Not so much about how dumb people are because I think that's to easy for everyone to say. I've been on this board for nearly a decade...I mean, I've actually aged and changed my views on things. But I've also been amused and disheartened by some of what I've learned. I don't think I have the patience and energy to post as much or debate like I use to but anyway.... 1. Everyone here is passionate, and to some degree angry. Angry about what is going on, angry about their lives, angry about injustice. 2. That there are three types of people on here. The first are the ventors. They are hear really to express their anger and have a place to vent. Basso is the classic case. They don't care to engage in rationale debate, just express their opinions and may in fact take a bit of glee in rubbing others the wrong way. Troll is not the right word for them, more like unfulfilled. 3. Then there are those here to try to persuade others for some other purpose. They do want to shift and change people's minds. Admirable but difficult because working in a world of reason, most people aren't hear to be persuaded. They are either ventors or persuaders themselves 4. Finally, there are those who I call the discussers and learners. They really are more interested in seeing how people react to live events or what the current opinions and thoughts are of others. Often they don't post. But I know they are there. There's a bit of these 3 in varying degrees in all of us here, it's just one dominates more than the other, but that's how I see the dynamic. Ventors and persuaders dominate the noise and overshadow the learners. 5. Most people on here are probably more enjoyable to have a beer with than actually have a conversation about politics with. 6. People are willing to persevere for years without giving up. Basso is truly an amazing creature that way. 7. People are more focused on their political party or affiliation than they are actually on the issues 8. Pretty obviously as well, folks will attack others personally as a means to undermine their argument. Ad hominan attacks are the norm vs. exception for the most part. 9. Finally, and probably the most absurdly amusing - our representives in congress really are not much different than the random people in here in their behavior of the above. The debt debate thought me that.
I don't think anyone disguises their jabs at Basso. Hence the term: "Another Basso thread". I've got nothing against him or his posts. They just usually seem to be a link to a GOP opinionated article thrown of for discussion or dispute. Then backed up by the same type of link from another source, which is still opinionated in an anti-Obama/Dem fashion. At least that's what it appears to me. I think it would be kind of fresh to see a post by him that doesn't toe the party line. That being said.....please don't stop posting, Basso. I'm always game to click.
that we the american people have become so thin-skinned that republicans and democrats can pretty much do what they want... then when they get called on it they try to direct the attention to the other party. Welcome to America, the biggest merry-go-round in the world.
It's made me care less about politics actually. A lot of the liberals here have given me a knowledgeable point of view that I may not have been exposed to previously. So it has made me more moderate definitely.
I think people actually want Basso to post, so they can bash him. Would get kind of boring around here otherwise.
No way. If anything he reaffirms a lot of my liberal beliefs. It's guys like Refman and Rocketjudoko and even occasionally a post by thumbs...albeit rarely. Probably age too. The thing is, I think the middle has shifted to the right. Fiscally I am pretty conservative, I just think you don't cut spending in a recession. I also think we cut taxes so low on companies we may be killing job growth. Companies have no incentive to invest or hire because they can make more profit by just sitting on cash - low taxes. Before, with higher taxes, they would spend the money in investments and build to lower their tax profile.
I think it's universal. More knowledge, more experience, less hot-headed passion - we all move toward the middle - the golden mean. Balance is a concept tied to wisdom for a reason.
I tend to come here for news and to vent. I find the discussion here as intelligent as anywhere on the interwebs.
I find it the opposite. As people get older, they get more set in the ways, but they also become more realistic so they may be more willing to compromise.
You just flip flopped. Look what the D&D has done to you. I first toed the party line starting out here. I don't think I've become more liberal in my views politcally speaking but I definitely see fault in the party that claims to represent the values I have. I'm much more open and willing to listen ideas from posters who in the past I wrote of as raging left wing nuts. I actually look forward to reading their views and potentially grabbing on to their perspective. I'm getting old.
I've learned that... 1) Religious folk (of all stripes) have far more in common than they realize. 2) Nothing unites people like a common enemy. 3) I can handle a cynic, and I can tolerate the gullible, neither of which are in short supply in politics. But I simply cannot stand someone who knowingly lies. Thankfully, they are rare. 4) People who are gargantuan pricks typically act that way as a defense mechanism, usually brought about by too much exposure to #3. 5) Posting with the intention of changing someone's mind is never a good idea. I can count the number of times I've seen someone change their mind here on one hand. Posting to vent or to focus your thoughts on something is typically the best method.
I will agree with your analysis in general and I think that applies to differing degrees to most other online political forums. What I think sets Clutchfans D & D apart though is that while there are a lot of venters and persuaders the forum isn't dominated venters like many forums are to the point that 'ranters' is probably the better term to describe them. Also while many are persuaders I've noticed it varies to a certain extent on the issue being discussed and often one poster that may have a fairly fixed viewpoint on one issue may not be so fixed on another. Another thing that sets apart CF.net D & D from other political forums is that while there is a lot of poo flung there is still a collegiality and a level of respect above that of other forums. For instance just take a look at the Chronicle (or really any news site's) comments sections and there is much more poo and ad hominen than on Clutchfans.
