As much as I love SA, I'm finding that I keep taking breaks from the forums more frequently and for longer periods of time.
It may just be my imagination, but the forums seem to be devolving in to a bunch of people fighting over who is right, and they are becoming downright uncivil.
Today was the last straw. I think for the sake of my stress levels, I should take a permanent break from the forums and just stick to the blogs (which of course I still LOVE).
This is what set me off. Someone wrote in a post "This board is retarded." Personally, I find that to be as offensive as any racial slur (and I live in multi-racial family so I've heard it all). Having a brother who is developmentally disabled no doubt makes me more sensitive to this than other people, and I have always been offended by that term even when it came from immature kids, but to hear it coming from an adult in what is supposed to be a civil discussion board ... Ugh!
It really seems like this site has split in to 2 worlds: The great folks who truly want to support each other and exchange ideas on the blogs, and the nasty bickering folks who are just trying to see who can scream louder than the others on the forums.
Am I the only one noticing this?
Saving Advice Splitting into 2 Worlds?
May 29th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
May 29th, 2008 at 11:34 pm 1212104054
May 29th, 2008 at 11:50 pm 1212105005
I don't really notice. I apparently have not been reading the same threads as you?
However, I have been on online communities so long, it's pretty much how it always is. I just ignore the stuff I don't care for. I find that easy to do I guess, personally. OF course having lots of message board experience I don't give the poopyheads much thought.
There was a thread a while back where someone was egging everyone and there were TONS of replies and bickering. I don't even remember what it was. I simply ignored the person. That gets rid of them real quick. Few can seem to resist the bickering though. I remember I kept clicking on that thread every day (kind of like watching a train wreck) and wondering why everyone kept replying...
May 29th, 2008 at 11:56 pm 1212105413
May 29th, 2008 at 11:57 pm 1212105467
I am glad you still like the blogs - phew.
I have taken breaks from the boards at times - I do understand. Just cool off and venture back later. Or never... Sorry people can be so insensitive. ((HUGS))
May 30th, 2008 at 12:16 am 1212106594
I suppose it's the way us guys are sometimes (not that the guys on here are bad or anything, just more ah... more intellectually competitive than emotionally supportive maybe... and the particular incident didn't involve any of us usual guys). I try my best to get along with everyone, but sometimes, I do forget and end up being somewhat competitive or something like that.
But if I can have anything to do with it, I really would rather help foster a supportive, friendly environment more than a competitive environment, or worse, a confrontational one. After all, most of us regulars pretty much know what we have to do to get our finances moving. I think the harder part is finding and fostering that supportive environment to help each other get through our days.
May 30th, 2008 at 12:19 am 1212106761
May 30th, 2008 at 12:58 am 1212109102
I am amazed at how civil the boards have remained as they have grown. It's always a difficult task, but if you visited other forums, the ones here reamin quite tame even when there are disagreements. I'm not sur eif there is a split, but it is obvious that some people prefer one area to the other -- don't think this is necessarily a bad thing, but of course would like to see both areas friendly and worth visiting for anyone that wants to.
May 30th, 2008 at 02:21 am 1212114105
May 30th, 2008 at 02:29 am 1212114560
May 30th, 2008 at 03:56 am 1212119789
anyway. sorry! a big wordy story that wasn't really related...
May 30th, 2008 at 01:18 pm 1212153500
May 30th, 2008 at 01:19 pm 1212153551
May 30th, 2008 at 02:01 pm 1212156061
May 30th, 2008 at 05:42 pm 1212169333
May 30th, 2008 at 07:28 pm 1212175707
This is by far the most civil board I participate in. One board gets personal and even obscene almost immediately on many threads. Carrying on a civil conversation there is next to impossible.
So please hang around and just ignore the troublemakers.
May 30th, 2008 at 10:08 pm 1212185293
May 30th, 2008 at 10:31 pm 1212186672
BA - I think I know the types of threads you are referring to ("my fund returns are bigger than your silver options returns") and no, those are not the type that set my teeth on edge. I just roll my eyes at those and think "boys will be boys" ... which I hope does not come across as sexist/offensive, but it does seem to be the males who are more prone to those types of posts.
I will take a bit of time to cool off, and then wander back over the the forums when I feel like it.
In the meantime, I will continue to enjoy & learn from all of you in SA Blogland!
Thanks again everyone.
June 1st, 2008 at 05:51 am 1212299498