This place is toxic (not meant for anyone personally)

PJ_Soul

I don't think this place is toxic. It's great to see debate and discussion about whatever people are wanting to discuss. If these conversations turn into disagreements, great. That's often when the really interesting points are made. This kind of conflict is okay. It's healthy. I never understood why so many people seem so scared of it. Yes, there are a lot of shitty things happening in the world all the time. But a forum where these things can be discussed and debated and interpreted is a place where people come together for a common purpose whether they have the same opinions or not. That seems the opposite of toxic to me. Giving up out of frustration and ignoring difficult issues in society and in the world just to avoid potential conflict seems kind of unhealthy though, and if that attitude spreads then we really are all fucked...... but I too agree that taking a break from it once in a while is a good idea!

Really i think some good advice that we've seen over and over is "don't let it get to ya!"

cincybearcat

brianlux said:

Cincy, if the OP doesn't get to decide what people post about do we get to decided who does and does not participate? I agree this place is great at time (otherwise I wouldn't waste my time here) but I also agree that it can be very negative at times (especially lately) and I support the OP's right to participate by saying "this place is toxic".

Not my intention. My intention was to give him a tool to help deal with the "toxic" environment here.

If you hate something....why would
You want to be a part of it?

backseatLover12

Hey Brian - Thanks for understanding.

And on that note, I'm outta here. Not taking a break, ending the membership. Moving on. Finding bluer skies. Where people aren't so negative. One last thing to say: I came close to death once, and it's changed my perspective on life since. When you're that close to the end, you realize how beautiful life really is, how lucky we all are. I can't let petty topics get me down any longer. Greener pastures.

Good luck everyone arguing current topics brought to you by Big Media. (because the media's stating the truth to the masses, ).

Oh, and if anyone really cares about what I was talking about above, actually talking about ideas, solutions, possibilities… what a different place this would be if more of that happened. I've tried, but god knows that it's the negative threads that get much more replies and attention. Keep talking 'bout those guns!

chadwick

yeah... um
well
i have a opinion on a lot of fucking stuff & that does not mean i am correct or incorrect for whomever else but i will say something

i fucking dislike many things about american society. this country here is a fucking nightmare on wheels & it is growing at a rate that is programming & killing us.

the simple truth is many countless millions are blind & deaf to it all

toxins? fuck yes america's bullshit culture (if i can even call this a culture) is poison. look around & we are dying both slowly & rapidly. the educated may not be wise. the educated may be weakened. the educated may be completely useless with zero spirituality.

?heart
who has fucking heart?

i have removed myself from 'mainstream anything' many moons ago. the herd is over there ----->
i'm in a different hemisphere altogether, therefore i can barelly function in this
fractured headache cluster

i admire the following: artists, buddhists & hindu monks, yogis, gurus, shamans, norse barbarians, selflessness, water, air, dirt, fire, directions, wind, grass, trees, all living & extinct creatures & that is about it. everything else is nothing. a lot of people are tolerated but not my cup of tea as they generally bring me down or do not add something wonderful to the sparkle that surrounds us, that makes up what we are... & i am very easily impressed & sensitive to others & their energies

sensitive to peoples' energies
sensitive to people
sensitive

yeah this society gets under my skin in a quick hurry

is this debating section of the forum leaching toxics into ourselves? are we creating these poisons? yes. what we read is imprinted into our minds. what we write negatively here is creating toxics for all once read, discussed & whatnot

meditate nicely to removed bullshit

oh... & brains or mental & physical disabilities... i like someone who has busted their buns, overcame difficulties & sits calmy under tree doing absolutely nothing & is ecstatic reveling in silence

the malls down the way & across this land can all burn to the ground for all i care

love, calmness, respect
how about being great parents & great roll models for our young people
this is needed
even adults need mentors

it may read like im a dick
i am
life is struggle

one day (yours & my) epic battles in this existence will be eased & rewards will fly

brianlux

Are we maybe missing a good point the OP is (was, now that that person has left) making? I think so. I know I haven't been on here as long as some of you but in my time here I have sensed a greater over-all negativity. I can see a good argument for saying that calling this place toxic is a bit of an over reach but sometimes it takes some accentuating of a point to get that point across. Another indicator worth thinking about is found by just looking at how many people have dropped put of here. I often get the sense that it's just the handful of us die-hards who keep showing up here. If it's such a great place then why is it so goddamn empty around here lately? I think we'd do well to at least try to make it better again. We really could do with a few more positive stories.

You know, I've been around activist off and on most of my adult life and people who really, I mean really, dig into current events and are action oriented have more fun than people who just sit around and grouse. I know, I've done both.

hedonist

I think perception may play a part here. Most people I've come across in this forum don't grouse. We discuss and yes - given the topic, it may not be light, and it may become heated.

That's not necessarily negative.

