Is boards changing Ireland in a bad way?

I know the above sound a bit dramatic but hear me out!

I have been on boards about five years and I like it a lot.

Maybe I was living in a bubble or something, but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents or who want to shoot everyone on social welfare, or were enraged by polish people here 'taking our jobs' etc...... were a small knuckle dragging minority, but they don't seem to be because the down right vile, nasty vicious comments you get in reply to some threads is disturbing.

So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of knuckle dragging comment.

Talking to people about this I have got two different replies.... Ireland was always like that and the Nazi party would have had a field day in Ireland as people would have been queuing up to join, or no public discourse in Ireland is becoming more self adsorbed and nasty in a way that it never was.

squod

Maybe people are right to complain.

listermint

mariaalice wrote: »

I know the above sound a bit dramatic but hear me out!

I have been on boards about five years and I like it a lot.

Maybe I was living in a bubble or something, but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents or who want to shoot everyone on social welfare, or were enraged by polish people here 'taking our jobs' etc...... were a small knuckle dragging minority, but they don't seem to be because the down right vile, nasty vicious comments you get in reply to some threads is disturbing.

So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of comment.

Talking to people about this I have got two different replies.... Ireland was always like that and the Nazi party would have had a field day in Ireland as people would have been queuing up to join, or no public discourse in Ireland is becoming more self adsorbed and nasty in a way that it never was.

Em Let me see, Everything you said was a broad generalisation, So No I dont think it is,

And yes I think you need to go back to internetz college ........

Krusader

It's not Boards, it's AH, I feel the same and I spend less time in AH because of it

Immaculate Pasta

Down with this sort of thing!

geetar

listermint wrote: »

Em Let me see, Everything you said was a broad boards generalisation, So No I dont think it is,

And yes I think you need to go back to internetz college ........

FYP

listermint

Crosáidí wrote: »

It's not Boards, it's AH, I feel the same and I spend less time in AH because of it

Yes this Forum is ruining ireland, im ROFL at the fact that intelligent people (supposedly) are blaming a forum on ruining peoples outlook and the country as a whole.

Can you not see how idiotic that sounds ?? Please tell me you can.

It is not a broad generalisation because I did not say everyone is I said some people, I am always careful to say SOME PEOPLE because of course it is not everyone in Ireland but it is a larger that I had thought.

It is after hours so my point is framed in an after hours way its is not a political debate, that dose not mean I don't have a serious point to make

Mr. Presentable

This site has none or a negligible effect on Irish life, so no to the OP. Facebook might have some influence, but not Boards.ie

staker

mariaalice wrote: »

So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of knuckle dragging comment.

You've answered your own question by starting this thread.
Surely that's a good thing?

mariaalice

mariaalice wrote: »

but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents

Are they parents that you can get on loan?

Mr. Presentable

mariaalice wrote: »

I know the above sound a bit dramatic but hear me out!

I have been on boards about five years and I like it a lot.

Maybe I was living in a bubble or something, but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents or who want to shoot everyone on social welfare, or were enraged by polish people here 'taking our jobs' etc...... were a small knuckle dragging minority, but they don't seem to be because the down right vile, nasty vicious comments you get in reply to some threads is disturbing.

So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of knuckle dragging comment.

Talking to people about this I have got two different replies.... Ireland was always like that and the Nazi party would have had a field day in Ireland as people would have been queuing up to join, or no public discourse in Ireland is becoming more self adsorbed and nasty in a way that it never was.

Worth pointing out, apart from a very tiny few, people are not enraged at single mothers benefit or other benefit, they are enraged at the rampant abuse and the culture of entitlement that grows up around welfare.

Donal Og O Baelach

listermint wrote: »

Em Let me see, Everything you said was a broad generalisation, So No I dont think it is,

And yes I think you need to go back to internetz college ........

What an utterly miserable post.

Don't know if loaning out your parents is good idea but maybe you could swap them for a while.:D

listermint

mariaalice wrote: »

It is not a broad generalisation because I did not say everyone is I said some people, I am always careful to say SOME PEOPLE because of course it is not everyone in Ireland but it is a larger that I had thought.

It is after hours so my point is framed in an after hours way its is not a political debate, that dose not mean I don't have a serious point to make

Re-examine how the internet works. Because you view on it is clouded. As stated above, people can say what they like (for the most part) and its anonymous (mostly).


Incidently, I dont belief most boardsie's have issues with Polish people, and im not sure where you are getting that from, But i do belief that most people have the view that our Welfare state is incorrectly managed from top to bottom. And I cant see why you have an issue when people are giving out about improper governance.

