What do forums become ?

[Korytco]

A forum starts as a place to chat about something generic . You sign up to a forum to post about final fantasy , or FPS games. Whatever you sing up for .

Usually you start off with few friends , and no avatar . You post at a forum for a while with a lot of innocence . Then one day things start changing you make friends , and also you run into people who despise you.

Now, do not section this off because this reply was meant to be replied to as a whole series of events ,and as one idea.


You start to have to defend yourself often, and you get into intellectual wars.
Those that are good at these wars always end up having to defend their turf. People always want to try the avatar, and member at a battle of wits. Or at least prove that they are not dumb , or at least as smart to that person and others.

(mind you I usually just post at a forum, I do not try to start fights near as much as people pick on me now)

It becomes one addictive battle after the last. Some people become machines that have to prove they have the most logical, brilliant minds, (programming if you will . )

Or some just love to argue, for whatever reasons.

The main form of expression here is ideas, thoughts. Not misleading actions , that we have little control of at times. We can spell check, and think out each of our statements.

Also , from my experience having only text to express our selves ,we need to work hard to say the better things to not embarrass ourselves in front of our friends that post here.

It is human nature to fight more than to have peace. The human is always in conflict with others, or him/ her self.

In my opinion forums always become a intellectual battle zone. Of course you can avoid many threads, but wherever I posts on certain forums I know someone lurks , ready to insult me ,or take me on.

Forums, have always changed from non personal and fun ,to personal and too energetic. People either hate me, or just love to argue with me , eventually.

Perhaps I have it all wrong, how much do you think forums change as you post in them through out?

Were things more peaceful , and better off when you first started posting ?

Is there too much arguing now, what has this forum become for you?

How much time do you devote to it, how much does this place mean to you?

If you need more for a thread just ask, and remember this is not necessarily about me this is just what a forum usually becomes for me...unfortunately. PEACE OUT, and I hope to keep the peace. This is only based on one other forum, but I have posted there for a long time. Meet many different sorts of people.

 

[Annabell]

You know, you're very correct. I'm not experiencing any fighting with any members yet, here. But I have gone through that on another board. I've had to stand up, and fight back because my feelings and my pride were getting hurt, and I agree with you. We need peace on forums. This is a place were people come to get away from their real life and relax.

 

[Mjrn]

I've seen those intellectual wars many times on different forum. I'm a member of several different forums, and a moderator on one too. Once I left a forum for a while because I had enough of these wars and discussing...I just got so tired of it. Bt I always came back. It IS addicting to discuss things you are interested in, to share your opinion about the things you know and like. It's not bad or good. Sometimes, you can annoy other members, sometimes you get annoyed by other members, but that's the same in the real life just as well.

 

[Korytco]

You know, you're very correct. I'm not experiencing any fighting with any members yet, here. But I have gone through that on another board. I've had to stand up, and fight back because my feelings and my pride were getting hurt, and I agree with you. We need peace on forums. This is a place were people come to get away from their real life and relax.

EXACTLY , I agree . LOL, what a surprise seeing how you agreed with me.

I just hope I can stay in a peaceful environment, some forum users get a bit weird and take everything too seriously. I think they get bored and find excitement, and "welcome" (used strangely) in on line forum wars.

I've seen those intellectual wars many times on different forum. I'm a member of several different forums, and a moderator on one too. Once I left a forum for a while because I had enough of these wars and discussing...I just got so tired of it. Bt I always came back. It IS addicting to discuss things you are interested in, to share your opinion about the things you know and like. It's not bad or good. Sometimes, you can annoy other members, sometimes you get annoyed by other members, but that's the same in the real life just as well.

I will leave it at that because some people are just starved to argue , I believe and I do not want to be one of those people here.

I think that is how I feel, some people become obsessed and look for an opportunity to argue where ever they can. Just an opinion, again. I hope not to argue it...

 

[Mjrn]

I will leave it at that because some people are just starved to argue , I believe and I do not want to be one of those people here.

I think that is how I feel, some people become obsessed and look for an opportunity to argue where ever they can. Just an opinion, again. I hope not to argue it...

Dont worry, I'm not about to argue with you, because I agree. I do not like to argue for stupid reasons. Everybody has their own opinion, and most of the time you can't chang anything about that. And I don't mind. The world would be a boring place if everyone agreed!

