[ottohauser1977]

Technology is still in it's infancy. Come the day that we no longer depend on keyboards and can do all our conversations by webcam the temperature should drop. But that will take a while. Of course, when the day comes that we all tune into the World Wide Mind . . .

Then we will become the Borg. Oops, sorry, couldn't resist.

Personally, I am not supposed. In all nations, politics is a deadly serious business. So when an election happens, it might take months to get over the habit of viewing each other as party enemies and once more as compatriots. Even on a board like this, with more agreement than disagreement, the areas of dispute get the most attention. It's human nature to focus less on common ground than on disputed territory.

 

[ottohauser1977]

Then we will become the Borg. Oops, sorry, couldn't resist.

Personally, I am not surprised. In all nations, politics is a deadly serious business. So when an election happens, it might take months to get over the habit of viewing each other as party enemies and once more as compatriots. Even on a board like this, with more agreement than disagreement, the areas of dispute get the most attention. It's human nature to focus less on common ground than on disputed territory.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Each of us brings our fund of knowledge and experience to the table. To paraphrase Hillary "...and Obama's contribution is one speech he gave in 2002."

What we fail to appreciate is each of us discovered a different style for coping with life....using the tools and experiences we have.

OTTOHAUSER

When I was a baby-therapist my mentor advised me NOT to assume that my way is best. He once intervened in a mother-daughter lesbian liason, got the women fixed to his satisfaction, and both of them killed themselves.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Then we will become the Borg. Oops, sorry, couldn't resist.

Personally, I am not surprised. In all nations, politics is a deadly serious business. So when an election happens, it might take months to get over the habit of viewing each other as party enemies and once more as compatriots. Even on a board like this, with more agreement than disagreement, the areas of dispute get the most attention. It's human nature to focus less on common ground than on disputed territory.

It's coming sooner than you think! The technology is in experimental stages . . .

 

[Sandy_Fox]

It's coming sooner than you think! The technology is in experimental stages . . .

Right before I got out of the Corps I got to tryout a weapons system that is controlled by eye location and hand location. You don't actually touch anything and it is all done through simulation and positioning. It even had an eyepiece that was referred to as the "Borg". It was freaky. You looked at something and it was dead. It NEVER missed. All you hands were for was to touch a simulated screen to change munitions.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Right before I got out of the Corps I got to tryout a weapons system that is controlled by eye location and hand location. You don't actually touch anything and it is all done through simulation and positioning. It even had an eyepiece that was referred to as the "Borg". It was freaky. You looked at something and it was dead. It NEVER missed. All you hands were for was to touch a simulated screen to change munitions.

And the next stage will be microfibre optical glass that connects all the neurons in your brain to a transceiver under the skin on the back of your head . . .

 

[rgraham666]

And the next stage will be microfibre optical glass that connects all the neurons in your brain to a transceiver under the skin on the back of your head . . .

If that happens I'm moving to another planet.

I like being an individual, damn it.

Of course for a lot of human beings becoming Borg is a wonderful idea. They'll be part of a powerful entity and never, ever again be troubled by thought, emotions or responsibility.

 

[wafflemtl]

Or are we having an unusual amount of difficulty understanding one another?

[...]

Sometimes it also seems that we are either taking words out of context or just skimming a post, not reading every word before passing judgment on someone's opinion. Little words can make a big difference in the meaning. Often the conflicting posters are posting so quickly after one another, I wonder if we are reacting before we clarify their meaning in our heads.

[...]

And I tough it was just me and my (bad) English ouf

 

[Happily_Variant]

There is not a single person on this site that I ever want to reach the point where I feel the need to denegrate or resort to name calling. is just me.

Really? lol

Denegrate me anytime you lucious intellectual!

 

[starrkers]

Or are we having an unusual amount of difficulty understanding one another?

More and more threads are filled with back and forth posts which seem to be an attempt to clarify one's position and help someone else understand. I know my words have been misunderstood, and I have seen numerous instances of others as well. I have seen some of these post wars go on for pages before it becomes clear that their differences are minor, or even imagined, but too often it seems the conflict turns into a personal attack before anyone realizes what is happening.

Sometimes it also seems that we are either taking words out of context or just skimming a post, not reading every word before passing judgment on someone's opinion. Little words can make a big difference in the meaning. Often the conflicting posters are posting so quickly after one another, I wonder if we are reacting before we clarify their meaning in our heads.

We seem "loaded for bear" (sorry VM ) in our discussions, almost ready to find the most offensive connotation possible for our fellow posters. The written word (i.e. boards, IM, etc.) already brings with it the inability to inject tone or nuance into the words. Are we projecting our attitudes and ideologies onto other's words, and in the process, reading more into what someone says than what is there?

I can argue with the best of them, my father made sure of that, but lately the attacks have become less debate and more denegrate.

There is not a single person on this site that I ever want to reach the point where I feel the need to denegrate or resort to name calling. I hope I haven't, but if I have, please accept my apology. It is easy to get excited about issues, but it is so destructive to attack someone's character or intelligence.

The AH seems more touchy and kneejerk than usual... or maybe it is just me.

Nope, not just you.

I read threads and I'm not game to reply.

 

[rgraham666]

One thing I believe adds an extra rancor to American elections is the extreme competitiveness of American society. Elections aren't just temporary referendums to decide how public policy will be carried out, they are lost and won.

And America doesn't have a lot of liking for losers.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Or are we having an unusual amount of difficulty understanding one another?

