Why are there so many flame wars on DU?

[southerngirlwriter]

What do you think? For a website that keeps out (or tries to, anyway) our ideological enemies, this one seems to have an abnormally high ratio of ordinary threads to flame wars. Why is that?

[bif]

1. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS DAMMIT!

Just kidding. You're right. You can't say anything without getting flamed.

[THUNDER HANDS]

2. YES YOU CAN, WHAT ARE YOU, A MORON?

:evilgrin:

[southerngirlwriter]

3. DON'T BASH MY CANDIDATE!!!!!

oh wait, where was I? Um, whoops. Wrong forum. Sorry.

[THUNDER HANDS]

6. YOUR CANDIDATE IS DOG POO

AND YOUR BACKUP CANDIDATE STINKS TOO!

:)

[Az]

7. ITS A PITY WE CAN'T EXPRESS MORE EMOTION THAN JUST CAPS!!

[bobthedrummer]

10. WHAT? &#$)+=@#$%!

GOT A LINK TO THAT????????????????????

[ronnykmarshall]

13. Flame THIS, buddy!

[gator_in_Ontario]

31. It's Moran, moron! n/t

[Blueshift]

4. We think for ourselves....that's why.

[Az]

5. Because of the nature of ideas

Ideas are collected by the mind and hang together by an internalized web of interconnecting threads. Whenever we encounter a new idea we check to see if it fits our own internal concept of reality. If it does not match it is readily discarded. Someone saying the sky is plaid will not constitute a struggle internally.

However when we encoutner an idea that is close but not quite within the threshhold of our minds view we may hang onto that idea and a struggle ensues within our brain. This struggle raises the level of stress we feel. Typically this is not enough to warrant too much concern. But when and idea is close to being accepted by does is ever so near it increases the level of stress exponentially.

This is represented in our social structure as arguments between close positions blowing out of control. It is the closeness of our positions that causes positions that we do not quite accept to be such a threat to us. Thus we argue strongly over relatively minor differences. This is true of any social structure. The fracturing point for the most fractuous breaks is along relatively minor issues. The bulk of positions may be shared but that one issue is enough to trigger great stress and destroy a group.

[factroid]

14. ??

I've seen pretty heated discussions across idealogical lines. I don't think it is BECAUSE of the closeness of their respective paradigms or views that the heat turns up; or because an idea is entering into the personal mind sphere of another. It appears to be more of a function of the personalities and their investment in their viewpoints, regardless of the 'closeness' of their positions (which is relative, of course).

I risk strengthening what appears to be a one-party silopsistic college dorm style BS session. Don't let me interrupt... :smoke:

[Robb]

30. You probably mean solipsistic?

Of course, I don't need to correct you, because you don't exist. :silly:

[southerngirlwriter]

32. You dingmod!!!

}(

[factroid]

35. solipsistic

Correct... typo.

I was just jesting really - nothing personal intended.

[Az]

37. Divergence

A world view is not one notion. A persons view is comprised of a multitude of aspects. The flame wars grow because there is a signifcant level of similarity that they see the others as available to their position. But on the one issue they cannot come to terms. Thus their closeness turns to a threat of corruption as it potentially could sway others from the position in question. Thus the struggle for dominance escelates.

[TXlib]

8. Because it's fun!

[citizen snips]

9. I like flame wars.

You get a lot of posts when you are involved in one.

11. because they are there

if there were no such thing as flame wars we'd have to invent them.

I'm thinking too hard & I blame this thread.

[cprise]

12. It's educational, fun

...character building.

It lets you sink your teeth into an issue and BITE REALLY HARD :-D

It uncovers all sorts of important details, both ideological and real.

It allows me to feel like I care about something and that others care too.

[southerngirlwriter]

15. A kick for the dinnertime crew

:D

[Whitacre D_WI]

16. It's YOUR fault, SGW.

You and people LIKE you, who spread Santorum everywhere you go!

[southerngirlwriter]

19. This is true.

I have spread much santorum in my life. :evilgrin:

[Whitacre D_WI]

21. DAMMIT!

Hello? Visual!

:grr:

[southerngirlwriter]

22. What??

Are you saying that you want a visual, or are you saying that you don't want the visual that my confession of having spread a TON of santorum in my life put in your head?? :evilgrin:

[Whitacre D_WI]

23. I'm saying I DON'T want the visual!

Nothing personal, I'm sure you're a lovely girl.

However, I do not want the mental image of "santorum" that is now seeping across my synapses.

Not that I'm not helping it along with the picture in my sig....

[southerngirlwriter]

26. Focus on the negative, whydoncha?

In order to achieve santorum, someone had fun at some point. *whistles "Accentuate the positive..." *

Now let's stop before this becomes a sex thread. I am honestly curious about people's thoughts on why DU is a raging flame fest most of the time.

[Whitacre D_WI]

29. I'm terribly sorry...

...but this has ALREADY become a sex thread.


NEXT!

[Padraig18]

17. The anonimity.

People here write things anonymously that they would swallow their tongues before they'd say face-to-face, IMO. Hence, the flame wars...

[absyntheNsugar]

18. I think someone spiked the coffee with steroids or something

fun fun fun

[southerngirlwriter]

20. Ah, HA!!!

It's ZombyWoof's fault!!! Is that what you're saying???

[absyntheNsugar]

24. j'accuse!

It must be SGW's fault!

[Padraig18]

25. Message deleted

The Mods have deleted this message and there's nothing whatsoever you can do about it. Nya, nya, nya...;)

[absyntheNsugar]

27. Message Deleted

The Mods have deleted this message and there's nothing whatsoever you can do about it. Nya, nya, nya...;) x2!

[Padraig18]

28. Message deleted.

Just because we can. ;)

[Exgeneral]

33. message deleted

please review the rules regarding posting of deleted messages.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

34. Abnormally high compared to what other sites?

I have visited and posted on many message boards, and moderated on one fairly active one that was about a quarter the size of DU. The anonimity of the Web encourages rash and hostile remarks from people who feel nobody listens to them in real life, or who would be afraid to make the same remarks to somebody in person. Assholes is assholes, and DU's got about the same percentage as other populations I've observed.

Add to that the misinterpreted remarks made between people who don't share the same sense of humour or general outlook on life, and the lack of vocal and facial cues that are so important to expression, and it's easy to see how flame wars erupt.

Before I send a post, I try to read my words as though they were written by someone else. If I'm angry when I write it, I ask myself if I'd have the nerve to say it to someone's face. Then I revise or delete.

[underpants]

36. Hell I even got flamed!

In GD on the thread about a book with two gay princes being read in public school.

The thread locked up my computer this morning when I was trying to read it.

Gee sorry I have an opinion that doesn't neatly fit into what me you and any who might be described (though I haven'tclaimed to be) a progressive. I just said I wouldn't want my child to be reading it at that age and I get jumped all over for repressing freedom and CIVIL RIGHTS. :eyes: