Has Boards changed your outlook on life?

Widdershins · 11-10-2017 09:10PM

No, it hasn't changed my outlook on life, it's really not that impressive, but it's made me aware of certain types of people and views that people mightn't admit to in person. It's made me aware of an ugly side to people.

KERSPLAT! · 11-10-2017 09:14PM

Widdershins wrote: »

No, it hasn't changed my outlook on life, it's really not that impressive, but it's made me aware of certain types of people and views that people mightn't admit to in person. It's made me aware of an ugly side to people.

Aye, it certainly opens your eyes alright.

retro:electro · 11-10-2017 09:16PM

But it has also made me realise that just because some people don't agree with you on certain topics, it doesn't make them bad people, so it would be unfair to make a whole judgement on them based on an opinion in a forum. I could be engaged in a heated discussion with a poster on one thread, and agree with them and thank their posts on another. I think the people who take the bitterness from harmless debate are doing themselves more harm than good, and it's actually a reflection on how they see the world, rather than how the world actually is.

dr.fuzzenstein · 11-10-2017 09:17PM

It made me realise that sometimes in a discussion a consensus can't be reached and you'll have to he OK with it.
Especially when people are disagreeing not out of conviction, but merely to stir the pot.
Sometimes it's a playground fight.
anna080, snap.

11-10-2017 09:24PM

It hasn't changed my outlook but it has so far been a positive experience for me. I enjoy reading the different opinions and feeling like I get a glimpse in to other peoples lives and experiences. There's a huge wealth of knowledge on boards. I haven't a clue about weather but lurk over in that forum a bit and those guys are geniuses with their charts and predictions.

Now and then a thread here will appear that makes me a bit teary eyed or laugh out loud. There was a recent one where posters were offering phone numbers and support to a person in distress. Boards doesn't make me despair for humanity but the opposite. People who are willing to help others.

myshirt · 11-10-2017 09:51PM

Feminism and the arguments put forward by feminists. I never got it.

I always viewed and thought men and women were equal. For me, the enemy was fat middle aged unmarried female academics who are deeply unhappy with themselves. Fat middle aged female academics who need to peddle a load of falsehoods that no competent labour economist would stand over, these are the enemy.

However, thanks to boards I now understand that the real enemy is a patriarchal capitalistic society that maintains its ascendency by making powerful and ambitious women seem threatening only to protect my status as a man in a system purposefully designed to benefit men like me and perpetuate an unequal social structure that disproportionately strips women and gay people of their autonomy and seeks to subjugate them to an inveterate and intentionally antagonistic androcratic order set out to destroy them and discriminate against them in favour of men.

How could I have been so stupid?

entropi · 11-10-2017 09:53PM

Arghus wrote: »

It's made me realise that there's more angry men on the internet than there are in real life.

12 I think it was...yes. 12 angry men.

Widdershins · 11-10-2017 10:09PM

KERSPLAT! wrote: »

Aye, it certainly opens your eyes alright.

Yes!

Actually it reminds me of the cast of Calvary at times. Kind of cynical or something. But there are nice posts, nice people and some really interesting threads sometimes.

Wibbs · 11-10-2017 10:18PM

It made me more I dunno... measured believe it or not. I'd generally be more "in your face" in Real Life™. Or was anyway. Not aggressive as such, if anything I'm pretty easy going, but more likely to go for the jugular in a debate. I'm far less "politically correct" in Real Life™, so that gets dialled back here. Probably a good thing.

mohawk · 11-10-2017 10:41PM

No I don't think so. I don't think I have changed.

Most of my Facebook friends would be people I went to school, college or worked with and typically would have a similar outlook to me. It basically results in that 'echo chamber' effect in my newsfeed that the media goes on about. I only use it for groups now. Reddit can be just as bad depending on the topic.
On here I see more of the other sides argument/ opinions which is only a good thing. I might not change my mind but I can respect that the people have their own opinions on a topic even if they are literally the opposite of mine.

World would be pretty boring place if we were all the same.

JollyBustard · 12-10-2017 08:48AM

So the consensus I'm getting seems to be that no one's changed overmuch but there's more of an acceptance to acknowledge where other people are coming from when they don't necessarily agree with your own outlook?

And that's mainly facilitated by Boards not being as much of an 'echo chamber' as other social sites where you're more inclined to block anyone whoe doesn't have the same opinions as you, so there's actual debate available as opposed to being stuck in a like-minded bubble. (thanks for reminding me of the term echo chamber, mohawk - it's exactly what I was trying to get at in my original post)

sbsquarepants · 12-10-2017 08:57AM

Erik Shin wrote: »

...some people I'd like to meet and quite a few I wouldnt piss on if they were on fire

I don't know - some people are into this kinda thing I suppose - but I dislike the idea of being pissed on and it would already be counting it as a bad day if I had somehow caught fire.

If you do ever see me on fire, throw a blanket over me, or better still a bucket of nice clean cold water. Personally I wouldn't thank you for pissing on me in that situation. Once the burns healed - there would be fisticuffs.

Oh, and to answer your OP question - I voted no, but now that I think of it - probably yes. I've always tried to be open minded, but I've had conversations on here with people that I just wouldn't ever have met in real life and been exposed to points of view completely alien to my own, hopefully it has broadened my mind a bit. I think it probably has.

It has also made me considerably less productive in work:D

Widdershins · 12-10-2017 09:03AM

JollyBustard wrote: »

So the consensus I'm getting seems to be that no one's changed overmuch but there's more of an acceptance to acknowledge where other people are coming from when they don't necessarily agree with your own outlook?

