I'm Out

[Belsnickel]

I thought it was bad in the Trump years with the number of sensationalist threads posted about him, but all I see in this forum is threads started based on click-bait conspiracy theory propaganda. The discourse inevitably gets hostile whether it is because of frustrations with people who ignore reason and logic or because someone has too much of their personal identity wrapped up in these topics. I am guilty of the former on the regular.

I stopped watching football a few years ago because I found myself too invested in the sport. I realized I was putting myself through unhealthy levels of stress over something I had zero control over and really meant nothing to me in the long run. About two years ago I found myself constantly consuming political news. Non-stop. Podcasts about politics from all across the spectrum and I realized it was doing the same as football did for me. So I toned it back and mixed in other podcasts about outdoorsy topics, humor, and history. I changed up my social media consumption and eliminated almost all politics from it, instead focusing on Scouting and my volunteering efforts.

I find myself now getting too stressed over the frustrations I have with people on here. People ignoring evidence or making claims without any. Buying into the propaganda from either side of the aisle while claiming the others are the ones being brainwashed or having the truth hidden from them. As much as I am a proponent of trying to educate people on the issues and provide evidence to support good policy decisions, I cannot justify continuing to stress out about the willful ignorance of those who go through their existence with these political blinders on, refusing to acknowledge anything that would contradict their worldview and just floating along looking for confirmations of their preconceived ideas. I know that is what makes people comfortable; I know that psychologically this isn't abnormal. It is the human condition. But that's why I feel like I need to pull back on my interactions on here.

Each day I open a couple of different browser windows tied to different Google accounts. One for Scouting stuff, one for work stuff, and one for random things. This is a tab on my random things browser pretty much every day. It sits in the background and I check in on it periodically to see what people are chatting about. I am going to stop opening it up by default with that browser window. I will probably check in, maybe weekly, but y'all are ***** crazy. I just can't be on here as regularly as I have been.

I've been thinking about this a while, but with a new semester starting this coming Wednesday which means my second year of grad school, I think it is a good time. So, good luck. Be nicer to each other. And for ****'s sake, read a primary source every once in a while.

[GMDino]

I've had some private conversations about the same things...and I won't repeat but thanks for the time you gave being one of the more rational posters.  Even when you disagreed you your civil (mostly  ) ...even the few times you got upset with how someone was responding.

Time away from this place and the internet in general is good for everyone once in a while.  I hope you find more peace and relaxation.

[Rotobeast]

I lurk quite a bit, anymore.
I'm starting to get burned out with politics. People do not seem willing to listen to any information unless it confirms the bullet points engraved onto the inside of their cranium.

God help us.


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[Dill]

(08-20-2023, 06:14 PM)Belsnickel Wrote: I thought it was bad in the Trump years with the number of sensationalist threads posted about him, but all I see in this forum is threads started based on click-bait conspiracy theory propaganda. The discourse inevitably gets hostile whether it is because of frustrations with people who ignore reason and logic or because someone has too much of their personal identity wrapped up in these topics. I am guilty of the former on the regular.

I stopped watching football a few years ago because I found myself too invested in the sport. I realized I was putting myself through unhealthy levels of stress over something I had zero control over and really meant nothing to me in the long run. About two years ago I found myself constantly consuming political news. Non-stop. Podcasts about politics from all across the spectrum and I realized it was doing the same as football did for me. So I toned it back and mixed in other podcasts about outdoorsy topics, humor, and history. I changed up my social media consumption and eliminated almost all politics from it, instead focusing on Scouting and my volunteering efforts.

I find myself now getting too stressed over the frustrations I have with people on here. People ignoring evidence or making claims without any. Buying into the propaganda from either side of the aisle while claiming the others are the ones being brainwashed or having the truth hidden from them. As much as I am a proponent of trying to educate people on the issues and provide evidence to support good policy decisions, I cannot justify continuing to stress out about the willful ignorance of those who go through their existence with these political blinders on, refusing to acknowledge anything that would contradict their worldview and just floating along looking for confirmations of their preconceived ideas. I know that is what makes people comfortable; I know that psychologically this isn't abnormal. It is the human condition. But that's why I feel like I need to pull back on my interactions on here.

Each day I open a couple of different browser windows tied to different Google accounts. One for Scouting stuff, one for work stuff, and one for random things. This is a tab on my random things browser pretty much every day. It sits in the background and I check in on it periodically to see what people are chatting about. I am going to stop opening it up by default with that browser window. I will probably check in, maybe weekly, but y'all are ***** crazy. I just can't be on here as regularly as I have been.

I've been thinking about this a while, but with a new semester starting this coming Wednesday which means my second year of grad school, I think it is a good time. So, good luck. Be nicer to each other. And for ****'s sake, read a primary source every once in a while.

This is a loss for the forum. A loss for you too, as this forum gives some detailed insight into how people are actually responding to political events.

Hope you return someday, though, after a nice rest. 

[CJD]

This is how forums become echo chambers. We had already essentially become a Fox News playground in recent weeks due to Luvnit just uncritically reposting every article that comes across Fox News' main website, and it's going to get even worse now. This forum will suffer from no longer having your input.

