Cinder,
seems like is very different from what is. Please voice out your ideas in a way that doesn't give an impact of 'this is how things really are' and give way to open discussion.
I've written a long post but it got eaten. The gist is, Bay12 isn't really that much of an open-minded discussion space. People get angry when they see opinions that oppose theirs. Even you get angry when people disagree with you.
This is not holistic.
Even in the gist of it. Beware of when conclusions are drawn from memory and perception alone. And beware further of how you write your conclusion about them, especially if they're very, very generalizing.
It may irk many people because it wouldn't really be applicable.
Mentioned on IRC that people shouldn't say shit about how all republicans are racist or whatever, promptly got pounced on by a good 5 people giving me shit for what I said and arguing with me and accusing me of GOP apologism and accusing me of being racist because I tried to say that being against illegal immigration was not racist.
It seems like[...]
I'm strapped on time here but I'd like to forward my opinion: Seems like is a very powerful factor in influencing impressions, especially if it's taken as the primary story (it may seem that way due to the first thoughts that come to one in perception), but
whenever the statement of seems like comes up, a bit of reflection on the case is also a very good thing to add before conclusions are written and posted out :O
Especially talking with the people in question that may have aggravated or 'seems to have' caused such feelings.
From all my years here, B12 is very open minded in discussion, even if people are heated and tense--they are able to diffuse and give way, but only if
both parties are open to it (It doesn't do well if people leave in a huff; this goes with how one communicates).
Either way if you leave or not--you're always welcome back; you're a cool dude IT, but there are times wherein perception influences how one may interact. I've noticed that sometimes, you stick with a general idea of being disliked due to how you word your ideas; I believe it's best if you talked this over with the certain people you may think you've got problems with :O (also nobody thinks you're an ignorant retard; ask them what they think rather than put belief onto the doubts that come to you
in thoughts; therein comes the cognitive process of accommodation: one's experiences are translated into how one understands them, at times, and sometimes these may not help if we begin making ideas that have a reaaaaaaally negative meaning when that's not really the case). But either way, there's no 'better than you deserve' here. Maybe it's a slice of reality--you have good friends, you can PM them, if there may not be easily accessible folk in your locality.
I have no idea what happened, but you do not and have never looked like an asshole in my interactions with you and I hope that 5 people won't sour you on the entire forum.
And besides that I also still want to be somewhere where people acknowledge that it's at the very least partially my fault instead of telling me that that isn't true. If it wasn't true it wouldn't cause so many problems.
Maybe they're mentioning it isn't true, but if they do mention that--that doesn't mean they're challenging or doing anything against you; they're giving an idea about the statement given, it may just so happen that the statement was typed by you.
Also that first sentence there, big strength. Maybe mention that the next time you see these folks because people can't mindread what you most prefer.
Sometimes, frustration comes from silent expectations wherein communication can be a better solution. It may be hard, it may be pretty nerve-wracking, but you'll never know until you talk with these folks. You can do it!
-snip-
-snoop-
Weren't you a geographer? I distinctly remember you claiming you were a liberal atheist college geographer. Which is the same thing when you go down to the fundamentals.
Love these silly bits.