And, I think many left when the format changed (many threatened to as well, Mr. Lux! ).

I started a thread awhile back about good stories and shit. It fell pages back.

Big deal! We know this forum isn't the world.

Those "keep faith in humankind" stories are always there; it's incumbent upon us to see them and then go from there.

hedonist

So, been listening to some live PJ tonight, mostly the NY 2010 show, and had a mini-epiphany.

This music so reflects us, all of us, in its beauty and conflict and passion and harshness, and lovely simplicity.

Rats
Push Me Pull Me
Given to Fly
Present Tense

It's a path and the crossroads are needed.

As are those we meet along the way.

Annafalk

backseatLover12 said:

Hey Brian - Thanks for understanding.

And on that note, I'm outta here. Not taking a break, ending the membership. Moving on. Finding bluer skies. Where people aren't so negative. One last thing to say: I came close to death once, and it's changed my perspective on life since. When you're that close to the end, you realize how beautiful life really is, how lucky we all are. I can't let petty topics get me down any longer. Greener pastures.

Good luck everyone arguing current topics brought to you by Big Media. (because the media's stating the truth to the masses, ).

Oh, and if anyone really cares about what I was talking about above, actually talking about ideas, solutions, possibilities… what a different place this would be if more of that happened. I've tried, but god knows that it's the negative threads that get much more replies and attention. Keep talking 'bout those guns!

I also think it's great with positive threads and I would like everyone to have a good feeling coming to this forum even if we also can talk about serious matters or just anything between the earth and the sky..

Byrnzie

chadwick said:

yeah... um
well
i have a opinion on a lot of fucking stuff & that does not mean i am correct or incorrect for whomever else but i will say something

i fucking dislike many things about american society. this country here is a fucking nightmare on wheels & it is growing at a rate that is programming & killing us.

the simple truth is many countless millions are blind & deaf to it all

toxins? fuck yes america's bullshit culture (if i can even call this a culture) is poison. look around & we are dying both slowly & rapidly. the educated may not be wise. the educated may be weakened. the educated may be completely useless with zero spirituality.

?heart
who has fucking heart?

i have removed myself from 'mainstream anything' many moons ago. the herd is over there ----->
i'm in a different hemisphere altogether, therefore i can barelly function in this
fractured headache cluster

i admire the following: artists, buddhists & hindu monks, yogis, gurus, shamans, norse barbarians, selflessness, water, air, dirt, fire, directions, wind, grass, trees, all living & extinct creatures & that is about it. everything else is nothing. a lot of people are tolerated but not my cup of tea as they generally bring me down or do not add something wonderful to the sparkle that surrounds us, that makes up what we are... & i am very easily impressed & sensitive to others & their energies

sensitive to peoples' energies
sensitive to people
sensitive

yeah this society gets under my skin in a quick hurry

is this debating section of the forum leaching toxics into ourselves? are we creating these poisons? yes. what we read is imprinted into our minds. what we write negatively here is creating toxics for all once read, discussed & whatnot

meditate nicely to removed bullshit

oh... & brains or mental & physical disabilities... i like someone who has busted their buns, overcame difficulties & sits calmy under tree doing absolutely nothing & is ecstatic reveling in silence

the malls down the way & across this land can all burn to the ground for all i care

love, calmness, respect
how about being great parents & great roll models for our young people
this is needed
even adults need mentors

it may read like im a dick
i am
life is struggle

one day (yours & my) epic battles in this existence will be eased & rewards will fly

=D>

brianlux

^^^ Yeah, I agree, with Byrnzie. Chadwick, your of man of words and the words are what you are. Straight up, no nothing on the fence. Gotta respect that.

gimmesometruth27

great post chad! i know that you and i have had our share of arguments over the years, but as we have argued i have gotten to see the areas where we agree and i have gotten a chance to read some of the art that you have shared, and all of that trumps any arguments or disagreements that we may have had. over the last few years i think i have been able to kind of "get" you or get where you are coming from, recognize the similarites, recognize the differences and find the common ground. you and i are an example of how people of differing opinions can come together for a common reason. the problem is, our "leaders" in DC refuse to do what we have done.

i can see how people might see this forum as toxic. when you deal with real issues and people are passionate about their beliefs there are going to be arguments and conflict. that happens in all settings every day.

i know a lot of you view me as a partisan hack, and that is ok. doesn't bother me. but one thing i can guarantee is, when there is bullshit, inaccurate "facts" posted, i am gonna call it out. when people pass off a fox news story as a fact when it has already been debunked, i am going to call it out. when one group of people is trying to accomplish a goal and another group is opposed to it because the president supports it, and for no other reason, i am gonna call it out. my conservative counterparts are going to dislike me for that, but since my country's media is not going to do it's job and fight back against lies and debunked talking points, it falls upon people like me to do it for them. that can be viewed as toxic. but i have never been the kind of person to sit back and let lies and disinformation and fearmongering go on unabated.

