Good on ya, Jeff…and a respectful, unPitlike nod to those with different takes.
I read the Pit and laugh often, but post rarely because it just isn’t my forte. But I still maintain that there’s a difference between zestful BS slinging, fighting, cussing and honing the oft degreded art of insult.
When it’s fun and understood, or even edged but adreneline packed, that’s fine. But when it slops over into urging/offering pointers on suicide; putting the lowest, nastiest, most vicious spin possible against “invisible” opponents…well, that isn’t flaming. It’s pure, self indugent sadism.
I don’t blame the board in any way, but I do hold it to a certain standard for style and awareness. There’s a difference. This place nurtures “bad attitude for a purpose”, but lines are still there for simple decency. Fighting with happy enjoyment for pissant bloodlust shouldn’t tolerate coldly inflicting injury beyond the scope of the sport.
Gotta chime in here. OK, so it’s a message board. It’s a setting for conversation… think of a fraternity/sorority house, or a dorm room, or your local coffee shop. People come in, they talk, they chat. Some people share dark and intimate secrets, some don’t. Some are open, some are reserved.
Sometimes, a loony comes in with a sign reading “The End of the World is Now” or somoene comes in to try to bring you the One True Word, or someone comes in trying to sell magazine subscriptions. Sometimes people come in with a put-on personality, or looking for a pick-up, or out to pick a pocket or two.
Thus, some people react by saying, “Hey, this is only a coffee shop, not psychotherapy.” However, some people are using the coffee shop banter exactly for therapy, whether they recognize it or not.
So, yes, like any such conduit, we’re occasionally going to have extremes of behaviour that others find awkward.
I personally think that coffee shop banter is no substitute for real therapy with a professional. But that’s just me.
