Interpretation of posts

[EP - Ethics Particle]

Get a room, you two!

Carmel, nothing posted today made me think that -- but yes, I think your observations have merit -- here at ESMB and in life. I think it's one of the hardest things to deal with in families and work situations -- to set aside our baggage and really listen.

Thanks for bringing this up.

TG1

And make it at our house!

The dogs will listen, the C/S and I will cook, etc... and we can eat, drink, relax and let the word go by!

EP

 

[TG1]

And make it at our house!

The dogs will listen, the C/S and I will cook, etc... and we can eat, drink, relax and let the word go by!

EP

EP and C/S -- we have a DATE. Thank you. I will let you know as soon as I can when I'll be there. But knowing you guys and how long the conversation could go, I'd probably have to sleep over rather than schlep back to the city. I'm truly looking forward to it.

 

[nexus100]

Oops

 

[Panda Termint]

 

[The Anabaptist Jacques]

A lot of us *know* each other here, and that's one of the things I like about ESMB........It's not just random opinions from people but, more often, people discussing/debating things with each other, supporting each other, and having each other on, etc. This is great, and something which I didn't know existed before ESMB (I had no idea about the existence of message boards).

One of the consequences of that though (from my experience and observation), is that posts aren't always taken at face value........Sometimes or with some, because of *who* has posted (and because of sometimes only a short history with another), the reader can seem to see all posts by a certain poster through a *filter* of sorts, rather than see them for what they are and see them as intended. I think we are all *biased* to a certain degree, but sometimes that bias can really affect interpretation of posts.

I think it would be interesting to see what reactions or lack of reactions, by some, that posters would have/get to some of their posts (with the very same content), if the person responding didn't know who posted it. I bet it would differ greatly in *some* instances.

We probably are all *guilty* to a certain degree of misinterpreting the odd post or two (or three), coz of who posted it as opposed to because of what was written. I know I have been. From the other end of the stick though, there would be very few in my opinion who aren't phased when their posts are misinterpreted and/or challenged coz of history with another poster as opposed to because of what was written.

After catching up with a few threads this morning, and again seeing what I believe to be another instance of this, I wanted to make comment on it. It's not rampant here on ESMB, but any instance of it is distasteful, IMO - Here's to less *filters* and subsequent *adverse reactions*, in future.

What a cheap shot at me! I knew you couldn't just let it go.

You had to respond with this vile attack.

If you think everybody can't see how hateful this post of yours is then....oh wait..... you're not who I thought you were.

Never mind.

The Anabaptist Jacques

 

[Carmel]

And make it at our house!

The dogs will listen, the C/S and I will cook, etc... and we can eat, drink, relax and let the word go by!

EP

Would love it, EP.

 

[Carmel]

What a cheap shot at me! I knew you couldn't just let it go.

You had to respond with this vile attack.

If you think everybody can't see how hateful this post of yours is then....oh wait..... you're not who I thought you were.

Never mind.

The Anabaptist Jacques

 

[Voltaire's Child]

It can be challenging. After reading someone's posts for a while, people will sometimes feel that they know the person and will then make certain assessments, some positive, some negative, all kinds of stuff, really.

I've always tried to give others lots and lots of chances. I take people on and off ignore. I may killfile someone (usenet/email terminology) on usenet but usually only for a while. I do this because I know that almost everyone has something worthwhile to say at least sometimes. People come up with really good points or funny or neat things to say. Happens all the time. So I work on my tendency to be judgmental.

That having been said, I sometimes do feel judged.

 

[This is NOT OK !!!!]

When you get a reputation around here as being strongly opinionated in one way, or a shit stirrer, or an apologist, a whiner, very positive etc, then it's kinda hard to expect people to differentiate when a "different flavoured" post is made.

"You've Come a Long Way Baby!"

That IS a Virginia Slim sticking out of your mouth isn't it?

Kind of hot looking too!

 

[VaD]

A lot of us *know* each other here, and that's one of the things I like about ESMB........It's not just random opinions from people but, more often, people discussing/debating things with each other, supporting each other, and having each other on, etc. This is great, and something which I didn't know existed before ESMB (I had no idea about the existence of message boards).

One of the consequences of that though (from my experience and observation), is that posts aren't always taken at face value........Sometimes or with some, because of *who* has posted (and because of sometimes only a short history with another), the reader can seem to see all posts by a certain poster through a *filter* of sorts, rather than see them for what they are and see them as intended. I think we are all *biased* to a certain degree, but sometimes that bias can really affect interpretation of posts.

I think it would be interesting to see what reactions or lack of reactions, by some, that posters would have/get to some of their posts (with the very same content), if the person responding didn't know who posted it. I bet it would differ greatly in *some* instances.

We probably are all *guilty* to a certain degree of misinterpreting the odd post or two (or three), coz of who posted it as opposed to because of what was written. I know I have been. From the other end of the stick though, there would be very few in my opinion who aren't phased when their posts are misinterpreted and/or challenged coz of history with another poster as opposed to because of what was written.

After catching up with a few threads this morning, and again seeing what I believe to be another instance of this, I wanted to make comment on it. It's not rampant here on ESMB, but any instance of it is distasteful, IMO - Here's to less *filters* and subsequent *adverse reactions*, in future.

If everyone here posted as Anonymous (like on 4chan, etc) the overall picture would be quite different. - Faceless but rigorous discussions.

Yet, what goes on 4chan I consider *chats* not discussions and not conversations.
To me, conversations and discussions have a certain subject, and everyone speaks about THAT PARTCULAR SUBJECT. Not about each other or who is what.

