More "clique" nonsense

The BBQ Pit
1

In MRunner’s CHILL thread Diane said:

OK, she meant clique. Clique, cliché… those French words are all the same anyways. But once again someone claims that there is one or many cliques that are detrimental to this SDMB community.

I say “bullshit”, honey. My dare to you, Diane, is to assume they don’t “know who they are”.

Tell us, Di-Di. Who are the members of this clique? Let’s hear some names.

I used to rock and roll all night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I’m lucky if I can find a half an hour a week in which to get funky.

2

Its me Gene.

I am the clique.

Apparently when I make a statement, all who read it must obey my every whim. If I dont like/flame someone, then the clique is ‘running them off the board’.
People say stuff like ‘dont piss off kelli’ (They were not kidding, I made them say that because I want them to live in fear!)

I like it here, I post alot sometimes, I have been chummy with some of the people here for many months, I go to chat, and get chummy with those people too. I guess that makes me the clique.

If I leave, then there will be no clique.
I went to a new board the other day, and on my first post I accused all the people who knew each other of ignoring me because I am not in the clique, they immediatly disbanded said clique and rebanded with me as the leader. You see, its my superior intellect and stunning good looks that has them falling at my feet.

For the sarcasm impaired, the entire contents of this were meant to be sarcastic.

Who would include me in a clique? Jees, I am an overwieght, twice divorced single mother,and a *saleman!*I cant even spell loser(looser) right! I am nobody important, I have no influence !! If I am representative of this ‘clique’, then I dont want to be in it!

3

Does this mean that we can steal the TINC designation from the news.admin,net-abuse.* newsgroups?

It is often said that “anything is possible”. In fact, very few things are possible, and most of them have already happened.

4

Alpha, are you saying there aren’t any cliques, or there are cliques, but they aren’t detrimental to the board?

5

Bullshit back atcha, BABE - You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to see it and I am certainly not the only one to “imagine” it.

Look around fergodsake, it isn’t hard to miss. Hint, just look for threads that:

  • Show lynch mob mentality.

  • Gang up on newbies, not because they have proven themselves to be idiots, but just for the crime of signing into the SDMB.

  • Pat each others backs in praise for treating a non-CLIQUE member like shit.

  • Sniff each others butts and hump the leg of fellow cliquers.

  • Complete intollerance for those who don’t fit the mold.

Look around, you’ll see the same 6 or 7 screen names in threads such as these.

Oh, I thank you kindly for the lesson in French. Next time I will proofread instead of spellcheck only. No really, I promise.

>^,^<
KITTEN
Fluff yer hair Beula, I’s feelin frisky - M.S.

6

No, Kelli, you’re not the clique, you’re the “Cliche”.
Since Diane posted the word cliche twice,

I think she really meant cliche.
I already know what cliche you are:
You’re the Clock Cleaner, as in “Somebody ought to clean his clock.”

I want to know who is:
the Bell Ringer as in (S)he really rang his bell."
the Cat Who Swallowed the Canary
the Hooker with a Heart of Gold
the Shoot First, Ask Questions Later Person
the Once burnt, Twice Shy Person
the Life of the Party
the “gonna rain on your Parade” person
the dumb blonde
the absent minded professor

Any others?

7

Awwww, I want to be the hooker with the heart of gold!

8

I am a new-ish poster. I found the board December 18th, posted once to answer a question, and didn’t post again until this month. I did read the board between December 18th and January.

So far as I’m aware, I’m not part of any clique.

Moreover, I’ve never been attacked or gang-up on.

Why is that, do you think, if there is a rabid clique dedicated to attacking newbies?

  • Rick
9

What qualifies as being part of the group of rabid, attack dogs on newbies. I freely admit ripping on and making fun of idiotic posters, new or old. These would include people like Formeragent, Mikeylikesit, and Phaedrus.

But, I spend the majority of my time here learning some interesting things about stuff I never knew, or feeling happy when I can contribute some of my knowledge to help others out.

I have a very low level of patience with people who show up just to be inflammatory or pointless. Plenty of new posters show up that go along with the general peaceful, knowledgeable, and helpful flow of this board. So, if someone comes across like a brain dead sponge, I am not likely to sit idly by.

My sig line is currently unavailable. Please check this post in 1 hour when we resume our broadcast day.

10

I would be the cat that swallowed the canary.

Tasted just like chicken.

Always be ready to speak your mind and a base man will avoid you.
-William Blake

11

Bricker–That’s because you’re already included in the Cliche…
You’re One of the Guys already.
Maybe, you’re In the “IN” Crowd. I don’t know…

12

Mullinator: thanks for adding a cliche!

Brain Dead Sponge–now who would that be???

13

Since this is the Pit, Diane, why don’t you just name names or give some examples of pertinent threads?

The Coyote gnaws …
but he does not swallow.

14

So no names, Diane? OK. Fine. Your statement is pretty much worthless then. Should we just call them The Evil Mystery Syndicate? The Phantom Society of Evil Posters?

If you really want to put an end to this perceived threat to the integrity of this MB, let’s identify the guilty parties.

Flyp, I don’t think there are any real cliques at all. There are individual posters that are detrimental, sure. And there are posters who are closer to some people than others but that’s not cliquish to me. I do not think there is some xenophobic mystery cadre of posters.

