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Not looking to start a shit list, or to name names, but I have found this to be true.

Nature vs. Nurture?

Sorry, I couldn't resist jumping in on the first post.

I know meffy brings out the worst in me personally, which is why I don't go there. Except when there's a big enough/interesting enough flameout on the grey, and then just to watch; those usually leave a bad taste in my mouth.

I also think that meffy is led by example. The sysop can be a snide dick sometimes, and that makes normal people think only once (or less) about posting catty or rude remarks.

I love it here because I don't feel like fighting. Weary pugilist.

This site encourages us to show a little more of who we are, and I think it's in everyone's nature to appreciate that sort of honesty.

This place also tends to attract people who are fed up with assholes; those people naturally trend away from assholishness.

Fed up with assholes... what a charming turn of the phrase. Yuck.

One thing about MeFi, most of the tantrums, meltdowns, mudslinging and bullshit are for show. The people behind the words are, for the most part, just calmly typing away little fictions as the birds tweet outside.

In a place like MeFi, they can let go of the onscreen personas and be themselves.

Well, personally, the George Best threads have just about pushed me over the edge.

It's no exaggeration to say that today, I feel as bad as if I'd lost a close family member. Maybe it's a culture thing, but for many of us Brits, football is an important part of our lives, and for many of us who feel that way, George Best in his day was the greatest player ever to step onto a pitch. He's been a hero of mine for as long as I can remember, so I was stunned that people turned what should have been an occasion to share some anecdotes (and where George was concerned there are a lot of those), into yet another opportunity for screeching at the choir.

I'm big and ugly enough to understand that others have different opinions than me, but George had just died a horrible lingering death, and some MeFites lacked the basic human decency to allow those who cared about him to mourn in peace. I just don't understand that.

For the first time ever on MeFi, I felt that I didn't want to be there, and that some people just weren't worth the effort of arguing with.

Sorry for the whinging.

I just learned to accept the fact that basic human decency is often in short supply over there.

Just makes me appreciate all the little bunnies over here that much more.

veedubya: that post was doomed from the start as it deals with two topics for which MeFi overall has little sympathy, sports and wife-beaters.

*beats somebody's wife with baseball glove*

veedubya: that post was doomed from the start as... MeFi... has little sympathy....

I recommend spofi for the sports threads, because on meffy there's always someone who can't keep their mouth shut about not liking sport. It's like they got stuffed in a locker so many times as a wimpy kid they've lost all perspective and lash out at the dead and their grieving fans.

Same thing happened with the Pope, but uglier. And the jerks on that thread were probably scarred (or pretending to have been scarred) by nuns and not jocks.

If they saw someone on the bench at a bus stop wearing a black armband and blowing tears into a tissue, would they remark on what an asshole the deceased must've been? If yes, fuck 'em. If no, fuck 'em for virtually doing the same thing.

They're bum-ass bitches, and they can suck my fucking asshole.

Same thing happened with the Pope, but uglier. And the jerks on that thread were probably scarred (or pretending to have been scarred) by nuns and not jocks.

More likely, it's the people who used to collect Jack Chick booklets thinking it was high satire, only to learn the truth after plastering the walls of their dorm or apartment with assorted panels, sending likewise to their friends, etc.

i think there are some people who find being critical, dissenting or contrary to be the most valid way to enter into a conversation, maybe because they don't want to just say something someone else has said, or because they want to stand out, mistake snarks for smarts, a general lack of conversational skill, etc.--
but, yeah, i think in large part it's a case of "follow the leader" or "doing as the Romans do".
So, then, it's a reflection of what they think meef is, but i've also been wondering if the average user age is dropping or if the people being more vocal are exhibiting a general lack of social aptitude--

--but i haven't been looking much, and when i look at comments, i tend to stop after it gets stupid or makes me squicked out.
There have been a few threads i've seen recently i've really wanted to add to, but, of course, can't, which is a bother and in some cases sucks quite a bit, but probably most bothersome when it is something like a death or memorium (haven't seen what has been mentioned yet). if there was some way to separate the mourning from valid dissenting commentary, especially in the case of when people are trying to shine up a corspe for history--

--ok, just stopping now

They're bum-ass bitches, and they can suck my fucking asshole.

I thought you said the fighting and vitriol were on MeFi?

Who's fighting?

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posted by Hugh Janus 25 November | 09:29

More inside Hugh Janus. Giggle.