I consider it very valuable when I read a thread where posters contribute their posts that are concerned with the OP and NOT with the previous poster (posters).
I hope that you also see agree that the latter happens very often on ESMB and derails the thread.
I call it "flying off on a tangent". Don't like to read such threads. After having read all of the the posts in such threads, I feel I have just wasted my time.

What I see on ESMB (comparing it to Jeff's blog which I respect very much and where I have posted a lot) is that folks here easily tackle each other (if one expresses different views than those that are acceptable by him).
That, going on on ESMB, sometimes reminds me of 4chan /b/ (random).
Sometimes it's hard to get your point across because people take up 1 line out of your overall statement and comment on it telling you how wrong you are overall.

 

[ChuckNorrisCutsMyLawn]

If everyone here posted as Anonymous (like on 4chan, etc) the overall picture would be quite different. - Faceless but rigorous discussions.

Yet, what goes on 4chan I consider *chats* not discussions and not conversations.
To me, conversations and discussions have a certain subject, and everyone speaks about THAT PARTCULAR SUBJECT. Not about each other and who is what.

What I see on ESMB (comparing it to Jeff's blog which I respect very much and where I have posted a lot) is that folks here easily tackle each other (if they express different views than accepted by one).
That, going on on ESMB, sometimes reminds me of 4chan /b/ (random).
Sometimes it's hard to get your point across because people take up 1 line out of your overall statement and comment on it telling you how wrong you are overall.

the first time I visited the forums on whyweprotest.net, I thought Anonymous was a single person's screen name, I finally figured it out when one Anonymous poster started to argue with another Anonymous poster ... I felt like such a noob

 

[Zinjifar]

Sometimes it's hard to get your point across because people take up 1 line out of your overall statement and comment on it telling you how wrong you are overall.

You're wrong

Zinj

 

[VaD]

I'm glad that some still read what I'm saying.

Thanks, Zinj!
That's just what I wanted to hear (NOT).

 

[FinallyMe]

If everyone here posted as Anonymous (like on 4chan, etc) the overall picture would be quite different. - Faceless but rigorous discussions.

Yet, what goes on 4chan I consider *chats* not discussions and not conversations.
To me, conversations and discussions have a certain subject, and everyone speaks about THAT PARTCULAR SUBJECT. Not about each other or who is what.

I consider it very valuable when I read a thread where posters contribute their posts that are concerned with the OP and NOT with the previous poster (posters).
I hope that you also see agree that the latter happens very often on ESMB and derails the thread.
I call it "flying off on a tangent". Don't like to read such threads. After having read all of the the posts in such threads, I feel I have just wasted my time.

What I see on ESMB (comparing it to Jeff's blog which I respect very much and where I have posted a lot) is that folks here easily tackle each other (if one expresses different views than those that are acceptable by him).
That, going on on ESMB, sometimes reminds me of 4chan /b/ (random).
Sometimes it's hard to get your point across because people take up 1 line out of your overall statement and comment on it telling you how wrong you are overall.

It becomes clear to me that posters apparently don't realize that they are doing the very thing they are complaining about!

 

[VaD]

It becomes clear to me that posters apparently don't realize that they are doing the very thing they are complaining about!

1. Having assumed that it was leveled at me, I have to state frankly that I have never been perfect. Not even trying. If I said bad things that made someone's life (lives) worse, I sincerely apologize (while, I'm afraid, I won't become more "acceptable" besides learning better language).
BTW, I didn't complain.

2. Assuming that it was leveled at someone(s) else, I understand you. Unfortunately, we are all human, and it's VERY hard to forgive others what we forgive to ourselves. Even harder to let people be what they are without self-importance attached to that forgiving.

 

[VaD]

This quote may not be perfectly relevant to the point of the OP ("Interpretation of posts") but I believe it is relevant to the subject of understanding each other (or at least honestly trying to do so):

Between
what I think,
what I want to tell,
what I, as it seems to me, speak,
what I speak,
And what you want to hear,
what, as it seems to you, you hear,
what you hear,
what you want to understand,
what you understand,
There are ten variants of occurrence of misunderstandings.
But, all the same, let's try.... "
(Bernard Werber)​

 

[VaD]

To the OP:

What happens here is that folks here create a picture of a person (by themselves or with the "help" of other posters) out of what he/she has posted before, and either incorporate agreement with that person into his/her worldview, or reject that person completely (no matter what he/she says).

Example: Emma. Whatever she says is "tremendously valuable" (NOT to me), and is likely to gather many comments. (I don't think she wanted to make "I have a new opinion about Freezoners" into the fastest growing thread).

Example: me. Whatever I say is neglected, ignored, made fun of. My threads get no attention. But, what I notice, is that what I had said earlier becomes the hit of the day when posted by another poster (who is more likable and popular).

Yet, what I like about it all is that people grow and develop. I like that.

 

[SweetnessandLight]

Vadi, here we have a saying that is...

"Great minds think alike"...

 

[VaD]

Vadi, here we have a saying that is...

"Great minds think alike"...

Thanks, Sweetness and Light!

You are very sweet!

 

[Voltaire's Child]

For my part, I read most people's posts. People don't stay in my ignore list/killfile forever, even if they do end up there and very few do.

I know there's a tendency to expect certain things from certain contributors but I also know that this varies from person to person. For instance, one person might say something like, "oh god, I hate that guy, he's such a dick and he only wants to talk about toy trains" whereas someone else might be thinking "That guy has the greatest information on toy trains but he also wrote a great piece on pogo sticks the other week."

So if anyone feels stereotyped or that anyone ELSE is stereotyped, rest assured - your posts hit different people different ways.