In all my exploits on the internet - chat rooms, newsgroups, message boards, e-mail etc, I am almost always the intellectualy superior member of the conversations. It provides satisfaction to be wise and knowledgable in what I say.
But here I am intellectually inferior to most of the other dopers (it seems that way anyway). Nothing I say here is original/clever/funny enough to get more than a raised eyebrow from any of the dopers.
I am not criticising anyone, just venting.
Do anyone of the dopers hang around in any newsgroups, chatrooms? if so which ones?
I nominate :rolleyes: as the most smug smiley of the message board.
If that’s what you mean by raised eyebrow, then you should reply with one of these
Maybe it’s because the search of knowledge for me is something I do for fun and not take too seriously. I check out the Straight Dope and the message boards to learn things, not to be deemed intelligent by the other posters
Having said that (the OP) I was just thinking the other day how much I owe to the SDMB…
My skin is a lot thicker now. I have the ability to be criticised harshly and not respond in kind. (but rather with humour and/or humility) I have a bit of extra knowledge. I have something to occupy my time at work. I have got used to the delays now (I recognise when the sdmb is being slow and go off and do something else without feeling slightly annoyed) (that amounts to a lot more Patience!. I am very patient now, thanks sdmb!)
I’m pretty new here too and I’ve been shut down a few times by various experienced dopers. But slowly I am learning to take criticisms–whether constructive or otherwise–with grace and humility. I’ll admit I was in the wrong a lot more readily now. I’ll back you up anytime, lobley. I quickly learned that this is not the place to go for instant sympathy. People are harsh, but as ol’ Blue Eyes one said, “That’s life!”
The reason I’m hooked on the SDMB is because I’m constantly learning new things that push me out of my comfort zone and constantly surprises me. The breadth of intellect on this board is very large and impressive. Sometimes I’d like to be the intellectual superior of a group I’m in. But upon reflection, I would just get bored. Why don’t you look upon the SDMB as a place that introduces you to new ideas and encourages you to explore them further?
Sometimes, I feel that I’ve achieved the equivalent of a semester’s worth of learning after following a particularly difficult thread in the Great Debates forum. I’ll tell you, you don’t want Collounsbury flaming you!
