Master Baiters!

[Madspirit]

I've actually been a member of DU for a couple of years. I only started posting recently because I run some groups of my own and they take a lot of my time. After the mid-term elections I wanted to connect with like-minded leftists so I started posting and reading here often.

I have been exposed to some of the greatest minds around, some thoroughly enjoyable, funny, clever and deep-thinking people. I have met people I think I can be friends with, hang with, enjoy, learn from.

I also, surprisingly, found a good number of pseudo-liberals and Master Baiters. People who don't think it's important to think deeply about things like racism, homophobia, killing animals, etc. People who just scoff and bait and are disdainful. People not deep enough to even care that these things are important and heartfelt by their fellows. That's sad. (Just fyi, you can be respectful even if you don't agree with someone. You don't have to make fun of people.)

Also, when I started, I said I would never use the "Ignore" feature. I thought it was silly. Then I said to myself, "Self, take that stick out of your butt. If it makes your experience here nicer and more pleasant and more what you are looking for...USE IT."

Whoohoohoo IGNORE the BAD EGGS....the unfeeling, the uncaring....the shallow. ...and so I am now much much happier and I highly recommend the feature to all who don't want to debate with Republicans in Sheep's Clothing.

(...and since I am not accusing any specific person, I don't think this is against the rules. I see similar posts.)
Madspirit

[trumad]

1. You'll only have a couple on ignore

which makes this community so great. There's not a lot of bad eggs here...

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

2. The best ignore filter...

Resides in my head.

[Mojambo]

3. I agree. It's a much more nimble filter. n/t

[Madspirit]

5. That's why

That's why I at first said I wouldn't use it. ...but too many troubling and disdainful people. Most are absolutely wonderful but the ones who are Master Baiters....are. I like just not even seeing them. People I wouldn't put up with for two minutes in RL, why would I do so voluntarily online.
Madspirit

[TahitiNut]

20. "3 rms rvr vw" ?

:silly:

[plcdude]

4. Yes

what is it?

[Cleita]

6. I find the hide a thread feature is also good.

Sometimes they are perfectly legitimate threads, but I find if I'm not interested in the subject they interfere with my viewing of the ones I want to follow. Also, it's useful when dozens of threads pop-up on one subject.

[Madspirit]

9. Good Idea!

Thank-you. Make my experience...MY experience. I like it.
Madspirit

[twilight_sailing]

7. It's not all about you.

So, you are writing to 'recommend" the ignore function? Wow. Thanks for that startlingly brilliant insight.

Welcome to MY Ignore list.

[Madspirit]

8. I never said it was about me.

I don't like seeing people bully others either....and hit dog howls.
Madspirit

[twilight_sailing]

10. Just cleared my complete ignore list.

What the heck. Let's see what I have been missing.

By the way, there is no truth in your assertion - I didn't say you said it was about you. I said it. See the difference?

I can see why you have been having trouble.


OK, go ahead and get the last word in. Have a nice day. I'm out.

[peacetalksforall]

11. Sometimes I think there are some people here who are close to

matching the opinion I've formed about Libertarians. Maybe they're trying to be Liberals? Not sure. I'm not saying they are shallow, but there is a certain uncaring that makes we want to run - away. The opinion I form about these people is they believe they are highly accomplished through their own efforts and are quite intolerant of those who are less fortunate.

I often look at people in terms of ice. The ice comes through in the attitudes - causing a certain lack of depth of feeling.

I do associate shallowness with those who ALWAYS negate theories which they always label as tin hat before there is any kind of exploration or debate. They aren't any fun. They are closed.

Comes back to ice - no liguidity.

For lack of a better term - I'll call them ENDERS. It's as if they want the thread to end or they want to control direction and expansion by naysaying, by ending.

They are extremely intolerant.

I value exploration. I value learning. I value having the world expanded.

[marmar]

13. Agreed....Overall this is a great community, but the intolerance of some is kind of shocking.

And some it seems only come here to argue, not to add anything constructive to a debate. Unfulfilled lives, I suppose.

[Strelnikov_]

14. Seconded.

"seems only come here to argue, not to add anything constructive to a debate."

Which describes the residents of my ignore list, simply trolls. Not those who I disagree with.

Every once in a while I will clear the list. And like clockwork, the next time I see a post by one of the usual suspects, it is the same old thing.

[Esra Star]

12. All God's chillun, Madspirit

Somes jes not all growed up yet.
We still love them and hope they are learning, just like we are.

[piedmont]

15. Another puritan discovers the ignore feature.

I also, surprisingly, found a good number of pseudo-liberals and Master Baiters. People who don't think it's important to think deeply about things like racism, homophobia, killing animals, etc.

And what makes you think these people haven't thought deeply about these topics? Ah, yes-- because their opinion on a particular issue is different from yours. The odd thing you may learn if you'll hold off on using the ignore button is that on many other issues, you are in complete agreement with those you call "master-baiters." I wish you a nice day, and a thicker skin.

[Madspirit]

21. see thread below

Nope....I like debate. I even love hot debate. My skin is thick enough. I have been on the Internet for over 15 years. ...and you might find, I'm not scared of anyone. I hate bullies. With a fiery passion. There is NO lower life form.
Madspirit

[piedmont]

32. Which one?

I hate bullies. With a fiery passion. There is NO lower life form.
Your defintion of bullies above includes people who simply don't agree with you on particular issues.

My skin is thick enough.
Apparently it isn't. DU is one of the most tightly moderated forums I've seen, and yet you still pitch a fit about "bullies." Point to a post in which someone has bullied you. I haven't seen any.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

33. Self-Delete

Reply not really necessary any longer.

