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Is Boards representative of society in Ireland?

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    #62
    bb1234567
    Registered Users Posts: 5,496 ✭✭✭bb1234567


    newmug wrote: »
    Shinners - rarely get above 15% at electoral events. On boards you'd think they were about to sieze power in a coup!
    Athiests - 84% of Irish people identify as Catholic. This is a FACT, bourne out in the last census. On Boards, you'd think 84% of people were atheist.
    LGBT - Homosexuality, tattoos, piercings etc. seem to be commonplace on Boards. In real life, these things are still well-and-truly in the "weirdo" category. (Maybe not so much the tattoos nowadays, they're seen as more "waster" than "weird" [not MY view, just my observation])
    Computer Nerds - Nerds in general, are a rarity in society. They are obviously going to congregate more on the internet than they would in real life, so maybe that is the truest bit of representation on Boards. Still though, they are on the margain of the margains of society offline.

    I'll add another stat to that. Views on abortion. On Boards (and in the Irish media in general), you'd think people were about to bring down the government with the overwhelming demand to legalise abortion up to full term. The reality is, when the govt. were enacting the recent legislation, 5,000 pre-choicers turned out to protest that it didn't go far enough. 80,000 pro-lifers turned out to protest that it went too far. The govt didn't hold a referendum because they knew the bill to legalise abortion would be spectacularly annihilated.


    Typical Boardsie v a normal person. Skip to 1:50

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY54fnWQ-48

    Gay people are weridos? Do you live in the arse end of rural county kerry or something?


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    #63
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    bb1234567 wrote: »
    A lot lot lot lot more liberal than society in general

    So sweet Lord! I hope not. Or your definition of liberal is much different to mine.


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    #64
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    It's not representative at all IMO.

    Boards people are pro same sex marriage, and far from homophobic. Real life interactions shows most people, actually most men, are quite homophobic. They take the mick all the time. But only in small circles because they don't want to be labelled a bigot.


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    #65
    bb1234567
    Registered Users Posts: 5,496 ✭✭✭bb1234567


    alwald wrote: »
    Can you elaborate more on this please? I tend to disagree with you, it all comes to your family, surroundings, friends and the way you were raised I believe.....

    Most of the users who post are strongly anti homophobic, anti racist etc...


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    #66
    gladrags
    Registered Users Posts: 6,028 ✭✭✭gladrags


    Davarus Walrus wrote: »
    gladrags wrote: »

    I referred to the Sindo. I'm not shít stirring. The Sunday Independent is the largest selling paper in the country because it represents the viewpoints of a whole swathe of the population who really don't bother getting into endless debates with some dweeb on a message board. Mark and Mary Middleclass have better things to be doing than dancing on the head of a pin about complex social and politicial issues with some student who recently discovered the works of Marx, and who now thinks he has all the answers to all the questions.

    The sun is the largest selling paper in the UK,that does not mean it is representative of public opinion.

    The Sunday Indo is available one day a week,it does NOT represent the view of the majority,or come close to a cross section.

    RTE is the only media that does on a continuous day to day basis,with the possible exception of the internet.

    INM had there chance,the Indo is agenda ridden narrow in the extreme t
    to be representative of Irish society as a whole,and divisive.


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    #67
    alwald
    Registered Users Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭alwald


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    It's not representative at all IMO.

    Boards people are pro same sex marriage, and far from homophobic. Real life interactions shows most people, actually most men, are quite homophobic. They take the mick all the time. But only in small circles because they don't want to be labelled a bigot.

    I disagree about the first point and agree about the second.
    Obviously real life interaction is different than virtual interaction, you don't know to whom you are talking on the net.
    Still I disagree about the pro gay marriage as I believe (based on observation, several articles that I read in the media in the recent months and based on real life discussions that I had with friends, colleagues and so one) that the a YES will win as it's normal to give freedom to everybody and we shall all be the same in terms of equality......anyway soon it might be an obligation for EU members to accept same sex marriage everywhere in the EU.


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    #68
    thegreatgonzo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,623 ✭✭✭thegreatgonzo


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    It's not representative at all IMO.

    Boards people are pro same sex marriage, and far from homophobic. Real life interactions shows most people, actually most men, are quite homophobic. They take the mick all the time. But only in small circles because they don't want to be labelled a bigot.

    Yeah I'd agree with this. Granted I spend quite a lot of time around hardy farmer types between the ages of 40-70. But they do make up quite a substantial proportion of the population. Being gay, having tattoos, men having piercings etc would all be strange notions to them.


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    #69
    alwald
    Registered Users Posts: 1,289 ✭✭✭alwald


    bb1234567 wrote: »
    Most of the users who post are strongly anti homophobic, anti racist etc...
    ok, that will bring me to the next question, how do you know that? is it based on your own intuition or based on comparisons made between the real world and the virtual world?


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    #70
    ytpe2r5bxkn0c1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    bb1234567 wrote: »
    Most of the users who post are strongly anti homophobic, anti racist etc...

    But Boards doesn't allow you post anything homophobic or racist! That doesn't mean posters don't think that way though.


