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Post by zenmaster on Nov 21, 2012 23:19:57 GMT -5
much better things to do with my time.
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Post by satan on Nov 22, 2012 1:31:14 GMT -5
Yes it does.
I am also reaching a point where I don't want to argue with people on the internet. I don't mind discussing these things but right now this place seems more like pissing contests. Don, Herb and Todd seem like the best to actually have a discussion with. Linda and Blowtorch are trolls and would rather engage in snarky comments, childish tactics and grade school antics than have a deep discussion.
Linda just barks conservative talking points, engages in one dimensional stereotypes and recites whatever Rush, Sean, Glenn or Fox news tells her too. You cannot have a back-and-forth exchange of issues with a person like that. She cannot HEAR you. She is blinded by talking points. No way to reason with her. I think, Linda, you're really a mean spirited person. Despite your wealth you don't come across as a happy person.
Blowtorch...you're just a troll and Linda's lap-dog.
Todd...I have seen you go from someone pretty open and Liberal to being an angry conservative. But I still like what you have to say and feel you can converse with intelligence.
Don, I do respect you a whole heck of a lot. I will miss ya . You're intelligent and have made me think. We see many things more eye-to-eye and I am grateful for your help.
Herb. I find you to be the most intelligent and articulate person on the board. You continually amaze me with you razor sharp logical approach ton the issues. I aim to be able to articulate my points of view with your precision.
I got burnt-out with this election. My priorities are changing and I'm sick of talking religion and politics. I think there is a reason why people don't talk about these issues. They're very personal.
I am at a point where I want to make friends, I don't want to argue with people. There can be so many things can draw people together. This place is one that drives people apart. I don't want that in my life anymore.
I was in a cantankerous mood tonight. Fed up with crap. My wife went to a family gathering and I couldn't go due to having difficulty breathing and being in a lot of pain.
Usually I would apologize for such behavior but I won't. I know what Linda, Charlie and Blowtorch really think of me and nothing I will ever say will change that. The ones that do think of me in a more positive light may have more compassion for me and to you I will apologize.
I miss Norm. It was 4 years ago he created this place for refugees from the Loading Dock. I had the honor of meeting with him a few times in my home and many private messages and phone calls. He was a good man and he had a good heart. I don't think he would like how the Wharf has devolved. Now it is nothing but an us against-them pissing contest and who can one up the other better with snarky remarks. His presence is missed here.
I tried hard, very hard to have discussions. But when so few here really are trying to have discussions and the rest want to play us against-them pissing contests and see who can one-up the other better with snarky remarks....discussion become impossible. So tonight I said screw it. I played Linda's game and blowtorch's game and just exchanged insults.
I have rambled long enough. I wish you all peace.
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Post by 3quartertime on Nov 22, 2012 9:10:21 GMT -5
I left here for about a year because I felt that I had overstepped the boundaries of basic respect.
An on-line community takes a collection of varied personalities. Everyone, everyone here has played the same game. Political blinders, silly name calling, even personal attacks.
Good luck and be happy...
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Post by naill on Nov 22, 2012 12:03:58 GMT -5
I left here for about a year because I felt that I had overstepped the boundaries of basic respect. An on-line community takes a collection of varied personalities. Everyone, everyone here has played the same game. Political blinders, silly name calling, even personal attacks. Good luck and be happy... The member started 11 of 20 thread on page one in the religion section, all with a common theme, slam the Christians. To get along with him, you had to enable, coddle, pamper, and believe his side of the story to get along. He was judgemental and intolerant if things did not suit his definitions. Anybody who constantly changes his name and has a history of running off must be dealing with some issues. I hope he finds himself soon. I figure we are all mature and mentally healthy enough for the converstations we start. If not, we should at least stop starting threads.
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Post by bill on Nov 22, 2012 13:23:06 GMT -5
Everything you said here can be said about you there buddy. You can't even follow the most basic of Christs teachings! You feel insulted and the first thing to show up is your flesh and your ego. Jesus wept.
But I am sure you'll be in Church Sunday raising your arm singing some praise song smug in your self righteousness that you're a good Christian. But the truth is you have been found out. Your a fake, a phony.
You have all your church friends fooled but they don't know how you really are. They don't know of your secret sin and how on message boards you are more of an instrument of Satan than an instrument of God and Jesus.
I am sure you will rationalize and justify yourself so you will come off being the one in the right. But somewhere in the back of your mind you know that Jesus is not happy with the way you conduct yourself here and he knows that you have failed in being a representative of Him and your justification shows no true repentance.
Maybe God is using me like he used another Ass in the Bible and he is sending you a message... Ignore it at your own peril.
Your response to this will be either a true repentance, or a similar and usual response which will just prove that Christianity is not real and you are one of the phoniest ones of all.
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Post by naill on Nov 22, 2012 15:26:58 GMT -5
Maybe God is using me like he used another Ass in the Bible and he is sending you a message... Ignore it at your own peril. What is the message?
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Post by sordello on Nov 22, 2012 19:45:59 GMT -5
For any visitors coming to this sub-Forum that is open to the public, the Wharf is not the terrible place made out to be. A Forum is made up of people, and a Forum's character is determined by its members. The posts here are generally tame. There are all sorts of personalities here, and sometimes it gets rough, and hot, and stridently opinionated, but it cools down and people do get along. A very few times it has degraded badly, but the Wharf comes back up to civility again. That's life in the world of free speech. I know of no member here who can truly be labelled despicable, or disgusting, or evil or anything else similar. We get hot... we cool down; that is all. I don't believe you would find any genuine hatred in this place. Heat, yes; hate, no. (I will let others tell me if I am wrong.) Even the OP's opinion, I believe, is more about particular events in some threads, not really about the Forum itself, but I might be wrong of course.
