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'Smart' Responses

ShaggyQueen

Just reading the thread where a user asks what are the benefits of running and noticed 'smart comments' which I think are totally unnecessary.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057181214

What benefit does responses like "The benefit is you'll be able to run 3.5km in one go seven times a week" add to anything?

Its something I've noticed here before, as well as across several fitness communities on the internet. I think its something that should be stamped out here, responses like the above are hardly going to encourage people to take up fitness activities. I didn't think I'd ever look for tighter moderation on boards, but comments like the above to genuine questions add nothing other than to discourage people to either ask questions or worse try to get in shape

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Oryx

I think its good to get a check every now and again to remind us that we may come across as dickish. True, you can get jaded with the same old same old, but new posters do need to be led by the hand now and again. Sure you can say the internet is a tough place, get used to it, but hasn't boards always prided itself on not going down that route, and actually being a more 'local' and friendly place?

I know if I do a search on 'x' topic and come across 'y' message board where someone has already asked the question, it irritates the heck out of me when the posters of that forum go off on some cliquey rant instead of Answering The Damn Query.

I dont want a private club, I want help! We need to strike a balance that lets us gel as a group, while leaving room for noobs to join in.

Panda_Turtle

Somebody might ask:

Whats the benefits of running?

Half the people on here will think:

Do you even lift?

Tasden

I dunno I can see both sides of the argument. Its the internet, so I'd tend to be of the opinion that "banning" smart responses or whatever is a little precious.

But then at the same time sometimes people do have questions ( myself included) that they may know are a little obvious/ stupid but they'd rather just ask them and have quick confirmation from a source they trust and then for people to just use it as an opportunity to be witty and superior it does kind of make you roll your eyes a bit.
Or what's even worse is when you can see an innocent enough question and then a poster will almost goad the op into saying something "wrong" so they can then go on their little rant about how stupid it is and how they know better. I can't give an example at the minute so dunno if people will know what I'm talking about.

Fwiw though most of the regular posters (don't know the names offhand, on mobile site- Alf, Hanley, stench etc) are respectful and encouraging to posters, while being funny or whatever too.

Jerrica

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

Just because someone says there is a problem doesnt meant there is a problem.

You're absolutely right, but is it not better to explore it, even a little bit, than dismiss it out of hand? Particularly given the topic here it only adds to the problem being presented.

I was a Mod here for 5-ish years, and all throughout that time the forum was by and large fantastically helpful and supportive, and that is still the case, but from time to time lethargy sets in, people get hacked off answering questions time after time with what looks like little or no return, and the smart answers creep in. There's no harm in checking that once in a while. I really think that the regulars have to hold themselves to a higher standard as they're the ones who get listened to most and it's their behaviour that sets the tone of the whole forum.

RidleyRider

quaalude wrote: »

I've nearly posted on this board many times, when I've felt I'd something to contribute, but then decided it wasn't worth the hassle, because of the inevitable "smart" responses and how wound up it'd make me.
There are loads of great posters here, and great information, but the house style can be curt and obnoxious, which means posters like me are more likely to read than contribute.

I'm afraid the internet isn't for you then.

Btw, that's not a smart answer, it's serious.

Theresalwaysone

Jerrica wrote: »

When someone says "I think there's a problem here" there's an option to listen and discuss - you don't need to agree with it, but you can listen. Instead it's dismissed as folks being "precious" and they are questioned on how they'll get in in life. That's some pretty fantastic deflection.

I'm just not a fan of being a dick for the sake of it. I guess I'm old fashioned like that.

Just because someone says there is a problem doesnt meant there is a problem.

quaalude

I've nearly posted on this board many times, when I've felt I'd something to contribute, but then decided it wasn't worth the hassle, because of the inevitable "smart" responses and how wound up it'd make me.
There are loads of great posters here, and great information, but the house style can be curt and obnoxious, which means posters like me are more likely to read than contribute.

Jerrica

When someone says "I think there's a problem here" there's an option to listen and discuss - you don't need to agree with it, but you can listen. Instead it's dismissed as folks being "precious" and they are questioned on how they'll get in in life. That's some pretty fantastic deflection.

I'm just not a fan of being a dick for the sake of it. I guess I'm old fashioned like that.