and that is the saddest commentary on our discourse in this country. one group of media is afraid to report real news because they are afraid that their corporate funding might be yanked, and the other side is afraid to call out bullshit because they are afraid that they might be called biased or "unamerican" for reporting on things that a majority of people do not want to see as true.

gimmesometruth27

also great blast from the past with that old hitler thread being posted byrnzie. to be honest that was tame in comparison to some of the threads that i can remember from 2003 and 2004, but it was nice to see some old names from people who made this place what it was back in 2009 and 2010.

chadwick

gimmiesometruth,

thank you kindly, sir. you are a good guy. you are doing good here. keep holding 'em to the fire. thanks again for what you do, what you believe in & for helping some of us maybe understand politics a little better. i may be getting there, slowly but surely. it's a lot to wrap one's head around

be well

.........
edit -
thanks mr. byrnzie & mr. lux

again two differing views from two individuals
both have continued to show me different points. sometimes i feel like throwing cottonballs laced with gravel at these gentlemen. other times i wanna throw butterflies carrying both used & unused soft chew candies at them & with my hugs in there we can be pals. you both read more than i, therefore, i'll give you each a couple minutes of my time. sound good? i thought so :bz

callen

People on this board care. Most humans are apathetic and just go with flow. As such we're a passionate bunch and don't hold back in our thoughts. Good thing and glad we have people from both sides. It's the maintaining respect that we sometimes lose for each other, myself included. But it's not that bad.

brianlux

"sometimes i feel like throwing cottonballs laced with gravel at these gentlemen. other times i wanna throw butterflies carrying both used & unused soft chew candies at them & with my hugs in there we can be pals."

That puts a smile on my face, Chadwick- the images alone crack me up! Well done.

Yes, callen, good point about how many people are apathetic- that is definitely one reason I like coming here- at least people are aware that something is going on besides the latest TV show.

Good to your input here, gimme- always a man of principal and knowledge!

I'm still going to throw my support for what the OP was getting at- for me it's important to also focus on some of the good things that happen in our world and in the news and try not to be so futile and negative.

Cheers, train riders.

i_lov_it

brianlux said:

I'm still going to throw my support for what the OP was getting at- for me it's important to also focus on some of the good things that happen in our world and in the news and try not to be so futile and negative.

Cheers, train riders.

Well that's Right...The Media always Focus on the Negative stuff because that's what Sells...and a lot of People as well Focus on the Negative Stuff...It is Very Important if People could just Focus on the Positives it would be so much Better and Try not to get so caught up in the Bad News that the Media like to glorify so easily.

backseatLover12

While waiting for my expiration, I must say that in reading this thread http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/234040/non-liberal-fans-conflicted there may be hope for this place yet. Keep up the good vibes and prove me wrong.

BinFrog

backseatLover12 said:

While waiting for my expiration, I must say that in reading this thread http://community.pearljam.com/discussion/234040/non-liberal-fans-conflicted there may be hope for this place yet. Keep up the good vibes and prove me wrong.

Don't focus on the negatives. The percentage of truly legit people on this board is quite high. It's very easy, especially in AMT, to get bogged down in the negative aspects of this place. I've learned over time (not always easy to adhere to, but I try) to just ignore certain types of posts...mostly from a handful of people. Differing viewpoints and opinions should always be welcomed. It's the lashing out I can't stand. But alas it is the internet...sometimes you just need thicker skin.

I refuse to go to one of my old favorite Phish message boards anymore because it became a cesspool, and sifting through the absolute filth to find the great threads became harder and harder. I have not even brought the site up once in well over a year now. But does that mean I moved on from Phish? Absolutely not. Phish - the band, has nothing to do with Phish - the online community. And even there it was generally a few dozen dipshits ruining it for everyone- The typical "Look how outrageous I can be online where I can hide behind a keyboard!!". So instead of letting it bring me to a dark place, I moved on.

This message board is just a small fraction, a tiny little corner of the PJ world. When you go to shows and meet fans beforehand and hang out afterwards, my experiences have been pretty much all positive. THAT'S what it's all about. If you can't come to this board and enjoy it, then just stop coming. But to move on from the band, the music, and the shows because of some people flexing their immature internet muscles? Seems extreme. Lighten up a bit. Life is too short.

backseatLover12

I'm not leaving the band, just the membership. I will still go to shows, just will have to get tix another way, no problem. And I have met some of the best people ever before and at the shows. That culture, the commraderie at the shows is an awesome energy. Do you still go to Phish shows? Awesome energy there as well (although the best energy ever was at Dead shows). Ironic that their forums were toxic as well, but I guess the anonymous mentality of the internet globally is what makes people post the way they do.

rgambs

wow that jlew dude was out of his frickin mind!