Funny, I didn’t know what to call this, then I remembered a bumper sticker I saw in traffic a few weeks ago. I concur. But first a word about our sponsor:
This is an interesting website. Wish I had more time to play. Well, maybe in 10-20 years or so…
Funny, I said I wouldn’t be back, yet here I am. I needed distraction, and boy, I sure got it!
I want to make some observations. If it’s not in the right place, I apologize… can someone fix it for me? I just don’t have the time to figure out all the ins and outs here, and some of the, uh, proprietary terms are a bit confusing. “The pit,” the “psychic friends network,” the acronyms, etc. Looks like one needs a lot of on-site experience (no pun intended) to communicate here.
From the index page, it looks like this should go into the “Opinions” or “BarBQ.” This is an opinion comment, but it is a complaint, of sorts. It’s also a concern, so perhaps it should go into “About.” I know! I’ll post it all three places, and the administrators can figure out where it should go.
Well then. This is likely an exercise in futility, but I’ll get a rush out of it, and that’s enough. If the website benefits, good. If some of you benefit, better. If nothing happens, no sweat, I’m really doing this to get my mind off other stuff that’s clouding my clarity.
Thank the gods there is anonymity here, so I can spout off. Only one person in Straight Dope knows who I really am, and I’ll just have to trust that person to keep quiet and honor my anonymity.
Anonymity. God’s bones! What a massive single-edged sword! Because of this anonymity I can post things I’d never say in public! I can be “out of character,” I can do whatever I’m willing so my login name takes the heat instead of ‘me.’ Of course, for me this is mitigated by my own morals! As I scanned through the “threads” (why ‘threads?” they seem more to me like webs!) that interested me I noticed something. Anonymity confers a degree of freedom, no, not just freedom, of power. People not only say, but do things they would not do otherwise, or at least I hope they would not do otherwise.
This is an amazing website. I don’t have any experience with software development or computer programming, but if the government’s computers worked half as well as this site does, I’d save so much time I’d be able to come here and play at least 1-2 hours a day. Just reading stuff here is better than a night at the movies; adding to the discussion could be addicting. However, the more useful a tool the greater the opportunity for abuse.
There is a contingent here who seem to exist only for the purpose of making themselves look better in their own eyes by belittling other people. I won’t say “you know who you are,” because I’m sure you are ignorant to the fact. I think the word is “clueless.” Perhaps even psychotic. Someone mentioned to me a “Psychic Friends Network” that evidently exists somewhere here (I couldn’t find it). I did, however, find a “Psychotic Friends Network.” They call themselves “Dopers.” No, not all of you, but if the shoe fits….
You know the type: challenges anything that doesn’t adhere to their beliefs, uses popular “buzzwords” to demean others, if their so-called “logic,” their version of “common sense” and posted “cites” don’t work to trash you they devolve into name-calling, trickery, even lying. Just to demonstrate that they can use words to trash you, YOU! And truth be damned.
I’ve seen, in addition to the above, emotional abuse, character assassination, claims of “using logic” and “having common sense” mis-used enough to make me ill. Well, it’s a contagious disease, ‘cause, quite frankly, there are a LOT of SICK people posting here.
It’s one thing to debate ideas and help those who are less-acquainted with the rules or standards to come up to speed. It’s quite another to use your time on-line and their naïveté against them, claiming they are stupid just ‘cause they haven’t been around as long you have. Plus, it stifles creative discussion, as well as perpetuating the imagined superior position of those who have been here a day longer than you.
One list of postings here compared guns to ‘substitute penises.’ Frankly, I think this site is a substitute penis for many of you. If you feel insulted or affronted by this remark, then YOU are the one I’m talking about!!!
Folks, I can’t believe the cruelty I see from some of you. All because you are anonymous!? You have anonymity, therefore you abuse? In contemporary issues, it’s like the abusive prison-keepers (I refuse to call them soldiers, they don’t deserve it) in Iraq. Power corrupts. Anonymity confers power.
Oh, yes, I know, you are ready to jump in and say, “Look at yourself, counselor.”
You first.
Can you handle the mirror?
Filli