TROLLING and FLAMING

[Inchworm]

Trolls and flamers posting on the boards of any forum can make life miserable for people trying to participate in the spirit of good will that our forums are intended to have.

TFF has always taken pride in being able to call ourselves "The Friendliest Forum Around," and, I for one hate to see it happen. This is a thread to talk about trolling and flaming.

Please tell us how it makes you feel when you find that someone has done it on a thread you have started or are posting on. If you are a person who does this kind of thing, I would also be interesting in learning why you do it.

And, if anyone has any ideas about what we at TFF could do to eliminate it from our boards, I'd like to hear that too.

For a definition of trolling and flaming, please click here:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=31152

 

[cation]

I thought this was being discussed in the SPAM post....

 

[Inchworm]

I thought this was being discussed in the SPAM post....

Hi cation

No, they are two separate issues. Its true, however, that spam can be many things, and trolling and flaming are always spam. But, IMHO, spamming is often thoughtless and innocent, while trolls and flamers are malicious and evil.

Trolls sometimes come to a forum for no other reason than to cause arguments and disruption among unsuspecting members. Flaming can be hurtful to the person it is directed against and can ruin good reputations.

This is a thread to talk about trolls and flamers. If anyone has comments about spam, please post them here:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=60433

 

[skimpy]

I have looked around at a few other fish forums but have stuck with TFF because I personally do find it friendly (and I not creeping to you all).

Not only have I found it friendly but I have found on most occasions that you get answered quite quickly, which when you are worried about you fish that can be really important. I find that on the most part people on here are serious fish keepers and the feel for the forum therefore hopefully encourages others who are serious, keen, and interested about their fish.

If people are found to be trolling or flaming I believe they should be banned because it can be very upsetting, it can "suckker" you into an argument, raise emotions and leave you feeling bad. This forum is not about that, if it was, I for one would not be interested in being a member.

I do remember recently seeing an post which I felt was trolling and members got sucked in and in and in until it was stopped, i even got sucked in at the very beginning myself before i reaslised what was happening. The sad part about this post was that I got hooked on seeing who else got emotionally sucked in and found myself talking to my monitor saying, "STOP he's playing with you", "no don't answer that he's winding you up" etc. etc. and the "little" spare time I have was spent checking out that post, instead of other posts which may have really needed some help. It made me cross with myself for getting sucked in. They are not healthy because they "PLAY" with peoples emotions and they can become very addictive.

Why do people do it? I think its because they like to wind people up, push their buttons, get a reaction and then sit their laughing at us. Like fireworks, you lite the blue touch paper sit back and watch it happen. It's entertainment to them.

EDIT:

- I found this on one of Wolf's posts perhaps we can add it permanently to our clickable smilies.

 

[Tjimbsoj]

I think we should all realise there is life outside our monitor and not put our 'emotions' through a keyboard into a forum

Just my opinion

 

[Inchworm]

I think we should all realise their is life outside our monitor and not put our 'emotions' through a keyboard into a forum

Just my opinion

Hi Tjimbsoj

Let me reply before anyone else does.

You might well believe that, but many of the regular members her rely on each other for advice, assistance and friendship. We do not expect to be hurt of deceived by other members.

Plagiarized contest entries, while they might not be exactly flaming or trolling, must fall into the same category of inappropriate conduct. When a person does that, it is with the full intent to harm another member by stealing their glory and to mislead others. It's a shameful and terrible thing to do.

Members do put a lot of work into making their tanks beautiful and deserve to be proud of any that are even nominated to be in an OTM contest. They deserve to be complemented and the best each month deserves to receive the banner.

While this forum might be a "virtual" community, it is real in that it is made up of people who do have genuine feelings behind what they post. IMHO, this is what a hobby forum is all about.

 

[Tjimbsoj]

Hurt, decieved, are you hearing yourself?

I respect and understand peoples anger at me, but even before I was given the chance to explain myself everyone got on the bandwagon and before one knew it I was this 'digusting' person. Thats the true injustice with forums.

Although this is disgressing, the tank setup was actually mine, as although I'm situated in the UK now, I use to be a US resident who was apart of the business which created tanks for people. The tank we created was for my uncle, and when I go to the US, I help him maintain it.

Sadly though members were too busy picking the bones of the situation without asking themselves...Why do such a lame thing? I do not need to try and justify myself to people I've never met

Anyway, on a much grander scale, if you let a paragraph or picture by some guy/girl you've never met before on some fish forum 'hurt' and 'violate' you, then you've got to take a good look at yourself and question your real 'non-virtual' life, and what exactly is leading you to feel exposed and vulnerable on the net.

People do have genuine feelings, emotions and so fourth, but these can never be truefully replicated through a monitor. This is a hobby forum, not a emotional vent for the socially deprived.

 

[enchanted]

First, that has to be one of the worst written and most contradictive posts I have ever read. People can be hurt out here on the net just as if you were standing next to them. When you have spent time on a forum you grow to trust the people you speak with and someone decieving them is the same as if you were in front of them doing it.

Second, if it is your tank then you should take a major discussion up with Fintastic due to the fact that they stated it was in "THEIR" showroom when I called them.

