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"There's two ways of looking at these forums..."

The first is that all the names you see on here are just that. Names. Names on a computer. Data stored on some server somewhere. It doesn't matter what they say, because, at the end of the day, it's all just a load of 1's and 0's on some big hard drive.

You don't want or need any recognition, praise or thanks. You don't care what they say. If they like you or loathe you. You could really give tosss if you offend someone, and it's water off a ducks back if someone offends you.


The second way of looking at these boards and, indeed, any board on the internet, is that every word that you read has been written by someone. Those words may have been carefully placed together in, what the author conceives of as, the right order. Someone has put time and effort into writing them. Some posts have more time and effort spent on them than others, though.

All the people that have written those words on here, may well have read words that you have written. They will take on board what you say. You may have some influence over them, like persuading them to read a book or watch a film that you really liked.

On the other hand, you could just as easily offend them, or be offended by them. Any insults you read, though perhaps not directed at you, may not be like water off a ducks back. They may be more like a sword right through the heart.


So, how do you look at these forums? Bits of data on a server, or real people with real feelings, ideas, emotions and influences?

There's no escaping the fact that there are people behind the user names.
But that said, you're far more detached than you would be in real life, and it's sometimes a good idea to take the forums with a pinch of salt.

But again, that's just because of the nature of your relationship with the people on the other side of the screen...

So a bit of both, but mainly the first one :^)

I would not come on here if I agreed with the first one.

Why would I even bother coming onto a chat forum if I did not care what anyone was saying and did not even recognise them as a person but instead a sequence of numbers. Why would I want an opinion from a row of numbers and what is the point in explaining something to a row of insignificant numbers.

The relationships are somewhat detached over any kind of internet forum. You do not have physial contact with the members but you do socialise and form some kind of attachment to some members - at the same time a less welcoming feel towards others. This to me, proves that although all you see is text on a screen next to a name that has been created especially these members are still people sitting infront of their computer screen passing time looking, browsing and reading the same things as you. Giving their opinions and advice even though they could be in america - or three doors down for all we know.

I know that some times some people on these forums may have helped an understanding or an opinion progress. There have times when some members have made me laugh, feel better and their advice has been taken into account. As well as the times I have been offended.

The latter almost certainly

Latter... thinking, wouldn't it be like saying a human's just bones and skin? If they're in my way they can die etc...

Dunno. Don't feel like becoming a serial killer that often.

Well..

hm

:)

I'd say the latter.

I see posters as people. It's true that they are probably not showing their true persona but I try to treat everyone on here as I want to be treated and try to be polite and helpful.

That's just the kind of person I am.

The latter - there are quite a few intelligent people about here, regardless of age. It's people like Col that take the former view :

"I'm a totally different person offline"

So you've got to ask yourself why they come online in the first place. I personally wouldn't get anything out of acting a complete cretin and giving people grief, I come here to have chats with like minded people.

I treat people I don't know or haven't had any dealing with outside of words here as just data.

To quote from a guy I like
"You're not a human being till you're in my phonebook"

I see posters on here as personas rather than whole people.

It's a bit like going to a party where everyone is wearing masks and costumes and you don't know who's who, or being a brain in a tank in a factory of brain's in tanks - wired up, communicating via circuits.

The real me hovers above and looks down throwing a pinch of salt over everything.

The latter obviously.

To think the former would be quite silly : of course someone typed it, and just because you can't see who is saying it doesn't make it any less valid.

Saying that, some of the stuff is pretty useless.

Meh.

Latter.

The latter, for the most part. And it does amaze me how incredibly dull so many of these people are.