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    #71
    MadYaker
    Registered Users Posts: 12,172 ✭✭✭✭MadYaker


    No. Most of the users are male and under 40. That's far from a true representation of Irish society.


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    #72
    _Redzer_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,056 ✭✭✭_Redzer_


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    It's not representative at all IMO.

    Boards people are pro same sex marriage, and far from homophobic. Real life interactions shows most people, actually most men, are quite homophobic. They take the mick all the time. But only in small circles because they don't want to be labelled a bigot.

    As someone who is gay but not obviously so, I hear it all unfiltered, and tbh, it's not so bad. It's just shít talk mostly.

    Lads in their 20s are pretty open minded, and those who do have such notions have never spoken to a gay person properly and think we're the walking stereotype. Once they get talking to them you can nearly see the glass shattering in their heads and they start to reevaluate things. It's just ignorance mostly.

    Now, anybody who still upholds such views despite being in better contact with gay people are idiots not worth listening to. Like racists, they're no cure for cancer or anything to bothered about.


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    #73
    The_Valeyard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,452 ✭✭✭✭The_Valeyard


    Boards is very different from the real world .


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    #74
    LiveIsLife
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭LiveIsLife


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    It's not representative at all IMO.

    Boards people are pro same sex marriage, and far from homophobic. Real life interactions shows most people, actually most men, are quite homophobic. They take the mick all the time. But only in small circles because they don't want to be labelled a bigot.

    Don't agree at all. I'm from a rural area, and most of my friends aren't homophobic. Couple are but to say most men are is way off the mark. I actually see a trend where straight lads try to act camp


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    #75
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    newmug wrote: »
    Cool it man, will ya! Laugh, then, instead of getting upset!

    Sounds like you're the one getting upset


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    #76
    Shakespeare's Sister
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,412 ✭✭✭Shakespeare's Sister


    No, it's over-represented by the following demographics: middle-class, third-level educated, under 30, male.
    There is a strongly liberal (in the centre-left, moderate sense) contingent - which is a good thing. The unrealistic hardline left has a voice here, but it's nowhere near as bad as e.g. Facebook. Same with the very right-wing nut-jobs. Both groups shout the loudest though, and sometimes even share the same views (e.g. regarding taxes - not all self proclaimed far-left folks agree with taxes).
    Overall, Boards is far more intelligent and thoughtful than online newspaper comments sections, Politics.ie, TheJournal.ie, BreakingNews.ie comments, Facebook threads. The latter would make you lose the will to live - no way would I get involved in those discussions, whereas Boards has some great writers (many of them a lot better than some journalists).
    Lol at regular Boards posters going on about "typical Boards users" being freaks. :rolleyes:
    Boring trolling or staggering lack of self awareness.
    newmug wrote: »
    LGBT - Homosexuality, tattoos, piercings etc. seem to be commonplace on Boards. In real life, these things are still well-and-truly in the "weirdo" category. (Maybe not so much the tattoos nowadays, they're seen as more "waster" than "weird" [not MY view, just my observation])
    No, to say gay people are in the weirdo category is very much YOUR view. If you just came out and said you were homophobic it would at least be honest.
    Surprised at a couple of the thankers of the above post. But then again, some people start to become kinda "no-nonsense" after a while on Boards.


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    #77
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    _Redzer_ wrote: »
    As someone who is gay but not obviously so, I hear it all unfiltered, and tbh, it's not so bad. It's just shít talk mostly.

    I agree with everything you said but not the above. You'd be surprised how easily a lad knows how to put the filter on. I'll give you an example. A new lad in work started. For the first couple of weeks he never mentioned having a GF. He also never commented on the young ones other lads were pointing out. Not one gay joke was uttered for the first two weeks. Once they heard he was seeing a girl then the jokes came back.


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    #78
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,419 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    alwald wrote: »
    ok, that will bring me to the next question, how do you know that? is it based on your own intuition or based on comparisons made between the real world and the virtual world?

    Possibly from reading posts.If you've been here a while you see the trends.


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    #79
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    LiveIsLife wrote: »
    Don't agree at all. I'm from a rural area, and most of my friends aren't homophobic. Couple are but to say most men are is way off the mark. I actually see a trend where straight lads try to act camp

    You are right. I am only giving my experiences as are you. 90% of men I know would be homophobic in the sense they would poke fun. Of course no direct insults or anything.

    Maybe your experiences are 90% the other way.


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    #80
    LiveIsLife
    Closed Accounts Posts: 152 ✭✭LiveIsLife


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    You are right. I am only giving my experiences as are you. 90% of men I know would be homophobic in the sense they would poke fun. Of course no direct insults or anything.

    Maybe your experiences are 90% the other way.

    Are the jokes an indication of homophobia though?


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    #81
    gavinhenson
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 54 ✭✭gavinhenson


    steddyeddy wrote: »
    Well is it? Personally I wonder is it at all. The large number of dole threads and threads aimed at poorer section of society can't be Representative of the population. I don't hear conversations like this in real life from people from any section of society. Then again I may be wrong and people might keep their thoughts to themselves on the issue. So I'm wondering are the threads on Boards representative of the feelings of society on all issues or do we make up a small part of society?

