All Your Opinion Are Mine

The BBQ Pit
1

A FLAME AGAINST FLAMERS

No one at THE DOPE is entitled to an opinion anymore? It seems to me that if you hold an opinon, no matter how inane, obscure, or idiotic, the OP is completely hijacked and the maturity level drops like an anchor, coming down to school yard tactics. With the exception of a few good Dopers (FGD) who can present their opinions based on facts and sources, what I have seen lately is an MY SIDE vs. YOUR SIDE rant and rave.

Can we no longer act civilized and (gasp) discuss the issues or must we resort to name calling, no matter how much you feel it is deserved? It is almost as if every post in GD, GQ, and in instances MPSIMS ends up with someone getting flamed for voicing an unpopular opinion, no matter how biased it may be. Everybody is entitled to their opinion, whether you like it or not. DIVERSIFY. The same person that does not like you because of your sexual orientation is the same person that you do not like because of their skin colour.

There is not a single person in here that can say that they do not harbor negative feelings against people they do not know. Hell, there is no one on the entire planet who can make that statement truthfully.

Granted, there are a lot of idiots in these forums. Sadly, they out number the FGD by about 4:1. Their opinions may not hold any facts and they may downright go against every thing you stand for and everything that they are, but they are opinions. Chances are that you do not know the person making these statements. You do not know what they have seen or what they have lived through. And vice vs. You do not know their faces and they do not know yours. I may be a Bi-Sexual Eskimo WWII Veteran, a Heterosexual Asian-American Cocaine Addict, or Homosexual Jewish Rabbi[sup]*[/sup] for all you know.

My point is, if we are truthfully FIGHTING IGNORANCE you are more likely going to accomplish this feat by presenting rational thoughts* and *sharing ideas instead of childish antics. I know some of the posters on the SDMB are children and perhaps they do not possess the guidance and/or wit it takes to compose a mature response instead of the obligatory swear words and backhanded insults. When you start mimicking the behaviours of you enemy then you are no better than the enemy.

I am not saying turn the other cheek. What I am saying is that when you are trying to defend your belief system or lifestyle (or whatever) to someone who disagrees with your choices and the facts do not speak for themselves, do not resort to their level of ignorance by playing the same game as they are. You are only giving them more ammunition and a reason for them to feel justified in what they believe (or claim that they believe).

In turn, I know that the SDMB is full of many different cliques and I am still a (shudder) newbie so I should probably just keep quite lest I start a unwarranted attack upon myself, but I felt that if I wanted to really contribute to this board then I needed to say what is really weighing heavy in my mind. Otherwise, what was the point of delurking, oh, these many moons ago. I have seen a lot of people come and go, some of my favourite posters (SATAN comes to mind) and others like PerkyD…(oh that’s right)…TheOneWhoShallNotBeNamed & JDT (although you must admit - he was a funny guy), and more recently BRONZELION. Then I see people like PHLIP apologizing for his opinions perhaps out of fear of being ostracized for being un-PC (I dont know the real reason for the apology - only PHLIP does) even though IMHO he was right.

It is very interesting to those that lurk because often you see a thread going one way and then BAM it goes another. Often the mood of the thread will be that of the popular opinion at that time, often it will sway pending on who can yell the loudest, and maybe even because someone would not want to disagree with a member of the many SDMB cliques with 100’s or 1000’s (Or in Handys case 10,000+) posts. If the latter is true then we’ve won by intimidation and not by fighting ignorance, which is what EdZot…err…Unca Cece started this for.

Oh well. That’s all.

[sup]*Any relation to those living or dead is purely coincidental[/sup]

2

Jeeze, I just read this OP, where a comment was made that there is currently a trend for a BBQ pit rant to be mild (which I agree with; I’m a perpetrator of this myself), now I read this OP telling me that people are yelling and flaming and making asses of themselves. Well, which is it? Are we behaving too well here or too badly?

3

Spyderman,

Here’s a quarter. Go fuck yourself. Silly. :wally

4

I fully agree with you Spyderman, which is why I am still a lurker for the most part. By the time I see most threads (I only come on-line after work) they have usually already turned into a pissing match instead of a discussion. I also see the trend here:

[/quote]
It is very interesting to those that lurk because often you see a thread going one way and then BAM it goes another. Often the mood of the thread will be that of the popular opinion at that time, often it will sway pending on who can yell the loudest, and maybe even because someone would not want to disagree with a member of the many SDMB cliques with 100’s or 1000’s (Or in Handys case 10,000+) posts.
[/quote]

Reality is relative.

