Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I've been using forums for 15 years and for whatever reason, I've noticed forum replies the last few years to real issues more and more reflect a lack of reading the original post or understanding it, then adding solutions to problems that weren't mentioned or adding information that is either not applicable to the problem or is tangential, contradictory, or uses circular logic.
Is it just me or have forum replies gotten more stupid or are people just lacking more in attention span?
It is not simply a matter of a lack of comprehension. Many posters on forums have biases and agendas, whether they are hidden or open for everyone to see. To a certain extent, that is unavoidable since we are all human. However, some people will stick with only what they know about an issue and ignore any contradicting evidence or counter-argument to the very end.
Unfortunately, this is what the internet has become to a considerable extent. It is the price you pay for a leveling of the playing field and greater democracy.
I've been using forums for 15 years and for whatever reason, I've noticed forum replies the last few years to real issues more and more reflect a lack of reading the original post or understanding it, then adding solutions to problems that weren't mentioned or adding information that is either not applicable to the problem or is tangential, contradictory, or uses circular logic.
Is it just me or have forum replies gotten more stupid or are people just lacking more in attention span?
Much of this has to do with the 24 hour news cycle, and that many people seek out news sources that reflect their own personal beliefs. This substantiates their own beliefs, which may in fact be wrong.
That is why the debates about politics and other matters have become yelling matches. Everyone believes they are right, because everyone on TV says they are right, they get emails from people saying they are right, and all of their facebook friends tell them they are right.
Well, Germans used to tell each other they were right when rounding up the Jews. It didn't make them right, but it does prove that when you only listen to one voice for long enough, you start to believe the one voice.
It is not simply a matter of a lack of comprehension. Many posters on forums have biases and agendas, whether they are hidden or open for everyone to see. To a certain extent, that is unavoidable since we are all human. However, some people will stick with only what they know about an issue and ignore any contradicting evidence or counter-argument to the very end.
Unfortunately, this is what the internet has become to a considerable extent. It is the price you pay for a leveling of the playing field and greater democracy.
You've hit the nail on the head. Back when it took a little know how to get onto the net, the community was a bit more............exclusive.
I remember what the Internet was like before Sept. 1993, and everyone is correct -- the signal to noise ratio has decreased substantially. But we can take solace in the fact that the good ideas eventually win out over the bad ones. They always have, and they always will. ("Will they win out in time?" is now the big question facing humanity.)
Moderator - Diabetes and Kentucky (including Lexington & Louisville)
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
