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The future of the forum

Started by Claireliontamer, June 14, 2016, 12:03:52 PM

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Steeler

Quote from: Magdalena on November 11, 2016, 05:14:21 AM
:therethere:
I wouldn't want you to go, Steeler. I learn from you. I think you have the guts to say things that a lot of us don't like to hear. We talk about "stuff" people tell us, and we compare how things look from the other side. --That's all. It's thanks to this place that we are able to talk...without killing each other over stuff that we say.  :grin:

I understand what you're saying, when I came here, it was the opposite. I think most leaned to the right, and for those of us on the left...Well, I've never owned a gun, but if I had to use the right expression it would be: "There weren't enough bullets in the world!" I also wanted to leave, but Asmo...I never get tired of telling this story...He said to me, something like this..."You can leave, or stay and who knows, maybe you can persuade a few." But that's not easy either.  :smileshake:

I'm not here to persuade anyone. I just like to talk, and admittedly, I am horrible at getting out what I'm trying to say via text. Absolutely horrible.
It's frustrating as hell when we have discussions like the one in the political forum, I feel like we aren't getting to each other as we would in person.
I think I'm perceived here totally different than I really am in person, and that is my fault. I'm no dummy, but not nearly as articulate as most here.

Magdalena

Quote from: Steeler on November 11, 2016, 06:12:25 AM
Quote from: Magdalena on November 11, 2016, 05:14:21 AM
:therethere:
I wouldn't want you to go, Steeler. I learn from you. I think you have the guts to say things that a lot of us don't like to hear. We talk about "stuff" people tell us, and we compare how things look from the other side. --That's all. It's thanks to this place that we are able to talk...without killing each other over stuff that we say.  :grin:

I understand what you're saying, when I came here, it was the opposite. I think most leaned to the right, and for those of us on the left...Well, I've never owned a gun, but if I had to use the right expression it would be: "There weren't enough bullets in the world!" I also wanted to leave, but Asmo...I never get tired of telling this story...He said to me, something like this..."You can leave, or stay and who knows, maybe you can persuade a few." But that's not easy either.  :smileshake:

I'm not here to persuade anyone. I just like to talk, and admittedly, I am horrible at getting out what I'm trying to say via text. Absolutely horrible.
It's frustrating as hell when we have discussions like the one in the political forum, I feel like we aren't getting to each other as we would in person.
I think I'm perceived here totally different than I really am in person, and that is my fault. I'm no dummy, but not nearly as articulate as most here.
We are talking, Steeler. I think we're doing a great job.

"Talking" or in this case, "typing" what we want to say and what we feel is not easy. A lot gets lost and that can be frustrating. I don't think you're a dummy at all, and when it comes to being articulate...who here is?  ::)

Please raise your hand...if you are articulate...


This is the reason I use videos, and memes, and .GIFs, and whatever I can to add a little bit to what I'm saying, but it just ends up confusing some people even more.  :sad sigh: You're not the only one who has a difficult time with the internet and the way people communicate.  :-\

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Asmodean

Quote from: Magdalena on November 11, 2016, 06:27:47 AM
Please raise your hand...if you are articulate...

You obviously counted on The Asmo having no hands, but you may have underestimated His newfound Orange brilliance. You see, He kidnapped a small child in order to facilitate His hand-raising, so;



Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Magdalena

Quote from: Asmodean on November 11, 2016, 06:39:21 AM
Quote from: Magdalena on November 11, 2016, 06:27:47 AM
Please raise your hand...if you are articulate...

You obviously counted on The Asmo having no hands, but you may have underestimated His newfound Orange brilliance. You see, He kidnapped a small child in order to facilitate His hand-raising, so;


:lol:
I knew you were gonna do something like that!
I knew it!

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

xSilverPhinx

For what it's worth, I think you're doing an excellent job keeping things civil, Steeler, even though you may feel under fire from the majority here, especially in recent conversations. :smilenod:

Understanding is essential, IMO. Especially in these emotionally charged times since people are not machines devoid of emotions that can colour their perceptions and beliefs. There is a type of bias called confirmation bias which is most likely at work on both political sides, to varying degrees. Especially check out 'attitude polarization', if you're interested.

QuoteConfirmation bias, also called confirmatory bias or myside bias, is the tendency to search for, interpret, favor, and recall information in a way that confirms one's preexisting beliefs or hypotheses, while giving disproportionately less consideration to alternative possibilities. It is a type of cognitive bias and a systematic error of inductive reasoning. People display this bias when they gather or remember information selectively, or when they interpret it in a biased way. The effect is stronger for emotionally charged issues and for deeply entrenched beliefs. People also tend to interpret ambiguous evidence as supporting their existing position. Biased search, interpretation and memory have been invoked to explain attitude polarization (when a disagreement becomes more extreme even though the different parties are exposed to the same evidence), belief perseverance (when beliefs persist after the evidence for them is shown to be false), the irrational primacy effect (a greater reliance on information encountered early in a series) and illusory correlation (when people falsely perceive an association between two events or situations.

Quote from: Magdalena on November 11, 2016, 06:27:47 AM
Please raise your hand...if you are articulate...


Not me. I always wonder if I'm being understood the way I want to be, and communicating without the aid of nonverbal gestures, facial expressions and tone of voice can be difficult at times. :smilenod:
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Dave

QuoteNot me. I always wonder if I'm being understood the way I want to be, and communicating

Very, very, very  :smilenod:

I often fall back on the style of the technical, instructional and report writing I have done over the decades.  Trying to get stuff across as accurately as possible - but I do not do enough these days to to really keep the skill up. Also words can have different "emotional" values in difference language code systems. A white English person calling another a "bitch" can mean something very different from a "similar class" black person. Until, that is, the white people pick up the black context for the word (as is happening).

