ER.org - a sea of tranquility

Midpack

Midpack

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
Jan 21, 2008
Messages
21,321
Location
NC
I knew what I was getting into, but I just spent about an hour on a political forum, actively participating. It's no wonder our political leaders are stuck with all the closed minded extremists out there - on both sides!
:ROFLMAO::hide:>:D:eek::blink::horse::crazy::trash::mad::facepalm::peace::yuk::duh::dead: :banghead:


Porky would have a simultaneous stroke/coronary over there!!!

Even at it's absolute worst, thankfully this place is a sea of tranquility by comparison... :flowers:
 
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:flowers:
Your kindly mod team will surely take that as a compliment!
I rarely dip down into the comments section of any news story or blog post for fear of getting caught in the slime and ill will that seems to pervade the rest of the internet.

It just isn't that hard to be a nice person, really. Is it? :D
 
Yes, I am thoroughly impressed with the way the moderators keep smoothly running discussions, lively yet civilized. This is a wonderful "place" and I'm so glad I discovered it.
 
growing_older said:
Yes, I am thoroughly impressed with the way the moderators keep smoothly running discussions, lively yet civilized. This is a wonderful "place" and I'm so glad I discovered it.
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+1
 
Midpack said:
I knew what I was getting into, but I just spent about an hour on a political forum. It's no wonder our political leaders are stuck with all the closed minded extremists out there - on both sides!
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You can often see those extremes in the comment sections of mass media on-line publications, you don't even need to go to the political forums (which are super-magnets for that kind of talk).

I'm not sure that lets politicians off the hook though. I suspect those extreme comments are from a vocal minority. And at some point, leaders need to lead, and do what is right for the country, regardless of the popularity of their stance. Yes, I know, that is going to conflict with them getting re-elected, but maybe not. Maybe the majority could get behind someone who could communicate the issues, and explain why they are taking an unpopular direction, and what the overall benefit is?

OK, I'll wake up from my dream now.

-ERD50
 
The minute one opens their mouth about politics their perceived IQ goes down several notches.
 
++1 on the comments about how nice a place this is. The only forum I read regularly, with the exception of maybe a hobby forum or two.

ERD50 said:
You can often see those extremes in the comment sections of mass media on-line publications, you don't even need to go to the political forums (which are super-magnets for that kind of talk).
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I never saw the point of those "comment" sections on the news sites, which have now deteriorated into the live Twitter feeds onscreen during some "news" shows. I mean, why would anybody care about what one Joe Blow thinks about a story, out of the thousands (or tens? hundreds? of thousands) who read it?

I guess I'm just an old fuddy who will never get this need to overshare everything with strangers.
 
I have always believed that the Internet is the worst place to debate differing views, primarily because the protagonists do not know each other.

In real life I have friends all across the political and religious spectrum, we certainly disagree on various things. but because we have had personal encounters of working/sharing/playing/grieving together, it takes a huge edge off of things. And we all rejoice when one of us does well.

When you don't get to know someone like that, when they are only words on a screen, it is easy to see them as a bogeyperson, and nothing ever gets accomplished. The "win at all costs" scenario becomes the goal.


Having been on this forum for not quite a year, it seems to work, in my view, because everyone wants to help others toward achieving ER regardless of their beliefs. While there are disagreements in terms of how to do it (e.g. AA, when to take SS, etc.), those disagreements focused on ensuring someone benefits and not seeing them benefiting from FIRE as a bad thing.
 
+1. This is the only place I will discuss political topics. I enjoy a good discussion or argument but online political forums are magnets for zealots and hot-heads. No fun at all.
 
Regarding the comment sections on news internet sites, there really are only 2 or 3 posters with many multiple logins.:crazy:
 
REWahoo said:
For a bunch of jack-booted, pig-obsessed opponents to the First Amendment, they do a pretty good job. :flowers:
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My thoughts exactically (and I haven't even been here that long)!

Tyro
 
I just went back and looked, and the politics sub-forum over there dwarfs all other sub-forums in number of posts. More than double the size of the next biggest sub-forums, and orders of magnitude (10-1000X) bigger than most other sub-forums. And the central mission of the other site is NOT politics by any means. Jeeeeeeeeeez!

And sad.
 
I'm guilty of engaging in political forum posts, worse, I can't help myself from calling out the worst posts on facebook - way to risk friendships, Laurence!

The new crop of moderators here seem to really know their stuff. That inaugural class just had to go, huh, REW? ;)
 
REWahoo said:
I agree.

For a bunch of jack-booted, pig-obsessed opponents to the First Amendment, they do a pretty good job. :flowers:
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Bacon is patriotic.

heh heh heh - however I'm trying to eat nuts and twigs til the scale reads 8 lbs lower. :blush:
 
I believe you're right.

Mr. Runonandonforanentirepageiwithoutaparagraphbreak, Ms. "Nyaaah! You're another! I can insult you into the ground any day! Never mind what the topic was!" and Mr. "It's all the Government's fault" may be found at the bottom of every single on-line article or blog.

Amethyst

timo2 said:
Regarding the comment sections on news internet sites, there really are only 2 or 3 posters with many multiple logins.:crazy:
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laurence said:
I'm guilty of engaging in political forum posts, worse, I can't help myself from calling out the worst posts on facebook - way to risk friendships, Laurence!
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unclemick said:
Bacon is patriotic.
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Good to see both of you!

I'm okay with folks having a different opinion from mine, but most of the crap I see on Facebook and/or in the comment sections on news sites shouldn't pass the smell test for any halfway intelligent person...

bullshit-meter.gif
 
This is one of the friendlist, most welcoming boards I've ever participated in. I am a rabid sports fan of my husband's alma mater, and I belong to a sports chat board just for that college, where we "discuss" all sports. It is rough, I think rivaling any political boards. And we're all on the same team! Name calling, threats, people constantly getting suspended and coming back and doing more of the same. I'm one of the very few women on the board, and they cut me no slack whatsoever. And I pay to belong to this thing! What is wrong with me, you ask? Anything for the team. :uglystupid:

I read that board, get my blood pressure and dander up, and then come here to calm back down. This is a wonderful respite for me. So thank all the mods, old and new, for what they do.
 
GalaxyBoy said:
I never saw the point of those "comment" sections on the news sites, which have now deteriorated into the live Twitter feeds onscreen during some "news" shows. I mean, why would anybody care about what one Joe Blow thinks about a story, out of the thousands (or tens? hundreds? of thousands) who read it?
Click to expand...

Well, it depends on the site and the quality of the comments. There is a lot of junk in some comments. Other times, I learn a lot from the comments. Often time the comments raise other points, cite to additional data, or even provide comments that are contrary to the original article and give another perspective or add data.

To give a few recent episodes at the New York Times web site. I read an article about the Mediterranean diet that was very complimentary of it. The comments were very interesting and many added to the discussion. One that was notable, for example, was from Dean Ornish (I didn't necessarily agree with him but reading the dissenting view was interesting).

Another one - I was reading another article, this one on sugar and diabetes. The author was discussing a recent study that had been released. One of the comments was from the principal investigator on the study and had a link to some additional information.

Even many of the comments from just the regular readers can be interesting. (I do like the ability to recommend comments so if an article has many comments I will skim down and look at those with a lot of recommendations).
 
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