My impression is that most people that regularly post here are very confident in their own knowledge, are quick to share it, and defend it. Occasionally I will see someone post with humility and accept a new learning they did not understand previously.
So, as a poster on the SDMB, do you believe that you are primarily here to fight ignorance through sharing of your vast wealth of knowledge or are you here to gain understanding and fight your own ignorance?
Poll to follow.
I learn so much from this board, you have no idea.
I think, though, that I’m less likely to post in a thread I’m learning from, because, well, I’m learning. I don’t have anything substantial to add. Sometimes, of course, I post something inane anyhow, but mostly I don’t.
So if you were to investigate my posts, you’d find a hella lot more posts where I’m telling than where I’m learning, but I learn as least as much as I teach, really. That’s why I love this place!
I thought I was smart, until I started coming here.
You left out an obvious option: I’m here to amuse myself. I mean, yeah, the rest of the lesser Tolkienites & I are here to learn from Doctor Qadgop, but none of us are insane enough to think that counts as fighting ignorance.
I agree with what Skald said without the Nerdstuff.
Every time I see someone trot out the noble “But this board is about fighting ignorance!” it makes me laugh a little. Yes, yes. I’m sure everyone who hits the board thinks “Time to fight some ignorance!” as the page loads.
Yes, but what amuses you here? I get my amusement here, but it’s from the intellectual exchange.
Silly threads. Conversations about literature & mythology & history & religion.
I mostly stay out of conversations about the areas I know a lot about from work because, well, that’s work.
ETA: I DO like threads that force me to use my imagination and to stretch my intellectual muscles. And not infrequently a thread surprises me in what it makes me think. This is often true of my hypothetical threads; I can think of a few in which I thought I had a firm opinion on an “issue” when I started typing, but completely changed my mind once the thread started getting traction.
The nerdstuff isn’t essential, just an example. I enjoy starting threads about morality and religion as well, as you may have noticed. But I don’t fool myself that I’m going to persuade anyone to give up their religious faith, and, honestly, I’m not all that interested in trying.
I don’t think anyone can reasonably claim to teach more than they learn here, but I also don’t think that any significant fraction of the posters here take that whole “fighting ignorance” thing seriously.
I am here to have fun, but I’ve also learned a hell of a lot. I don’t post much, and my knowledge base is rather small, though I have been able to answer a General Guestion or two. It makes my day when I can do so.
I think most people stay here because the board is entertaining, and the discourse is generally intelligent. There a (very) few people who insist on bleating “but this board is supposed to be about fighting ignorance.” usually when someone questions their humorless pedantry. There are times when such folk make me want to bitch slap them through the screen.
I learn far more from reading threads than I contribute.
My thoughts exactly.
Other than my opinions on spankings and homeschooling I’m just here to soak up the brilliance.
And to nod understandingly at my Willie Herenton, AC Wharton, & Barbara Swearengen jokes, yes?
People that claim to fight ignorance make me roll my eyes, or that we’re some exceptional message board full of geniuses make me roll my eyes. I’m here to kill time.
I learn a lot here and it keeps me relatively up to date on current events and such.
That said, the main reason I come here is to watch the bickering, preferably Pit bickering. Nothing is more fun to watch than 2 otherwise perfectly mature adults reducing themselves to saying some of the things I read in there. Classic stuff.
little of both, I guess. I get a warm fuzzy from being “the guy who knows stuff” sometimes, and I’m not afraid of being proven wrong/corrected. If I can learn something, bonus.
Primarily learn, occasionally share
I am here to fight my ignorance; the only problem is, it keeps fighting back!
Yeah, me too. I’m sure I learn far more than I teach. One thing I’ve learned, It is wise to be quite sure of your ground before saying anything here. The intelligence level among dopers is such that if you say something dumb or misstate a fact you WILL be called on it. Ya can’t bullsh*t Dopers!
And then of course, there’s the entertainment value…SS
Over the past decade plus I’ve been lurking, I’ve learned so much. There is no way I could teach as much as I’ve learned. Not even close.