[Madspirit]

16. Lastly...

I just want you guys to know, I'm not talking about good heated debate, disagreement, discussion, anything like that. I love a good debate. I am talking about straight-up bullies. Bullies are a low life form, aren't they? : >
Madspirit

[man4allcats]

17. As with any board,

there are a few jerks as even the administrators acknowledge:

"The administrators of Democratic Underground are working to provide a place where progressives can share ideas and debate in an atmosphere of mutual respect. Despite our best efforts, some of our members often stray from this ideal and cheapen the quality of discourse for everyone else."

but by and large it is a really quality place, and though I've not used it myself, the "Ignore Function" does serve a useful purpose. Take care. :D

[TahitiNut]

18. "We hate most in others what we see in ourselves."

:shrug:

[Madspirit]

19. Just gotta love a good cliche

Not. I am not a bully. You don't have to be a bully to see bullying. ...but you really know that.
Madspirit

[NashVegas]

27. Bless You, My Child

:banghead:

[EstimatedProphet]

22. I know exactly what you are talking about, and you are wrong.

NO ONE has made fun of you here. NO ONE.

Every single post you made in the other thread attacked someone, whether specifically or as a group. Yet you have continually called people bullies, "master baiters", "asshats", and you seem to think that you should be allowed to do so. And anyone who takes the time to criticize what you write, and does it in a way which refers to your posts only, is a bully. This thread itself is about continuing an argument with people posting in another thread, which isn't allowed. And you have gone so far as to claim that people who disagree with you are fake liberals, "Republicans in sheep's clothing", uncaring, unfeeling, shallow - all as if you are the only true arbiter of what is right and what is wrong, what is thoughtful and what is trollish. And you even have the intellectual dishonesty to accuse other people (named or not) of not being respectful.

[LostinVA]

23. Thanks for sparing me having to write this

Good post

[HarukaTheTrophyWife]

24. Perfect post.

[Madspirit]

25. agree or not

Well evidently as many people agree with me as don't, or more. I see constant threads about the bullies here and the only threads that get locked are usually the ones complaining about it. I have had several members contact me privately telling me THEY got in trouble when complaining about bullies. I see post after post of people not wanting to be bullied any more. It's a shame but you don't have to worry. I am taking my tiny monthy donation and myself, some place that's else.
You don't have to tell me..."good" or "buh bye" because it doesn't matter to me and neither do you.
Good. Buh bye.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[piedmont]

28. "People who are easily offended....

or who are not accustomed to having their opinions (including deeply personal convictions) challenged may not feel entirely comfortable here. A thick skin is necessary to participate on this or any other discussion forum."

Bye, now. Good luck finding that "MadSpirit is always right" forum.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

29. Mind If I Ask What Kind Of Cheese You'd Like With Your Whine?

This whole thread is really really silly, with all due respect. And it never ceases to amaze me how almost every single time someone wants to proclaim themselves some wee wittle innocent victim of bullies, how the reality is that they were in fact the bullies themselves, but merely too weak and thin skinned to handle those strong enough to stand their ground.

Your rant reminds me of another poster here who likes to whine about being bullied when in reality they're too weak to handle intellectual argument. Such little to respect about arguments like that.

[BlooInBloo]

30. Makes ya glad they turned off the....

... i'm-too-cowardly-to-handle-dissent-in-my-threads feature, doesn't it? (GRIN)

:rofl:

[Madspirit]

34. brie preferably

...with some of those nice water crackers.

I am sorry people. I am just in a really really bad place right now. I was a jerk. I really am sorry. This is a pretty great place. I just spend so much time, in RL, crying a lot. Life hurts right now.

Once again, I apologize. I am not usually so thin-skinned and yet...attacking.

You guys are pretty great actually. Life just sometimes sucks.

Lee (Madspirit)

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

35. Nahhhh, Don't Sweat It. We All Get Bent Out Of Shape From Time To Time.

I respect this post of yours though. It actually separates you by miles from the other poster I had thought you reminded me of (since they are mentally incapable of admitting error, mistake or over-reaction).

Kudos for the post.

[Madspirit]

37. Thank-you

I really can be a jerk while thinking people are being jerks to me.

I wish the mental health forums were more active here. I've posted there but not a lot of people seem to go over there. Maybe there is some way I could get those more active.

The truth is...and this isn't an excuse, just an explanation....I am an un-medicated bipolar and I just go up and down and up and down and, etc. I don't have a job right now and there is just no help in Texas. My girlfriend works two jobs just to support us so cannot afford to send me to a private shrink. Think what it's like to live with me right now...<g> (Think PMS times 42,000.)

Anyway, thanks for being so forgiving. I will do better and I will try to get those mental health forums more active.
Lee

[piedmont]

36. As OMC said, I respect you for the self-examination

I just spend so much time, in RL, crying a lot. Life hurts right now.
I'm sorry to hear that and hate it for you Madspirit. I hope it gets better for you soon.

[Madspirit]

38. Thanks Piedmont n/t

[Terri S]

31. I've learned...

"I have learned silence from the talkative
toleration from the intolerant
and kindness from the unkind
yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers."
-- Kahlil Gibran

[FredStembottom]

39. In my couple years here, I put about 7 names on ignore.......

Now it looks like maybe all but 1 has gone away.

Must have an eye for genuine trolls, I guess!

:smoke:

[Broken_Hero]

40. Locking

Do not start a new topic in order to continue a flame war from another discussion thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/forums/rules_detailed.html

Thanks,
petersond
DU Moderator