Language changes more rapidly every year it seems. I am so g lad that I think a lot about context in the use of words!

xSP your English is great and I appreciate and enjoy your style of clear writing.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

xSilverPhinx

Thanks, Gloucester. That means a lot to me. :)
I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


Asmodean

On a serious note, I often do not express myself very clearly or unambiguously, but for me, it's a simple matter of being willing to define, explain, justify, define and explain again for as long as required or until interest is lost.

It can be difficult to make written words convey deep and complex emotions at times, yes, but then again... Paint a picture, then let the reader conjure up whatever emotions he/she/other will.

You see, in a discussion, how I feel about an issue is rarely relevant to my purpose, be it learning something new or trying to persuade others to walk my yellow brick road. At the end of the day, facts are facts, assumptions are assumptions and emotions are emotions. A and B can certainly provoke C, and in a way, C can provoke B, but C cannot provoke A in most meaningful contexts. How I feel has no bearing on what is.

This may have been covered, if from a different angle, in The GIF Debate™, so I'm not going to spend much more time on it now, but I do think it's worth pointing out that depending on your objectives, expressing yourself clearly and precisely may be helped along by also expressing yourself as dispassionately as you know how. For instance, the full range of human emotions will do little but muddy the waters when attempting to relay cold, hard facts or to persuade someone to subscribe to your point of view.

But then again, for all I know, this may well be completely different for emotion-driven individuals. That is not something I'm qualified to address, I think.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Tank

Quote from: Steeler on November 11, 2016, 04:24:25 AM
...

Id like to hang around and continue to learn, even share very personal stuff, but it's hard when you are met with strong resistance from all angles.
The trick on a forum is to share the personal stuff and let people get to know you. Then when people have seen the non-controversial stuff you can bring the other stuff. People on-line are often a little primed to be trigger happy if they think their world is potentially being threatened.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Tank

Quote from: Steeler on November 11, 2016, 06:12:25 AM
...
I'm not here to persuade anyone. I just like to talk, and admittedly, I am horrible at getting out what I'm trying to say via text. Absolutely horrible...
Same here. I type slower than most and my thoughts are a mile ahead of my fingers. Very frustrating. Those who have chatted with me on Skype will know what a machine gun mouth I have when I get going.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Essie Mae

Sometimes people may sound liberal on some issues, but it can be more that they are just logical. For instance, if a person works to support her/himself, pays their taxes, and obeys the laws of the land, why should their sexual orientation matter? (Or even if they're unfortunate enough to be unemployed).

On the other hand, if you listen to neuroscientists like Prof Susan Greenfield on the dangers of illegal drugs you may, like me, become a dyed-in-the-wool reactionary on the issue. It's bad enough that some permitted medications mess with the brain, without taking unnecessary drugs. I would be offended if I was trolled about my views, not because of the actual words they use but because they couldn't be bothered to articulate a cogent argument.  I think I remember someone else on the forum say that they were more interested in individual issues and I don't get impression that it is very left-leaning. There are some quite anarchic members which is a bit out of my comfort zone, which I like. I think there is a wide range of interesting people, here.
Hell is empty and all the devils are here. Wm Shakespeare


Steeler

Thanks for the input guy and gals. I think there are a few here that have seen some personal stuff of mine. I haven't posted any in a while though. I think more members understand me a little better now than a year ago, but there's a couple that I don't think there will ever be any "connect" with. That's cool though, you're never going to see eye to eye with everybody.
Y'all have a good nite, or day, depending on where you're at, I'm off to get my hunting gear ready for the am.

Recusant

Quote from: Essie Mae on November 11, 2016, 11:37:22 PM. . . if you listen to neuroscientists like Prof Susan Greenfield on the dangers of illegal drugs . . .

Greenfield seems to be willing to talk about things she really hasn't nailed down very well. For instance, she's asserted a link between the use of digital media and autism. In that blog entry, the basis for her assertion is examined and found to be practically negligible.

Now, there are plenty of dangerous illegal drugs, but her stand against the legalization of cannabis doesn't appear to be based on particularly sound evidence either, especially considering the very real harm that its continued criminalisation causes in societies around the world. In particular, I find it disgusting that she's willing to rhetorically equate cannabis use with murder, burglary and mugging.

QuoteIt is argued that we will never stamp out cannabis use, and therefore we should give up trying. But we will not stamp out murder or house break-ins or mugging, yet I've never heard an argument for freeing up police time by liberalising the law on these acts.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Magdalena

Quote from: Recusant on November 12, 2016, 03:21:11 AM
Quote from: Essie Mae on November 11, 2016, 11:37:22 PM. . . if you listen to neuroscientists like Prof Susan Greenfield on the dangers of illegal drugs . . .

Greenfield seems to be willing to talk about things she really hasn't nailed down very well. For instance, she's asserted a link between the use of digital media and autism. In that blog entry, the basis for her assertion is examined and found to be practically negligible.

Now, there are plenty of dangerous illegal drugs, but her stand against the legalization of cannabis doesn't appear to be based on particularly sound evidence either, especially considering the very real harm that its continued criminalisation causes in societies around the world. In particular, I find it disgusting that she's willing to rhetorically equate cannabis use with murder, burglary and mugging.

QuoteIt is argued that we will never stamp out cannabis use, and therefore we should give up trying. But we will not stamp out murder or house break-ins or mugging, yet I've never heard an argument for freeing up police time by liberalising the law on these acts.

Compañero Recusant, you've been on a roll with your posts, lately!

:grin:

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant