Why So Nasty? — TB Etiquette

[bassdude51]

 

[4stringsrgood]

Oh, and to contribute to the discussion on nastiest forums? You have no idea how vile people can get on "geek culture" forums, especially for anime, video games, comic books, etc.

This is so true. If you want to see some nasty stuff head over to Engadget, or better yet start reading YouTube comments on nearly anything. Threads can go south very quickly over (as others mentioned above) use of language.

Although I'm relatively new here, it seems like one friendly bunch overall. Everyone plays BASS after all, right? If everyone here was a guitarist or drummer, we'd all be in trouble

 

[Tnavis]

I've found that TB is relatively tame compared to some other message boards or subreddits. The arguments that do occur tend to be because many folks on the board are absolute on what they consider the correct way to do things.

*cough gig attire cough*

 

[Nighttrain1127]

Some of this problem is people that have been around this site for a long time and see the same question for the 3 millionth time. What's the best bass for blank ?. And respond do a search because they don't want to answer again . Instead of that just leave it alone and let someone that wants to help respond. Nothing saying you have to respond ro every thread you read and if you do be nice.

 

[Spidey2112]

... there are so many people who don't know what they don't know.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi!

As I have been employed as a "businessman" for most of my career, I find this forum much more congenial than real business life. I am here every day and I think what gets most peoples ire is when the "newby" asks a question without doing a search for a subject that has been beat to death. Do the search and you can remain anonomous for most of your time here. Most questions have been answered, except which fanatic fan will pose with @BassCliff this week.

Now that's funny right there!


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Wasnex]

I first came to TB in 2012, and am by no means a frequent flier. Come to get answers from a wealth of historical threads from time-to-time, to poke around when I'm bored — and mainly to browse or buy/sell from the Classifieds. Just bought and sold basses here in the past couple of months — interacted with super people in both cases.

HOWEVER, it seems to me that the tone in a lot of the threads today — versus even 7 years ago — is increasingly hostile, snarky, impatient, and just plain rude. Why? This isn't a politics forum — we're talking about an instrument (albeit cool as heck) that produces low notes. Not too controversial...

If people want to start picking passive aggressive fights behind the safety and comfort of their PC or smartphone — CNN or Fox is ripe for this, with plenty of comment threads and fireworks for your entertainment.

How about saving Talkbass for legit questions and answers — attacking the OP less, and keeping it light-hearted and well, simply less...nasty.

My observation is this seems to vary significantly by forum. The forums I hang out in are usually pretty tame, but there are members who pop in who like to troll people or just generally act douchey. I actually stopped logging on for a couple of years because it was getting pretty bad. When I came back it was much better and some of the worst offenders had been banned.

There are some frequent repeat offenders that I am surprised have not been banned. I guess they just know how to push limits and don't argue with the mods. There are also plenty of people who have been banned that I have never had a lick of trouble with. I wouldn't be surprised if their infraction was not that bad, but they probably argued with the mods, and that's a big no, no.

There have been a few times where I felt the need to step up and tell someone to knock it off directly and/or report a post. Usually I don't resort to this unless someone is just being generally nasty to everyone.

IMHO it's a fine line between allowing complete freedom of speech and being a snow flake who gets offended too easily. Going to far either way is dangerous and unethical. I think TB strikes a decent balance most of the time.

 

[Fluid Power]

Bass Players in general don't get much respect in the world so maybe we're happy together?

And we learn to get along with a lot less : 4 Strings! (typically)

We have a better bond because of it!

I know I always feel the LOVE here!

 

[BadSanta1281]

I love all of you. Even you snarky people.

 

[drumvsbass]

Due to age, my throat punching days are by and large over

A PBass to the head is the preferred method of dispatch when one has no time for throat punching. Flats will give a slightly duller thud there as well.

 

[Lobster11]

I wish I could say that the reason there is less nastiness and mud-slinging at TB is because we're a particularly good group of people, or because bass players are smarter/nicer/etc. than other shared-interest groups, but I strongly suspect that the only reason is because the site is so carefully moderate and violators are punished or banned, and offending content is quickly erased. I'd bet my house that if moderation were eliminated for a week this place would become every bit as ugly and unpleasant as any other forum on the internet.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Constipated old dudes.

