Is it getting nastier and more bloodthirsty here? (Apres 911) October 9, 2001 5:53 AM Subscribe
This might be a bad thread, or it might not. Apologies if so. I really can't tell, so I'll just get it off my chest. Now that the bombs are dropping, and violence is in the air again, does it seem to anyone else that the tenor has also gone a little nasty and bloodthirsty on MeFi? (more)
Well, something's weird. Someone just signed me up to about a hundred porn spam lists, I'm guessing due to something I said here.
I guess they're trying to kill me with kindness.
posted by Optamystic at 7:44 AM on October 9, 2001
I guess they're trying to kill me with kindness.
posted by Optamystic at 7:44 AM on October 9, 2001
My guess is that it's retaliation for your nefarious quoting-of-scripture-for-your-own-purposes, Opty, you devil you. That sucks.
posted by rodii at 7:52 AM on October 9, 2001
posted by rodii at 7:52 AM on October 9, 2001
I haven't really noticed any mean-streak phenomina, but if it exists, it could just be coincidental. Its Autumn (in the northern hemisphere), its football season (in America), students are approaching midterms, who knows. I think its pretty risky trying to tie perceptions of mob behavior to a politically charged issue without a firm basis for doing so.
posted by Wulfgar! at 7:55 AM on October 9, 2001
posted by Wulfgar! at 7:55 AM on October 9, 2001
Possibly referring to the mild mannered way that people are advocating nuclear weapons usage? I for one can't see how there's any way you can just say:
"It's only a few mountains and the genetic damage'll pass in a couple of hundred generations" [paraphrase and exageration]
without seeming insanely bloodthirsty/spooky.
Not that I'm anti-nuke just anti-nuke use. I'd rather have them than not if someone has to.
posted by nedrichards at 8:57 AM on October 9, 2001
"It's only a few mountains and the genetic damage'll pass in a couple of hundred generations" [paraphrase and exageration]
without seeming insanely bloodthirsty/spooky.
Not that I'm anti-nuke just anti-nuke use. I'd rather have them than not if someone has to.
posted by nedrichards at 8:57 AM on October 9, 2001
One, ahem, might take Opty's comments re: nukes as satire a'la Swift.
Porn spam? Tres gauche. Anything good?
posted by UncleFes at 9:07 AM on October 9, 2001
Porn spam? Tres gauche. Anything good?
posted by UncleFes at 9:07 AM on October 9, 2001
I know what you're talking about. I see it a lot. A few points:
1) We're dealing with some very emotional issues here. Good vs evil. War on American soil. Starving civilians. Heavy handed foreign policy. It's easy to get worked up over these things.
2) I've spent some time thinking about this very thing, and I notice something - It's obvious to me that some people are missing my point because they're wandering around with blinders on. But it's obvious to them that I'm wandering around with blinders on. People are arguing fundamentals. But we don't seem to agree on the basic truths for anything.
3) Lots of propaganda is being tossed into the mix from both sides. Volatile facts with no context. Example - half a million babies have died in Iraq under the sanctions.
4) People from previously isolated cultures are being put into a forum and given permission to yell at each other. It's one thing to argue US foreign policy around the water cooler. Quite another to be confronted by people who feel victimized by that foreign policy.
I see it as good and bad. Hopefully Arabs will see that we really do care, despite past mistakes. Hopefully we'll hear the voices of those who hate us and try to understand.
posted by y6y6y6 at 9:33 AM on October 9, 2001
1) We're dealing with some very emotional issues here. Good vs evil. War on American soil. Starving civilians. Heavy handed foreign policy. It's easy to get worked up over these things.
2) I've spent some time thinking about this very thing, and I notice something - It's obvious to me that some people are missing my point because they're wandering around with blinders on. But it's obvious to them that I'm wandering around with blinders on. People are arguing fundamentals. But we don't seem to agree on the basic truths for anything.
3) Lots of propaganda is being tossed into the mix from both sides. Volatile facts with no context. Example - half a million babies have died in Iraq under the sanctions.
