What’s yours a symptom of?

I used to kid myself that it was a laugh or a challenge, or that it was pub replacement therapy..

I think the truth of the matter is more complex and sinister..

I would say that I have inconsistent self-esteem issues, am apathetic towards accomplishing much more worthy tasks, and too lazy to make those first simple steps along the path to constructive ways to occupy my mind.. It’s so much easier to turn on, tune in and spaz out

So many on here, myself definitely included, seem to spend vast amounts of time engaged in pointless bickering.. It’s clear that there are some great analytical minds on the forum, with formidable powers of reasoning and keen interests in ethics, politics, science and philosophy, but we all choose this futile endeavour to pour our energies into..

What is your malfunction a symptom of?

I have one over on you….consistent self esteem issues 😀

No self-esteem issues here – I know I’m always right. I just think it’s my duty as a good human being to correct everyone else’s mistakes.

Show offs!

I hate people. But I love gatherings, isn’t it ironic?

I don’t need to argue as I know I’m right.

^^ he is deluded

Sorry I didn’t read all of the post but noticed you mentioned me..

It’s clear that there are some great analytical minds on the forum, with formidable powers of reasoning and keen interests in ethics, politics, science and philosophy

Just saying hello really.

Its therapy….

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y[/video]

engaged in pointless bickering

but I like bickering!

I hate people. But I love gatherings, isn’t it ironic?

Totally and utterly +1

I try and walk away once the conversation either gets repetitive or entrenched. See “swarm in a teacup” thread for an example.

Typing expresses zero emphasis, so for me it is more of a frustration at not getting my point across, or the other side utterly misreading you and only seeing some agression/negativity or passing judgement with so little information. Plus the fact that people love to insult other people without thinking of the consqequences.

My other half constantly gets himself in the shit on here because he fails to express himself correctly or people misread his sentiment, he then spend ages defending it and just embarrasses us all.

I try to stick to technical help or positive comments, but often get dragged in. I feel sure that if we were all in the pub we would hardly ever argue, we would discuss and learn from each other.

I hate people. But I love gatherings, isn’t it ironic?

I can see why, bunch of savages in here.

What is your malfunction a symptom of?

Other people being worng

I feel sure that if we were all in the pub we would hardly ever argue, we would discuss and learn from each other

QFT

People see what they want to see rather than the reality. Me included. I really need to knock this crap off again…

Isn’t the whole point of internet forums to argue?

I’ve been a member of more than a few over the years – some are very nicey nicey – for example the Honda Accord owners club, who are very useful if you need to fix your Accord, but ‘debates’ go a bit like this.

Poster 1 “I love my Accord, I think it’s great”

Poster 2 “yes, mine is great too, I like yours”

Poster 3 “lovely Accords lads, I like them – do you like mine?”

Everyone in Unison “yes, it’s lovely, aren’t we lucky”

They get about 3 posts a day.

Then there are others, and honestly STW doesn’t make a dent in the levels of fighting and bitching some get to.

When I was a lad Pubs used to have signs forbidding the discussion of either politics or religion – because it caused arguments which, when added to booze made fights. Most forums don’t share those rules – and without the risk of getting a punch on the nose, and the ability to ‘walk away’ whenever you choose like it never happened most people will argue way past the point of sense – it is after-all largely for entertainment – very few posts request specific information, and even less get any back.

Win, lose or draw on the internet and you will almost never change someone’s opinion, they just get bored and move on – it achieves nothing but the ‘fun’ of having an anonymous argument that won’t turn violent.

the other side utterly misreading you and only seeing some agression/negativity or passing judgement with so little information. Plus the fact that people love to insult other people without thinking of the consqequences.

The Maginot Line wouldn’t have withstood a Panzer attack anyway, you utter fool.

(;) )

…but we all choose this futile endeavour to pour our energies into

Futile is the key word here. I sussed this out ten years ago. These days I stick to asking and answering questions and stay out of opinion threads. No one has ever typed anything that has changed someones mind.

This place is miles better than it used to be though. In every thread on here there used to be a comment that would make me punch my monitor out. Other forums can be far worse. Just look at any comment section on any social media. I choose not to wade in the sewage.

I argue when someone has the wrong idea about something.

You can have an opinion, that’s fine, but if you start saying something that’s not true or poorly thought out.. I’ll challenge you.