    Definitely not. I am an infrequent user and every time I visit, I find it's gotten worse and worse. It's primarily used by lower-class, uneducated types who spend their days in tracksuits and have nothing better to do than rant about not getting enough dole, getting a new pit bull, how much is children's allowance, what I.T. their little Jason or Wayne should go to.


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    #82
    The Rabbit
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 140 ✭✭The Rabbit


    gavinhenson wrote: »
    Definitely not. I am an infrequent user and every time I visit, I find it's gotten worse and worse. It's primarily used by lower-class, uneducated types who spend their days in tracksuits and have nothing better to do than rant about not getting enough dole, getting a new pit bull, how much is children's allowance, what I.T. their little Jason or Wayne should go to.

    What absolute scutter.


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    #83
    K-9
    Registered Users Posts: 43,311 ✭✭✭✭K-9


    Davarus Walrus wrote: »
    Jesus Christ no. Like twitter, thejournal and other 'social media' outlets it draws every sort of loon, leftie and ne'er do well. Mouth-breathers spouting their ill-conceived views on hugely complex issues in an attempt to bring some sense of purpose to their bland and bleak existence.

    The Sunday Independent is way more representative of Irish society when it comes to social, political and economic issues than boards could ever hope to be. The spotty student neckbeard viewpoint doesn't really contribute much to the rich tapestry of Irish life.

    The spotty student types are harmless enough, Sindo readers well, that's scinister and demoralising if true.

    Mad Men's Don Draper : What you call love was invented by guys like me, to sell nylons.



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    #84
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    LiveIsLife wrote: »
    Are the jokes an indication of homophobia though?

    Humm well there's a question I hadn't asked myself. I just assumed they were.


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    #85
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,419 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    gavinhenson wrote: »
    Definitely not. I am an infrequent user and every time I visit, I find it's gotten worse and worse. It's primarily used by lower-class, uneducated types who spend their days in tracksuits and have nothing better to do than rant about not getting enough dole, getting a new pit bull, how much is children's allowance, what I.T. their little Jason or Wayne should go to.

    38 posts in three years.Seem to have a problem with "working class backgrounds".


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    #86
    _Redzer_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,056 ✭✭✭_Redzer_


    Stainless_Steel wrote: »
    You are right. I am only giving my experiences as are you. 90% of men I know would be homophobic in the sense they would poke fun. Of course no direct insults or anything.

    Maybe your experiences are 90% the other way.

    Ok, I get what you mean now. You're in one of those 'lads lad' groups. I am too, and I suppose there would be some stupid jokes, there still is now that I'm the first gay person they've been in proper contact with, it's just that I mess around and encourage the messing and stupid jokes, too.
    Those jokes were just stupid, though. I knew it then that there wasn't any real depth to them, because I'm a good tell when someone crosses the line into being pointed.
    I notice they've just naturally dialled it down anyway, not sure why, I didn't encourage anything.

    It's an odd topic, though. But I still retain the view that it's the 'done thing' to slag off lads that don't conform. Sure we do it many straight lads, too. It's just stupid.
    But I think if you were to turn around and say you were gay, and if you're exactly like them, they'd quickly get over it, because I really don't think there's a huge amount of malice in it for most man.

    There's a minority of dickheads, sure.


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    #87
    Stainless_Steel
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,155 ✭✭✭Stainless_Steel


    _Redzer_ wrote: »
    Ok, I get what you mean now. You're in one of those 'lads lad' groups. I am too, and I suppose there would be some stupid jokes, there still is now that I'm the first gay person they've been in proper contact with, it's just that I mess around and encourage the messing and stupid jokes, too.
    Those jokes were just stupid, though. I knew it then that there wasn't any real depth to them, because I'm a good tell when someone crosses the line into being pointed.
    I notice they've just naturally dialled it down anyway, not sure why, I didn't encourage anything.

    It's an odd topic, though. But I still retain the view that it's the 'done thing' to slag off lads that don't conform. Sure we do it many straight lads, too. It's just stupid.
    But I think if you were to turn around and say you were gay, and if you're exactly like them, they'd quickly get over it, because I really don't think there's a huge amount of malice in it for most man.

    There's a minority of dickheads, sure.

    Nail on the head. The same lads poke fun constantly and anyone and everyone. And you're right, they wouldn't be mean to a gay lad.


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    #88
    gavinhenson
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 54 ✭✭gavinhenson


    The Rabbit wrote: »
    What absolute scutter.

    You must be a tracksuit wearer. How's your pit bull and son Wayne?


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    #89
    gavinhenson
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 54 ✭✭gavinhenson


    kneemos wrote: »
    38 posts in three years.Seem to have a problem with "working class backgrounds".

    What makes you say that?


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    #90
    gavinhenson
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 54 ✭✭gavinhenson


    K-9 wrote: »
    The spotty student types are harmless enough, Sindo readers well, that's scinister and demoralising if true.

    The fact that you can't spell sinister is demoralising.


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    #91
    kneemos
    Registered Users Posts: 20,419 ✭✭✭✭kneemos


    gavinhenson wrote: »
    What makes you say that?

    You're post history.


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