What is with all the criticism of Newbies? Anytime someone with a post count under 1000 dares to venture an opinion that may or may not jibe with what an “oldster” believes, they are jumped upon faster than you can say “spit”. But think about it … how are the Newbies (myself included) going to raise their post count if they don’t share their opinions? Isn’t that what this board is all about? You may not agree with what they (we) have to say, but please, find a better reason to disagree with us than our post count … in some cases, it turns into a “mine’s bigger than yours” argument that really belongs in the schoolyard.
I’m not saying EVERYONE does this, but I see it often enough to be first amused, then perplexed, then mildly annoyed.
By the way, I’m posting this in the Pit 'stead of IMHO because (oddly enough) this is where I see this behaviour the most often.
small voice from corner
I never had that problem. Or at least if I did, I was happily oblivious. Maybe it’s because I wasn’t an annoying jerk, or if I was, I was an oblivious annoying jerk!
Dammit Pepperlandgirl, quit following me
I’ve got an uneasy feeling that I’m a jerk, but I’m secure in the knowledge that other people are worse. And Brunetter - quit yer yap, newb- oo. Uhoh, your post counts higher than mine. Sorry.
I, too, never had felt the bitter stings of “Newbie Syndrome”.
If I were to venture a guess, I’d say that some Newbies (not all) want to appear on the scene with a bang, so he comes in, runs his mouth like an egotistical prick, expecting to become revered and respected overnight, instead of taking the time to prove his intelligence. If I were to continue to venture, I’d say that a small number of these “Flash in the pan Wannabes” wind up becoming trolls when they don’t immediately become famous throughout the board and, instead of taking the time to build themselves up, desire to tear the “Oldies” (but Goodies) down.
Isn’t that just the kind of thing a newbie would say?
But allow me to help, kindly soul that I am.
Let us hypothize (great, big thighs):
[Newbie] wants to post in a way that meets the kindly approval of [Oldster] Then, [Newbie] should post something like this:
“I just finished reading [Oldster]'s post on the Coriolis Effect and the Flat Earth Society, and I am in total agreement. I cannot recall when I have seen such cogent wit and piercing intellect brought to focus. Is [Oldster] really Cecil in disguise? My admiration…”
I’m sure you get the drift. Practice with friends, make up your own variations. Bend, pucker, kiss. It is very similar to academics citing each others learned papers.
This is not getting tiresome. It is tiresome. It was tiresome last month and it was tiresome last year. And the year before.
We were all newbies once. Some of us have never been bashed. Some have, and learned from it. And some just don’t get it.
Aw, what’s the use? There will be another post just like this next month.
Say, I just looked at the date and I see that it’s almost time for a new poster to instruct us on how the board should be administered. Should be any day now.
And for all you newbies out there, take it from me, you only get bashed when you portray yourself as an idiot.
Hey Wally, remember how much of a dipshit I was when I was new under the “SmickD” handle?
Hell, I was even kind of a putz under Lexicon for awhile.
Then I came to my senses or people got used to my bullshit personality or both, because now I have manny friends on this board.
So trust me, when you get flamed, it’s because you said something that made you look like a thundering moron, and it has nothing to do with your post count.
It may be mentioned as justification for why you are saying something so stupid, so it is actually in your defense to have someone say
“Oh, they’re a newbie. That explains it. Let’s cut them some slack”
In fact, that’s the general attitude re: newbies.
So shut your whiny ass and contribute something meaningful or go away.
I can name at least 20 posters who were never bashed as a newbie… AT LEAST.
So take that sorry shit somewhere else.
No one gives a flying rat dick if you’re a newbie.
If you’re a shmuck, you’re a shmuck. Post count has little to do with it.
But I will bite since I am on a Pit Posting Frenzy.
It’s nothing against all new people, but there are so many new people that dive without testing the depth of the waters.
I made an ass out of my self the first few days here, got reamed for it but it was because of my own stupidity. I realized I screwed up, pulled myself up by the bootstraps and here I am seven months later with few scars.
It’s not about new people, it’s about stupid people…oh and BTW that is was this is all about isn’t it? Helping rid the world of ignorance?
SO, any new people that are here, if you contribute without being a jerk you will be fine. If you are a jerk or come across as one, expect your spine to crumble under the weight of long timers jumping on your back.
If you are concerned then it is possible that you need to put some steal in that spine and deal with it
Yeah, there are certain things that someone who has been here a while can do while a newbie will get flamed for. For example, some newbies like to criticize the administration from time to time. This is not bad in and of itself, but they often don’t know the dynamic of the SDMB well enough to understand why the administration does things the way they do, and end up looking stupid.
Criticizing things you don’t understand is stupid. Just as you don’t wander over to GQ and try to answer all the questions posted regardless of your ability to do so with any knowledge, so you shouldn’t comment on administrative matters without knowledge of the board. Questions are generally well recieved, however.
Another thing is newbies who insult regs and whine about how they are being attacked for being new. First, this begs the question of why they post here repeatedly. Do these people go to Pizza joints and complain that they would really prefer Chinese food? If you don’t like the posters on the message board, don’t post here. Don’t come in and expect everyone to simply bow to your every wish. This is their community, and if you want to be accepted by them, you have to be able to get along.
