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Yes.

14 (18.9%)

No.

27 (36.5%)

I had no idea it existed until I read this.

33 (44.6%)

Total Members Voted: 73

[wierd]

Indeed, but the MLP crowd also frequent other forums focused on outside concepts.

Take for instance, the bay12 forums, which is focused (predominantly) on playing the different games produced by Toady and Threetoe. (There are a sufficient number of MLP fans here that there is even an MLP mod for DF in the DF mods subforum.)

It is perfectly sensible to imagine the conversation turning ugly when an adult MLP fan and a person who feels that such fanticism is unhealthy meeting in the thread.

I can point to at least one DeviantArt blog page where the MLP fans have come out in force, due to the nature of the blog post. (Which was asserting frustration at seeing pony art everywhere in places and genres it does not belong.)

I found the exchange fascinating.


Here is another, different one, also at deviantart, where the blogger exasperatedly points out that they simply don't like the show, (and not the people who are fans of it), and has made a simple "I hate my little pony" bumper image for his signature tag. It also has significant issues with MLP fans trolling the shit out of it.

This does not mean all MLP fans are trolls, and it does not mean that all people who dislike the shiw are "haters" (of fans). It does show how having communities that focus on only one aspect of a phenomenon or opinion while silencing any outside view is detrimental.

The people there clearly cannot get along. The reason why is because of selective ideological reinforcement.

It is clearly a thing already at work on the internet.

(My apologies to any MLP fans.)

[misko27]

To be fair, they're not there to listen to your disagreement. They're there to lavish in the overwhelming group polarity and positive reinforcement of their own kin, particularly if you signed up simply to post disagreements, no matter how sensible, as you will be seen as a troll for inciting argument without contributing.

But there is a quality approaching circle-jerk in that, an accusation sometimes lobbied at these forums. Given that, we might tread carefully around such things. We really don't want to be excluding viewpoints.

Personally I don't ignore because I want to know what is posted. If I don't won't to read I won't read anything in the thread. I want context, and ignoring will never give that too me.

[wierd]

Indeed.  The harm that comes from the filtering is greater than the benefit of removing unsolicited advertisements.

I can make fun of the pitiful attempts to sell me british kitchens.
I can only weep at seeing people spiral out of control because of unhealthy ideological tunnel vision.

[Gunner-Chan]

I use the ignore list myself, but only really for people who were previously banned or that annoyed me way too much for me to be sensible and just not pay attention to (I have a bad temper sadly. It's gotten me into a ton of trouble offline and I'm sick of it). Mostly since I THINK that's what it's for so you don't end up doing something stupid.

I don't think the buddy list does much more than highlight names in "Who's online" though. I don't quite get the point.

[wierd]

See, that is exactly the problem I was pointing out.

A person making you crazy because you can't find common ground alerts you to the fact that there is a problem, and being exposed to that promotes healthy coping skills.

Using the ignore button to block "annoying" people is using the ignore button to shut out dissenting or undesirable opinions and messages, which fosters ideological tunnel vision, and a distorted worldview.

Because the temptation is there to use the ignore button in that fashion, I am philosophically opposed to its existence.

I would rather play with the epic troll than see people with long ignore lists wondering why everyone doesn't like them while chatting with a closed circle of friends, and developing biased worldviews and poor coping skills.

*shrug

[smirk]

I've used the ignore list precisely once so far, on a person who was spamming shock/gore images. Overuse of the ignore function is definitely bad, but it does still have at least one good application.

[Criptfeind]

See, that is exactly the problem I was pointing out.

A person making you crazy because you can't find common ground alerts you to the fact that there is a problem, and being exposed to that promotes healthy coping skills.

Using the ignore button to block "annoying" people is using the ignore button to shut out dissenting or undesirable opinions and messages, which fosters ideological tunnel vision, and a distorted worldview.

Because the temptation is there to use the ignore button in that fashion, I am philosophically opposed to its existence.

I would rather play with the epic troll than see people with long ignore lists wondering why everyone doesn't like them while chatting with a closed circle of friends, and developing biased worldviews and poor coping skills.

*shrug

This is utter bullshit. Ignoring someone is a perfectly valid 'coping strategy' to deal with imbecile and the absolute fact is that you are not "insulating yourself" via making it so you can't see people who have proven themselves to be innate morons.

It's simply not possible or even desirable to pay attention to everyone and I seriously can't see how you think the ignore list is different from, say, not watching fox news every night. Or not reading all of north Koreas press releases. If your not consuming every possible bit of information from people you disagree with right now I find your stance hugely hypocritical.

[wierd]

Actually, I go to the DRPK's website specifically to read the propaganda. Otherwise I will have an uninformed opinion of it.

[Criptfeind]

Hilarious, I probably should have listened to the voice in my head that told me people do that. Point still stands that you are not consuming the sum total of all human information, and thus a hypocrite.

[Max White]

I have Descan on my buddy list for some reason... Don't remember adding him, maybe I was drinking at the time. I mean he is a total bro, but it seems strange that I would buddify him and not even realize.
Also have one person on my ignore list... Wouldn't mind if there was also an option to ignore posts that quote people on your ignore list though.

[wierd]

Hilarious, I probably should have listened to the voice in my head that told me people do that. Point still stands that you are not consuming the sum total of all human information, and thus a hypocrite.

I attempt to consume all information I find. That is the best I am capable of. I don't discriminate. I find all information potentially useful. (Even information about british kitchens.)

[Criptfeind]

I attempt to consume all information I find.

I find this hard to believe, seeing as it means you would be trapped in Wikipedia or TV tropes for the rest of your life.

[wierd]

Neither is infinite. And I do spend inordinate amounts of time reading them.

The vandalized pages are particularly interesting.

[chaoticag]

I'm going to have to agree with Criptfeind here, but to add to it, finding someone annoying doesn't mean you're going to find some common ground between the two of you. For example, there's likely very little I'd have in common with a member of the Westburough Baptist Church. I have developed a healthy coping skill for it, I ignore what they have to say. If someone were to think all arabs ought to be taken out and shot, and believe me I've run into a few, I don't owe them the time of day to explain why they're wrong.

The point of the matter is that there are people who are not going to, and are unwilling to listen, as well as people I have no interest in associating with. That's fine, as there are also people that are unwilling to listen to or associate with me.

Plus, if I have a known behaviour tick that has caused me problems before, I'd want to avoid it being triggered as much as I can afford to.

Back to the topic though, I do use the buddy feature. It mostly lets me see if any of the people I know here have been active. The ignore feature not so much, just for repeatedly banned trolls.

[Criptfeind]

Neither is infinite.

No, but they have more information then you can process.