Elitist?

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AuthorTopic: Elitist?
Veteran*
Member # 5
Profile #25
You know how elitism occurs? People *****ing about not being e-cool.

This community is quite accepting to anyone with intelligence. I have NEVER seen anyone go out of their way to harass a particular member just because they felt superior to them.

Bottom line: Quit yer *****in, ingrates. Do you go and complain to the popular kids when they don't hang out with you at school? Does it ever work if you had?
Posts: 455 | Registered: Tuesday, May 17 2005 07:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #26
Wait.

Sir Robin started this whole train of thought?

Sweet Mother of God that guy is good.

:D

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WWtNSD?
Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #27
quote:
Originally written by M.:

It’s been said a number of times that we prefer been seen as “elitists” than as a forum filled with pointless topics that go on forever to the point where no one reads them, where all of its members are illiterates, and everyone behaved as if they were eight.
Well put. If we wanted to be members of Something Awful, we'd be members of Something Awful. We want to be here.

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Veteran*
Member # 5
Profile #28
quote:
Originally written by Jumpin' Sarcasmon:

Wait.

Sir Robin started this whole train of thought?

Sweet Mother of God that guy is good.

:D

Dunno bout that man.

It just looks like a bunch of people whining to me. Is that THAT impressive? :P

[ Tuesday, June 12, 2007 21:11: Message edited by: Mysterious Man ]
Posts: 455 | Registered: Tuesday, May 17 2005 07:00
Shaper
Member # 6292
Profile #29
This online forum is like real life in that you will so typically get out of it what you put into it, and that especially includes attitude. It's really no great mystery to me in life how to evoke being treated the way you want to be treated in general. There is little that warms my heart greater than to see a person take accountability for his/her own experience in the world and to recognize how much power (s)he has to craft it.

I take accountability for the experiences I have had here. I have had the power to start, stop, and change my experience here, and have done all of the above at some point. Elitism is an equal-opportunity predator, if you ask me. It's simply very human, and I can see it in religion, science, and any political party alike...and in any online forum I've ever frequented. I can see it in you and I can see it in me. It's something we all tend to have in some area of our life to some degree, until we outgrow it and grow into our confidence of just being who we are and seeing that as sufficient. Elitism is a basically a front, a ruse, a persona we hide behind. None of us is above it.

...

This forum is unlike real life in that there are no real relationships here. :P

-S-

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Posts: 2009 | Registered: Monday, September 12 2005 07:00
Warrior
Member # 8872
Profile #30
I may be a 'stupid' noob, but I have something to add. I am trying HARD to not be stupid so I will eventually earn a place in this community. Firstly, you rule Kel. Thanks for that. Secondly, most people are good to me despite by state of noobness. Thirdly, (sorry (noun)king!) I get picked on for having random ideas or questions about strange things. M., I aggree with you. Randomizer, you have a good point. Hooray for Elitism!

Slarty-
quote:
Why can't we all just get along?
I don't think that will ever happen just for the sake of getting along. No cause is lost when there is but one eccentric, crazed rebel remaining, which there will always be.

EDIT: Wow! Quite a versatile philosophy elitism is! Strangely, I hadn't heard of it until today. But I am slightly strange...

[ Tuesday, June 12, 2007 23:24: Message edited by: Fractal ]

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"The mouth is like the city gate. Opening it lets the soldiers of stupidity into the world."
--Shaper wisdom from G2

Porcrastinators Unite...Tomorrow!
Posts: 197 | Registered: Saturday, June 2 2007 07:00
Shaper
Member # 7472
Profile Homepage #31
quote:
Originally written by M.:

Every forum has its good and bad things. It’s been said a number of times that we prefer been seen as “elitists” than as a forum filled with pointless topics that go on forever to the point where no one reads them, where all of its members are illiterates, and everyone behaved as if they were eight.
But wouldn't it be better to have neither? To inform newbies and those less literate of their mistake(s) without taking a condescending and/or demeaning position? And what's wrong with someone inserting their opinion on a subject, whether or not it's incorrect or not entirely factual? Is an opinion a reason to open virtual fire on them? It can be corrected without verbally steamrolling the person who made the comment (and yes, I've done this a few times myself).

To MM: This has nothing to do with being cool.

Finally, I agree with Synergy almost completely.

One last note: Unless prompted, this will be the last peep you hear out of me on this subject in general, here at the SW forums or any other satellites. It's obvious that discussing this is doing more harm than good, and I don't see a reason to needlessly continue it.