As i said i think your views are very skewed and you dont appear to given many practical answers to issues that are faced in this country.


Are my views racist or far right ? are they bad for the country?

Krusader

listermint wrote: »

Yes this Forum is ruining ireland, im ROFL at the fact that intelligent people (supposedly) are blaming a forum on ruining peoples outlook and the country as a whole.

Can you not see how idiotic that sounds ?? Please tell me you can.

I never said this forum or ruining Ireland, i said AH, reading threads in AH can lead you to feeling a bit deflated and I try to avoid it as much as possible.
Your reply kind of justifies my stance in my opinion

the groutch

Talk to Joe

There is a vast difference between having an opinion about welfare which every one is entitled to and the sort of enraged nasty vile comments I am talking about.

listermint

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

What an utterly miserable post.

Can you explain please donal?

Maria has inserted so many generalisations that is laughable.

She must also not be aware of how people use the internet in terms of saying what ever they like. Some to just get a raise out of people like Maria. So yes I do think an understanding of exactly what occurs on the internet is warranted. And its very relevant to opening such a topic in the first place.


So again whats 'miserable' about the post?

Biggins

mariaalice wrote: »

...So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of knuckle dragging comment.

No.
The internet as a whole give an opens forum to all sorts of comments - amid those, will be the occasional daft post, etc. Thats life.
Along with daft posts however, comes retorts just as occasionally by those that are not going to allow such daftness to stand unchallenged - so it often works both ways.

Boards.ie is no different to any other open type forum in that within the confines of rules (and I have to say, one the best forums I've ever been on) you will get a to and fro of daftness and retorts (hopefully showing the error of ways).

reprazant

listermint wrote: »

Re-examine how the internet works. Because you view on it is clouded. As stated above, people can say what they like (for the most part) and its anonymous (mostly).

So basically people can say what they really mean and feel without fear of social exclusion or backlash?

listermint

Crosáidí wrote: »

I never said this forum or ruining Ireland, i said AH, reading threads in AH can lead you to feeling a bit deflated and I try to avoid it as much as possible.
Your reply kind of justifies my stance in my opinion

Well personally due to my nature and how i view AH, and i think most would agree. I treat all topics / comments in here with jest. Alot if it comes under the insane rantings of people who would write into the comments section of the times and the sindo.

Its like taking a guy standing on a soap box on Mary Street seriously ranting and raving. If you cant see that and laugh at it and those type of people then I do worry about people and how they think that ranting such as that have any impact on society as a whole.

har dee har

starbelgrade

I would reckon that Boards is only indicative of a certain demographic of Irish society & that the knuckle dragging element that makes itself known on Boards - usually quite loudly - is actually a smaller percentage proportionally than what exists in the outside world as a lot of these types wouldn't know their arse from their elbow, let alone know how to use "de internetz".

The good thing about Boards however, is that almost always, the sounder element of this site's users tend to counter argue (quite effectively) the more neanderthal views put forward and rarely, if ever, are the more extreme views left unchallenged.

This can only be a good thing really - as can discussion & debate of any kind, once it is conducted in some kind of civilised & organised manner (which it is, thanks to the Mods).

So I don't really see how Boards can be changing Ireland in a bad way - if anything, it's quite the opposite.

TheZohanS

mariaalice wrote: »

I know the above sound a bit dramatic but hear me out!

I have been on boards about five years and I like it a lot.

Maybe I was living in a bubble or something, but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents or who want to shoot everyone on social welfare, or were enraged by polish people here 'taking our jobs' etc...... were a small knuckle dragging minority, but they don't seem to be because the down right vile, nasty vicious comments you get in reply to some threads is disturbing.

Can you give some examples? Because I'm thinking you're confusing some satirical posts with nasty posts.

I am making a serious point in a place where, arch knowing cynical humours replies are what's expected, so I know what to expect.

This is inspired by SOME replies to thread that was on yesterday, I am disturbed by nastiness. I am not talking about people making points about social welfare or anything else for that matter thats healthy and good, again I am talking about the nasty vicious comments that are made about social welfare etc.

Of course I don't really think board is reshaping Irish society but it is giving an outlet to some nasty people but that's life on the internet.

Monife

mariaalice wrote: »

I am making a serious point in a place where, arch knowing cynical humours replies are what's expected, so I know what to expect.

This is inspired by SOME replies to thread that was on yesterday, I am disturbed by nastiness. I am not talking about people making points about social welfare or anything else for that matter thats healthy and good, again I am talking about the nasty vicious comments that are made about social welfare etc.

