Do people really invest so much into an internet forum about bikes that it would seem to consume their lives like this?

There was a time when two or three people would post repeatedly on every single subject regardless of whether they could add anything constructive or not. So yes, it really can consume some peoples lives.

Neal, cause it’s silly, petty childish shit, to pass the time.
It’s not real relationship, friendship or whatever.
People will say deeply ofencive things from a keyboard, but in real life?
This isn’t meant as an arguement, just the way I see sad bike forums. 😀

Because you can swirch it off and walk away.

Doesn’t mean it’s not real life.

I can go home from work and not think about it at all, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real.

The Internet is real life, just like any other method of social interaction.

I can go somewhere where nobody knows me and pretend to be someone else, if I treat people badly while I am there, they are still offended/upset etc.

it’s still real even if I was anonymous while I was being a prick.

People are still people, even if they are conversing online.

I agree with some of what uou say, but a lot of people are very different in the flesh, too how they are on the internet.

I agree with some of what uou say, but a lot of people are very different in the flesh, too how they are on the internet.

I blame photoshop

stw:argue is all part of lifes rich tapestry, anyone bitching on the internet about it is being soemwhat hypocritical

Oh – welcome to mleh

I agree with some of what uou say, but a lot of people are very different in the flesh, too how they are on the internet.

That still doesn’t mean it not real.

Some people are just being someone else, or a slightly different version of their normal self.

That doesn’t mean there are no real life effects.

But they are very easy to avoid and easy to excuse yourself from it.

By that argument, nuisance phone calls are fine. You can always ignore it or hang up.

I don’t hold with this “it’s only the Internet” argument. Unless you’re a sociopath, the medium is irrelevant, you’re interacting with people.

No, the nuisance call is a ‘push’ the web abuse is a ‘pull’. If you don’t like what you are reading, don’t read it

Fair enough.

So it’s ok to slag people off on TV, on the radio and in the papers, then.

No, the nuisance call is a ‘push’ the web abuse is a ‘pull’. If you don’t like what you are reading, don’t read it

You can pick at whatever analogy people use, but the simple fact is …

you’re interacting with people.

Real people, so real life.

Calm down dear it’s only internet …. 😆

No, the nuisance call is a ‘push’ the web abuse is a ‘pull’. If you don’t like what you are reading, don’t read it

You’re right cm.
But some people don’t have that self control or awareness to see any difference.
You only have to witness some of the anti Daily Mail threads on here, which usually start with a link to said paper.
There’s people that search out that “push” and stand in front of it, making it a pull. Then they’ll shout about it and try to drag their mates along too.

So it’s ok to slag people off on TV, on the radio and in the papers, then.

if you are the editor of the Sun, Mail , Times, etc — or richard littlejohnny

what is the beef here, so there is another ‘site’ –set up by someone who was deemed too ‘troublesome’ by the ‘authorities’ on here– for some on here to accuse someone else of obsessiveness is slightly ironic….

There’s a requirement that you treat people on here as you would if you we’re in their company. If you get that wrong then you run the risk of being the focus of the mods. It’s a house rule shall we say. The ‘Internet isn’t real’ card doesn’t work here. Principally because its wrong.

Still, it’s not real life eh?

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/amanda-todd-cyber-bullying-victim-1380108
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/cyber-bully-victim-schoolboy-found-1816000

I’m glad the mods are here. This is a social responsibility website that all sorts of folks read. Yes we have our Heros/hitters, but there’s a lot of folk who only read stuff and comment infrequently.

It’s too easy to say “turn it off/don’t read it” but it’s not as simple as that. This site is infamous in its infamously famous ness, read by masses of folk.
Unfortunately it’s left to self moderation and moderation by volunteers who mod. If ya can’t moderate yerself, a mod will do it for you.

I support the mods.

(But i do miss Fred)

you’re interacting with people.

My name is ELIZA

There’s a requirement that you treat people on here as you would if you we’re in their company

I heard that Fred’s an ‘andful in the flesh an’ all.. 😀

It’s virtual . Don’t take it too serious , ok?
Can you ride a REAL bike on the Internet? Exactly .

aye–some of us aren’t as deferential as others, or is that polite company only, not rowdy types…

Which part is virtual?
If I wrote on here that you were a nob and also paid for it to be published in the Mail, which one would be ok?

If I wrote on here that you were a nob and also paid for it to be published in the Mail, which one would be ok?

that would defo make you a nob, for paying money for it….

It’s virtual . Don’t take it too serious , ok?

I don’t take it too seriously at all.

But I’m socially aware enough to know that it’s real, and the people on the other end of a conversation are also real.

Social interactions and the way we communicate are changing, people need to realise that online is just as valid as real life.

If you need any convincing, try calling your boss a Useless prick on Facebook and send them a link to it.

See if they agree that the Internet “isn’t real life”

I would take it as a huge compliment if the Mail told its readers that I was a nob. I’d probably bung you a tenner for your troubles.

Seriously though, I’ve always struggled to understand how people can be “offended” on here. It really isn’t the same as a newspaper spreading malicious stuff about you with your real name, address, work place, etc. all of which might affect you in a tangible way in real life.

You mean paid for an advert in the mail, saying i was a nob? That’s very different. I might get on to the ASA about that. Writng it on here? Wouldn’t bother me. If it did, i’d stop reading it.

If I wrote on here that you were a nob and also paid for it to be published in the Mail, which one would be ok?

The Mail, duh! Because if you posted it on here Mark would hit you with the banhammer.
.
.
.
oh 🙁

If you need any convincing, try calling your boss a Useless prick on Facebook and send them a link to it.

See if they agree that the Internet “isn’t real life”

But the problem in this case happens when real life and virtual,life overlap.
Not the same thing if it is all virtual.

that copper who tweeted his ‘feelings’ about Thatcher has been forced to resign– i love free speech, his comment was relatively mild, and obviously heartfelt– but because he did so openly he has been persecuted…..

Relatively mild?

Did you read the same reports as I did?

Because he let his real life identity get mixe up with his virtual. Besides we can’t just treat all social media as the same.twitter is quite different from adiscussion forum.

his comment was relatively mild

It really wasn’t.

its possible he was looking for an ‘out’ –can’t be much fun being a leftie copper—-and no , i haven,t read all his tweets–just that he thought the world is a better place without her–a sentiment shared by many millions…

But the problem in this case happens when real life and virtual,life overlap.
Not the same thing if it is all virtual.

But the Internet “isn’t real life” ?

Just tell your boss that, repeat it a few times, they will understand in the end.

Or maybe they won’t…

Because it is.

It’s a different type of social media but the messages and the intent of those messages can be the same. I utterly fail to comprehend how you think communication on here is to be treated less seriously than elsewhere? It’s complete nonsense. The policeman resigned because he didnt realise in time that there is no difference. He does now but it’s too late. He’s lost his job.

as far as i know , i haven’t said anything on the internet that i would not repeat elsewhere, do not use different identities, maybe that’s naive, but i have nothing to hide, so what can happen. I have been ‘excluded’ from employment for years due to being an active trade unionist, some i know use aliases to get work–but then you can’t be yourself and become compromised–for being honest and true…i love the free world….

No,you’ve mixed the two there. That’s where the problem lies. In here many ofnus have an internet only existence. Anything that happens has no iact on the rest of my life. Now clearly if i wereto start meeting folks from here than it might lead to some awkwardness, but that’s not happening. So,it’s not realness is because it is its own universe

The policeman lost his job because for him twitter and the real world impacted on each other, so were not separate universes.

Active trade unionist you say. Explains why you think that Plod’s comments were relatively mild I guess.