 

[Korytco]

Well said, and yes, haha it never changes anything. I guess it is what the world truly has to offer. Wars, battles, and disagreement. Showing an interest is just being human. However , yes, this is not an issue I want to argue .

 

[Moogles]

I haven't really thought that hard about forums...or how people behave on them. Oh, well.

Perhaps I have it all wrong, how much do you think forums change as you post in them through out?

Not a whole lot. Things are pretty much the same for me. The addition of the Elmo smiley was a shock to the system, but that's about it.

Were things more peaceful , and better off when you first started posting ?

Not really. Again, everything's about the same for me. If anything, things are better now than they were when I first started posting. I don't pretend to know anyone here, but I no longer feel like a stranger here.

Is there too much arguing now, what has this forum become for you?

Too much arguing? No, I'd say there's just the right amount of arguing. I seldom see petty, meaningless arguments here. The arguments I DO see occur in debate threads...which is appropriate.

This forum hasn't become anything for me. It started out as a place to discuss various topics with people during times of boredom...and that's exactly the way it is now.

How much time do you devote to it, how much does this place mean to you?

An hour or two a day seems about right. I basically sit around the house if I'm not at work, waiting for school to start. I've got plenty of free time.

I don't know how much this place means to me. I wouldn't break down crying if it suddenly ceased to exist.

I less than three everyone, though. =]

 

[Dean Winchester]

Well my behavior depends on the forums. If it's a warzone, I end up becoming a getting involved in the Flame War, like I did in FFR though it was fun

Here in FFF however, I've had the privilege to share my thoughts and beliefs with one of the most brilliant minds, great debaters and excellent people, besides one or two always who end up being a pain for everyone, can't be avoided.

As we deal with people with their own ideals, beliefs, faiths, and other factors, we must know that not everyone will agree with our points and we will not be liked by everyone, that's how life works.

If by any reason this place cease to exist, then it would be quite unfortunate, yet I always have faith that I will have a chance to chat with some of you again.

 

[Bambi]

I don't think Iv ever been involved in any drama, Im too laid back, I might occassionally disagree with somethings people say, but that applies in RL aswel (but like Von says, thats usually in the debating threads anyways). Im aware there was some huuuuge drama here a while back, but I missed all that cause Id just started. All is peaceful now tho

I think I spend too much time here tho, I have nothing better to do haha oh well.

 

[SapphireStar]

Ive been involved in drama and even been bullied on another forum. Ive experinced some crap on here also, but it got sorted out. But there was one forum, it was my second Final Fantasy forum I joined, I got such abuse from some members and mods. I complained so many times to the admin, but he did next to nothing and said he could see nothing wrong!!

I then made my own and posted a link on that forum in the advertising section. I didnt know the bullies would be that bored to come and trash my own forum that I spent ages setting up and tyring to get off the ground. I had to close it as they were banned, then made more accounts and got more friends to joinand trash it.

I mean, how bored and sad must you be to trash someones forum? Forums are used by people to bully others cause they havent got the balls in real life to do it.

 

[Jack's Smirking Revenge]

Perhaps I have it all wrong, how much do you think forums change as you post in them through out?

You get bored of most people who post because of whatever reason; conflict of interests and opinions, clash of personalities. Some people are just utter twats who annoy you, and there's some who do all that on purpose. Once you've been on a forum long enough you see discussions get repeated and you eventually lose interest in that topic. There's also the fact that people change.

Were things more peaceful , and better off when you first started posting ?

Generally they are on all forums, because it's a new community and all that jazz. Personally for me on FFF though, no, because within about two weeks Darkblade successfully demolished his staff with some of the funniest drama I've seen outside ACF.

Is there too much arguing now, what has this forum become for you?

A place to keep in touch with mates who don't post on other forums I do. I have some of them on MSN, but posting on a forum is very different to chatting on an IM program. I don't actually care about the FF aspect of FFF anymore.

How much time do you devote to it, how much does this place mean to you?

I'm on for several hours a day, most days a week. Usually every day unless something else comes up. I wouldn't say the forum itself means a lot to me, more the people I come here for.

 

[Korytco]

Ive been involved in drama and even been bullied on another forum. Ive experinced some crap on here also, but it got sorted out. But there was one forum, it was my second Final Fantasy forum I joined, I got such abuse from some members and mods. I complained so many times to the admin, but he did next to nothing and said he could see nothing wrong!!