 

[rtslinger]

It's a lot better than it used to be but I don't like the culture on here where someone can attack you with really vicious personal stuff and you can't respond in kind...you have to be a tattletale or get thrown off for responding. Used to be the person leading the attack would get unscathed, but at least they do something about that now.

But I'm with the OP on this...sometimes I get impatient with people for not listening but I do try to be polite and courteous, and I think most people do, too. But it's the rude ones who are the loudest, and it makes it seem like a free for all at times. Still, most people are great and try to be helpful. However, I can think of at least two people on here or formerly on here that I would gladly punch right in the throat if I ever came face to face with them. But I just ignore them these days...due to age, my throat punching days are by and large over

or well place axe kick

 

[Jehos]

Like 99% of TB is lovely. Those Praise & Worship Bassists though, man. I thought biker bars were rough places.

 

[LBS-bass]

Tone doesn't come through over the internet. Also one man's friendly banter is another man's irritating nonsense.

There's all sorts of room for misunderstandings. That coupled with a large amount of people's desire to be offended or be a victim these days and you have a recipe for internet drama.

It can't all be chalked up to tough guy's hiding behind their screen being ego trolls, but there's plenty of that too.

I guess my point is be thankful for the mods and bringing plenty of popcorn is probably a more feasible solution than saying "can't we all just get along?"

There's so much black and white thinking out here on the internet. When someone says that they believe something to be true, someone else will take that as an absolute statement and leave the first person no room to be wrong (or right, for that matter). It makes it hard to have a discussion that doesn't devolve into something more suited to a grade school playground sometimes.

Unfortunately I see this all the time and people are often surprised when I express a strong opinion followed by saying that I might be wrong about that. They want to fight with me over an opinion that I'm not really all that attached to in the first place. I don't get that.

When did it become a weakness to admit that we're not perfect? I think we could all benefit by not taking ourselves so seriously and learning to accept that none of us will ever be perfect.

 

[And I]

I see this shift in all online platforms and also in real-life mostly around issues of local politics, and I believe it started around 2015. Why I believe this is so goes way too far down the road of politics / propaganda / social conditioning and is clearly out-of-scope for talkbass. Find me on twitter if you want to know how I feel about that (hint, you can't. you don't knoy my twitter handle and I'm not telling).

For my part (even on twitter), I try never to stoop to personal insults. But more than never (even on talkbass), I am snarky, impatient, and probably somewhat rude. Apologies for that and I will do better (on talkbass).

 

[Lobster11]

For my part (even on twitter), I try never to stoop to personal insults. But more than never (even on talkbass), I am snarky, impatient, and probably somewhat rude. Apologies for that and I will do better (on talkbass).

Link Removed

 

[blue4]

My opinion? Growth of the user base was chosen over maintaining the collective knowledge. A lot of long standing members left as new members came in with an often antagonistic attitude. They were allowed to attack and long term members were banned or put on probation if they said anything in return. Now it's more of a passive aggressive innuendo of digs against everyone. All, IMHO.

I agree to some extent, however I've been a member since 2013 and I can recall several of those long term members who had no trouble being antagonistic themselves. I can remember a couple who couldn't be disagreed with at all. And their friends (followers/lackeys/fans? I don't know if friends is the right word) would pile on as well.
So I agree with you that there is more snark and passive aggressive comments now then there was before. But I notice less ego now as opposed to before. I honestly don't know which version I prefer. I used to avoid entire threads when certain people were commenting when I first started, but overall it was a bit nicer. It was certainly less rigid as far as topics. Over moderation has totally neutered the OT section IMO.

 

[waveman]

I don't think the tone is negative around here. Yeah, there are some occasional exceptions, but anytime you are dealing with humans, there are always going to be those people. I think TB does a great job at not letting those types of people run over everyone else here.

 

[rickster4003]

Wow, really wow, this site is the most polite I've seen. Sure people will speak their minds but I've always seen it done in a respectful manner and never had the inkling of jerky people. What's amazed me is I've seen some pretty, we will say cheap low level basses and no one ever puts them down or makes them feel bad about it. Always encourage everybody no matter the level.