Third, you already stated it was not your tank, but you claimed it was. If it is your uncles tank, then it is his not yours so you still decieved people.

Fourth, if someone claimed I was lying and I wasn't I would have provided additional proof which you have not.

Personally, I do not believe you had anything to do with that tank as I called Fintastic and spoke with them. Also, I feel it is in bad taste to make the statements you just made after the actions you did take.

If I were to post a tank I had no access to I would tell people where it is, not try and decieve people by stating that it is mine.

As for Virtual and Real seperation, there is no more anymore. The person you are here should be the same person you are when you walk out your front door. The reason is you never know when you might meet someone from here and what do you do then if things don't match up and the person you are outside is different from here?

Edit: Originally I didn't post this, but for those who would like to contact Fintastic to recieve the same information I did:

(704) 525-0049

 

[Tjimbsoj]

You called the showroom? Oh dear.

Theres no such thing as 'people' on a forum. Your a name, a couple of opinions and an avatar. I understand your anger and frustration, but step back from the situation and realise how small this 'thread' is in relation to your life...

Keep bone-picking the situation, enjoy it, and then move on..

You never know, if I hear someone screaming Tjimbsoj down my local shopping center I know to run and hide!

Sadly within myself I know my actions are correct, and I'm not trying to 'decieve' you. I was in the wrong but stating that the tank is mine, but if you help construct it and maintain it (I can spend up to 4 months per year over at my uncles house) it does beg the question to who's tank it really is.

 

[kevin007]

ok so i let what you say be true, the tank is your UNCLE's what about the cardianal tetra pic, is the owner of that picture also your uncle?

 

[enchanted]

I will make it simple and simply call Fintastic and ask them to come out here and handle this. Then it will be straightened out.

As for whose tank it is, if the tank is not in your possession then it isn't your tank.

And as for the rest, have the time I sign my first name. There are times when I sign my full name on forums. If I were to run into a member on the street I would be glad to meet them. If I were to make a trip to England I would look up some of the users.

I believe many users here are this way because we are fish enthusiasts and enjoy being around others that are the same.

 

[LadyMinion]

Hurt, decieved, are you hearing yourself?

...........................

Anyway, on a much grander scale, if you let a paragraph or picture by some guy/girl you've never met before on some fish forum 'hurt' and 'violate' you, then you've got to take a good look at yourself and question your real 'non-virtual' life, and what exactly is leading you to feel exposed and vulnerable on the net.

People do have genuine feelings, emotions and so fourth, but these can never be truefully replicated through a monitor. This is a hobby forum, not a emotional vent for the socially deprived.

Not meaning to cause an argument here, but I have to disagree with some of the things you've said.

While I think it can be unhealthy to spend most of your waking life glued to a monitor, I believe it should be treated the same as any other social activity. Just because the people you are talking to may be thousands of miles away does not make them any less real. It is really no different from going down the pub with your mates, except that you can't see each other and it is much much easier for misunderstandings to occur.

The term "virtual" is really a false one. The people are real, the conversation is real and the way people apply what they have done/learned is real. Therefore it is only to be expected that what people feel after doing something online is real. It's a perfectly normal human response. To accuse someone who feels emotional after doing/reading something online as "socially deprived" is just plain nasty.

The big problem with being online is when people pretend to be someone they're not. When people tell lies or create arguments for the hell of it, they are doing it because:

a ) it gives some kind of "ego trip" because no one knows who they really are.
b ) they like to get away with saying what they want and no one is any the wiser.

In my opinion, it's those people who are having trouble with their "virtual lives". They are the ones who give the rest of the online community a bad name. The majority of people are just out to have a typical social experience.

So, to put this to example. If you go out for an evening with your mates and one of them says something offensive, will you be offended? Yes, of course you will. If someone says the same offensive thing in an online chatroom, will you be offended then? You should be. It's no different.

And that is why people feel "hurt, decieved and violated". Because they have been offended. Whether it's by the person standing next to them or someone 10 thousand miles away.

Rather than us being "socially deprived", perhaps I could make the suggestion that you are "emotionally incapable"?

 

[Tjimbsoj]

Again I dont have to justify myself, but for the sake of your 'pain', I will bullet point my answers.


>The cardinal picture is not mine. There are succesfully breeding cardinals within the tank. I was wrong to make you cry and post pictures of plug sockets

>I guess if the picture is of the owner, then he is my uncle

Has your sense of injustice been satisfied yet kevin?

 

[Inchworm]

Thank you LadyMinion.

You post expresses the way many of us feel about our online community, in a most beautiful and thoughtful way.

 

[kevin007]

Again I dont have to justify myself, but for the sake of your 'pain', I will bullet point my answers.


>The cardinal picture is not mine. There are succesfully breeding cardinals within the tank. I was wrong to make you cry and post pictures of plug sockets

>I guess if the picture is of the owner, then he is my uncle

Has your sense of injustice been satisfied yet kevin?

now you got me angry..

all i was trying to do was to help you in a way, so you can win the totm competition which you earned, if the tank was yours, i meant NO offence.

So answer this:

is the pics cardinal tetras IN the tank?

and if they are not, does it mean you shipped the cardinals to the owner of the pictures? who lives in sweden?