5

OK a few points.

  1. The correct title should be All your opinion are belong to us.

  2. I see a grand total of two threads on the front page dedicated to flaming a particular poster. Hardly a trend. And I’m not counting Phlip’s apology. It seems genuine to me. If you have evidence to indicate it was posted under duress then out with it, lad.

  3. You alluded to this, but this is something I’ve wanted to say for a while. Declaring yourself (or anyone else) to be “un-PC” doesn’t automatically make you a hero, it doesn’t automatically make you ballsy, it doesn’t automatically make you in the minority and it sure as hell doesn’t automatically make you right. Seeing as how you’ve apparently lurked for a very long time, you should know that many posters here have attempted to defend the most asinine views merely by spouting about how bold they are to be “un-PC”. So quit waving that flag around.

  4. Have you even seen GD? There is a very wide spectrum of views expressed there. Not everyone is of one opinion. Not by a long shot, Kaputnik. GD would be a pretty sleepy forum without these differences. And discussion is done there without cheap shots. If you want “discussion”, go there. That’s GD’s raison d’etre. The Pit is where people go to get into pissing matches. If you know of any non-Pit pissing matches, I’d like to see a link.

  5. The Pit threads about Acco and MC aren’t attacking their opinions, they are attcking the integrity of their posts. This is a key point. A large number of regs here have a right-wing bent on many issues. I have yet to see any of them actually attacked for their opinions.

  6. I don’t suppose you could actually identify the various cliques and their membership? Let’s hear some names, Senator Joe.

6

Moo.

7

Sure they are. However, it’s when someone acts like an idiot - such as when a person acts as if their opinions are right and everyone else’s are wrong - is when they get flamed.

Then you haven’t been looking very hard. What you just described is the exception, not the norm.

It depends on how you define “people they do not know”. For example, there are several people that I harbor VERY negative feelings for… not against them, personally, but against the personality that they present on the message boards.

It also depends on how you describe “childish antics”. To me, “childish antics” would involve making sock-puppets, making inappropriate insults towards someone (insulting their personal life, website, artwork, business, age, and/or language difficulties, among others). Others describe “childish antics” as anything other than the most solemn, serious discourse, which I consider to be too great an extreme.

8

Well, FUCK YOU Spyderman. Fuck you diagonally with a large, rusty, and poorly sharpened machete. Your type really gives me severe testicular torsion, you flaccid little toad. Why don’t you take a break from your career as Chief Shit Stain Licker to concentrate on gathering life skills such as refraining from poking your fingers up cats’ arseholes, and not smearing your own foul smelling excrement all over your bedroom wall? Screw you pal, and may the very mention of your name cast shame upon your descendants unto the seventh generation. Fuckwicket!

Oh, and good OP by the way. I agree with much of what you said. And a belated “welcome to the boards”. :smiley: Wanna beer?

[sub]At last a chance to say “fuckwicket”![/sub]

9

I actually agree with you, Spyderman, [sub]and I think I have a little crush on ya![/sub] Damn Autopost-a-Matic…I need to shoot Crunchy for this thing…

Alphagene, I think he was talking about non-pit threads developing into pissing matches, which I have noticed a lot of. I’ll go find a few examples for you.

I also agree about the cliques thing, it’s hard to name, just a tight-knit group of oldies who have been around for a while, and have a higher post count than most of us. They stick up for eachother and an argument with one person becomes an argument with many. Simply because someone decided to disagree with something, and it was said by the wrong person.

10

OK, a detailed response and then a short response:

As far as the tight-knit oldies, trust me on this, they come and go. Some posters who were very popular (in that MPSIMSy sort of way) six months ago are no longer alpha dogs. Like the weather in Blaine, Missouri, if its not to your liking, just wait five minutes.

And most posters appreciate that post count has little to do with quality. Old regs are subject to attack as well as newbies. Handy’s been around a while and he gets Pit threads about him every now and then. MC’s no neophyte either. Anyone who’s been around can name an oldie whose name will evoke an eyeroll. Additionally, there’s a constant stream of well spoken, knowledgable new kids in the various forums. I remember when Collounsbury, Colibri and bibliophage were all newbies, and they’ve never failed to impress. Well thought out posters rarely get flamed, regardless of post count.