[jmccracky]

This sucks. I get it though. Hope to see ya back at some point. I mostly just read this forum these days. I am on here a few times a day. You're one of the ones that keeps me coming back. Godspeed to you brotha!

[jmccracky]

(08-21-2023, 10:08 AM)Crazyjdawg Wrote: This is how forums become echo chambers. We had already essentially become a Fox News playground in recent weeks due to Luvnit just uncritically reposting every article that comes across Fox News' main website, and it's going to get even worse now. This forum will suffer from no longer having your input.

Yup. 

[masonbengals fan]

You & I have had our disagreements over political issues, but I do see you as a valuable poster here & the forum will be only losing valuable input without your participation. I've had to take breaks from this place myself before, but it keeps drawing me back in because I care & I believe you do too.

Get outside, go fishing, play with the kids & listen to some of that good music (& great messaging) coming out of Virginia right now.

[*Nately120*]

If Bels is out, there goes a good chunk of my excuse of "I might learn something" to justify being on here so damn much. Bogus.

[*pally*]

Hate to lose your common sense, but totally understand the impact this crap has on one's mental health. It is easy to get caught up when you just know that your next statement might just be the one that makes another poster finally open their eyes to reality but then when you have time to think about it, knowing it is just a pipe dream.

[treee]

I've always liked your analysis, especially about obscure and niche topics within PnR. I wish this subforum was for higher level discussion but that's not the culture that has developed here, especially lately. It comes and goes in waves. Hope you'll be back before too long.

[Dill]

(08-21-2023, 12:03 PM)Stewy Wrote: Exactly why I have him on ignore.  Not that it does me any good, since our ignore feature is shyt.  I still see that he's started topics and I see what he says if someone quotes him, AND I still get a notification if he replies to me.  I want to ignore the fuk'r and I can't.  

Probably best if I just leave P&R as well, but I can't figure out how to drop the password.  Maybe delete all my cookies?

My view is that it is not a good idea to cede public forums to "people ignoring evidence or making claims without it," as Bels put it.

If enough do that, then this forum will become just another MAGA echo chamber. 

Probably 80% of my posts directly address misuse or absence of evidence, and how to fix that, but I remain optimistic.

I don't feel a need to click on every thread or read every discussion. 

[Luvnit2]

(08-21-2023, 12:38 PM)Dill Wrote: My view is that it is not a good idea to cede public forums to "people ignoring evidence or making claims without it," as Bels put it.

If enough do that, then this forum will become just another MAGA echo chamber. 

Probably 80% of my posts directly address misuse or absence of evidence, and how to fix that, but I remain optimistic.

I don't feel a need to click on every thread or read every discussion. 

You may want to look in the mirror. Plenty of evidence is produced, yet you refuse to accept it due to your political bias. I do the same, but difference is you think you get away with it.

[Dill]

(08-21-2023, 01:02 PM)Luvnit2 Wrote: You may want to look in the mirror. Plenty of evidence is produced, yet you refuse to accept it due to your political bias. I do the same, but difference is you think you get away with it.

Let's not sully Bels' farewell thread with the same sort of squabbling that drove him away.

[HarleyDog]

He didn't say he was leaving for good. He's still going to check in from time to time, but just not on the regular. You guys are acting like he's dead.

I think you've made a good decision Bels. Focus on good stuff for a while. You're always valued here, so see you around.

[*Nately120*]

(08-21-2023, 02:48 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: He didn't say he was leaving for good. He's still going to check in from time to time, but just not on the regular.  You guys are acting like he's dead.

I think you've made a good decision Bels. Focus on good stuff for a while. You're always valued here, so see you around.

I think the issue is that we want him to be around because he seems to know his stuff, but if he's driving himself nuts then we don't want him around because he seems like a solid fella and we want him to be sane.

Add in that the pollical world doesn't look like it's going to calm down any time soon, and it's a bittersweet farewell that won't likely be able to be safely undone.

[NATI BENGALS]

I get it.

It’s like trying to stop a firehose of diarrhea spraying on full blast. Except it’s not really your job and it’s not an easy or fun job. You’re just trying to help out because it might end up flowing down toward your house if it doesn’t get fixed.

[*Nately120*]

(08-21-2023, 04:39 PM)NATI BENGALS Wrote: I get it.

It’s like trying to stop a firehose of diarrhea spraying on full blast. Except it’s not really your job and it’s not an easy or fun job. You’re just trying to help out because it might end up flowing down toward your house if it doesn’t get fixed.

It's like the founding fathers said "The chamber pot of wisdom cannot stem forth the torrential tide of propagandous diarrhea." 

[Rotobeast]

(08-21-2023, 04:50 PM)Nately120 Wrote: It's like the founding fathers said "The chamber pot of wisdom cannot stem forth the torrential tide of propagandous diarrhea." 

Why do I envision you having a t-shirt with that printed on it ?

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[*Nately120*]

(08-22-2023, 05:09 AM)Rotobeast Wrote: Why do I envision you having a t-shirt with that printed on it ?

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Don't be silly.  I'm making a rock opera about it.