WhatWouldHulkDo
Level 8 Valued Member
Many years ago, I tried being a member of a politics discussion forum. I honestly love to argue, when it's a real, reasoned argument. But I just couldn't take there, because it was populated by the worst people in the world. Or at least, people who might have been rational, thinking adults in the real world but liked to act like the worst people in the world from behind the safety of a keyboard. Today, on a whim, I went to go read that forum a little for the first time in years... and it only took about 5 minutes of reading to completely lose faith in humanity again.
So... what is it about this forum that makes it work?
Part of it is simple population. Self-improvement simply doesn't draw the same sheer numbers of people, unfortunately - particularly when there's no easy answers. But on the plus side, less people = less monsters. And a smaller population is far easier for our much-appreciated moderators to keep control of.
I want to believe that the biggest reason is that most folks on here aren't here because they want to be the "best", in spite of some of our competitive natures. We're here because we want to be the best version of ourselves. And the best version of ourselves generally is usually thoughtful, reflective and supportive.
And, of course, the subject matter is simply less charged. Countries don't go to war over the best way to work up to a pistol squat. Many people don't seem to be able to be their best selves and be passionate about a topic at the same... are our best self necessarily dispassionate?
I just feel like, if someone could find a way to put the vibe here into virus, and infect the rest of the internet with it... that'd be Nobel Prize stuff.
Now I'm gonna go swing some kettlebells to restore my faith in humanity.
So... what is it about this forum that makes it work?
Part of it is simple population. Self-improvement simply doesn't draw the same sheer numbers of people, unfortunately - particularly when there's no easy answers. But on the plus side, less people = less monsters. And a smaller population is far easier for our much-appreciated moderators to keep control of.
I want to believe that the biggest reason is that most folks on here aren't here because they want to be the "best", in spite of some of our competitive natures. We're here because we want to be the best version of ourselves. And the best version of ourselves generally is usually thoughtful, reflective and supportive.
And, of course, the subject matter is simply less charged. Countries don't go to war over the best way to work up to a pistol squat. Many people don't seem to be able to be their best selves and be passionate about a topic at the same... are our best self necessarily dispassionate?
I just feel like, if someone could find a way to put the vibe here into virus, and infect the rest of the internet with it... that'd be Nobel Prize stuff.
Now I'm gonna go swing some kettlebells to restore my faith in humanity.