I then made my own and posted a link on that forum in the advertising section. I didnt know the bullies would be that bored to come and trash my own forum that I spent ages setting up and tyring to get off the ground. I had to close it as they were banned, then made more accounts and got more friends to joinand trash it.

I mean, how bored and sad must you be to trash someones forum? Forums are used by people to bully others cause they havent got the balls in real life to do it.

Interesting read Bond, but sapphire star I think I have seen you in other forums. Did you post at eyes on final fantasy forums?

 

[SapphireStar]

Whats wrong with me being on other forums?

Yes I was on EOFF, but was banned by an admin as we didnt get on and he always started on me instead of the other person who started arguements with me.

And thats not the forum I was refering to in my previous post.

 

[Korytco]

Whats wrong with me being on other forums?

Yes I was on EOFF, but was banned by an admin as we didnt get on and he always started on me instead of the other person who started arguements with me.

And thats not the forum I was refering to in my previous post.

No biggie , I posted there too , that is all. Peace.

 

[Prince Oberyn Martel]

I'm no stranger with forum drama, especially after being a member of Chavscum.com forums for a time, and its ''rival'', Leelad.net as some of you may or may not be familiar with yourself's. But I tend not to take sides or get too dramatic myself as after all it is only the internet and not worth crying over.

But then again we all do like a good 'ol bitch now and again eh?

 

[Crazee Dayzee]

Forums tend to become "bad" when a lot of members have signed up. Out of all of the forums I've been to, smaller communities tend to be very friendly, especially since small forums often specify on a "small" topic. Larger forums have more diversity, which makes people more inclined to flame one another. Take ACF, for example; you have so many different groups and cliques of people who fight.

 

[Clone 00]

im a member of a couple of ff forums and i have notice that when ur in a small forum u know every one and got along fine. where as in the bigger forums there is more conflict and arguments.

so far i get along with people fine but the way they treat the other members can be quite mean, yeah they say there just playing but the person on the resiving end gets offended. they try to defend themselves but theres no winning as the older members join in. in the end they might end up leaving or they just ignore the trouble makes and over a few weeks its all over, or things die down only waiting for there next time to strike.

 

[der Astronom]

I have seen the rise and fall of forums, akin to seeing the rise and fall of empires. Some start off with good intentions, others start off as a political ploy, and others are just victims of war. But nonetheless, no matter how you look at it, because there is always war and politics involved with empires/forums, inevitably, despite having no such intentions, there will always be drama, even if there might have been some intellectual or entertaining discussion. The history of this forum is no exception. The interesting part, however, is that this forum has actually improved a lot over what it used to be. There are several other forums I know of which have a history quite different from this one, so I would like to say this forum is unique.

Now the expression of intellectual ideas and such "battles", if you wish to call them such, are normally exclusive to debating areas of forums like these, although sometimes they may spread to other areas of the forum. They are, however, most intense in these places, which is why I can see why you posted it here, and it does discuss the nature of which requires some thought.

However, I will say that I post my ideas, intellectual, or not, but most likely reasonable or at least rational and logical not to show off my prowess at such ideas but to express ideas and introduce new ideas and new ways of thinking that other people might not have thought of. If it has already been posted by someone else, and I'm aware of it, there's not really much of a point in repeating it. I want to discuss new ideas because it gives us things to talk about, and I'm not doing it for the sake of boasting rights either. I also do it because I want to see why people don't understand it, or why such rational or logical ideas are sometimes not accepted. It helps that I might be able to see other perspectives that I have never seen before, even if they might not be the keenest. I would, however, be delighted in seeing other ideas that are also just as great, and ones that I haven't thought of either.

But in keeping with the fact that a forum is just a forum (unlike a real empire), and the Internet is just the Internet, a debate, is, afterall, just a debate. There may be some intellectualism, some talk of reason and logic, but there is still absolutely no reason to jump into a "fight" and feel offended or personal about it. Yes, I want to be able to see what other people think, but these may be people whom I do not know in my life, nor do I need to care about them, and therefore, there is no reason to get upset over either "losing" to them or feeling sorry for them just because they may take things too personally. If my logic and rationality drive people away from me and intimidate them, then so be it; I cannot change the way people think. If people admire me for it, I appreciate them, but will try not to let the ego go to my head.

In the end, it is important to see that I am still talking to strangers, and nothing particularly personal should come of a mere debate.