Besides, I consider ExTank, pldennison, Ben, Gaudere, Triskadecamus, Stoid, december, Kimstu, The Ryan, cmkeller, DavidB, and RTFirefly to be old SDMB regs. Within that group is a huge spectrum of opinions. If you can find a GD thread where they all back each other up, I’d love to see it. :slight_smile:

So, yes, some GD threads get out of hand and spawn Pit threads. But I’m not currently noticing any surge in hostility. People are as free to express their opinion as they’ve ever been, here. But there has always been a high standard of quality when it comes to posts. And if that standard’s not met, at least in the eyes of one frustrated poster, a Pit thread will be born.

My short response is this: I’ve been a member of SDMB longer than you, so shut up, plebe. You’re making me sound old. :slight_smile:

11

I have to say that i totally agree with the OP. whether or not most people want to admit it, unpopular opinions seem to be given the third degree with regard to cites(and then verifying those cites, and verifying the verifications) while popular opinions are accepted almost(stress almost) verbatim. As you can see by my post count, this has made me almost afraid to post on any thread in which serious topics are discussed(well I guess you can only see that i don’t post alot in general). This is the pit, so i won’t bother mentioning any specific threads(though you might try any thread where someone suggests that anyone take responibility(sic)for there situations or actions). But anyway, in general I like this board but lately i have found that reading some threads has made me so pissed off that i almost wanted to get off the internet and actually do my job :).
5-HT

12

Oh and sorry for my almost obscene use of paranethesis. I tend to write how i think if that makes any sense.

5-ht

13

And this is bad… how?

14

well i guess in the whole “history is written by the winners” mentality, there is nothing wrong with it. I guess i just plain forgot that popular = correct.

15

Hey, I’ve never been flamed! I must be popular :slight_smile: ! Either that or really boring :smiley: .

On the other hand, I suppose I have been sneered at once or twice :stuck_out_tongue: .

  • Tamerlane
16

Actually, I’ve noticed that the more absurd the opinion, the more people ask for accurate and verifiable data to back up the opinion. Which is reasonable; if you’re going to tell me the moon is made of green cheese, and make me believe it, you’re pretty much going to have to buy me a ticket on the next moon shot and a box of crackers.

If you don’t want to see shoddy reasoning shot to pieces, graphically, by large-caliber minds, this would not be the place for you.

17

Isn’t this a bit circular, given that the absurdity of a given opinion is a subjective assessment? "Well, of course we make you back up your absurd (unpopular) opinion! It’s absurd! (unpopular)

I think there is much wisdom in the OP, even if it is a bit scattershot in the presentation."

stoid
holder of many unpopular opinions

18

Oh fer gawd’s sake, Stoid. Your opinions are unpopular with certain people, people who oddly enough, hold contrary opinions. The OP is speaking to a general, or universal, unpopularity. As much as you wish to hold that honor, you are no martyr; there are plenty of people here that support your opinions.

19

Tamerlane you camping bastard! Always waiting around corners ready to blow my friggin head off! Oh I dance the happy dance after I’ve gibbed you buddy! I… oh wait, that’s the bot in Unreal Tournament, not you. Never mind.
But in regards to the OP, I’m currently in two Great Debates. And while there are strong opinions on all sides and hot death does comes fast and quick to various posts and statements, there has been no flaming of individuals.

It’s important to keep in mind that if I quote someone and then declare the quote nonsense, I am not refering to the person, but the statement that I am attacking. It is an important distinction.

If SuaSponte declares something I posted to be foolish and then explains why he has declared it foolish, I am not going to take it personally. He doesn’t think that I as a person am a fool (well, not necessarily :slight_smile: ) but he does believe that that post I made was foolish. And we all are capable of making foolish posts. (Please don’t refer to my record of them.) If he makes a good arguement then perhaps I will change my mind about that topic. Or perhaps I will decide that it’s his post that is foolish. But this doesn’t mean I think him a fool. Indeed, I think he’s quite bright and I’m glad he’s around to challenge me. It makes me stronger.

20

[channel Wallace]
I know! We’ll go to the moon, Gromit! Everyone knows the moon is made of cheese!
[/channel Wallace]

Oh…sorry. Lost my head there for a second.