# Where are all these idiots coming from? (non-sensible newbies to SDMB) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 2, 2003, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037 "2003-06-02T01:02:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/21 "2003-06-02T03:26:51Z")
**Lobsang** , you’ve been making a lot of noise about this lately, you’re always first in line to slag on the ‘stupid newbies,’ but despite your 3200 posts you don’t seem substantively much different from any of them. What’s the point of this thread? **butrscotch** , other newbies concerned about people picking on you, take it from me: for the vast majority of new posters, the vast majority of the regular posters here won’t notice at least your first 500 posts. You’ve got nothing to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![macabresoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@macabresoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/macabresoul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/22 "2003-06-02T03:31:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\ ***Lobsang** , you’ve been making a lot of noise about this lately, you’re always first in line to slag on the ‘stupid newbies,’ but despite your 3200 posts you don’t seem substantively much different from any of them. What’s the point of this thread? Ooooooo burned… I would actually like him to name names, that way it would stop confusing these poor newbies(like me) who can’t tell who this thread is directed at. This should be in the pit too. I hate holding back much needed personal attacks… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/23 "2003-06-02T03:31:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*macabresoul \*\*\* > but do the rest of the teenagers have to suffer with being labeled as immature because an anonymous asshole starts trolling? Yup. Get used to it. Nobody takes you seriously when you’re young. The SDMB is actually far more tolerant of youth than the real world, because there’s enough separation here to allow you to be judged pretty much entirely on the way you present yourself by the things you write. Don’t mention that you’re only 17, and unless you present yourself as immature, not only will people not care they probably won’t even know. Also, while it may be unfair to apply the generalization to everyone, that doesn’t change the fact that it may be true. Teenagers are in general more immature than older people. Welcome to the real world. And it’s a common conception on this board that the trolls come out when school’s not in session. I can’t say I’ve seen much evidence that shows this to be true, but the more it gets repeated the more people believe it. Again: get used to it. If you want people to take you seriously, behave in a way that merits that treatment. As simple as that. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/24 "2003-06-02T03:33:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*macabresoul \*\*\* > I would actually like him to name names The one currently on his mind was **StupidSmartAgain**. He’s just been banned, so let’s not go into it. Do a search if you want more info. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/25 "2003-06-02T03:38:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by butrscotch \* > See, I HOPE I’m making sense…but according to my family, I’ve got more than a few screws loose, so who knows. If I had a nickel for every time I heard or said this, I’d be the star of Fox’s new series: Who Wants to Marry Crazy Internet Millionaire Guy? ---
**Author:** ![macabresoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@macabresoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/macabresoul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/26 "2003-06-02T03:51:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*Yup. Get used to it. Nobody takes you seriously when you’re young. The SDMB is actually far more tolerant of youth than the real world, because there’s enough separation here to allow you to be judged pretty much entirely on the way you present yourself by the things you write. Don’t mention that you’re only 17, and unless you present yourself as immature, not only will people not care they probably won’t even know. > > Also, while it may be unfair to apply the generalization to everyone, that doesn’t change the fact that it may be true. Teenagers are in general more immature than older people. Welcome to the real world. And it’s a common conception on this board that the trolls come out when school’s not in session. I can’t say I’ve seen much evidence that shows this to be true, but the more it gets repeated the more people believe it. Again: get used to it. If you want people to take you seriously, behave in a way that merits that treatment. As simple as that. \*\* Oh I know that fact quite well, nobody takes ANYTHING you say seriously in a work place when you are young. And I do like how tolerant the people of the SMDB are, I’d just like to keep it that way. As for your second paragraph, you pretty much summed up everything I said. **“I can’t say I’ve seen much evidence that shows this to be true, but the more it gets repeated the more people believe it.”** … exactly, there isn’t any evidence of this… and the more people spout this BS the more intolerant people will become against the youth. I don’t believe in ‘getting used to it’. I believe in fighting intolerance/ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![porcupine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ac91a4/32.png) [@porcupine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/porcupine)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/27 "2003-06-02T03:59:57Z")
Also, no one here knows how old you are unless you tell them. **StupidSmartAgain** said he was in his twenties, not a teenager. We have plenty of posters here who are wiser than their years, and some who seem to be emotionally stuck at about age 7. Chronological age is irrelevant to a lot of the discussion here. ---
**Author:** ![croaker67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@croaker67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/croaker67)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/28 "2003-06-02T04:10:31Z")
You kids calm down now or there will be no “mountain dew” or "X-games " before bed. Seriously, idiots exist from 13 to 93 years old. ---