4) People from previously isolated cultures are being put into a forum and given permission to yell at each other. It's one thing to argue US foreign policy around the water cooler. Quite another to be confronted by people who feel victimized by that foreign policy.
I see it as good and bad. Hopefully Arabs will see that we really do care, despite past mistakes. Hopefully we'll hear the voices of those who hate us and try to understand.
posted by y6y6y6 at 9:33 AM on October 9, 2001
Porn spam? Tres gauche. Anything good?
It's porn, baby! It's all good...Interesting theory. "Quote Scripture=Free Pron"...
(Deep breath) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void........
posted by Optamystic at 6:29 PM on October 9, 2001
It's porn, baby! It's all good...Interesting theory. "Quote Scripture=Free Pron"...
(Deep breath) In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void........
posted by Optamystic at 6:29 PM on October 9, 2001
There is a rise in nastiness, and speaking personally I think you're contributing to it. With the "dicks start to harden" comment and calling out aaron, you're in there taking shots. I've done it myself, to my discredit, but if you are really concerned about the tenor of the place, you should also chill out.
posted by rcade at 9:39 PM on October 9, 2001
posted by rcade at 9:39 PM on October 9, 2001
Well, something's weird. Someone just signed me up to about a hundred porn spam lists, I'm guessing due to something I said here.
That's inexcusable, but if I had to guess, it was probably your declaration that you were going to burn a U.S. flag today.
posted by rcade at 9:44 PM on October 9, 2001
That's inexcusable, but if I had to guess, it was probably your declaration that you were going to burn a U.S. flag today.
posted by rcade at 9:44 PM on October 9, 2001
Well, fair enough rcade, but I've got to say, that's pretty mild stuff you're pointing at.
The penile-reference was a general statement, and not at all out of line (guns=penes is not a particularly outre metaphor), and I even deliberately said that I wasn't attacking aaron, I was just curious, fer chrissakes. Why you felt the need to step up to the plate for him is probably something to do with history from before my time here, I'm guessing.
But you're right, as far as it goes. Rather than letting myself get sucked into the black cloud, I oughta either take a break from MeFi for a few days or attempt to return to my customary cloying niceness.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:32 AM on October 10, 2001
The penile-reference was a general statement, and not at all out of line (guns=penes is not a particularly outre metaphor), and I even deliberately said that I wasn't attacking aaron, I was just curious, fer chrissakes. Why you felt the need to step up to the plate for him is probably something to do with history from before my time here, I'm guessing.
But you're right, as far as it goes. Rather than letting myself get sucked into the black cloud, I oughta either take a break from MeFi for a few days or attempt to return to my customary cloying niceness.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:32 AM on October 10, 2001
You're probably right, rcade. But you sound almost as if I got what was coming to me. Read the thread. I was fucking with RoyalJack. Trying to provide an example of Michael Moore's style of exaggeration to make a point.
Please disregard the above if I misinterpreted your tone.
posted by Optamystic at 8:13 AM on October 10, 2001
Please disregard the above if I misinterpreted your tone.
posted by Optamystic at 8:13 AM on October 10, 2001
somebody is porn spamming me.
(un)fortunately not due to my 'outragous' mefi posts, i suspect.
See if you can follow my reasoning.
6 months after leaving my previous job, i started getting spam from their auto mail service. when i cancelled that i started receiving porn spam.
i think it may be my (somewhat stupid) ex-manager...
posted by asok at 8:15 AM on October 11, 2001
(un)fortunately not due to my 'outragous' mefi posts, i suspect.
See if you can follow my reasoning.
6 months after leaving my previous job, i started getting spam from their auto mail service. when i cancelled that i started receiving porn spam.
i think it may be my (somewhat stupid) ex-manager...
posted by asok at 8:15 AM on October 11, 2001
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I call attention to it as a sociology thing, some kinda community-psychology quirk, and wonder if anyone else has noticed. I could be talking crap, of course, and if so, call me on it!
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:58 AM on October 9, 2001