Forum Post: i feel really sorry for a lot of you on here
Posted 12 years ago on March 13, 2012, 11:50 p.m. EST by onepercentguy
(294)
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
all these paranoid posts about "our enemies taking over this place and downvoting good posts" and "the 1% have infiltrated this forum" whatnot.
when i first posted here a few months ago, civil discourse was commonplace. like in this thread
http://occupywallst.org/forum/hello-im-in-the-1-ask-me-anything/
every thread now is a paranoid shitfest with OWS supporters being immediately defensive and getting worked up over obvious trolls that you can simple ignore. all while running over genuine posts that disagree with your opinion. mere disagreement does not equal troll, to draw that conclusion is childish. fanatical trolls have existed long before this place on other forums, so get over yourself. the world isn't out to get you. all you are doing is turning off people like me who agree with your outrage, but disagree with your constant, paranoid, near incoherant rantings after you are obviously trolled by someone who clearly enjoys the rise they are getting out of you.
i suggest relaxing and not taking yourself or obvious trolls so seriously on here. the amount of effort you people exert arguing with total strangers on the internet is quite strange. it borders on mental illness, quite frankly. thx.
your friend, OPG
I think the fact that you've noticed a shift in tone over the past few months is an unfortunate indicator that the tactics used by those who would prefer to avoid civil discourse have been working. I only started posting here in late February and I noticed the troll issue immediately. I've been around internet chat rooms since 1994 so it didn't seem out of the ordinary for any social media outpost. That you remember a time when it was better is actually a hopeful sign to me.
I think your basic advice is sound -- ignore them. If OWS regulars are seeing a pattern of trollish posts being packed at the top of the cue, go to some of your favorite, relevant posts and comment just to bump them up. Let the trolls preach to each other and push the good discussions to the top. I was taking troll-sign on a case-by-case basis until now but this post and the ones you're referencing have convinced me to adopt a zero tolerance policy.
Thanks for adding your perspective to the discussion.
and thank you for responding with reason and thought
Any time. :)
probing enemies for the cause is all ... we get to see what the propaganda has been preaching without having to watch it and to see where they will attack the movement next - trolling with trolls is just getting us more acquainted with the enemy and familiar with the barricades and road blocks ahead of time.
nonsensical drivel
the forest for the trees
really?
What disturbs me the most is...I used to moderate a forum and chat for methamphetamine addicts and the families seeking help. Those people were much more respectful of each other than most I read here, surprisingly respectful in fact...considering how drug addiction is a volatile subject when one is personally involved either as the addicted or those who also suffer because of the addiction of another.
I came here in hopes of engaging in discussion which may lead to solutions to the issues we all face and at times to engage in a bit of humor to lighten the atmosphere.
Sadly, there has been more anti this or that, extreme rudeness, threats, and lots of political dirty play at the lower levels.
We all seem to be pulling in different directions, we need to find common ground, just one thing, even if it's a small thing, to agree on and attempt to build from there.
We have one boat and we are all in it together. If we continue to insist on rowing in all directions we aren't going any where...
the thing that i really dont understand are people who are literally on here 24/7. who are on here every single time i log in. whose entire day is consumed with arguing on here and getting as many upvotes as possible.
dont they have jobs? lives? why would they spend their whole day on here as opposed to spending that time helping their local occupy group if they really feel so strongly about it. its as if they need the negative attention. mental illness is correct.
That is an incredible point, and one Ive been saying for quite some time. Truth is, the majority on here only bitch online, thats it. Just like every other site, regardless of political views.
Apathy is what brought the country down. I dont give a shit what anyones views are, get out and get going!
There are people whose only means to participate, be it due to finances, physical issues or mental/emotional ones, is via forums such as this...I can say whether they argue for the sake of the continued contact or if it's just their nature...
Some of them are retired, some have online businesses, some have no employment and some are participating from work. Not just the ones that 'are consumed with arguing' but others as well.
We all get side tracked from time to time...some of us with humor, which is a healthy way to communicate, some with political issues, some talking party lines.
No matter how hard we try to avoid political discussion, it's part of our lives, not only are the issues the ones we started with, we're still arguing whether or not some of those are actually issues, but we also have new issues breaking the horizon...issues which have to do with our individual rights as human beings...
We can argue semantics all day, but in the final analysis, when one of us loose even one human right, we all loose that right...and then the dominoes will all fall.
It goes well beyond that although looking back to nearly day one, the only thing that has changed is the level of mental illness exhibited has become quite outrageous.
Also, some very skilled people are exerting an incredible amount of energy foolishly acting out on their irrational paranoia. I say foolishly as there seem to be some who are very willing to violate a few federal electronic communication laws.
It should be interesting to see what comes out of it.
People shouldn't take themselves so seriously.
You are right. It's really hard not to get worked up over this stuff though... And when people say things I disagree with, it becomes so obvious they are trying to hunt me down and kill me like the mailman at my last house...