Satan is closer to DB than he is to me but I don’t think he’s cliquish. I can also identify posters who tend to gravitate to one forum or another but I don’t consider them cliquish.

And for those who think newbies are chased away, read OpalCat’s “Wind knocked out of me” thread in GQ. A newcomer to the board, Xenopus, given an intelligent and well researched response. He is explicitly praised for his response and welcomed aboard by all who posted. And rightfully so.

Even after the whole LBMB debacle, new posters like Navigator have gained not just acceptance but respect among GDers.

Hardly cliquish I would say. But I guess you’d have to actually contribute other forums besides MPSIMS to notice that.

I used to rock and roll all night and party every day. Then it was every other day. Now I’m lucky if I can find a half an hour a week in which to get funky.

15

I’m being a total bitch this morning. I apologize.

Having said that, I do think there is a small clique on this board that could maybe be a little less judgmental and not so fast to call out the dogs on newbies. I do feel that lately there is a certain mentality that resembles junior high. I am not going to create a larger flame war by posting names. As I said, it is pretty obvious who I am referring to just by reading a few threads.

If I am the only one who can see this, then I’ll get my eyes tested.

>^,^<
KITTEN
Fluff yer hair Beula, I’s feelin frisky - M.S.

16

Alphagene said

That is perhaps the coolest name I have heard for a group of supervillains.

I want in, where’s the application. While I have no evil powers per se, I do have a pretty powerful look of disapproval.

17

Mull - I totally agree with you. I have blasted with both barrels the likes of MarkSerlin among others. Shit like that should be dealt with.

I am referring to people like MRunner who is dismissed, called ignorant, etc., simply for the mistake of being a newbie and not meeting the standards of a few *. He is not the first and probably won’t be the last. I think that is fucked up.

Alphie - Hold your breath waiting for me to post names. No really, hold your breath.

  • I don’t think he was treated harshly in the muu muu thread. He did look like a potential troll.

>^,^<
KITTEN
Fluff yer hair Beula, I’s feelin frisky - M.S.

18

On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, I am The Dumb Blonde. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, I am the Absent Minded Professor. Sundays, I take a break from the hustle and bustle and become the Slug-a-Bed.

As for cliques, I think it’s inevitable that in a forum with many, many users, several forums and a chat area that groups of people get to know each other and create bonds that are more personal and intimate than the rest of the site enjoys. That doesn’t mean that these friendships are exclusionary by any means - just that becoming part of that group requires both effort and reciprocal interest.

In the last couple of months, we’ve had the Phaedrus fiasco, a plethora of sock puppets, the LBMB flood, a change in policies regarding multiple user names, virulent racists like KlanMan and NightGirl44, posters like PitBullDawg who seemed to revel in baiting for baiting’s sake, a hacker whose antics could have gotten our html priviledges revoked, and a larger number than usual of posters whose idea of erudite, articulate communication wAs To UsE aLtErNaTiNg CaPiTaL lEtTeRs. No wonder the people who frequent this board are a little jumpy.

I have seen a couple of “trolls” show up and be immediately squashed with enthusiastic glee. I’ve seen a few people show up, make a poor impression and get stomped on. A couple of those stormed off, a couple more stayed battled things out and were accepted.

What I haven’t seen is newbies using good communication skills and good etiquette get chased off by a torch carrying mob of Teeming Millions.

We could, I suppose, institute a welcome wagon of sorts. Or we could bash anyone who looked like they belong to a clique. Or we could attack anyone who dared to criticize a newbie for whatever reason. I just don’t think any of those methods will make things any better.

This board has a rough and ready, jump in running flavor that I like. We don’t baby people. We respect them enough to demand that they be able to articulate intelligent thoughts. A lot of behavior is tolerated so long as that one criteria is met. As a result, we have a board that is far and away better than the average Internet forum.

There is enough variety here that I think nearly everyone can find a niche and enjoy themselves. To criticize one forum because you think it’s silly or overly intellectual or viciously mean is nothing less than the arrogance of presuming that everyone should partake according to your own tastes.

The board is a dynamic, fast paced environment, and every voice counts. The mood shifts according to the prevailing winds, but when it goes too far, there are always the devil’s advocates and loyal opposition to drag us back around to a more temperate climate.

I wouldn’t change it for the world.

19

I agree again. This board can be rough, that’s one reason I like it. Those who can’t handle it eventually leave, sometimes I will help them out the door.

BUT - the point I have been making is that junior high school mentality a few “adults” have created here is fucked up and irritating.

>^,^<
KITTEN
Fluff yer hair Beula, I’s feelin frisky - M.S.

20

I agree with Phouka 100%.

People just need to relax and state their case. If someone disagrees with you, consider it a good thing – argue if you enjoy it, move on if you do not. Defend your point of view if you feel compelled to do so, but understand that your defense must be well-constructed if you want it to even be considered amongst this particular group of people. And don’t be so sensitive to other’s reactions. I find most of the flames on this board to be highly amusing, and I think that if you can take something constructive from them than you should do so – if not, then accept it in good fun or ignore it altogether.

And since this is the Pit, allow me to add:

You are all a bunch of fucking losers!