Note to internet forums: you guys are making yourselves look like complete fools
I am getting to have a really unreasonably hatred toward certain online communities.
And when I mean “online communities”, I really mean: 4chan.org, ytmnd.com, the World of Warcraft forums, etc.
Each community has their own distinctive features: World of Warcraft forums are filled with people who, not satisfied with the normal butchering of the English language featured on the internet, take it a step further and make posts that are almost undecipherable.
The distinctive feature of the 4chan boards seems to be being unabashedly horny towards ALL THE WRONG THINGS. Pixelated animated Japanese women is one thing, but it’s quite another to be responsible for coining the word “Rule 34″ (look it up on Urbandictionary). That’s NOT something to be proud of.
Ytmnd is less of an issue for me nowadays, since I hardly ever visit that site anymore, but it generally has all the characteristics of what I hate about a lot of forums.
What seems to be common to all of them is an utter lack of respect for anyone - most posters seem to forget is that who they’re responding to is an actual HUMAN BEING behind the screen, who took the time to write a post. No doubt people would be more respectful if they were actually talking face to face. If people in real life acted the way they do on the internet, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were beaten to a pulp and kept from procreating, simply out of principle.
Another thing that I hate, other than lack of respect, is unoriginality. This is especially evident in posts that look like this:
Post 1. Hi guys! I’m wondering if I can find a picture of….
Post 2. Rule 34
Post 3. Rule 34
Post 4. Rule 34
Post 5. Rule 34
Post 6. Rule 34
Post 7. Rule 34
Post 8. Rule 34
Post 9. Rule 34
Post 10. Rule 34
Note that posts 2-10 are all by DIFFERENT POSTERS, who think they’re being cute.
ALRIGHT, WE GET IT ALREADY!! You can copy and paste! And you can parrot the previous poster. You think you’re being cute and clever. You’re not. You look like fools.
This is why I will always have more respect for, say, a forum on a website such as the Rational Responders - while I utterly disagree with their beliefs and their methods for spreading their beliefs (atheism), I have so much more respect for a community such as theirs, that values well-reasoned and respectful (MOST of the time) replies to posts. Contrast this with the garbage, utter nonsense, and retarded behavior that’s only acceptable in certain corners of the internet.
Maybe the internet has allowed these places to thrive because people still want to act like children and avoid growing up and acting like an adult?
Argg, ok, enough ranting. I had to get that off my chest. I hope I’m not the only one who feels this way.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Related link: http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2004/03/19
I didn’t want to post the image because of the language, but this is basically how I feel about a large portion of the internet.
February 13th, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Also, on a related note, this is why I’m increasingly disliking multiplayer games. I used to love online multiplayer games so much, but with the invention of voice chat and with the rise of imbecile behavior, it makes it so much harder to tolerate.
I want to eventually get an Xbox 360, but the online games are full off the same kind of nonsense and crap, and people calling each other fags, and other moronic behavior and such.
Is there any sanctuary? Is there any place that older, more mature gamers frequent?