And that's mainly facilitated by Boards not being as much of an 'echo chamber' as other social sites where you're more inclined to block anyone whoe doesn't have the same opinions as you, so there's actual debate available as opposed to being stuck in a like-minded bubble. (thanks for reminding me of the term echo chamber, mohawk - it's exactly what I was trying to get at in my original post)

Well not for me personally anyway. I don't block people for not having the same opinion as me on Facebook (I don't use other sites). I'm in a couple of groups with people of vastly differing opinions and it's interesting to hear their angle on things. There's no tension on the groups or FB that I've noticed though.

I thought Irish secondary schools had debate clubs. Maybe not all of them.

sbsquarepants · 12-10-2017 09:18AM

I've never understood the thought process behind blocking anybody - ok if you're being abused or harassed or something - but just because you can't manage to hear a contradictory opinion - jaysus, grow the fúck up!

It's the online version of sticking your fingers in your ears and going, "na, na, na, na, I can't hear you" and about as mature as doing so too!

Nettle Soup · 12-10-2017 09:27AM

I see ISIS behind every corner now.

Widdershins · 12-10-2017 12:38PM

Wibbs wrote: »

It made me more I dunno... measured believe it or not. I'd generally be more "in your face" in Real Life™. Or was anyway. Not aggressive as such, if anything I'm pretty easy going, but more likely to go for the jugular in a debate. I'm far less "politically correct" in Real Life™, so that gets dialled back here. Probably a good thing.

People are rarely so keen for an argument nor do they ask for links in real life

pilly · 12-10-2017 12:49PM

I don't think Boards has changed my opinion on anything. It does make me wonder if it's really reflective of society and if there are that many bitter angry people out there who just don't express their views in real life?

Some threads make me laugh out loud which I love and the pets thread always cheers me up on a dull day.

begbysback · 12-10-2017 01:12PM

Boards has completely changed my outlook - I now forward all mail received from @boards.ie to junk folder

12-10-2017 03:25PM

Widdershins wrote: »

People are rarely so keen for an argument nor do they ask for links in real life

One of the reasons I don't get too involved in the more robust discussions around here is my lack of links. I have all of these opinions and views but zero evidence to back them up:p

Erik Shin · 12-10-2017 03:52PM

[Deleted User] wrote: »

One of the reasons I don't get too involved in the more robust discussions around here is my lack of links. I have all of these opinions and views but zero evidence to back them up:p

Oh i love an online argument.... And if anyone wants a link....

m5ex9oqjawdg2i · 12-10-2017 04:56PM

Boards has helped change my view on some topics. Some very controversial topics.

Exposure to the oppositions point is very important. Surrounding yourself with only those who agree with you is quite dangerous in my opinion*

*this opinion may or may not change in the future

begbysback · 12-10-2017 06:45PM

Jordan Keane wrote: »

It has made me think that there are a lot of introverts out there harbouring deep resentment towards cool people.

Times have changed pal - introverts are now the cool people, the previous social cools have now been found out via Facebook etc

Are Am Eye · 12-10-2017 07:02PM

Widdershins wrote: »

People are rarely so keen for an argument nor do they ask for links in real life

Source?

Hector Bellend · 12-10-2017 08:06PM

Deleted User wrote: »

One of the reasons I don't get too involved in the more robust discussions around here is my lack of links. I have all of these opinions and views but zero evidence to back them up:p

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gn_-2-wO62c

Pero_Bueno · 12-10-2017 08:09PM

Nope, hasn't changed me - but it is worrying the amount of bigoted Islamic radical apologists that are on here.

cbreeze · 12-10-2017 08:25PM

I like Boards.ie

There are plenty of interesting people with many opinions on all kinds of topics. Some very helpful information can be found there.

Some threads are useful and honest, some are not. An example is of an original poster who asks an innocent question - then sixty replies later you haven't a clue what the original question was as the whole thing has degenerated into sniping, with swear words cunningly disguised with '*' or 'x'.

Grammar and the correct use of punctuation is a challenge for about 25% of posters. 'There' is often used for 'their' and apostrophes are routinely placed in front of the letter 's' even if the possessive case is not intended.

The worst kind of ranting and trolling seems to take place in the early hours when the ranter or troll is tired and emotional.

This might be a bit of a rant!!!

Samaris · 12-10-2017 09:41PM

I've become more entrenched in some views after debate on boards. I've moderated some other opinions based on compelling arguments.

There's a few posters that I'll pay particular attention to when discussing certain topics due to proven expertise.

I am more inclined to believe that there are dicks out there though. I used to be far more inclined to believe that people generally meant well.

12-10-2017 09:50PM

Samaris wrote: »

I've become more entrenched in some views after debate on boards. I've moderated some other opinions based on compelling arguments.

There's a few posters that I'll pay particular attention to when discussing certain topics due to proven expertise.

I am more inclined to believe that there are dicks out there though. I used to be far more inclined to believe that people generally meant well.

It's amazing how different human perspective can be. Why is it that a forum can cause some to believe there are more dicks out there and it will give the opposite view to others? Is it down to our own default position in life? I will see the good before the bad that's what stands out to me the most around here.

blueser · 12-10-2017 09:57PM

If anything, Boards has given me an inner glow. The sort of glow that comes from realising that I'm not the only fcukwit out there!

Samaris · 12-10-2017 10:00PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It's amazing how different human perspective can be. Why is it that a forum can cause some to believe there are more dicks out there and it will give the opposite view to others? Is it down to our own default position in life? I will see the good before the bad that's what stands out to me the most around here.

I have always been very idealistic, likely naively so. Deliberate assholeishness does still take me aback, but I've become more inured to it with exposure.

I've chatted with some awesome posters who seem to be genuinely nice people as well, and appreciate them, but it doesn't stand out to me, because I tend to default to expecting people to be decent. So the dicks stand out for me.

Has Boards changed your outlook on life?

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