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Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00
...b10010b...
Member # 869
Profile Homepage #32
Every second I spend looking at a post to decide whether it's worth reading is a second I can't spend doing something worthwhile. As such, I would prefer the forums to be frequented by members who don't suck.

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The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure!
Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #33
quote:
Originally written by Thuryl:

Every second I spend looking at a post to decide whether it's worth reading is a second I can't spend doing something worthwhile. As such, I would prefer the forums to be frequented by members who don't suck.
If it weren't so dreadfully long, I would be sigging this.

Oh, and sorry for that second.

[ Wednesday, June 13, 2007 00:51: Message edited by: jg.faust ]

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Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 8596
Profile #34
I wonder if I'm somehow a strange combination of both noob and elitist then. Crazy.

What're these other forums mentioned anyways? I'm not really "in the loop" so to speak, to know about the branch outs from here.

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ni~pah
Posts: 28 | Registered: Friday, April 27 2007 07:00
Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
Profile #35
I'm surprised that anyone who was able to express a complaint about elitism would also have had grounds for it. I think people usually only get snippy here with blatantly juvenile behavior. Our regulars are a somewhat older crowd, and we do sometimes get cranky when those darn kids show up, shouting and playing their crazy music.

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We're not doing cool. We're doing pretty.
Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00
Warrior
Member # 4638
Profile #36
First off, what is wrong with elitism?

Elitism should be accepted.

The opinion of those with superior understanding of any situation should be given the most weight.

I would say Spiderweb is elitist.

At the same time, I think there is no bar preventing those who show superior understanding or contribution from becoming "elite." So the elite class is open to those who prove themselves.

I think that the evils of elitism depend a lot on how the elite class is formed. When formed based on raw talent and personal historical contribution, some of its inherent evil may be abated.

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Trying not to flame...
You are asleep.
Be careful what you pretend to be because you are what you pretend to be.
So it goes.
Posts: 93 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 6700
Profile Homepage #37
"Elitist" is not a bad thing, if elitist is defined as having high standards.

"Elitist" becomes a bad thing when the definition includes xenophobia, egotism, exclusivism, and the poor manners that are associated with them.

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Posts: 735 | Registered: Monday, January 16 2006 08:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #38
quote:
Originally written by Imban's Cat-Eared Maid:

I wonder if I'm somehow a strange combination of both noob and elitist then. Crazy.

What're these other forums mentioned anyways? I'm not really "in the loop" so to speak, to know about the branch outs from here.

None of them are really worth visiting, except perhaps Desperance and Polaris (but the former is NSFW, and the latter is really slow these days). The rest are relatively short-lived publicity stunts, and unless you go out of your way to get to them, they'll only ever pop up in signatures or threads like this one.

Edit: I forgot about Shadow Vale, which has defied tradition and stayed alive and bustling for several months. But if it survives a year, it's setting a record.

[ Wednesday, June 13, 2007 04:36: Message edited by: jg.faust ]

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EncyclopaediaArchivesMembersRSS [Topic / Forum] • BlogPolarisNaNoWriMo
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
I have a love of woodwind instruments.
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #39
quote:
Originally written by jg.faust:

None of them are really worth visiting, except perhaps Desperance and Polaris (but the former is NSFW, and the latter is really slow these days). The rest are relatively short-lived publicity stunts, and unless you go out of your way to get to them, they'll only ever pop up in signatures or threads like this one.
This is perfect! See, we are elitist, and proud of it!

This phase, Nioca, of worrying about the feelings of others will pass when you realize that the only recourse you have is to change your own behaviour. If you think new members are being attacked, stop attacking them. If you feel the need to lead some sort of level playing field, then the burden is on you to fix it, rather than find some interested third party to which you can groan about it. That is the type of behaviour which creates ill feelings. There are many members that have left these forums, and I'm sure some of them for the very reasons you mention. Good riddance.

It has been said many times on this board, If you can't stand the gunfire, for God's sake just duck!

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WWtNSD?
Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
Profile Homepage #40
"Why can't we all just get along?" was somewhat sarcastic.

Student of Trinity has it right. In real life, it's exceedingly rare to see a social group that includes both 10- and 20-year-olds. The developmental changes that occur between those ages, with regard to social skills, are pretty huge. That's even more noticeable here because an internet forum about computer games is going to attract members who are, on average, less socially inclined and more fantasy oriented than the average person.