Of course I don't really think board is reshaping Irish society but it is giving an outlet to some nasty people but that's life on the internet.

Just because people have a different opinion to you, does not make them nasty people.

People are entitled to their opinions.

hooradiation

Crosáidí wrote: »

It's not Boards, it's AH, I feel the same and I spend less time in AH because of it

AH is like a tabloid, except the tits aren't confined to page three.

orourkeda

hooradiation wrote: »

AH is like a tabloid, except the tits aren't confined to page three.

yay

Cruthers

Boards.ie has got to be the dasest of board sites anywhere in the world.
This site is populated with the greatest number of dumb muppets.
I am now leaving boards and could not be bothered having anything to do with it.

orourkeda

Cruthers wrote: »

Boards.ie has got to be the dasest of board sites anywhere in the world.
This site is populated with the greatest number of dumb muppets.
I am now leaving boards and could not be bothered having anything to do with it.

What?

I almost give up.

There is an enormous difference between arguing that you have some issues with the benefits people on social welfare get, and that you think there is a lot fraud and abuse in the system that is all well and good, but once again my point is aimed at the sort of reply that goes something like this " f### wasters the lot of them they are all lazy f####ing scroungers scamming the system " followed by a lots of thanks to the poster, and thats mild in regard to some of the replies you get.

Being sarcastic would be ""all ye bleeding heart liberals will be the first ones to be shot when I am in charge.

Biggins

Cruthers wrote: »

Boards.ie has got to be the dasest of board sites anywhere in the world.
This site is populated with the greatest number of dumb muppets.
I am now leaving boards and could not be bothered having anything to do with it.

You mean dumb muppets that can't spell either?
Seeing as your post contribution is not that great, your absence won't be missed. Toodle-pip!

Donal Og O Baelach

listermint wrote: »

Em Let me see, Everything you said was a broad generalisation, So No I dont think it is,

And yes I think you need to go back to internetz college ........

listermint wrote: »

Can you explain please donal?

Maria has inserted so many generalisations that is laughable.

She must also not be aware of how people use the internet in terms of saying what ever they like. Some to just get a raise out of people like Maria. So yes I do think an understanding of exactly what occurs on the internet is warranted. And its very relevant to opening such a topic in the first place.


So again whats 'miserable' about the post?

Well, compare the two posts above. While the 2nd is still quite condescending to the op (who asked a fairly interesting question in a reasonably humble and polite way), your first reply is basically saying "Ah get back in your box you fool"
Why didn't you explain your points, as in the 2nd post, in your first reply?

hooradiation

orourkeda wrote: »

yay

Sadly, it's more like this

(slightly NSFW, i guess. Maybe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOdoXlJA9Nw

orourkeda

hooradiation wrote: »

Sadly, it's more like this

(slightly NSFW, i guess. Maybe)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOdoXlJA9Nw

Is that the guy who does Joe Swanson

billybudd

It is more healthy than silence.

Donal Og O Baelach

As regards a forum like this having a damaging effect on the fabric of Irish society, the argument for that would follow the same lines as the theory that the internet cultivates certain perverted behavior.

The idea is that a person living in "normal" society would be less likely to act on, or practice, any strange behavior- until he/she is in contact with like minded people - and then these acts become acceptable.

I suppose the same theory applies for ways of thinking - so a latent racist might go through life tolerating other races in an accepting society, but that can change to suit the mood of the tribe. (Germany in the 1930's would be an example of this).

hooradiation

orourkeda wrote: »

Is that the guy who does the tick Joe Swanson

That is Patrick Warburton, yes.

Kasabian

The internet and forums like this can do some good, they can also do some bad, if you are principaled enough and open to at least hearing another point of view it can be quite enlightening.

The problem as I see it is the need to voice an opinion on every little thing without fully embracing the argument or context.

Some people should have their keyboards removed, some should have their's blow up and others should be restricted on the time they allowed on a forum.

But thankfully we live in a some symblance of a free society so all opinions, even the one's of hatred and bigotry are able to have a voice.

Me I just filter the extreme BS and now and again laugh. Get's me through the day.

listermint

Donal Og O Baelach wrote: »

Well, compare the two posts above. While the 2nd is still quite condescending to the op (who asked a fairly interesting question in a reasonably humble and polite way), your first reply is basically saying "Ah get back in your box you fool"
Why didn't you explain your points, as in the 2nd post, in your first reply?

