Ken said:
Why?
Is it me or are there way too many people on forums in general trying to come across in a particular way to other members? Each post of theirs shapes their online personality that they want noticed desperately.
I'm not taking the **** out of the members with huge post counts. It can be fun to browse forums especially this one but there are those who seem to think their online life is far more important than real life. Fact is the majority are strangers and it's a waste of time putting so much effort into each post.
Discuss.
Why is it a waste of time putting effort into a post?
I often a fair bit of time and effort into a post. Why? Because I feel I can help, or throw some light on a subject, or put a different perspective to a debate/discussion .... or just because I have a particular point I want to make.
Everybody on here is a stranger to me. I've never met anyone from here, and never will. But it doesn't stop me regarding some people as "friends". Take Dirtydog, for example. Please. (Just kidding, Dirtydog
). He and I regularly disagree over things, but we can have a serious discussion about emotive issues, and still do it in a civilised way. I regard him as a "friend". Or Freefaller ..... I regularly tease him, and he regularly teases right back. Another friend.
Those are two names I mention totally at random, but there's a
lot that fall into that class that I didn't mention. There's even some that I don't interact with very much, but nonetheless who's posts I thoroughly enjoy reading, often because they challenge my thinking.
Coming to a forum such as this is not, to me, in any sense a waste of time. I'm here because, for the most part, it's a good bunch of people and I like it here. I'm here because I get something from it - namely, the reaction and interrelation of a diverse range of people from diverse backgrounds.
As soon as it becomes a waste of time, I won't bother coming here.
And as for "trying to come across in a particular way", well, nuts to that. I am who I am, and people can like it or lump it.
And no way is forum life, to me at least, more important than real life. It doesn't come anywhere close. But that doesn't mean forum activity is a waste of time. Far from it. I come here, I discuss and debate, and often ... learn something. That is NEVER a waste of time.