I like THIS, so therefore I have to hate THAT, or internet message boards behavior

In My Humble Opinion
1

What is it that makes people who like one thing feel compelled to trash something else? Can they not grasp the concept of “Hey, this is cool. And, hey, that thing over there is cool too!”??

Here is what I mean. I’m a car guy. Well, also a motorcycle guy. Basically if it has combustion and lotsa moving parts, I’m probably interested in it. But what I’m not is a one brand loyalist. My driveway/garage currently has one BMW vehicle, one Honda vehicle, and one Porsche. Also one BMW motorcycle. And because I work on/tinker with every single one of them, I belong/participate on various internet message boards dedicated to those vehicles. A couple of forums for my Porsche, one for my BMW car, one for my Honda, and one for the BMW motorcycle.

The three car forums all share one trait. Many, I would even say the majority, of posters take glee in absolutely trashing other brands/cars. I mean I get it. If you own a Boxster, you’re cool with Boxsters. You obviously like them, and have a certain pride of ownership. But you know, the new Alfa Romeo 4C is a pretty awesome car. It is possible to still love your Boxster, and still acknowledge that the Alfa is a sweet car. But, by and large, everyone takes glee in trashing things different. The Alfa sucks because blah, blah, blah. Even though 90% of them would trade their car for it in a second if they could.

And it’s not just Porsche people, even on the super low key Honda Ridgeline forum, they take shots at the somewhat similar Chevrolet Avalanche.

I dig my cars. But I also appreciate other cars/bikes as well. I find no joy in trashing something just because I don’t own one.

Oddly enough, it’s the BMW motorcycle forum that mostly refrains from trashing any other bikes. BMW riders, IRL, have an (IMHO undeserved) reputation as being snobby.

Sorry for rambling about this here, but it bugs me. I’m sure it happens all over the internet. Apple versus Android is an example that pops up in my mind immediately. Everyone has to pick a side, no one can be gray area. It’s just stupid.

Oh well.

2

You might enjoy this article on lifehacker.

3

I used to be like that with Wagner and Brahms. Then, when I was about 40, I realized I liked a lot of Brahms’ music, too.

4

Tribalism, baby! It’s the same mechanism that makes people kill each other over country borders and small religious differences. And go to sports games. :smiley:

5

A) People are not born good. That has to be taught, usually by example.

B) What Octarine said.

C) Hate requires no thought.

D) Liking two things at the same time requires knowledge & thought & willingness to be different.

E) Thought, willingness & knowledge be hard …

Just how many do you know that can/do/be that way? :cool:

6

That is not an internet thing. It is a human thing and has been going on since civilization started. Where I grew up, people fought over pickup truck brands. Being a Ford vs Chevy person (I drove a Mazda) said just as much about you as being a Democrat versus a Republican does in other arenas. It was usually just casual sniping with some (malicious) humor but I witnessed one really bad group fight that broke out over that exact issue.

That is just one example though. People have been tribalizing themselves over whatever brand preferences they choose to represent their identities since time began. You can see it in expected places like Harley owners versus European bike makers but also in household appliance brands and even really mundane things like washing detergent brands and supermarket choices.