A rise in forum toxicity.

In 25 years of using the net have I never ever had the need to block a person even if they write complete offensive drivel.
Blocking people is just as sad as making your own little safespace, of hurrying your head in the sand.
That is solely my opinion.
 
MikeTheNative said:
In an ideal world, yes an independent podcast/content creator could offer a balanced approach with actual analysis. However podcasts, blogs, youtube videos etc and just basically echo chambers catered to appease a certain audience.
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In the last 5 years I've heard debate and stories from not only all sides of the globe but political spectrum on podcasts. Things you would never ever have heard on TV. I think to say they are an echo chamber in the same ilk as other forms of media is a disservice.

Two overt examples from just the last month are Russell Brand talking to Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson on the Under the skin podcast.

https://art19.com/shows/under-the-skin

Can you give even one example from TV in the last 5 years of something remotely similar?
 
Tefal said:
... i say this is across many forums from overclockers to swinging sites its happening everywhere.
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:eek:

It's the rise of Twitter and also the fact that loads of Angry Middle Aged White Men have access to smartphones :p.

I think they are also referred to as "Gammons" but haven't bothered to research why?
 
Part of the problem is that there is a perceived polarisation of society.

A narrative has been pushed that on one side we have,

SJW far left recreationally offended bisexual trans radical socialists calling for sanctions on hairstyles.

On the other side we have mindless semi-literate reactionary racist nationalistic halfwits who spend time burning Korans & bashing homosexuals.

The reality is, these two groups are a vast minority - but sadly get 90% of the limelight. Moderates have been ignored for years on both sides & now people are actually going towards these extremes to defend against an attack which never happened.

So you now have previously less extreme people going on about SJWs influence (like it actually negativity impacts on how they live, when it doesn't) & historically more moderate right wing people being downright paranoid about any 'progressive' movement & subscribing to a fear of different cultures.

If I wanted to don my conspiracy hat I'd say this was deliberate, a play to distract the plebeians so the wealthy can continue to run off with all the money while the common man argues over cultural appropriation or hysterical paranoia of anything Islamic.
 
From my own perspective I've noticed a rise in the polarisation of opinions on the internet. Everything is either loved or hated, rarely inbetween, and "the opposition" are now an enemy that can do no right.
 
Efour said:
In 25 years of using the net have I never ever had the need to block a person even if they write complete offensive drivel.
Blocking people is just as sad as making your own little safespace, of hurrying your head in the sand.
That is solely my opinion.
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I understand and respect your point. My feeling on it, is that these days I really don't have the time or patience for it. Even reading it, rolling my eyes and moving on. I'm just cutting it out, and like I say, the forum (to me at least) is much better.
 
MookJong said:
In the last 5 years I've heard debate and stories from not only all sides of the globe but political spectrum on podcasts. Things you would never ever have heard on TV. I think to say they are an echo chamber in the same ilk as other forms of media is a disservice.

Two overt examples from just the last month are Russell Brand talking to Sam Harris and Jordan Peterson on the Under the skin podcast.

https://art19.com/shows/under-the-skin

Can you give even one example from TV in the last 5 years of something remotely similar?
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Should have not said all podcasts, my bad. I'm sure there are some very good ones out there but equally there is as much if not more that are just as bad as normal TV/newspaper media etc.
 
Tefal said:
I'm curious if anyone else has noticed simmilar here or elsewhere and has any ideas as to why this has been happening?
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Yes. The better message boards have specific forums for letting off steam. In the boards I frequent it's mainly the left-wingers, who are apoplectic and cannot respect the victories of Trump, May, et al, so let off steam by decrying anyone who doesn't sing from the One True Songsheet or even hints of racism / sexism / whatever-ism.
 
Dj_Jestar said:
From my own perspective I've noticed a rise in the polarisation of opinions on the internet. Everything is either loved or hated, rarely inbetween, and "the opposition" are now an enemy that can do no right.
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This is the internet where games reviews sites get trashed as the only gave a game 7/10.

sanaxe1 said:
There used to be a lot more funny threads in GD. Where has the humour gone?
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The humour was deemed to low brow and apparently people wanted more 'intelligent' threads. Now the threads are a 1/3 complaining about SJW, 1/3 racist/sexist ramblings 1/3 ebay threads.
 
There have always been rude idiots online, even before I started using the web there were trolls on bulletin boards and usenet (when it was actually used for posting messages). It's just there a a lot more people online now.
 
Instead of having considered debate and conversations people now just shout down any opposition of their views down and scream -ism to draw attention to the person who doesn't agree with their views.

I know I've said it before as well but people have changed the meaning of the word troll to be someone who doesn't agree with them, any topic, you disagree you are labelled a troll, I see it everywhere replies like, "Ugh, just ignore the troll", no that is not internet trolling, it's someone with a different opinion to you.
 
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