**Author:** ![macabresoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@macabresoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/macabresoul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/29 "2003-06-02T04:11:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by porcupine \* > \*\*Also, no one here knows how old you are unless you tell them. **StupidSmartAgain** said he was in his twenties, not a teenager. We have plenty of posters here who are wiser than their years, and some who seem to be emotionally stuck at about age 7. Chronological age is irrelevant to a lot of the discussion here. \*\* Thank You Good to know I’m not a minority of 1 in this conversation. ---
**Author:** ![JimSox5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5a626/32.png) [@JimSox5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimSox5)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/30 "2003-06-02T04:17:07Z")
[hijack] **macabresoul** , I’m sorry if I offended you earlier, I didn’t mean anything personal by it. Just trying to prove a point that **White Lightening** put a little more eloquently. [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![macabresoul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e68b1a/32.png) [@macabresoul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/macabresoul)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/31 "2003-06-02T04:26:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JimSox5 \* > \*\*[hijack] > > **macabresoul** , I’m sorry if I offended you earlier, I didn’t mean anything personal by it. Just trying to prove a point that **White Lightening** put a little more eloquently. > > [/hijack] \*\* No you didn’t offend me. Just trying to prove a point over here. ---
**Author:** ![Drastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Drastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drastic)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/32 "2003-06-02T05:23:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by butrscotch \* > It’s OPs like this that make relative newbies like me nervous. Nervousness can be a problem. But one possible remedy is to note the “registered” date under the nervousness-inducing author’s handle, and run a search on that poster, looking especially for his output around that date. Which is to say, if I were a glassworker specializing in house repair, I think I’d give every customer complimentary rocks, and note how well balanced they were for indoor throwing purposes. ---
**Author:** ![Pixiesnix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/898d66/32.png) [@Pixiesnix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pixiesnix)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/33 "2003-06-02T05:39:18Z")
FWIW, when I first started posting (after a loooong lurk session) I noticed a similar spate of flame wars, newbie meltdowns, and bannings. I was terrified that I’d come across as one of those post-and-burn types of newbies. But then I found out the Great Truth of the SDMB: Be nice to people, and they’ll be nice to you. So I was, at least I like to think so. And I’ve found the boards to be full of kind, generous and intelligent people. Take what you want from that. The point is…do I have one? Oh wait, I do. 🙂 I think **imapuhna** is right. People get wind of this place and want to make a splash with some outrageous or silly post, and then are surprised when we don’t welcome them with open arms and throw roses at their feet. Pittings occur, then bannings. Lather, rinse, repeat. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/34 "2003-06-02T05:56:52Z")
Am I the only one who goes to the beach when school lets out? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/35 "2003-06-02T06:08:43Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **macabresoul** _ > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by \*\*porcupine \*\*\* > > Also, no one here knows how old you are unless you tell them. StupidSmartAgain said he was in his twenties, not a teenager. We have plenty of posters here who are wiser than their years, and some who seem to be emotionally stuck at about age 7. Chronological age is irrelevant to a lot of the discussion here. > > Thank You > > Good to know I’m not a minority of 1 in this conversation. Heh… that’s exactly what I already said, too. And you said it was exactly what you had already said. (btw, **SSA** said he was 20. Made me laugh when he was so offended that someone thought he was a teenager.) Good point about fighting ignorance vs. getting used to it. Unfortunately there’s no way to force people to pay attention to you (in a good way). Oh, and something else I forgot to say earlier: **i like bacon** , that is an excellent, excellent, excellent user name. I look forward to reading more of your posts. The only thing that would make me more optimistic would be if you were also a Red Sox fan like my friend **JimSox5** and myself. ---
**Author:** ![Flamsterette\_X](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/41988e/32.png) [@Flamsterette\_X](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flamsterette_X)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/36 "2003-06-02T06:28:20Z")
Who knows where they’re coming from… I’m not sure myself. Definitely runs a counterpoint (in my opinion) to the stated purpose of this board. F\_X ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/37 "2003-06-02T06:48:42Z")
I don’t buy the “School is out” thing either. That comment’s thrown around any time in March, April, May, June, July, August, or December, and the rest of the time, people will say, “Man, I guess school got out early/late.” I’m not annoyed by “Hi Opal” but “School’s out” is getting up there. I get tired of people automatically blaming everything on young’uns. And to the newbies reading this thread, if you were one of the “bad” newbies, you’d probably already know. And even if you are pretty clueless (which none of you seem to be), you’ll learn. My first few posts make me absolutely _cringe_ when I read them, but at the very least, I’ve never been pitted. ---
**Author:** ![PhiloVance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e19adc/32.png) [@PhiloVance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhiloVance)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/38 "2003-06-02T07:26:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by croaker67 \* > \*\*You kids calm down now or there will be no “mountain dew” or "X-games " before bed. Seriously, idiots exist from 13 to 93 years old. \*\* Heyyyyy! I’m exempt. ---
**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/39 "2003-06-02T09:41:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by White Lightning \* > \*\*The one currently on his mind was **StupidSmartAgain**. He’s just been banned, so let’s not go into it. Do a search if you want more info. \*\* That name’s banned, but I swear late last night I saw a post from the same person under the new name he wanted (or a variety of it) … ---
**Author:** ![i\_like\_bacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@i\_like\_bacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/i_like_bacon)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037/40 "2003-06-02T10:12:58Z")
well thank you white lightning! i have to admit, for sentimental reasons i am a twins fan, but i pretty much like any team that isn’t owned by disney. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-are-all-these-idiots-coming-from-non-sensible-newbies-to-sdmb/179037.md?page=3)