Words mean things!

If this in the inappropriate forum, mods, please move.

Let me start off, I enjoy reading this site, however, I know you have to take a lot of what is posted here with a grain of salt. It takes a lot of digging to separate the wheat from the chaff. HOWEVER, I feel as if the quality here is higher than other "alternative" destinations on the internet.

What's bugging me of late is the way posts are attacked and threads derailed by what I like to call a "Negative Nancy". These are the individuals that bring nothing to the discussion and lay right into an attack on a poster. I know the mods do the best job they can, but let's get real, this is a big place with a lot of information being generated, they can't catch everything.

I would implore posters, if you have nothing to add to a conversation except for a snide remark or an outright attack, then don't post. It makes separating the wheat from the chaff that more difficult and sometimes it seems that is the primary purpose of such a post.

With that, I would like to share the following video, it does a good job of pointing out how "words mean things" and can derail a conversation/thread or add to it.



So, before you hit that "reply" button, make sure you have a valid counter-point to someone's claims instead of a knee-jerk, sarcastic, biting comment.

Thanks,
F

Like your post, sadly it's the truth.

Love the video, words do have much meaning, some for the good and some for the bad.

sign of the times.

also its not a secret the target age of site viewers has dropped from 18 and above to 12 and above.

4chan taught everyone how to troll and bash a keyboard.

facebook taught us how to make irrelevant comments and share videos just because we feel like it.

youtube has taught us... well, nothing.

point is, ats grew and this is the price of fame.

the staff does their job, but this is still the internet.

i for one never seen ats as a sort of sanctuary free from the ways of the net.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

Originally posted by AnotherYOU

i for one never seen ats as a sort of sanctuary free from the ways of the net.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

And you would have been wrong if you had.

There are no sanctuaries except us. People make the sanctuary, not the place.

I am grateful for the place, but not indebted for it.

I am however, forever indebted to this community... it has taught me; and that is something most places don't even try to do ... and many scoff at the attempt...

There are plenty of places out there that passionately thirst to indoctrinate, welcome like minds, and fold, spindle, and mutilate dissenters... but allowing the learning process to take it's own form... that's rare.

Those who seek perfection face perpetual disappointment.

you rang?
wow everyone (you guys) seem to look at everything from the wrong angle, like, instead of "chekcing out the glass of water" over there, just wanna whine about "how watery the glass of water is", drink, and hunger no more.

Originally posted by AnotherYOU
also its not a secret the target age of site viewers has dropped from 18 and above to 12 and above.

It's certainly news to me.

Originally posted by AnotherYOU
sign of the times.

also its not a secret the target age of site viewers has dropped from 18 and above to 12 and above.

4chan taught everyone how to troll and bash a keyboard.

facebook taught us how to make irrelevant comments and share videos just because we feel like it.

youtube has taught us... well, nothing.

point is, ats grew and this is the price of fame.

the staff does their job, but this is still the internet.

i for one never seen ats as a sort of sanctuary free from the ways of the net.

 

Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

 

Agreed, and I'm not looking for perfection, I'm old enough to know better. I've just recently been increasingly frustrated with the negative posts and would prefer to see thoughtful debate than attacking. If the average age has dropped to 12 or older and some of these negative persons are younger, it saddens me to think that their parents aren't doing a better job of developing communication skills and what that means for the future of our race.

Try as I might, I don't remember acting like that when I was 12.

reply to post by Finalized


Human beings go through a stage where they think they know everything, and shoot from the hip.
They eventually grow up. Some of them have chosen to do that here. They don't get away with a lot, there is always someone around to call them on their ....... foolishness.

Oil is crude, before it is refined. So it is with adolescents.

And college students.

reply to post by Finalized


Board Business & Questions: This forums should be used to post questions regarding site policies, problems with site functionality/features, and respond to announcements from ownership. This is not a place to post complaints.

No snip sherlock. Now go back to your whiny hole and eat cake.

That was a joke by the way. It's late, jokes get lamer as the night goes on.
I have noticed alot more of it too. It was there before but it seems worse since that whole loughner business. I tend to just ignore those people, it can be annoying, especially when people get sucked in and start arguing with them. It really breaks up the thread and I wish people would stop, but there is really nothing that can be done about it....and you have no idea how many of these type threads have been made already, its kind of a mute point now. We all know these types of people and it's best to not argue with them, most of us see them for what they are and don't really take their comments seriously.

I don't think we can blame it all on the kids either I have met some really intelligent and eloquent kids around these boards. It wouldn't be fair to put them into a category. I think alot of people came here from other places where swearing and abuse is prevelant (ever read a thread on GLP?) and maybe they just need a bit of a stern telling off once in a while from more seasoned members. It would probably be best to do it in a u2u so as not to hurt their ego.

At the dawn of this millenium, ignorance abounds among the masses.

Short attention spans are part of the problem, but there is something more. Our somewhat unique ability for abstract thought seems to be morphing. I haven't evaluated it yet, but there is something in the way the internet meme culture is evolving. One day i will have thought it through enough to discuss, for now i can only identify that something is/has changed.

Another issue is that over the past hundred years or so, our culture has shifted from valuing wisdom to valuing knowledge. Memorization of facts is preferred over the ability to calculate the answer (a symptom of the short attention span?).

I am unsure. Regardless, good thread.