I just read the thread in Great Debates about this whole Pledge of Allegiance thing, after having spent most of the rest of my day surfing various other message boards where this issue was being debated.
I just wanted to say thank you to everyone here for being so intelligent, learned, and rational. OK, not everyone, but still, almost everyone. It was such a joy to read that thread. There are differences of opinion, but people are able to express them in an intelligent and calm way. (Again, for the most part.) Maybe it might not seem that way to you, but if you’d seen some of the crap posted on other message boards that I’ve seen, you would agree with me.
Sample quote from said other message board:
Sigh. It was just so great to come to the SDMB and read what actual intelligent people have to say about this. Not to mention people who know how to spell, and know how to emphasize a point without using 15 exclamation points in a row.
So… thanks, SDMB, for making my day a little less rage-ful.
This place kind of spoils you for other message boards, doesn’t it? The degree of rational, intelligent, (mostly) respectful debate that happens here is almost unparalelled on the Web, IMO. I’ve been looking at a lot of Live Journal communities lately, and almost all debates inevitably degenerate into people being assholes.
The people here seem smarter, too…I’ve seen members of Internet groups who are respected for their debating skills, and I know that a coupla rounds in the pit with some of the posters here could make them slink home with their tail between their legs.
Seriously, this place is definitely a haven. I came here originally thinking how great it was to find a place online where people were as smart as I was. Later I realised how arrogant that was, and that it was great to find a place where many, many people were a whole lot SMARTER.
Sure there are arseholes here, but generally, my SDMB experience has been enriching, mentally invigorating, and utterly humbling.
Me too – it was such a shock to get off the SDMB and read the editorials and listen to the “real world” commentators toss groundless accusations and knee-jerk flamebait across the entire topic. Especially for a socially-charged issue like this, the SDMB really spoils you with its insistence that every outrageous claim be backed up with cites and facts, to keep the nutballs from running amok.
Rather a pity the SDMB is the exception, and not the norm.
Definitely. The people here are smarter than me, and–this is what really sets the site above the others–they can spell. That’s what drives me absolutely bonkers on other sites (e.g., the one where I work): Even the people I agree with can’t spell, or won’t proofread, or something. It’s infuriating.
But not here. Everyone here is sharp, and orthographically conscious, and most of all, they have a sound, valid point to make. It’s enough to make one believe in the Internet again, as one did circa 1996.
What I like about this site is I’m by far the smartest member here and I get to lord it over you sub-humans. Wanna buy a swamp?
Okay, I’m as addicted as anyone to this place and amazed at the intelligence of most of the posters.(Even some of the mods and admins. Really.)
I came here from Usenet. It is rare, if ever, that you can find a rational, thought-out, argument without flames on Usenet. For the most part, I got sick and tired of the name calling, flaming and just bad logic that pervaded some of the newsgroups that I followed. When I found the SDMB, I couldn’t believe that I had found a place where people could disagree with me and have a spirited debate, without it devolving into name-calling and the like.
I alternate between here and the AOL message boards. I think it’s fair to say that night and day doesn’t even begin to cover the difference between the two. I love this place–both for the intellectual debate, and for all the crazy stuff that happens in the other fora. Plus, it’s always fun to see an idiot get ripped apart in GD or the pit.
I don’t get to spend as much time here as I would like to (and I post much less than I would like to), but the time I have spent has been rewarding - even the lurking!
This was my first experience with a message board, and until just recently, my only experience with a message board.
From reading about other SDMB posters’ experiences elsewhere, I never had any desire to see what was on the other side of the fence. I knew the grass wouldn’t be greener of course, but I wondered what it would be like. (pointy glass shards in asphalt perhaps?)
Still, with my annoyance with some posters’ behavior even in the SDMB, I was in no rush to sample the wild side.
But, having a real life interest in golf, I registered to a golf message board. Could it get any tamer? Educated people who walk around a lush golf course on beautiful days?
What did I find? People flaming each other!!! About GOLF, for heaven’s sake. And they couldn’t spell either!!
::sigh::
Well, I learned my lesson. There’s no place like home.
I love the SDMB. And in a weird familial way, I love many of the posters in the SDMB. I have learned much in my short time here.
I agree this board is wonderful compared to many others