Why did you ask this?

I'm asking this because of the Nugent/voting/guns/speech/incitement/Giffords/Chicago/Rwanda/Rape/Dress/"soul motivator"/Oswalt/alcohol/hoedown/Afghan/Pakistan/exhaustion thread.

I actually tried to participate in that thing. What a mistake. In the end Putin33 has mocked me for giving up on it.

Does that thread satisfy the purpose of a discussion? If not, what traits should it possess?

It should entertain. If it doesn't, chose another. That what I do.

1. Raging against Putin33.
2a. The wisdom of Tendmote. 2b. Personal criticisms rather than substantive contributions (i.e. "participation").

I was just asking myself this very question. To me, arguing with strangers on the internet is like taking that skank from the bar home. Any brief moment of pleasure or release is soon blotted out by the feeling of shame and uncleanliness afterwards.

@Hazel-Rah no doubt.
@Putin33 my personal criticisms were substantive contributions. I agree that many people were raging against you, but you do seem to elicit the rage.

Anyway, for real. This: http://webdiplomacy.net/forum.php?viewthread=1069464#1069464 is the type of thing I never want to spend a minute on again. There must be a way to start a thread and prevent it from turning into that. Can anyone really stand by that thread and say it's worth anything? I can't figure out what anyone is even trying to accomplish on that thing.

Usually the people whining the loudest about the level of discourse here are those least contributing to its elevation.

P.S. Did you seriously want to discuss the political prospects of Ted Nugent for 100 posts?

If Ted Nugent is in the title, you should not expect it to be Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus. The fact that serious discussions about free speech & gun control were discussed is an elevation of what the thread could have been about. Too bad you're too blind in your dislike for me to see that.

In general there are plenty of substantive discussions in the forum if people bother to read, which you don't. Usually people like you will manage to find fault with them for not meeting your standards, or even for being too serious. One way or another people like you always complain about the forum. Complaining about the forum is a rite of passage around here for some people.

I do enjoy, by the way, how this belly-aching didn't fall on the heels of the endless spam threads with copy-cat titles, or threads with titles like "boobs", or the daily quote/bible spam threads, or the 25 different sleazy advice columns for Conservative Man, or...you name it. No, no, those could not possibly agitate the likes of you to motivate this kind of bitching. But me talking about Rwanda and incitement in the context of a free speech debate was just beyond the pale of civilized discourse.

Oh shit I just realized the purpose of forum discussions! They exist to contain Putin33 and Krellin and others like them! Now I get it. Sorry to have intruded, carry on as you were. It actually is clear to me now... my mistake!

Yes, tendmote - to contain putin and krellin, we can't let the likes of them out on the streets, the mayhem would be unimaginable, fortunately these government holding pens are much cheaper than prisons...

It's not the mayhem, it's the pointlessness and never-ending nature of engaging with them. These threads, and I guess reddit and other places like that, are where they all cancel each other out. I know I'm feeding into it even with this post but the fact that I can't empathize with the mindset is bugging me a little. I'm not sure what's actually in it for them. They're ripping themselves off. I guess it's not my problem.

Tendmote, why don't you be constructive for once and answer your own faux "questions" (this is all just transparent grandstanding by you, but whatever). That way we will know what kind of lofty standard you whole for forum threads and why you're morally superior to us.

The question "What is the purpose of forum discussions?" is sincere. But, never mind, I'd withdraw it if I could. I seriously don't see what anyone is getting out of the debates that happen here. I usually avoid them. I delved into the Nugent one, and my goodness, it's a shitstorm. Anyway, fuck it.

Right, 500 forum posts.

.

Not in debates. In threads related to Diplomacy games, or ribbing Lando and Strauss.

1) Show everyone how smart you really are
2) Let off that frustration that comes from not leading a balanced life where you get out a lot more
3) Behave badly because it is the internet
4) Swear a lot because you're not allowed to do that at home
5) See how many +1's you can get so you can kid yourself you're popular

Actually most of my posts seem to be in Draugnar's "Last Post" thread. Below is the list of things that my profile says I've posted to. (I don't think it's nearly complete, but this is all the stuff available via my profile.) Of these, only the Michigan Bridge one is remotely political, and not particularly controversial. At any rate, my only mistake was getting involved in that Nugent debate after all this time here, and probably this thread too. I just can't let you leave it with you calling me a liar, which I'm not.



