I don’t think there is any question that there are very clearly delineated styles of posters on the SDMB. One of my biggest problems when I became a mod (and it still is), is how to determine whether a conversation should remain a bright, lively, light discussion here, or whether it should go where the cite monsters hang out. The Pit is less of an issue. As a natural Pit denizen, I think I’m fairly good at spotting a Pit thread when I see one.
I see GQ, IMHO, and MPSIMS as one style; GD and the Pit as another; all the other forums are crossover.
Don’t send any poor, helpless threads to die an unnatural death in GD. Let the cite monsters starve to death. Maybe then they’d come out and play with the rest of us.
I’m not sure that they would, featherlou. There’s a mindset (which I share to some extent) that enjoys that type of discussion. There’s a mindset that enjoys an IMHO discussion. I don’t think the two overlap by very much.
If it make you feel any better, I don’t think I move as much to GD as previous mods here have.
I was pitted once, a long time ago. I commented on how the sanctity of marriage has been long gone before gay marriage became a hot topic, but I didn’t word it as eloquently as that. After getting cast into the Pit, I spent over two years not posting anywhere, and hardly visiting the boards. Even now, I feel like I have to be careful not to put a typo into a GD post, or I will be crucified.
Chowder, I’m such a frickin’ weenie that, when I saw how many posts there were to this thread, I was almost too afraid to look at what people were saying. I thought I must have stirred up something.
I was about to dissolve into a quivering mass of boo-hoo goo at the thought of you pitting me, and then I remembered – I don’t read the Pit!
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Twickster**, would that I knew why I’ve stayed in it so long. But I’m in the process of getting out. A topic for another thread in the future…
I nosh in CS and mosh in the Pit, but I mostly whisper “gosh” in GD.
I love the Pit. The first BBS I belonged to (wayyyy back in 1989) had a similar forum, and it was by far the best reading. I still get that warm fuzzy ascerbic glow when I read the Pit. (And MPSIMS, some days I can’t tell the difference between the two. ;))
Besides, there’s just something cathartic in a good, well-written pitting. The more spittle and froth flying forth, the better.
Maybe it’s because I’m new, but I’m finding the Pit a ton o’ fun - mostly because of the eloquence and wit of many Pitters. It seems that in circumstances where these folk could choose to laugh or cry they go for the laugh. Then again, I find sarcasm pretty funny but I know it’s not to everyone’s taste.
As for GD, at least it seems that most of the debaters are somewhat literate - not the same can be said for other such forums. I am a little tired of some of the issues under discussion, though since they seem to come up repeatedly in forums as a whole.
Mostly though I just hit the forum header and check out the subjects there.
In sum I’m furious at SDMB - too dang interesting by far. I may never pay lest I become a certifiable addict.
I read the thread titles in all of the forums. I read only the GD threads that seem new; the usual abortion/religion etc. threads tend to bore me, as they seem to be the same thing, over and over. I post very rarely in GD.
But I love the Pit. Sure, some threads devolve into name-calling stupidity, and some start out that way, but I find the majority of Pit threads to be hilarious. And even in the stupid threads, there’s always at least one witty comment that makes the whole thing worthwhile. Some of the funniest people on the Dope post there.
The majority of threads I read are in CS, IMHO and the Pit. Recently, I’ve been reading more GQ threads; there are some very well-informed people around here.
I try to confine my GD posts to things that happened more than 100 years ago. The civility of the discussion tends to rise in proportion to the distance of the events being debated from the present day.
By and large, I agree. Occasionally, Great Debates lives up to its billing, but tends to be monopolized by a handful of rabble rousers. I avoid the Pit entirely, as the invective is beyond contempt.
Ultimately, I use the SDMB as a tool, to get questions answered and, occasionally, to see what people are thinking. I don’t post much, but the aggregate time I devote to this board is rather disconcerting.
I enjoy the Pit, despite its advertised purpose, I find some really interesting (albeit sometimes harshly worded), threads there.
GD? I read it sometimes, but very rarely participate, I just don’t have “them kinda smarts!”
I also find that many times the majority of threads there seem to lean way to heavily upon political (SOOOO sick of the hatred for fellow Americans I see happening on both sides merely due to a difference of opinion), and religion. Same thing only replace “opinion” with “belief system”.
For the threads that aren’t heavily political or religious in nature, like some of the physics questions (wasn’t the infamous Plane + giant treadmill thread located there?) I learn stuff, but still keep my mouth shut and merely read.
On very rare occasions a thread will pop up there, in which I do actually have some decent knowledge and bits of “wisdom” to share.
But for the most part, yeah I avoid posting in GD.
GD is the only forum I never visit. (Except once when a GQ thread was moved there) It’s mostly for the reasons those before me have posted, repetition and invective. I don’t hold any opinions strongly enough to stand up in there. The BBQ Pit is the last forum on my SDMB itinerary, most days, I don’t get there, I’ll start with GQ and work my way down, as time allows.
I never visit GD. I am not interested in or passionate enough about most of the issues that people discuss there and I am not inclined to get involved in a debate and be challenged on my views and opinions. I don’t have the patience or the energy to be providing facts/cites to back up my arguments or to refute the other side’s position, and would just rather stay out of the fray.
I do visit the Pit, though, mostly for amusement as I get a kick out of reading the brilliantly colorful and creative insults that some people come up with. On occasion I’ll post a reply to show support for the OP. If I disagree with the OP or a particular poster’s remarks, again, I’ll stay out of it. I’m really not one to engage myself in shit-slinging, even if someone’s remarks might piss me off.
Pitizen here. It goes in cycles, sure. Times when an argument seems to get stuck in a groove and, like someone says above, it ends up being the same people butting heads and little else. Or the content isn’t as interesting (having mostly MPSIMS style rants) in the heat department as folks would prefer.
However, I think the ‘debates’ there are more intriguing than they are in GD because they meander to that point. It brings in perspectives from those who wouldn’t normally give one. And I’m always amazed at how level-headed some posters can be (LHoD, Zoe, Miller and too many more to count), no matter whether you agree with their stance or not. I also appreciate the humor, the desire to still aim for intelligent responses when everyone is pissed off and finally, it brings issues to you that you might not find out otherwise. Local stuff (like Askia’s recent thread about his neighbor) and global things that some of us in the US wouldn’t necessarily be exposed to and in a not-so-formal way, like it is in GD. Needless to say, I think that particular forum rocks.
I do like GD too. It’s my next stop after the Pit. However, the stances do all seem the same and the stances eternal with no changes. If you’re against abortion, you probably always will be and fussing about it may entrench it even more so than when you started. Unlike in the Pit, where I have seen minds changed, much like What Exit? attested to. It is what will always keep me coming back.
Same here—I only very rarely participate in GD. It all just seems pointless, to me…nothing ever gets solved, no minds really get change, nothing changes. Zealots seizing the moment to scream and play word games. Just…blah. Not for me.
The pit, on the other hand, I can at least browse occasionally, if I don’t chime in often. At least it seems more—honest, I guess? Grousing for the sake of grousing.
I read all the forums, but never post in GD and rarely post in the Pit. Most of the stuff in GD has no place for my contributions, since by the time I get there, someone has generally already said what I would have said. I enjoy reading Pit threads, but this is the way I see it–my real life has always had more than enough drama such that I never feel like stirring up message board drama. I don’t like to argue with people, online or in real life.