More and more threads are filled with back and forth posts which seem to be an attempt to clarify one's position and help someone else understand. I know my words have been misunderstood, and I have seen numerous instances of others as well. I have seen some of these post wars go on for pages before it becomes clear that their differences are minor, or even imagined, but too often it seems the conflict turns into a personal attack before anyone realizes what is happening.

Sometimes it also seems that we are either taking words out of context or just skimming a post, not reading every word before passing judgment on someone's opinion. Little words can make a big difference in the meaning. Often the conflicting posters are posting so quickly after one another, I wonder if we are reacting before we clarify their meaning in our heads.

We seem "loaded for bear" (sorry VM ) in our discussions, almost ready to find the most offensive connotation possible for our fellow posters. The written word (i.e. boards, IM, etc.) already brings with it the inability to inject tone or nuance into the words. Are we projecting our attitudes and ideologies onto other's words, and in the process, reading more into what someone says than what is there?

I can argue with the best of them, my father made sure of that, but lately the attacks have become less debate and more denegrate.

There is not a single person on this site that I ever want to reach the point where I feel the need to denegrate or resort to name calling. I hope I haven't, but if I have, please accept my apology. It is easy to get excited about issues, but it is so destructive to attack someone's character or intelligence.

The AH seems more touchy and kneejerk than usual... or maybe it is just me.

I certainly agree that there was more vituperation over the last few months than there was at any similar period that I can remember, including in 2004. Personally, I tried to avoid saying anything personal against anybody.

 

[JagFarlane]

One thing I believe adds an extra rancor to American elections is the extreme competitiveness of American society. Elections aren't just temporary referendums to decide how public policy will be carried out, they are lost and won.

And America doesn't have a lot of liking for losers.

To elaborate on this [and I do agree to an extent] part of the other issue in regards to this, is as you saw the days to the election come, people started to become tired of being inundated with political ads, discussions, and what not. It was hard to turn on the radio, take a walk/drive, or watch tv without being bombarded with political ads, news stories on the elections, and random people wanting to discuss the elections [see SeaCats thread for example].

Combine that with the intolerance of many on both sides, to refuse to see any valid points offered up by both sides, as well as rampant racism by supporters [see the thread on the RNC about how few black people there were...], vicious comments made by supporters, and the gang rapings of some supporters.

Combine that with the fact that this board is generally an escape from the real world for people here. When someone seeking that few minutes of escape logs on and sees 3/4 of the board covered in random political threads spouting some fact, some rumor, some just pure slander, it becomes tiring and irritating. Add in the fact that it was not just Americans posting, but quite a few of our worldly neighbors stating their own opinions in the matter, and it just became escalated.

Within time, people will calm down. Those who voted for Obama will finally stop screaming about wanting to have his children/comparing him to several of the greatest presidents of the USA's existence [sorry, no, its offending to me to have you compare him to JFK and FDR]. He's his own man, and deserves the right to build his own presidency, and not be always compared to past, beloved presidents.

 

[Guest]

It's not just you. The threads themselves have been insane lately with the politics. I mean they have touched on every hot button that so many of us have personally or we love someone dearly that it touches them dearly. We are passionate people by nature (I mean look at where we all met) and that means that we will be passionate in our loves, arguments, hates and cuttings.... It's part of the price we pay

 

[cantdog]

It's not just you. The threads themselves have been insane lately with the politics. I mean they have touched on every hot button that so many of us have personally or we love someone dearly that it touches them dearly. We are passionate people by nature (I mean look at where we all met) and that means that we will be passionate in our loves, arguments, hates and cuttings.... It's part of the price we pay

You're wise, babe.

People looking for an Agora filled with philosophers and icy calm should realize they have bumbled into the wrong arena.

 

[oggbashan]

You're wise, babe.

People looking for an Agora filled with philosophers and icy calm should realize they have bumbled into the wrong arena.

The Agora wasn't noted for calm, measured debate. Even the Ancient Greeks moaned about rabble-rousing demagogues and intemperate opinions leading to physical encounters.

Why not? They were human. Humans feel emotions and become heated about opinions.

Og

 

[Boxlicker101]

One thing I believe adds an extra rancor to American elections is the extreme competitiveness of American society. Elections aren't just temporary referendums to decide how public policy will be carried out, they are lost and won.

And America doesn't have a lot of liking for losers.

There are some exceptions to that general rule. The New York Mets in the early Sixties. Charley Brown. The Chicago Cubs. And, in the Forties and Fifties, the Yankees were hated because of their success.

 

[ottohauser1977]

One thing I believe adds an extra rancor to American elections is the extreme competitiveness of American society. Elections aren't just temporary referendums to decide how public policy will be carried out, they are lost and won.

And America doesn't have a lot of liking for losers.

That's really human nature, though. Combined with a paradoxical envy of those who do succeed. Envy and admiration are a potent and volatile mix.

 

[xssve]

Rancor is an American political tradition, it always gets worse in an election cycle, and emotions are running particularly high on this one, partly due to right wing media - talk radio in particular is old fashioned rabble rousing in a thoroughly modern psyops kind of way, these guys, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc. attended seminars at Ft. Bragg.

You can just assume it these days: if you don't think you're being manipulated, whoever is manipulating you is really good.

They used to just duel.

 

[DesertPirate]

One thing I believe adds an extra rancor to American elections is the extreme competitiveness of American society. Elections aren't just temporary referendums to decide how public policy will be carried out, they are lost and won.

And America doesn't have a lot of liking for losers.

True, but we also love the underdog and that is why Congress will shift again in 2 years. Happens regularly and will as long as both partys are untrustworthy.