Why not cancel at the beginning?
Gladiatorial combat tournament?
Why 10 minute live games?
106993 Excellent Game!
END GUNBOAT FOR THE MASSES!
Reveal your plans.
esorting to pure chaos when the game is lost for you?
0 minute rounds in a "live" gunboat game?
: Re: SRGB GAME
Re: Is it cheating to refuse to draw/cancel?
Re: Why not cancel at the beginning?
Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
Re: Disabled variants
Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: Mega Pot Gunboat Game
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: WORD ASSOCIATION GAME - (Take: 5)
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: WORD ASSOCIATION GAME - (Take: 5)
: Re: And now for a truly original thread topic!
: Re: Mod email check please
: Re: russia
: Re: Masters Round 1 Game 2 - France solo
: Re: Ava is going to eat a shoe.
: Re: Ava is going to eat a shoe.
: Re: Ava is going to eat a shoe.
: Re: Masters Round 1 Game 2 - France solo
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: Re: Masters Round 1 Game 2 - France solo
Re: Mega Pot Gunboat Game
Re: Mega Pot Gunboat Game
Re: Mega Pot Gunboat Game
Re: Masters Round 1 Game 2 - France solo
Re: Rassinfrassin $&#%+ no-shows!
Re: You idiots!
Re: You idiots!
Re: Masters Round 1 Game 2 - France solo
Re: WORD ASSOCIATION GAME - (Take: 5)
: Re: Leaving a game
: Re: A Question
: Re: A Question
: Re: A Question
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I agree... there are loads of ways for there to be 1 girl but only one way for there to be 2000000 boys. I have no instinct for cs!
: Re: A Question
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: Re: Should We Feel bad for Refusing to Draw Out for 10 years?
: Re: Should We Feel bad for Refusing to Draw Out for 10 years?
: Re: Game Question - cheating vs. not cheating
: Re: Do any if you own a smoker?
: Re: Do any if you own a smoker?
: Re: How many/Which languages do you speak?
Re: High Stakes Game
: Re: gold standard scam?
: Re: Will the successor to Obama be a Republican?
more on what 2015 looks like than anything we know now. Events will decide.
: Re: feudalism scam
: Re: Ally Diplomacy
: Re: SXS EOG
: Re: SXS EOG
: Re: SXS EOG
Re: Most Ridiculous Comment Contest
Re: Is psychology a science?
: Re: Open Request To Mods
: Re: Open Request To Mods
: Re: EOG: NFL Stuffzies
: Re: ADVERTISE YOUR LIVE GAMES HERE
: Re: The End of Brick and Mortar
: Re: EoG Procrastination!-2
: Re: Can anyone in Michigan explain the opposition to the new bridge?
: Re: Can anyone in Michigan explain the opposition to the new bridge?
: Re: Can anyone in Michigan explain the opposition to the new bridge?
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: Re: END GUNBOAT FOR THE MASSES!
: Re: Reveal your plans.
: Re: Reveal your plans.
: Re: Reveal your plans.
: Re: Reveal your plans.
: Re: foreign girls
: Re: Y'all just talk, etc etc etc
: Re: ADVERTISE YOUR LIVE GAMES HERE
: Re: I am a lucky mofo
: Re: I am a lucky mofo
: Re: The Great Debate: Steak vs.Shrimp vs. Chicken
: Re: EoG Quickie-29
: Re: Last Person to Post Wins
: Re: What's the weirdest thing you do?
: Re: How not to cheat! If they could all only be so stupid.
: Re: How not to cheat! If they could all only be so stupid.
Re: Why have 20 minute rounds in a "live" gunboat game?

So in order to lead productive, healthy lives which you can fully 'understand' the purpose of we're supposed to restrict our posts to word association game threads or discussions about bridges in Michigan (perhaps the great steak vs shrimp vs chicken debate if you're feeling generous). Those discussions, after all, are highly rewarding spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically.

Thanks for clearing that up.

That's not what I said. What I actually said is farther up this thread and in the Ted Nugent thread here http://webdiplomacy.net/forum.php?viewthread=1069464

Anyway, good night.

Lol. So Hazel-Rah, what bar do you hang out in??

Interesting feature request: while making a thread you can silence it for designated users.

There are a few important purposes to forum threads beyond personal entertainment.

Firstly, for threads on subjects about which you know very little but have an interest in, you can get a broad introduction to the issues.

Secondly, for subjects which you have strong opinions already, you get to see a good sample of alternate views held by reasonably intelligent people. These can often be rather surprising in the 'I thought only a complete idiot could ever think that' kind of way.

Thirdly, every now and then someone raises a point you've not considered yourself. On very rare occasions this point genuinely alters your opinion a tad. This special event makes the vast majority of the tedious dribble worth while ;)

It's also a place where one can learn that "worthwhile" is actually one word.

Harrrrrrrr

mmm... hehe.... Putin and Krellin are my favourite names on the forum.
I'm a bit unfair, I know... There are many interesting voices here... But as these two guys are often the center of attention and most often of critcism I can just simply state that when I log on to review my games and I see their names on the forum column I know it's worth it to look at.

I *could* write something about it... The "why" this is so... a longer argument for to explain the greatness of these guys... especially interesting since they to the... hehe... *vulgar* eye appear as opposites and enemies...

For now I'll comment on another note.... I always find there's a deeply depressing side to "meeting" people on the Internet - much like Hazel-Rah says here and I think something of this is what is disturbing Tendmote, driving him to the cri-de-coeur of this thread:
The *vanitas*: irreality, hollowness, futility of Internet "talk".
All this energy and *wisdom* that we spend on talk with strangers in the ether, so far removed from our real existences with all their needs.
It's the vanity of hell. Chasing shadows.

I want to emphasize that the depressing part is mostly in "meeting people that you like".
It is just as when you make a "friend for life" under the influence of alcohol in the bar... next day... where is it gone?
It is easy to talk, love&hate under the influence of the alcohol.
Or you can replace these words "under the influence of the alcohol" with "on the Internet". It's the same thing!

gameID=129573
ONE MORE quick

And Alextreme wins the thread by a solid margin.

Looks like I'm not the only one with that thread on my profile, jmo.