As was mentioned before, Norm was a kind-hearted soul who created this Forum for open and free discussion. I'm sure it would sadden him to see a thread entitled "THIS PLACE SUX!!" here and I am hoping, in time, this thread may entirely disappear at the request of the thread-starter of course, as this place, to its very great credit! does not engage in censorship.
(Speaking of personalities, any viewers of this thread should take note that 'zenmaster', 'satan', and 'William' are the one and same member. There are other aliases also. The opinion of the OP is not shared by others, only by other aliases of the same person. I believe that really does need mentioning here in this context.)
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Post by bill on Nov 22, 2012 20:06:02 GMT -5
Robert. I have to report that I received many private messages from several and I mean several members who are seriously thinking of leaving this place. Those were from active members. I have also received pm's from members who joined at the start but no longer post here, they just lurk, because of the atmosphere a couple of more conservative members have created here.
I am only lingering because I am communicating via pm's with some members that I want to stay in contact with once I depart for good.
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Post by blowtorch on Nov 22, 2012 20:36:51 GMT -5
It seems that lots of you just want a place where you can post threads about how stupid people are who have a differing point of view than you, and then have everyone nod their heads and give polite applause.
As far as the atmoshphere, it seems odd how you would point the fingers at others, including me, when I've never called anyone the names you have called people. Maybe you should examine your behavior first before you start giving lectures.
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Post by bill on Nov 22, 2012 20:48:10 GMT -5
Then why are you one of the ones that are making people want to leave? It is more about your attitude and tactics than your politics.
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Post by blowtorch on Nov 22, 2012 20:55:45 GMT -5
You just don't like it when I'm right.
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Post by naill on Nov 22, 2012 21:20:23 GMT -5
Then why are you one of the ones that are making people want to leave? It is more about your attitude and tactics than your politics. How would you rate your attitude? How is your attitude compared to Blowtorch?
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Post by naill on Nov 22, 2012 21:23:21 GMT -5
As far as the atmoshphere, it seems odd how you would point the fingers at others, including me, when I've never called anyone the names you have called people. Maybe you should examine your behavior first before you start giving lectures. Good advice. Let's see how he reacts.
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Post by bill on Nov 22, 2012 21:32:44 GMT -5
Then why are you one of the ones that are making people want to leave? It is more about your attitude and tactics than your politics. How would you rate your attitude? How is your attitude compared to Blowtorch? It is more than just attitude. I worked very hard at having civil discussions. Some would rather just be snarky and have pissing contests than a civil discussion. I worked very hard at sticking to the topics. Then I would get frustrated when in people's responses they would distort and misrepresent my positions. Or they just want to taunt like in blowtorches most recent response. I have had my moments when I lost my temper, most here have. No one here is sinless. We all have contributed to the hostile atmosphere and if you want to blame it all on me that's fine.
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Post by sordello on Nov 23, 2012 1:21:11 GMT -5
Robert. I have to report that I received many private messages from several and I mean several members who are seriously thinking of leaving this place. Those were from active members. I have also received pm's from members who joined at the start but no longer post here, they just lurk, because of the atmosphere a couple of more conservative members have created here. I am only lingering because I am communicating via pm's with some members that I want to stay in contact with once I depart for good. Well that is a shame if some members feel that way. I have no patience however for lurkers who complain: they are like people who give absolutely nothing to the Salvation Army yet complain that the Salvos don't do enough in this world. If lurkers don't want to post, they can keep their complaints and disappear. A Forum is nothing but a vast collection of threads and posts and we all make this place what it is. We decide what tone and temperature to make our own posts; we decide how we respond to ther peoples' posts. We need adults here who can fend for themselves and think for themselves and post their thoughts. Yes, there will be people on Forums who troll. We have them here too. There are folks who find out how (and where) to push buttons and then try to do it. It is entertainment for the braindead, and every Forum has one or more. But how one responds to the button-pushing is up to us individually. You may think I am being hypocritical after my display several weeks (or is it several months now?) ago, but that was a determined decision on my part. I drew the line at being called an "asshole", and sent back some fire. Others have called me less, and received less. Others still have been polite to me and they receive politeness in return. People who call me a liar or hypocrite will get back here on the Forum exactly what they would get if they called me such in person to my face. At times, I brush a few trollings off with humour. Whatever. The decision how I respond is mine. Your decisions, of course, are yours. It would be a serious loss to this Forum if you left, and I sincerely hope you stay, but I have no say in that. You have much to offer this Forum. You write posts that discuss issues at length; you have interests in art, royalty, sci fi and movies that can give this place a wider appeal. Go for it, and if you have PM mates who want to talk along and start a thread, do it. The delicious taste of freedom is here. If a troll comes along to try to spoil the party, the best thing you can do is ignore and not let the party be spoiled. Stay true to your own human nature and don't drop to the troll level. (You never did get back to me on thoughts on The Razor's Edge and Robinson Crusoe on Mars btw.. so I did try to get involved a bit...) All in all, my interfering two cents would simply be: don't let trolls chase you off a Forum. If you really want to leave, so be it, but just walk away with a cool head. Don't get chased away.
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