shocking! threads rarely are....shocking.

I didn't know where to put this thread, nor do I really know if anyone else feels the way I do about this but the term SHOCKING is overused on this site. Even now I occasionally get sucked into some thread or another because it has SHOCKING news, or SHOCKING evidence. The problem is more often than not anything that is labeled as shocking is anything but. The people that just kinda throw things out there that they ran across it somewhere to start a legitimate discussion get my respect almost every time. The people that label something as shocking, generally have some photo they zoomed in, flipped upside down, changed the shading, and now if you cock your head just right, you can see the face of Jesus smiling at an alien. C'mon, guys, unless you have an actual streaming video of a rabid ET wombat devouring the joint chiefs of staff, or if you have proof that South America disappeared yesterday don't label it as shocking. I can't speak for anyone else, but when I see shocking in a title I'm immediately turned off to whatever is being discussed. "But you have shocking twice in your thread title!" Ah... gotta love irony. I'd love any responses. Thanks all.





Mod edit:caps in title

[edit on 10/27/2007 by kinglizard]

Well my personal opinion is when i see a thread like this it turn's me off from reading anything else the author post's.

Regard's
Lee

reply to post by h3akalee


Sorry, just my personal opinion, I really don't mean to offend anyone. I just see the term being way overused and decided to say something. If you took offense I do apologize.

reply to post by Osiris1953


I don't see what the problem is in something being overused other than that the individual is psychologically conditioning others to be 'shocked' by his find.

It's really no different than your spontaneous threads.

People are People. It's the people who try to be something that you need to worry about.

You have a point there throbber, it does bother me, but maybe I should have left it alone.

I want to be informed. I want to be enlightened. I want to be involved. I want to be told the truth, not only in the article, but in the heading as well. If I want to be shocked, I go out to the horse pasture and pee on the electric fence. (Once in the dark was enough. )

Sadly we live in the era of hyperbole. A large isn't large, it's huge. Good isn't good, it's awesome. Pretty dosen't cut it, you have to be gorgous. maybe I'm just old, but the overuse of these words is ruining the very meaning of them.

But enough ranting, I'm off to the kitchen because I'm starved.

reply to post by Osiris1953


If it bothers you perhaps you should make mention of it next time you see a thread that holds the attributes you speak of - take it up with the user, not the community, in otherwords.

EDIT: Heh, the way i'm replying to two of your threads at once must appear as if i am spying on you.

I assure you i am not, i am merely enjoying the topics you have brought up.

[edit on 27-10-2007 by Throbber]

Well thank you.... yeah I should bring it up next time. I'm generally not to combative with people unless they are incredibly stupid... so I was hoping so like minded people would vent their similar frustrations here. I knew it was a long shot, but you never know around here.

Actually I agree with you that it is overused...and usually by the threads which do not shock at all.
I actually have come to avoid a thread with that in the title.

I agree too. People tend to use SHOCKING as a ploy to get people to read their threads. When i see that, I tend to do the opposite and ignore them because in my experience the thread is anything but.

Prime Example

I agree, there are very few articles about anything remotely shocking these days. But perhaps shocking is just another term for, "Woah, I THINK I may have found something kinda cool". The only thing close to being shocking lately was the fact that Hanson hasn't recorded a new album in ages. jk

I'm SHOCKED by this thread.

I'm equally SHOCKED I'm posting in it....

In hindsight I should have added the word "SHOCKING" to my Andy Gibb tribute thread.

Thanks for the tip.

Peace

I'm SHOCKED by this thread.

I'm equally SHOCKED I'm posting in it....

i am SHOCKED too.

i guess i agree with the OP. i will take this a step further and say that SHOCKING NEW EVIDENCE is even more annoying when the original poster capitalizes the whole post.



edit: grammer issues

[edit on 6-11-2007 by DINSTAAR]