I don’t see why this is so hard for some people to grasp. These are not principles dissimilar to those we use when dealing with meeting new people in any situation. We’ve got a community here, and acceptance is not automatic, although ability to post is. Just as in real life you can’t demand the friendship of others, so you can’t here.
Of course, 99% of the people that join seem to understand this innately. There’s just that handful that likes to whine and bitch about how they need to kiss ass to be accepted or how newbies are treated badly. We do admit to treating idiots badly, though. We take our cues from Cecil.
Let me mention before y’all start chewing my ass bigtime, that up until this thread, I hadn’t even ONCE been chewed out on the basis of my newbie-ness. I was defending the other lesser newbies whom I see getting pooped on time and again for nothing more than their low post count. Anyway, let me practice … all you oldsters bring up brilliant and magnificent points … are you all Cecil in disguise? And for those of you who bitch that it’s “another thread about the newbies” well, guess what, I imagine the newbies haven’t seen the OLD threads… funny that.
Well, a lot of what the Oldies (and sometimes us “Middies”) call on the Newbies for is their lack of “intelligent posting”… they go to GQ and try to reply to every question, but their answer is completely off base or only based on their opinion. They go to GD and debate horribly, refusing to offer cites or counter-arguments, or just being dicks to those that disagree with them.
Now, I’m not referring to all Newbies (I never did that… I think), just the ones that screw up the experience for the rest of them. They act like assholes and then complain that they get pounced on for being a Newbie, and then OTHER Newbies have to clean up the shit that they start.
So, basically, don’t be a jerk, Newbie, Middie, or Oldie.
The majority of my post so far have been in the pit simply because I think this is the most interesting forum on the board.
I have posted a few strong opinions but I haven’t gone out of my way to be an asshole to anyone and so far I think I have been treated with the utmost of respect.
When I see someone with ten/fifteen post come here and start acting like a jerk, I pull up a chair and wait for the newbee bashing to begin. It doesn’t surprise me and it really shouldn’t surprise the poster.
It reminds me of a kid with a new sportster who pulls up to the club bar and thinks that now he’s a biker.
Ya’ got to prospect for a while before ya’ get your patch, and if you can’t handle it then it’s time to go back to a moped.
Hello Brunnetter,
Pleased to have you on the board.
Bear with me for a minute, as I dont want to sound patronizing.
For a start, look under your name.
It dosent say “Newbie” does it? It says member. Therefore the number dosent mean a thing. I 've got 500+ posts since july last year.
Spoofe joined last month and has 300+. (but most of his posts are useless )
so the number means nothing.
If you start out by telling everyone that they’re wrong about something without having a reasonable proof, you’ll get jumped on.
If you start 10 threads in MPSIMS about how well-endowed you are and that you’re god’s gift to women, you’ll get jumped on.
If you start threads about How Aliens are controlling the goverments of the world and about how all Canadians are dumb,
You’ll get jumped on.
there’s a constant problem on the board with trolls and sock puppets, so alot of the regulars are wary of “newbies”.
We get alot of posters who have been banned under one name coming back under something else, and starting out again.
If you take a beating in an arguement, relax, grudges are rarely kept.
So take it easy, be yourself and you’ll be fine.
and as this is the pit, Bite my shiny metal ass.
Who are these “lesser” newbies? Lesser how? Less intelligent than you? Than me? And please provide links. I want to see who is bashing newbies for nothing more than their low post count.
Not satisfied with that, he continues by insulting the regs for politely explaining a little about how things work here:
Nice going, Spock. Maybe you should teach a class on How to Win Friends and Influence People. Nothing like walking into a roomful of strangers and insulting them. Putz.
And here’s my favourite:
Here’s a clue: It’s called “reading,” moron.
Most good posters lurk and read to get the lay of the land before they make their first posts. Then there are the ones that are too lazy or too stupid. I suspect you’re both.
Go play with your crayons. And stay inside the lines!
While I have been called a slanderous, arrogant, bitch, I can truly say that I haven’t actually been flamed that I can remember.
Why? Because I usually try to post my topics and threads in the correct forum.
This is the Pit you dumbass. We are supposed to flame people and give our hotheaded opinions here. If ANYONE doesn’t desire to be bashed, then stay out of the Pit and you won’t be.
While I can appreciate your efforts to help the ‘newbies’ as you call them, you have only served to defeat your purpose. Your posts show that you consider yourself above people just because of post count, hey, I got a newsflash for you, most people don’t even look at the post count except the new people.
You want to get accepted to the board? READ the old threads, stop name calling, and grow a thick skin, or you’ll never be taken seriously here.
And, it wouldn’t hurt to suck up to Wally, UncleBeer, Aha, and Alphagene.
Actually, Brunetter, it really is better to take the threads on their own merits, watch what happens for a while and don’t make general proclamations about the treatment of other posters. Feel free to jump in and defend whomever you want to within the particular thread that gets your goat. Hell, I jumped into a topic the second day I was posting and defended another poster’s rights when he was criticized; turned out he was a legitimate troll and I was dead wrong, but nobody jumped on me for presenting a polite (and specific) defense.
So anyway, welcome to the pit, and get bent, you parsimonious little fuck.
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