Is The Forum Getting More Antagonistic?

[Deset Gled]

If we got rid of the like reply would we be flooded with lots of agreement posts that have nothing new to say but just wanted to express support somehow?

I am old enough to remember when this was considered a real problem in conversations on the internet. It was called "Me too!" posting, and was considered a semi serious issue in the days of usenet and listservs. Basically, people would quote a post just to say "Me too" with nothing to add, it it would quickly fill your mail box with tons of useless emails. It was considered an e-tiquette faux pas, and often sent the message that the poster was a noob. You will have trouble googling it by name now because the "MeToo" movement took over the phrase, but it is immortalized in the Weird Al song "All About the Pentiums" in the verse where he accuses a technologically inept user of "posting 'me too' like some braindead AOLer".

 

[GreyBeardDM]

I agree that people are getting more and more angry about lots of things outside of the game that are influencing how they reply.

However even before the pandemic there were plenty of "you are playing the game wrong" and belittling of how people have been adapting the game for their groups on here, when the posters were asking for assistance.

This is my first post in a long time, as I am always wary of posting on enworld.org forums, even though they contain lots of incredibly useful answers the threat of abuse is not something I want to deal with.

please note: I do read the forum and the news pages most days

 

[Olrox17]

I have a crazy theory that if ENWorld removed the "Like" button there would be an upswing in positive posting. This is just my own thinking, but when someone agrees with a post, they have two options: reply with an agreement, or press "Like." When someone disagrees with a post, they only have one option (other than ignoring the post): posting a disagreement. This leads to more disagreement posts populating threads, and fewer agreement posts being posted.

That's just my theory!

Or how about the other way around? Let’s add a “respectfully disagree” button. It may deter people from going into flame wars, since they can just press a button to show their disagreement. Some other forums I go to have this, and it seems to work well enough.

 

[Blue]

Often one thread is an official one or may as well be and it will get all the responses even if it gets started after the first one.

Took a quick look on the first five full pages of new posts. Here are all the + threads.

• [+] The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power - SPOILERS ALLOWED
  • Dioltach
• (+)One Big Thing I Would Change
  • doctorbadwolf
• Torchbearer 2e - actual play of this AWESOME system! (+)
  • pemerton

None of them are official.

And as for one thread getting all the responses, the + thread is only asking for positive responses. If there actually is enough to discuss negatively then the other thread would be the place to discuss it. That's a self correcting problem.

 

[payn]

Make loves; not likes!

 

[Umbran]

Even + threads are a form of that basically means you can't disagree with me IMHO.

What you seem to be missing in that assessment is the weaponization of disagreement.

If folks were willing to voice their disagreement, and then walk away, there would be no pressing need for a (+) thread. Unfortunately, when folks disagree, they tend to come in, voice disagreement, and then badger the discussion with it ad nauseum, with no regard to what other people might want to do with their time. Disagreement comes in the form, "I disagree, and you must prove to my satisfaction that I am incorrect before I'll leave you in peace."

And, human dynamics means that the "to my satisfaction" clause is never fulfilled, and nobody gets to talk about anything other than that disagreement.

Also, as others have noted, you are perfectly welcome to start another thread that disagrees with a (+) thread. You are allowed to disagree. You just are not entitled to badger people with it anywhere you gosh darned please.

 

[Umbran]

Often one thread is an official one

I think you will find very few "official" (+) threads.

or may as well be and it will get all the responses even if it gets started after the first one.

And if your disagreement is not so interesting that it can support its own conversation, maybe that tells you something.

 

[Snarf Zagyg]

Disagreement comes in the form, "I disagree, and you must prove to my satisfaction that I am incorrect before I'll leave you in peace."

I often marvel at the number of teachers that must be on the internet, given how comfortable people are assigning homework.

 

[CleverNickName]

 

[billd91]

I often marvel at the number of teachers that must be on the internet, given how comfortable people are assigning homework.

They are surely matched by the number of posters declaring from on high that something is factual without providing any supporting evidence as if their very utterance should be enough to convince everyone.