The other day something popped up in one of the online forums hubby reads. I used to read this one, but got too annoyed by some of the shenanigans and pretty much don't go there any longer. At any rate, something came up about a story I'm very familiar with, an older one. There was already a long string of discussion about it, all generating very little light, some of it speculation and some of it wishful thinking. And, as happens with a lot of these things, the actual sequence of events varied from the posted accounts.
I knew otherwise. But I had to have this argument with myself once again: Do I get involved? Or do I leave them to their own little world? Part of me didn't want to descend back into something I thought I'd washed my hands of long ago. But the part of me that wanted a piece of it ended up winning, and I posted what I knew. Part of me was relieved to get it out. And part of me was miffed that I couldn't leave it be.
I've been online long enough, participated in enough forums, left enough forums, and had my knees scraped in online discussions enough to know what it can be like. I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and I'll readily admit that. On the other hand, I tend not to post things unless I'm pretty confident of it and can back it up if need be. (It must have something to do with that journalistic training and a really good education.)
Of course, it's the online world, and that can all go out the window. I find it interesting that you can devote decades of your life to the study of a specialty and share it willingly and openly with all who ask. And yet you can be drowned out by somebody who comes along out of nowhere who sounds slick or makes wisecracks or is generally splashy, but whose batting average is considerably lower. After six months of it, who's seen as the expert? No wonder the old hands have had the tendency to do like Will Munny: move away, open the dry goods store, and put all that nastiness behind you.
With that and the antisocial behavior, the gratuitous off-topic political content, the departure of a lot of people I'd seen as bright lights in the field, the increasing inability or reluctance of moderators to keep things on the rails, and with me just realizing there's a lot more to life than what happens on the flat screen, I've pretty much washed my hands of a lot of it. Sure, I spend a lot of time at the computer while I'm at work, but it's on specific tasks. I'll spend a little time posting one-liners on Facebook, and I'll compose my rather pointless ramblings on here, but as for online participation...not really. I don't like the signal:noise ratio, I don't like being yelled at, and I know that online discussions and arguments change absolutely nothing in the real world.
I lost the battle with myself the other day. I just hope I can move on from it. There are other things to do in life than sit at a computer all day and argue with other people, accomplishing absolutely nothing other than angryin' up the blood. Life's more interesting than what's online, anyway.
I knew otherwise. But I had to have this argument with myself once again: Do I get involved? Or do I leave them to their own little world? Part of me didn't want to descend back into something I thought I'd washed my hands of long ago. But the part of me that wanted a piece of it ended up winning, and I posted what I knew. Part of me was relieved to get it out. And part of me was miffed that I couldn't leave it be.
I've been online long enough, participated in enough forums, left enough forums, and had my knees scraped in online discussions enough to know what it can be like. I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier, and I'll readily admit that. On the other hand, I tend not to post things unless I'm pretty confident of it and can back it up if need be. (It must have something to do with that journalistic training and a really good education.)
Of course, it's the online world, and that can all go out the window. I find it interesting that you can devote decades of your life to the study of a specialty and share it willingly and openly with all who ask. And yet you can be drowned out by somebody who comes along out of nowhere who sounds slick or makes wisecracks or is generally splashy, but whose batting average is considerably lower. After six months of it, who's seen as the expert? No wonder the old hands have had the tendency to do like Will Munny: move away, open the dry goods store, and put all that nastiness behind you.
With that and the antisocial behavior, the gratuitous off-topic political content, the departure of a lot of people I'd seen as bright lights in the field, the increasing inability or reluctance of moderators to keep things on the rails, and with me just realizing there's a lot more to life than what happens on the flat screen, I've pretty much washed my hands of a lot of it. Sure, I spend a lot of time at the computer while I'm at work, but it's on specific tasks. I'll spend a little time posting one-liners on Facebook, and I'll compose my rather pointless ramblings on here, but as for online participation...not really. I don't like the signal:noise ratio, I don't like being yelled at, and I know that online discussions and arguments change absolutely nothing in the real world.
I lost the battle with myself the other day. I just hope I can move on from it. There are other things to do in life than sit at a computer all day and argue with other people, accomplishing absolutely nothing other than angryin' up the blood. Life's more interesting than what's online, anyway.
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