Tell me why DUers seem to be turning on each other

[Haole Girl]

Insulting each other, calling each other names, baiting other DUers... constantly. Why?

I'd really like to know.

:shrug:

[aquaman]

1. Because.......

In many ways DU started out as a great little forum......and now, in many ways DU has turned into junior high! Peggy and I talked about it. I still love the lounge though. That is where I stay!

[Haole Girl]

2. Why?

It doesn't make sense to me.

[bridgit]

3. unless you're talking about the same thing? not a clue what you're talking about

[Haole Girl]

4. self delete

I'm really not up for this tonight. Sorry. Shouldn't have started it.

[bridgit]

5. i know it can feel like running on a pond full of water lilies, or a Japanese game show...

but are you saying that DUer's arrreeeee, what? being boycotted *from* posting, or being deleted, or whatever and how would that work cause i'm quite sure that many here don't give a shit about whatever i have in mind, mouth, ears or heart so shouldn't they be asking us if we even care :) omg i'm boycotted, like ill-gotten grapes :cry:

[Haole Girl]

6. You are so funny

In a good way. Thanks for making me smile. :-)

[LostInAnomie]

7. This is DU.

It's how it's always been. Sometimes it hits a little closer to home. Sometimes we notice it more. But, it hasn't really changed.

[RandomThoughts]

8. I haven't noticed any mean threads.

Seems to me like people are being pretty nice.

[Tobin S.]

9. I challenge you to a duel, Haole Girl

9am sharp in the GD forum.

[Haole Girl]

23. Sorry I overslept and missed it.

;-)

[UndertheOcean]

10. FUCK OFF !!!

[Hippo_Tron]

11. Because large groups tend to have bipolar rivalries

I'm in this organization at my school and most of the time we act like adults. Come time to elect new officers each year we act like children with our guys vs girls rivalries.

DU has moments of unity (mostly during general election season) but tends to go back to rivaling factions when elections are over or when it's primary season. That's simply how it works, there will always be camps and they will always be nasty to each other. Nothing can be done to change that.

[Deja Q]

12. Because, to each other, we're all married.

:evilgrin:

[BuelahWitch]

13. Could be a couple of things

1. Keyboard commandos are rude mofos. They might be mild mannered and decent in RL, but once they get on the internets they're assholes. Maybe if they got laid more they wouldn't be so nasty, I don't know.

2. Big forums like DU attract contrarians and assholes (and to the grammar commandos, "contrarian" isn't a word, but it should be). Again, I prescribe getting laid on a regular basis for these people.

3. Times are hard and people can't buy their meds anymore. Or they just take them a few times a week, instead of every day.

I think I know what you are referring to Haole Girl. It says more about them than it does about you. :hug:

[hippywife]

14. Bingo.

It says more about them than it does about you.

I just simply can't understand why people take on these superior attitudes that preclude rational conversation. They aren't any better than the screaming, right-wing media sometimes.

:hi:

[Heidi]

15. Hi, Buehlah! "Contrarian" really is a word, and one of my favorites,

so if the grammar cops come gunnin' for ya, you're right and they're wrong. (I also love the word "malcontent." :) )

Good morning! :hug:

[BuelahWitch]

21. Thanks Heidi, that's good to know!

:hug: The DU dictionary had it underlined, so I thought it was not an actual word, although I have heard people call themselves "contrarian." I also think there were some malcontents on last night too! ;-)

[Heidi]

22. The underlined word is notoriously unreliable, and a function of your browser and not DU, really.

Go ahead and navigate by vibe, sweets. This method has done me well for 46 years (but it doesn't work for checkbooks, I've learned). :rofl:

Malcontent just depends on where ya stand, for what it's worth. It ain't just GD that's populated with malcontents. The Lounge has its share, as we both well know. ;)

[av8rdave]

16. I don't get it either...

Is this a common occurrence on other boards/forums? I don't spend a lot of time in places like that, so I don't really know.

[Haole Girl]

24. I was only on 2 other message boards ~ both political forums

They just sort of deteriorated. Not so many personal attacks... that I can remember.

[mitchum]

17. Because people are just no damn good

[Wapsie B]

18. Sounds like there's the usual behind the scenes drama that many here are not aware of.

Love triangles, personality clashes and whatnot can make for a volatile combination. Unless it gets to the point of call outs on posts, snarky threads aimed at a particular person or group I certainly don't see it.

[Haole Girl]

25. I had this thread in mind when I started this one:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6314620&mesg_id=6314620

I realize now Fromme has advanced brain cancer. If I'd known that last night I wouldn't have started that thread. :-(

[cwydro]

30. I can't find anywhere where it says she has cancer. One of the

other Manson murderers has it, but not her that I was aware of.

[Haole Girl]

31. I googled it after someone in that thread told me

Link: http://www.groundreport.com/US/Manson-Follower-Lynette-Squeaky-Fromme-Released-Fr

[cwydro]

32. I think they've got that wrong and have her mixed up with the other woman

CNN and other sources say nothing about it.

[Haole Girl]

33. There are other links too

I just googled "Fromme brain cancer" and several came up.

Here is another: http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/277615

I don't know what to believe about this. This is what I DO know.

Her own words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-fJGxTfeqI

From the History Channel (news footage included):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxjggckztOY


They were crazy times. I lived in Sacramento then (I was 14) & saw probably too many interviews with that woman. Never did understand her fully or make sense out of it all. Yes, she emptied the first bullet. There were four more bullets in the gun.

Hopefully, she is no longer a threat... to anyone.

I think I should get off the computer now & try to enjoy the rest of my weekend!

Bye for now, cwydro! :hi:

edit: for better news footage link

[stray cat]

19. Because this is DU - not known for civility and rationale thought generally

much like free republic. Thankfully most of the world is different in person than on political chat sites.

[Haole Girl]

26. I am very thankful people aren't like this IRL

Because they certainly are over the telephone and computer. :-(

[MrScorpio]

20. I'm all for vigorous debate

But if someone tries that shit on me, I come down like a hammer

[Haole Girl]

27. And in the end we all get squashed...

then what is accomplished? :-(

[MrScorpio]

28. Well, I don't quash everyone

Just the people who deserve it

[Haole Girl]

29. I felt a few deserved it last night... and I gave them what I had

I didn't have much fight in me. I'm just tired lately.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

34. Very simple reason

People who screw with other people do it to feel better about themselves, because they are too weak and stupid and cowardly to take care of their own business and deal with the things they don't like about themselves.

Looking in the mirror, seeing something you don't like, and having the strength of character to do something about it goes against the grain of human nature.

It's easier to get drunk, get high, get laid, watch TV, play video games, surf for Internet porn...and screw with other people who are willing to sit still for it.

I used to lock horns with people who attempted to fuck with me here. Now, I just put them on "ignore" immediately. No fuss, no muss.

:toast:

[madeline_con]

35. Even within a like minded group, people disagree.

The fact that some enjoy giving someone who disagrees with them a hard time, post after post, is the nature of the beast, I think. Lord knows I'm guilty of it. :shrug:

[CreekDog]

36. If anything, the Lounge was one of the nicest internet forums I had been in

there were numerous fundraisers for individuals here, when a few of us thought a member was going through really hard times and left a strange "goodbye" some here worked to try to find them and make sure they were okay.

a number of people who were instrumental in those things are gone now or effectively gone because they don't post any longer.