That’s why I have the highest post count 🙂

I actually argue more in real life than online. Love a good bicker I do But often tone my posts down as I can’t be bothered arguing with strangers I’m never likely to meet…

I go on retrorides website a lot and one of their rules is that if you don’t have something positive or constructive to say just don’t say it. I suppose it’s easier as they are talking about individual cars a lot of the time but it’s a nice place to be, plenty of posts and discussions. I like it here but I really wouldn’t want to meet some of the posters on here in real life as quite a few sound like negative argumentative whingers.

formidable powers of reasoning

Heh

That was a refreshing first post yunki, and contrary to my expectations 😀

In my case, a lot of internet use is a kind of procrastination. My dad used to do it with the TV when I was a kid, and I recognise it in myself with the web. I have a set of sites I visit like twitter, facebook, here, etc., and by the time I’ve done one pass of them, a load of new stuff will have popped up at the beginning of the cycle. At it’s very worst it can become a kind of rolling fugue state.

I like to remind myself of what I’m checking out of, like social relationships or, right now, a spreadsheet about 300 people have submitted work to for me to look at.

Worthwhile thread for a change.
Bookmarked to see who disagrees with my post. 😛

I can’t be bothered arguing with strangers I’m never likely to meet…

They’re the best people for a keyboard warrior to argue with. It’s the ones you are likely to meet that you need to be careful of.

Distraction from real life which is a bit shit.

Question to the proper warriors.

If you’re the last person to post do you consider that you’ve won or are you disappointed that no one wants to play anymore?

It is often too easy to get drawn into an argument. Wasted many an hour allowing myself to do so and its simply embarrassing when I look back.

Now I try to either walk away or if I realise I am wrong or being unreasonable admit it. A lot of people should try the latter, it’s quite refreshing.

i only argue when i feel ill or grumpy and always feel remorseful afterwards. luckily I’m not ill very often. I’m always grumpy though but sometimes it’s with a 🙂

I blame all the bell ends…

If you’re the last person to post do you consider that you’ve won or are you disappointed that no one wants to play anymore?

The latter, though I try to discuss, not argue and will happily accept when I am wrong, IF there is a reasonable source or at least an attempt.

I also think the way that the list of posts page works means you sometimes miss late replies to a thread you’d otherwise like to read.

That’s what I attribute a certain person’s failure to return to a very interesting thread, to, anyway.

Oh, and gatsby is right 😀

Phew, thanks for posting, was a bit worried I’d killed the thread there…

seriously I think it is because of the pace of the exchange and the manner that you never quite properly make your point completely so when a response comes you either try to defend a slightly flawed position or expand on it which leads to another response which is again slightly imperfect and so on ad tedium . also you can never stop some one and clarify what they mean prior to responding plus there is no tone or facial expression to add meaning .
Plus some people are plain wrong and NEED to be told.
That is why I get drawn into stuff.

I like to think I’m at the zoo, just here to sit back and watch the monkeys 😀

I do it because I enjoy it. I enjoy an argument in real life too, although I don’t socialise with people quite as irritating as some on here. Repercussions can be more damaging in real life too if things go as far as on here. There’s a degree of transience to it. I don’t really want to lose a friend because an argument has got too heated, and I don’t find randomers in the street with which to argue, the sort who I don’t care what their opinion is of me.

I do get disappointed when embroiled in a massive argument and someone leaves, I would never consider it a ‘victory’ if a thread dies, the enjoyment is in the process, not the outcome.

Definitely a degree of massochism in it too, I genuinely find some posters hugely annoying, it’s not an argument for the sake of it generally.

I know some folk on here would probably like to thump me (or imagine they would), but we all know, intentionally or not, we exude and form very different opinions from online personas compared to real life.

This thread shows atypical levels of self-awareness for STW forum.

Personally I treat the odd keyboard battle I get drawn into as an opportunity to hone my Socratic technique. Showing others the limits of their own knowledge through my perceptive questioning.

Is anyone buying that?

If you’re the last person to post do you consider that you’ve won or are you disappointed that no one wants to play anymore?

Both!

I like to think I’m at the zoo, just here to sit back and watch the monkeys

Shame we can’t have profile pics next our names, like some forums of old. I’m rather fond of Japanese Macaques. 🙂

The most interesting thing is that everybody posting presumably admits to being a keyboard warrior.