Mar 06, 2008 01:42PM GMT
Question
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SodaHead - What's Bubbling in Your Head?
Your question Why do we often lapse into name calling and labeling when we disagree with someone's ideas?
I have been in "Sodahead" world for a little over 48 hours. In my time enaging with others and their polls, I have been called "a moron," "anti-religious," and "a liberal."I earned a PhD from a regionally accredited, state university, so I don't think any of the applications of "moron" really fit (though I will concede that some have rightfully challenged my common sense).
I am a former seminary student and a devout Lutheran. I have studied Christian mystics and written on the spirituality in Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass." I have studied the New Testament in Greek translation. I can't believe "anti-religious would fit any of my behaviors.
I would say that my politics tend to be somewhat left of central. I grew up in the 1960s. I have studied many times the Declaration of Independence and still found myself emotionally reacting when it was read just prior to this season's Super Bowl. I believe in the rights we all have as laid out in the Bill of Rights. I participate in each September's Constitution Day. Does my belief in these values earn me the disdainful label of "liberal"?
I wanted to share these experiences with you so you could see the framework for my question about why people seem to lapse into name-calling and labeling when they disagree with someone's ideas.
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Answered Lack of vocabulary to express one's own ideas creates the need for name calling.
This has a been a huge problem for me as well. It gets frustrating because I want to see the way others think and believe. I agree with a lot, but there are many i don't agree with. I have never called a name but have been called many. I have very strong beliefs about about a couple of topics, so the people who are on the opposite side just freak out. I hope that the majority of people continue to discuss topics maturely and if they don't I believe they should be kicked off this site. Good luck, you're going to need it on this site. -
Answered Lack of vocabulary to express one's own ideas creates the need for name calling.
Some people on here are just idiots. And those idiots also think that they are right no matter what they say. So, when they run out of argument (and they always do) they start name calling. -
Answered Lack of vocabulary to express one's own ideas creates the need for name calling.
Also the inability to logically counter an opposing viewpoint. Stick around Mark. We need more level-headed people around here. Some real nice people have left, tiring of the hatred and childish rants. -
Answered We have become self-absorbed and react with labels instead of thinking and shaping responses.
Sorry for your experience so far. There are lots of less, shall we say, emotional people on SH. You will find them and enjoy their input. Hey, if you really want to be called names - try saying anything positive about Bush, you know the guy who controls everything from your hang nail to global warming. LOL Hang in there! -
Answered All of the above
Welcome to SodaHead, lol.
In a nutshell I think there are alot of immature people here (and at other sites ), that immaturity having nothing to do with their age. They've never learned how to debate intelligently, or to accept the fact that people have differing opinions. I don't know how they get through life, or why they're even here as this is a site for expressing your opinion. I also thing that some people just get that internet bravery, they would never in a million years talk like that to someone in person. -
Answered All of the above
You sound like me! Except that I'm Episcopalian, and I've been on SH for over 6 months now. I found the same thing. I was called stupid, moron, pretend Christian and un-American. I would consider being called a liberal a compliment, even though, like you, I'm only slightly left of center. I used to spend a lot of time on SH, but after several really hateful comments I decided that I didn't really want to spend that kind of time with such hate-filled people even if it is only a small number. I only spend maybe an hour to an hour and a half on my days off, and there are a lot of polls and pollsters that I would have answered before, but I don't go near. Some of these people only want their opinion, not yours.
Name calling is also a way of leveling. "If you're stupid then your opinions can't have any validity." -
Answered We name call because we are modeling behaviors of others.
I believe part of it is that, by name calling, labeling and cursing, it lowers the stature of the person being attacked in the eyes of the attacker. A prime example of this would be the school yard bully who belittles his/her victims by calling them names. As people become adults, this tends to also be used as a defense mechanism in an argument to boost the standing of the attacker in the absence of valid evidence to back their point, you vomittous pool of phlegm. On Soda Head, you will find that, not only will you be called names, you worthless pile of mongoose excrement, but people will down-rave you just because they disagree with you, you scruffy looking nerfherder. Then, to top it off, they will go through many of your previous posts and down-rave you there, too. Ask me how I know.