I do like your 'get back in your box you fool' reference as i had visions of Mr T.

On that note thank you for the reply

Chuck Stone

I blame the Illuminati. They want us to fight each other so they can suck the blood out of our children when our attention is elsewhere.

blackie4

I think maybe the recession is causing a lot of resentment because people are short of money and worried about the future. Therefore, they start to look at others and question their entitlements. People didn't mind so much when jobs weren't so scarce, but I would imagine the same thing is happening in other countries too regarding immigrants, etc. Look at Mail Online sometime and see what they say about immigrants changing Britain, receiving benefits, etc. Hopefully, things will improve so that we stop being so nasty towards each other.

Saila

understanding of AH fail
this is more worrying, that some think lots of the one liners are real opinions and think that lots agree with them

Full.Duck

No its just AH in general.

Saila has made a very good point dose anyone else notice how the nasty comments often get a huge amount of thanks and the thanks is often by people who rarely write a post...that is the sort of thing that gets me thinking.

I could not be nasty its the way I was reared manners are everything bla bla, but I was so tempted to reply to the people who thought the woman looking for nappies for her 4 year old son with downs syndrome and autism was too entitled, with something my mother would say which is ......' may it never darken your door'.....i.e may you never have a child that's handicapped

4leto

Boards is fun, it has absolutely NO impact on our wider community.

You have 2 modes what you say on an anonymous website and what you say and believe in the 3D world.

This in a way is just fantasy. But in saying that I really would incarcerate and execute every scumbag in Ireland.

Wertz

boards.ie changing Ireland? Last I noticed there are 4 million odd (some might say very odd) people on this island...not sure on the numbers here but at a guess it's maybe 20K active regular users across the whole site (open to correction here)....whilst that figure might form a broad cross section of the country's population it is not even 0.2% of the total number of people...even allowing for children and people over 70, it's probably still not even 1%.
So although the admins and owners of the site would love to think that the place has such a huge influence, I really think that's getting ahead of ourselves...

...and personally I find the deviation in opinions on everything on this forum (and others) to be refreshing... it's good that there's a place that you can come and see the opinions of others who you may never interact with IRL. There's nothing wrong with some healthy honesty about how other peope feel even if it doesn't sit well with your personal outlook. Better out that in.
Where else is there that gives normal Joe Soap the chance to talk about what he/she really thinks about something....the traditional media only gives us the opinions of "betters".

[edit] All in all I'd have said that this whole site has more of a positive influence on the country than a negative...it has helped me personally loads over the years with such mundane stuff as where to buy X, how to do Y with my computer, what to watch on telly and countless other things. You get out what you put in as far as I can see...

krudler

mariaalice wrote: »

I know the above sound a bit dramatic but hear me out!

I have been on boards about five years and I like it a lot.

Maybe I was living in a bubble or something, but I use to think the sort of people who were enraged by loan parents or who want to shoot everyone on social welfare, or were enraged by polish people here 'taking our jobs' etc...... were a small knuckle dragging minority, but they don't seem to be because the down right vile, nasty vicious comments you get in reply to some threads is disturbing.

So my point is, is boards changing Ireland in bad way by giving an outlet to that type of knuckle dragging comment.

Talking to people about this I have got two different replies.... Ireland was always like that and the Nazi party would have had a field day in Ireland as people would have been queuing up to join, or no public discourse in Ireland is becoming more self adsorbed and nasty in a way that it never was.

is this of the "if you dont have anything nice to say then dont say anything" type of reasoning? what a dull world it would be if everyone kept their opinions to themselves. AH is full of sarcastic responses from people that probably dont actually think that way in real life, its the internet, get over it.

jimthemental

4leto wrote: »

This in a way is just fantasy. But in saying that I really would incarcerate and execute every scumbag in Ireland.

Your narrow minded post here really pisses me off. You should be thinking globally.

Liam Byrne

I know what the OP is on about, though, and it's not JUST After Hours.

Even in a few of the forums where - shall we say - you'd expect at least some level of decency and etiquette there's an AMOUNT of nasty venom and deliberate twisting of words and all sorts of dirty tactics going on, and that's even before you examine the opinions being expressed, which would have left me floored if I read them 20 years ago when, in my naivety, I thought most people were reasoned, objective, honest individuals.

Maybe the issue is that boards provides a platform where you get to see those views and personalities first-hand, rather than being insulated from them ? In that case it's not boards fault, just the fact that the mindset and bigotry and venom isn't behind closed doors anymore ?

Wibbs

There's also the keyboard warrior factor. That's a biggie.