So on the one hand I see what Nioca is reacting to, but I think it's baloney to call that stuff elitism; it's just more developed social abilities and standards. It's hard to use sarcasm appropriately when you're 10, for example. I know I would get in trouble for making personal attacks that I had intended to be friendly jokes. And when you get older you lose tolerance for the behaviors you practiced when younger. When I was Nioca's age I'm sure I said foolish things based on false assumptions, too. But now I yell at him when he does it (see the first Deathmatch topic). *shrug*

I do think this it's a case of pot and kettle to label this "elitism" -- decrying somebody else's social standards is just as elitist as applying them is. The explanation for the standards' origins may be age-related, but the standards aren't applied based on age, newbiehood, or any other factor. Before being permabanned, TM had been compared to the demographically average spiderweb member in every respect. He was a bit on the older side and was an oldbie respected for his accomplishments. But he nonetheless received as much hate and negative attention for his actions as anyone did. (His banning was sometimes delayed, but I have not heard any complaints about banning decisions in this topic, just about post content.)

There is however an important truth in Nioca's argument. Condemnation of behavior that's not up to par need not be insulting. Many people here could improve on that front. But as for its more blank condemnation, there is neither elitism nor hate in it. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. People deserve to get more support in learning to withstand heat than most do; however, this is a poor place to look for such support.

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Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00
? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
Profile #41
quote:
Originally written by Yama:

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.
So much for starting a new version of this tired phrase.

:P

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WWtNSD?
Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #42
quote:
Originally written by Nioca:

To inform newbies and those less literate of their mistake(s) without taking a condescending and/or demeaning position?
Newbies tend to yell at newbies much more than experienced members do. Most oldbies here don't exhibit the behavior you're describing.
quote:
And what's wrong with someone inserting their opinion on a subject, whether or not it's incorrect or not entirely factual?
If it's a real opinion, it can't be "correct" or "incorrect" or "factual" or not. The problem comes when people try to explain why they think what they think and put forward a whole bunch of so-called facts that are completely wrong.

It is most instructive at that time, I think, to point out why they are full of it. Neither side may learn anything, but third-parties who read the argument do. (Well, that's not entirely true; I often learn things by showing why opposing arguments don't hold up.)

[ Wednesday, June 13, 2007 09:19: Message edited by: Kelandon ]

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 4239
Profile #43
I'm speaking as somebody who as at various times posted semi-regularly, sometimes lurked, and sometimes ignored you for months, and as a 20-year-old double-majoring in computer science at one of the country's best engineering schools and government at one of the nation's best government schools (just so you know I have nothing against liberals or smart people ;) ):
This forum is elitist and a closed community. The number of in-jokes required to understand most off-topic conversations is astounding, and people are called out on minor errors of punctuation or diction as if they were going to blow up a nuclear facility. This place is a giant wankfest.
That said, it's not particularly surprising. You're a small community most of whom spend large amounts of time here, and giant wankfests are fun. But you should at least know it's happening, and for a lot of people who aren't in the community it's no fun at all.

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There are two kinds of game players...those who are newbies, and those who were.
Posts: 322 | Registered: Monday, April 12 2004 07:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #44
Why the hell should a community be fun for people who aren't in it?

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Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens.
Smoo: Get ready to face the walls!
Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr.

Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me
The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever
Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00
Veteran*
Member # 5
Profile #45
This thread is ridiculous. The only purpose being served here is for people who care too much to *****.

Here's a hint: Most of the "elitists" wouldn't think twice about being flamed by another "elitist". Why? They probably have no reason to care. I know I don't. Someone disagreed with my opinion rudely. Is it really worth creating a scene? No.

If you see the way things work here, and you don't like them, then by god, go ***** on another forum, because you're only alienating yourself more from the so-called elitists by doing so here.
Posts: 455 | Registered: Tuesday, May 17 2005 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 6785
Profile #46
Amen.

TM should be brought back once a year to flame newbies to show them how bad things really can be here. If you don't like what's been said then ignore it and go on to another topic. No one forces you to read. It's like complaining about what's on television because you're too lazy to change the channel or turn it off and do something better with your time.
Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00
Lifecrafter
Member # 7331
Profile Homepage #47
More like "If your hand hurts, pull it out of the fire."

If you don't want to read it, don't.

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Posts: 794 | Registered: Thursday, July 27 2006 07:00
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #48
quote:
Originally written by Randomizer:

TM should be brought back once a year to flame newbies to show them
Please do get in contact with him; I'm sure he'd love the idea of posing as a kind of newbie-eating, communist scare-crow for your edification. :P

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EncyclopaediaArchivesMembersRSS [Topic / Forum] • BlogPolarisNaNoWriMo
Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
I have a love of woodwind instruments.
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
By Committee
Member # 4233
Profile #49
Stupid is as stupid posts.
Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00

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