Why discussions generate into personal affronts...


Hello to all... I am a new-be in comparison to those who have thousands of inputs into forums/discussions.

I find it disappointing that in reading inputs, I have to waste time in members sniping at each other. Half the time it simply is a difference in opinion that breaks down into nasty idiocy,  and half the time I need some type of reference to past verbal battles fought about in other topics/forums. 

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO IMHO? Many times spewing personal dogma against each other just confuses simple people like me who are just looking for guidance - not miracles. We all view another's opinion with reservation - nobody's got a doctorate on audiophile experience; if I was to listen to and obey the professionals, I would never had experimented with 12g solid core copper, vinyl-jacketed wire, twisted and used bare wire no connectors -WHICH I AM VERY HAPPY WITH ...

SO: SOMEBODY fill me in why knowledgeable people generate into nastiness in discussions...
insearchofprat

Showing 3 responses by elliottbnewcombjr

I'm pretty active on 2 forums, Sony and Oly Compacts, on DPR photo site since 2012. 

It shows up mostly from people who have a strong need to be right, and it comes and goes in waves.

When I first joined, late 2012 when Sony rx100 1" sensor revolution started, my first impression was awful, a few trolls, and people who strongly took the bait, added a lot of negativity. I could skip posts from those people, except, the people who took the bait, and the people who need to be right often do know a lot, so I took the good from the bad.

Then the trolls disappeared, it got quite good for a long time,

then, as a result of newer 'better' models, a few new, quite knowledgeable people joined, but stiff, my way or the highway ... I discovered, peoples professions sometimes set them up, they need/ed to be critical to succeed, then it becomes a life long habit. To the point of telling people not to post their photos.

Oh baby, private messages ensued, ... new understandings were found, .... 
Some of you may have noticed, I try to describe my history/general outlook so my comments can be taken/ignored within some understanding
Humor. After a few reactions to a few posts, I learned it is not a good idea to think people will understand your humor. After many years, many know my humor, but there are always new people, so, I try to anticipate how a stranger might 'get' it.

Drink: I learned, I used to go to live music at bars, come home a bit loose, then perhaps write a reply to something. Noooooo, wait till morning.