has being on forums made you meaner?

[SAMBUSA]

im the same here as in person........ many here know. i think what happens is people get comfortable in being able to say stuff to people with out any face to face interaction, then eventually lose their real life filters.

I tell you face to face that you're ghey

[kawi kid]

and ill tell you to your face that you are a bald pile of shit

[SAMBUSA]

and ill tell you are a bald pile of shit

And that's us just gettin started at foreplay

[jbot]

i just try to stay amused where ever i am.

[SAMBUSA]

i just try to stay amused where ever i am.

You amuse me on a daily basis

[kawi kid]

And that's us just gettin started at foreplay

true story

[RC51 John]

I don't feel I'm more negative on there than i am in person. I think we all have moments where it it far too easy to type your true feelings on here.

[ross]

Anything Ananda says sounds sexy to me

thanks for your input lance

[Dubguy85]

thanks for your input lance

[danballa]

Of course all of her followers jumped my ass

i guess i'm the only one who caught that..or I'm the only one who thought it was funny

Seriously though, I don't think You have to worry about turning into some mean person. I've seen you on here, and I've talked to you in person..Both places you seem like a nice woman, I mean a nice Hobbit!!!

[SpeedTriple44444]

I'm not entirely sure 'meaner' is the right word. Just more likely to express negative comments toward what others are saying or doing...

I follow a few healthy living blogs lately and one of them really got on my nerves yesterday. Amidst all the people stroking this womans ego, I commented that she sounded out of touch and entitled to me. Of course all of her followers jumped my ass about how I was rude and to just move along if I don't like it.

Good point and made me realize that I used to be so much nicer or at least follow the adage of 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all'. I feel like the forums environment has brought it out in me: making snarky comments or letting people know if I think they're being stupid.

Has anyone else noticed this phenomenon? Maybe the participation in online communities just constantly reminds me how annoying and self serving people can be and I'm worn out of it. Time to put down the computer and get back to mother nature!

I have the same problem. In "real life" I am quiet and introverted. I tend to keep my opinions to myself. On the net, I tend to express them, and I have very little tolerance for bullshitters (of which there are a majority on any given forum). Forums breed group-think. A few strong personalities with high BS tendencies tend to set themselves up as gurus, and God help you if you disagree with anything they say. Also, if you're a logical thinker, you might as well give that up, because the majority of people care more about how they feel about something than if it is true or not. So, what's left, other than to fuck with them all and amuse yourself? There is probably a word for this type of masturbation... if not there should be. Troll, maybe?

[cg2112]

I have the same problem. In "real life" I am quiet and introverted. I tend to keep my opinions to myself. On the net, I tend to express them, and I have very little tolerance for bullshitters (of which there are a majority on any given forum). Forums breed group-think. A few strong personalities with high BS tendencies tend to set themselves up as gurus, and God help you if you disagree with anything they say. Also, if you're a logical thinker, you might as well give that up, because the majority of people care more about how they feel about something than if it is true or not. So, what's left, other than to fuck with them all and amuse yourself? There is probably a word for this type of masturbation... if not there should be. Troll, maybe?

[vfrrwb]

I may actually be nicer on forums that I am in real life....most of the time I don't take time to type out how I'm really feeling, way too lazy:D

[C-bus]

This forum has made my wife meaner. She keeps yelling at me for screwing with my phone all evening. That and calling my kids "fucktards".

[Casper]

This forum has made my wife meaner. She keeps yelling at me for screwing with my phone all evening. That and calling my kids "fucktards".

thanks for your input lance

Seriously though, I don't think forums make people meaner as a whole. I have seen people change, but it's usually a small minority. Hell, we've opened our home to complete strangers just because they're from this site or friends with someone who is. I've done more charity events since this site started than in the rest of my life. And what I say online is exactly what I say in person (just ask NinjaNick). As with everything in life, I think online forums are simply what you make of them. I'm by nature a very antisocial person. This site in particular has really opened me up. Now Columbus Racing just makes me pissed off most of the time.

[Disclaimer]

I'm by nature a very antisocial person. This site in particular has really opened me up.

*placeholder for goatse*(NSFW)

[RSVDon]

I think folks tend to be a bit more aggressive with their feelings on the internet. After all' date=' none of you are real people. SRSLY, I'm not a mean person at all. I'm just extremely sarcastic and have a very peculiar sense of humor. I often don't mean anything by it. Those times that I do, I'm often sorry for saying it. I attempt to live by a "tread lightly" philosophy. I don't walk on eggshells, but I try to keep to myself. When I feel comfortable I'll open up and say what's on my mind.. which, quite often, is some random craziness that only a few folks with similar whack psyche can appreciate.[/quote']

This.

Unless I'm with close friends. They all know me as being the asshole of the group and never take what I say too seriously.

[wrillo]

Seriously though, I don't think forums make people meaner as a whole. I have seen people change, but it's usually a small minority. Hell, we've opened our home to complete strangers just because they're from this site or friends with someone who is. I've done more charity events since this site started than in the rest of my life. And what I say online is exactly what I say in person (just ask NinjaNick). As with everything in life, I think online forums are simply what you make of them. I'm by nature a very antisocial person. This site in particular has really opened me up.

+1 I can vouch for that. The friendly ghost let me into his home while a storm rolled over us

I'm probably a little more reserved IRL, but I don't say anything too outlandish on here. If someone is being a complete fucktard IRL, I'd let them know then and there too.

[e-flores]

i just try to stay amused where ever i am.

You amuse me on a daily basis

Same here!

[Cheech]

Asked and answered previously. Brought to you by the magnificent bastards at Penny Arcade.

[Casper]

Asked and answered previously. Brought to you by the magnificent bastards at Penny Arcade.

I guess that's the difference here though, most aren't anonymous.

[Sapphy]

I am a raging bitch online and off. I say what is on my mind and make no apologize if my opinions piss people off. That is also how I have pissed so many on both in real life and on here.

In real life, conversations fade with time, and mean statements are forgotten with time. Online we can all look back and see who is a Bitch/Dick and who is not.

[Disclaimer]

Online we can all look back and see who is a Bitch/Dick and who is not.

This. This is why I love the interwebs. Memory function.

[SchmuckGirl]

im the nicest guy one would ever meet in person

Forums deff let people be more open and dickweedish.

im the same here as in person........ many here know.

hmmm.... slightly different topic than what I am asking here. The question is whether you are more apt to be mean to someone else because of participating in different forums. I think you guys are answering the question of whether you act the same way online and off....

This forum has made my wife meaner. She keeps yelling at me for screwing with my phone all evening. That and calling my kids "fucktards".

haha, nice. This guy feels my pain.

[JonS]

On a long enough timeline people will tell you who they really are

... technology just speeds the process