Here's a challenge to the board in general
 

Can we discuss why it's so very important for us to try and prove that our PoV is the correct one and those that disagree with us are deserving of personal insult?

The challenge...can we get beyond one page of postings without invoking the invectives?

Go.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1304779525.jpg


Sorry, couldn't resist. :D

carry on~

What's it to you, ya poopyhead?

As we can see from the above 2 posts, sadly the answer is "Are you crazy? No you fool"... :p
On a more serious note, it would be great if we could raise the "class average" of this board from mud-slinging, character assassination, and name calling, to heated debate.

OK, OK, my bad.:D

Lets just talk hockey, F1 and MotoGP. Seems to be a more mature crowd .

Man, you are getting old. Forgetting the MOST obvious topic for a Porsche web-site.

More Mustang needed in this thread

It's simple. We like watching certain movies with characters who behave counter to societal norms. We live vicariously through them. It's a cathartic experience that relieves the anxiety brought on by our dull lives. But we would never behave like them in real life.

Here on PPOT, we can say what we want in anonymity, so we do. We'd all like to be like Captain Jack Sparrow, but we can't. Savvy?

Mustangs and Capt Jack. We may be getting somewhere with this.

I suppose I can get understand the point of anonymity that the board offers. So we have it as a safety valve. But why does that frustration manifest itself in the hurling of personal insults? Does that really aggrandize the existence of the insulter?

One of the hardest things to do is understand someone with an opposing point of view.

Often when we think we understand we actually don't and from this false understanding comes judgement and criticism.
The trick is not to take it personally and ask questions to get more information.

For instance. If someone writes something that you think is offensive or racist, instead of getting angry. Ask them why they feel the way they do.
Right or wrong people feel the way they do because of their personal experiences from their past. Some of it is also their up bringing.
The point is people are people and by nature are unique. Regardless of their politics or beliefs they deserve to be heard.

Also... You'd be surprised how far you can get by being respectful to someone. ;)

I suspect there are a number of factors:

First, there seem to be several kinds of posters. One kind is interested in the topic and is seriously trying to contribute with a post. They may or may not have
a/ read the entire post to which they are responding
b/ they may or may not understand what they have read
c/ they might be commenting about something about which they know nothing and thereby provoke an undesired response.
Usually when there is a conflicting opinion between two posters if this ilk, they can chalk it up to differing view points and let it go.

Another kind of poster has an inflated sense of their own wit and humor and feels compelled to share it with all Pelicans. (see the first two responses above).

I suspect there is another sort of lowlife who, as stated above feels they are entitled to proclaim themselves master of all knowledge and is willing to prove to everyone else just how much they really know.

I never used to use the "Ignore" function, but I find it keeps me from shaking my head as much.

I know it takes all kinds to make a world, but at times, I appreciate someone with a respectful attitude toward this board and their fellow Pelicans.

Les

I enjoy PPOT because I find it to be a friendly place full of friendly people with varying backgrounds and areas of expertise, all of whom enthusiastically share their personal knowledge and skills, graciously answering even the 'dumbest' questions (I've asked more than several).

My perception is that all is well here until politics and religion enters in and things rapidly go south. But that doesn't seem to be a problem because the moderators do a good job bouncing those threads over to PARF where, if this thread were posted instead of here, some douchebag idiot moron like that ass hat DARISC would jump right on it and ruin everything.

I'd like to see the Jr. High kids off the bbs

Couple of years ago I was less than nice to someone here. Some thought my comments were funny. I did not think very highly of myself afterwards and made a public apology. While we have differing views on certain topics I do have tremendous respect the person and am looking forward to having several beers with him some day.

Being an ******* takes no real skill, anyone can do it.

I prefer to be able to look myself in the face and like what I see.

That's good of you to apologies. Sometimes it can be hard to do but it takes a real man to realize when he is wrong.

I can not believe how some people behave. Their entire life almost, is lived in some fantasy world... Complete denial of responsibility.

Because the internet amplifies the A-hole quotient in most people. (Myself included sometimes)

You know i have to point this out again.

Pelican is not a Porsche site.

When I was probably eight years old or so I got into an argument with my favorite uncle, an ex-SeaBee.

I got pretty cocky until my uncle smiled at me, put his hand ever so gently on my shoulder and said softly, Davey boy, it takes a man to admit he's wrong.

Belonging to my uncle, who I loved and and looked up to as my hero, that gentle hand felt like a sledgehammer crushing me into the dirt. I damn near broke into tears of shame and never forgot that lesson in life that I was fortunate to have been taught at a young age.

I like to think so. You see in this thread people who have the self awarenes to recognize when they've been wrong and their own capacity to be less than gracious. So yes I think there is room. Perhaps that space would increase if fewer of us fed into the second chakra based statements that get tossed arround.