Don't post an OP when you're pissed.

[Cyrano]

Just a bit of advice to anyone who cares.

I've spent the past 20 to 25 minutes composing and getting ready to post about something that really pissed me off. I wanted to crush the issue, and the person who posted it, into dust.

However, I thought about it and deleted my post. I took a deep breath and calmed down. It occurred to me that all I was doing was adding to the cacophony of online noise.

So here's some (perhaps useless) advice. Think, calm down, and restrain your typing fingers before you hit "Post message." There is much we love in this world. There is much we hate. And there is much about which we are totally indifferent and/or can do nothing to change.

The reality is that we can add to the noise, or ignore posts with which we disagree.

IMO, if more of us ignored idiotic posts, the less that the idiots would have to say.

[Lunabelle]

1. Well, keep the post and rewrite it after you cool down

You might have something really important to share. But, great wisdom for not posting when angry. (or drunk!LOL)

[mmonk]

2. Everyone is having to catch themselves these days and rethink.

I suspect it will get worse with the super committee ahead followed by an election year. But these are trying times.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. My dear Cyrano...

I *mostly* agree...

IF you can post your anger without making it into a personal attack, then I think it's OK.

Sometimes anger can really clarify your thinking, make it more to the point.

But otherwise I agree!

Recommended.

:hi:

[begin_within]

4. If we all took that advice, wouldn't this site come to a screeching halt?

[Liberal_in_LA]

6. lol n/t

[Cyrano]

8. Ahhh, so you're saying that intelligent discourse cannot take place

without disagreement?

Well, to that point, I agree. But there is a difference between informed disagreement and mindless, ignorance.

And please don't accuse me of referring to many DU posts as, IMO, idiotic. Then again, if you think that's what I'm doing, than make that accusation. Either way, I'd like to hear what other DUers think about it.

[begin_within]

14. Now I'm pissed!

You're putting words in my mouth. You are such a

oh wait, I'm not going to post while I'm pissed.

[Cyrano]

16. LOL, begin_within. I didn't mean to put words in you mouth.

And your response is outstanding.

[Blue_Tires]

5. don't ever end a thread title with "...RIGHT FUCKING NOW"

A few lulz will be had...

[Rabblevox]

7. I learned this the hard way...

Posting when pissed-off (or pissed as in drunk) not only adds to the noise, but it can come back to bite you in the ass...hard. This applies to email, Facebook, DU, Twitter, et al.

I really have learned the hard way (it cost me a job that I loved), if I'm angry, or had more than a couple of beers, I write it as a draft and look at it again the next day.

Sometimes I find some gems worth saving and revising, usually I find myself incredibly glad no one else saw my rantings.

Hesitating before hitting "POST" is usually a win for everyone.

[Cyrano]

10. Couldn't agree more. I posted once after a couple of drinks and have

regretted it ever since.

And for those of you who are thinking of doing so, please, please, think again.

[FiveGoodMen]

9. "When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear."

Mark Twain

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Ignore posts that we disagree

or posters we disagree with.

YUP

[pintobean]

12. rec

[necso]

13. I compose most of my posts "offline"

using an editing program on my computer.

I'm a poor typist and slow editor. And with opening a new document, typing, editing, spell-checking, checking the definitions of words, following links, saving the file, etc, I have a natural time delay.

Also, I've found over the years that there'll often be more than one opportunity to post on many topics, so I sometimes (when the timing, circumstances permit) save a fragment and revisit it later, when I can give it more thought, do research, approach the subject from a different state, perspective, etc.

[notadmblnd]

15. Isn't it much easier not letting posts from anonymous people on the internet

get your panties in a bunch to begin with? I mean really, how many issues have been crushed and the OP come back and say what you wrote changed their minds?

[SheilaT]

17. I can't begin to count the times I've

composed an angry response to something, and then take a deep breath and don't post it. I have found that for me, simply typing out what I'm thinking often lets off enough steam that I don't need to put it up for everyone to see. This especially applies when I'm pretty certain that my unposted post will make others quite angry.

[gkhouston]

20. Actually, a lot of the ones I compose then delete replies to are

posts from shit-stirrers. I realize that they're not gonna change their nature, so I just let the thread sink. Some of the worst offenders are on my ignore list, because reading them is no longer worth my time.

[JohnnyLib2]

18. Sabotage!

:evilgrin:

[Cyrano]

19. Sabatage? I sure hope so, if it will help crush responses to obvious idiots