Theresalwaysone

Jerrica wrote: »

You know those threads you see about people who are scared or afraid to go tot a gym for the first time? Should all those people just not bother because they don't have the potential to get in shape if they can't cross the threshold?

We were all beginners once. Some of us found it easier to get stuck in, others needed a little bit of encouragement. If you're going to restrict contributors to the former then it'll be a pretty narrow bunch of folks in here.

You're missing the point.

People need to be able to dismiss the smart answers as just that, someone being a smart ass, and do some homework to be able to pick out whats valuable.

Being precious about it is riduculous. Especially on a internet message board. Christ... what do these people do in real life?

I'm all for beginners posting, and beginners becoming regular and knowledgeable contributors, but I'd expect them to brush off the inevitable smart comments and absolutely not use that as an excuse not to contribute.

Outside of the world of the internet, a person with that attitude is going to fin d it very hard to do anything in life.

Storm in a teacup anyway this whole thread.

Essien

HTFU supplements required IMO.

RidleyRider

It's a bad state of affairs if nobody can have a laugh here anymore.

My two cents, grow thicker skin, it's the internet.

Jerrica

Theresalwaysone wrote: »

You're just giving people who never contribute and excuse to whinge about contributions.

I'd be confident enough saying that anyone who doesnt contribute because of the possibility of getting smart replies wouldn't have been a good contributor anyway.

You know those threads you see about people who are scared or afraid to go tot a gym for the first time? Should all those people just not bother because they don't have the potential to get in shape if they can't cross the threshold?

We were all beginners once. Some of us found it easier to get stuck in, others needed a little bit of encouragement. If you're going to restrict contributors to the former then it'll be a pretty narrow bunch of folks in here.

Theresalwaysone

Jerrica wrote: »

Perhaps smart answers are one of the reasons why people are slow to contribute.

You're just giving people who never contribute and excuse to whinge about contributions.

I'd be confident enough saying that anyone who doesnt contribute because of the possibility of getting smart replies wouldn't have been a good contributor anyway.

Jerrica

Hanley wrote: »

What's the point in starting a thread to complain about contributions when you never contribute?

Perhaps smart answers are one of the reasons why people are slow to contribute.

If someone asks a question that is obviously an uninformed but well-meaning one, then provide decent answers. Alf Veedersane is a very active and positive contributor to the forum, unfortunately on this occasion, to those who would only be infrequent or occasional viewers, his answer reads as glib and smart. A thread title like "What is the Benefit of Running" is going to attract a lot of views, it's one of those questions that - if you're well read in fitness - you'll almost instinctively know the answer, but to those less "in the know" it's a very valid question.

I get that it's frustrating when the same questions are asked over and over and over again and even moreso when you know that a question could easily be answered by a Google Search, but give new faces the benefit of the doubt and make the effort to help.

Hanley

What's the point in starting a thread to complain about contributions when you never contribute?

Would be easier to start contributing positively than negatively.

2 ways to have the tallest building in town.

1) build yours up the highest
2) tear everyone else's down

Alf Veedersane

Oryx wrote: »

My reading of that particular comment, was that it referred (slightly obliquely) to the fact that fitness is adaptation for a purpose, and that how you train leads to the adaptation you gain. I presumed AV was pointing out to the op that if you train to run 3.5k per day, that is exactly what you will gain from it - the ability to run 3.5k per day! I have seen similar comments before in various fitness based fora (around here) without any offence being inferred.

Edit: The post in question has not been reported as problematic, either.

That was what I had intended it to mean, with no context to goals or current running ability.

But it doesn't obviously read as that.

Oryx

My reading of that particular comment, was that it referred (slightly obliquely) to the fact that fitness is adaptation for a purpose, and that how you train leads to the adaptation you gain. I presumed AV was pointing out to the op that if you train to run 3.5k per day, that is exactly what you will gain from it - the ability to run 3.5k per day! I have seen similar comments before in various fitness based fora (around here) without any offence being inferred.

Edit: The post in question has not been reported as problematic, either.

Alf Veedersane

As that was my response, the OP was apologised to if it appeared as if I was dismissing the post out of hand.

I did also try ot offer some advice afterwards so I would disagree that I was discouraging the OP.

But I take the point that it could have which is why I apologised to the OP.