You have a couple of choices; one, stop coming to SodaHead so you don't have to put up with the name calling and cursing, two, learn to ignore the ignoramuses who resort to such tactics, or three, lower yourself to their standards and call them names back, you festering ball of puss.
P.S. The little jabs throughout were just a joke, you said you have a sense of humor, you slimy trail of slug excrement! ;-) -
Answered All of the above
People who result to name calling only prove their ignorance. That's why I don't do it back. It proves that whatever you said struck a nerve inside of them and they can't handle opposition. But freedom of speech is respecting someone else's right to have an opinion different from yours whether you think it's true or false. I have been called some of the same things for challenging systems and ideas. It's good to think critically and not just blindly follow. And it's also okay to believe what you want to, it's your mind. However sometimes people's minds get them in trouble when they attack others based upon what they believe. But hate is learned. -
Answered None of the above
I really think the answer would be some of the above. Answers 1, 2, 3, I think apply. But then there are some people who do not comprehend anything, but nasty language, which makes it a problem when trying to communicate with them. Foul language really offends me, and it is really difficult when I try and communicate thoughts and ideas to someone who does not, or does not want to have a civil exchange of ideas without using it. -
Answered None of the above
My guess is that calling people stupid, commie liberals cuts the argument off and wins their point somehow. It also gives folks a means to somehow chop their opponents credibility down. It's silly, childish and unreasonable. I've done some 'debating' with such folks and it is usually a waste of time. I engaged a guy about Waterboarding once...I believe it's torture. He thought I was an arrogant highminded liberal that was soft on defense because of my so called coddling of terrorists. I think the liberal argument is finally wearing off and people can see that name calling for what it is...mindless and infantile. -
Answered Undecided
your guess is a good as mine, when i read the first sentences my thought was wow really, i guess theres a few folks on here that i have only heard about i dont recall any one being an with stupid words to me, thank goodness they wouldnt like my responses. i can just say that some just cant play well with others dont know really -
Answered We have become self-absorbed and react with labels instead of thinking and shaping responses.
Tempers flare and anonymity allows "anything goes"
Edited to add: BTW, get used to being called a liberal. It's second nature around here. Welcome to SodaHead. I'm a "liberal" too. -
Answered We have become self-absorbed and react with labels instead of thinking and shaping responses.
A large amount of people on this site, especially in the political polls, get really offended by people who disagree with them. I dont really understand it. I have been told I am afraid of women simply cause I dont like hillary clinton. Its really making me consider if I enjoy this site anymore. Most people on here are stuck up and full of themselves and cant ever take a joke. -
Answered Undecided
I really don't have a clear answer; I think "All of the above" comes close. However, I think there may be other reasons I've not even thought about. That is the reason for engaging you all in the "Sodahead" community to weigh-in on the question.
Also, I have to confess, that I hope my question encourages others to be thoughtful and to engage others in meaningful and civil discourse.
Answered We name call because we are modeling behaviors of others.
I believe part of it is that, by name calling, labeling and cursing, it lowers the stature of the person being attacked in the eyes of the attacker. A prime example of this would be the school yard bully who belittles his/her victims by calling them names. As people become adults, this tends to also be used as a defense mechanism in an argument to boost the standing of the attacker in the absence of valid evidence to back their point, you vomittous pool of phlegm. On Soda Head, you will find that, not only will you be called names, you worthless pile of mongoose excrement, but people will down-rave you just because they disagree with you, you scruffy looking nerfherder. Then, to top it off, they will go through many of your previous posts and down-rave you there, too. Ask me how I know.You have a couple of choices; one, stop coming to SodaHead so you don't have to put up with the name calling and cursing, two, learn to ignore the ignoramuses who resort to such tactics, or three, lower yourself to their standards and call them names back, you festering ball of puss.
P.S. The little jabs throughout were just a joke, you said you have a sense of humor, you slimy trail of slug excrement! ;-)