I think Ed was right

Byrnzie

I read about the interview with Eddie Vedder some time back where the interviewer asked him if he ever posted anything on this message board. Ed then spoke about the fact that he corrected someone on the lyrics to one of his songs. The person he corrected came back with the reply 'Nope'.
I think Ed then said something to the effect of life being too short. I.e, trying to debate/discuss anything with most people on a message board is like pissing in the wind.
Now it supposedly took Ed just one or two posts to figure this out.
I think that after 2 years of my posting on here, and over 10,000 posts later, I've realised he was right.

The last post on the 'Slow death in Gaza' thread sums it up perfectly. Some people choose to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

Not that this applies to everyone of course. There's some really intreresting, and smart characters on the M.T, and I've loved reading their posts these past two years.
It's just fucking frustrating when everyday you encounter one of the 'nope' brigade...one of the soundbite brigade. People with nothing to bring to the table. It kind of throws a dampner on things, and makes you think that we really are just pissing in the wind.

Whaddya reckon?

cincybearcat

Byrnzie wrote:

I read about the interview with Eddie Vedder some time back where the interviewer asked him if he ever posted anything on this message board. Ed then spoke about the fact that he corrected someone on the lyrics to one of his songs. The person he corrected came back with the reply 'Nope'.
I think Ed then said something to the effect of life being too short. I.e, trying to debate/discuss anything with most people on a message board is like pissing in the wind.
Now it supposedly took Ed just one or two posts to figure this out.
I think that after 2 years of my posting on here, and over 10,000 posts later, I've realised he was right.

The last post on the 'Slow death in Gaza' thread sums it up perfectly. Some people choose to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

Not that this applies to everyone of course. There's some realy intreresting, and smart characters on the M.T and I've loved reading their posts these past two years.
It's just fucking frustrating when everyday you encounter one of the 'nope' brigade...one of the soundbite brigade. People with nothing to bring to the table. It kind of throws a dampner on things, and makes you think that we really are just pissing in the wind.

Whaddya reckon?

Nice...I reckon you're right.

mca47

I try not to get into the back and forth with people on here...as Ed said, life is too short.
Arguing with someone I don't know, and will probably never meet with no real conclusion is incredibly dumb.

spiral out

Yep i agree with you, definitely pissing in the wind, and i am slowly seeing that way to many people are blind deaf and dumb. In general that is not on the boards.

Byrnzie

mca47 wrote:

I try not to get into the back and forth with people on here...as Ed said, life is too short.
Arguing with someone I don't know, and will probably never meet with no real conclusion is incredibly dumb.

Yeah, it's rare that any thread has a 'conclusion'. Though occasionally they do. People sometimes turn full circle. I suppose It's not easy for anyone to admit that they're wrong about anything

More often than not I just find myself reacting to statements that have no relation to the facts. I then find myself spending a whole thread providing evidence to the contrary and exposing the original statement for what it was. Still, after a while the exact same thing will be repeated - either by the same person, or by someone else - and the whole process begins again. Or else, you spend a load of time providing evidence and source material/links e.t.c, to support your argument, only to be criticised for providing source material/links e.t.c, which support your argument.
Kinda feels like banging your head against the wall.
And then there's the occasional 'nope' post. Very fucking frustrating. Maybe a 'nope' has become perfectly acceptable in certain public arena's, such as most U.S t.v news programs, but when you have all the freedom and time in the world to make your point, as you do here on a message board, then a simple 'nope' seems to me to be..rude?...arrogant?....stupid?

Flannel Shirt

nope.

polaris

i don't need a message board to tell me about this - i see it every day ... someone here at work wants to cab it 5 blocks cuz it's hot here today ... it is why many end up living reclusive lives ... integrating with a society hell bent on destroying itself and trying to fight that is tiring and unrewarding at best ...

still - life goes on and one has to choose how they will live their lives whether they be the products they buy, the food they eat, the way they treat people or how they act on a message board ...

be comfortable with who you are and your purpose and move freely without burden

mammasan

What boggles my mind about this board is that people are viewed as blind, deaf, uninformed, sheeple, or even unintelligent simply because they don't agree with the majority of posters. Just because someone does not share your view or opinion on an issue or event does not make them any less aware or informed than you. We all have different opinion and views and by sharing them we have the opportunity to expand our understanding of the world. By shutting our minds, eyes and ears to those views and opinions is to be misinformed and unaware.

cincybearcat

mammasan wrote:

What boggles my mind about this board is that people are viewed as blind, deaf, uninformed, sheeple, or even unintelligent simply because they don't agree with the majority of posters. Just because someone does not share your view or opinion on an issue or event does not make them any less aware or informed than you. We all have different opinion and views and by sharing them we have the opportunity to expand our understanding of the world. By shutting our minds, eyes and ears to those views and opinions is to be misinformed and unaware.

Good points.

my2hands

fuck ed

Collin

Pissing in the wind. I know all about that!

stu gee

Byrnzie wrote:

I read about the interview with Eddie Vedder some time back where the interviewer asked him if he ever posted anything on this message board. Ed then spoke about the fact that he corrected someone on the lyrics to one of his songs. The person he corrected came back with the reply 'Nope'.
I think Ed then said something to the effect of life being too short. I.e, trying to debate/discuss anything with most people on a message board is like pissing in the wind.
Now it supposedly took Ed just one or two posts to figure this out.
I think that after 2 years of my posting on here, and over 10,000 posts later, I've realised he was right.

The last post on the 'Slow death in Gaza' thread sums it up perfectly. Some people choose to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

Not that this applies to everyone of course. There's some really intreresting, and smart characters on the M.T, and I've loved reading their posts these past two years.
It's just fucking frustrating when everyday you encounter one of the 'nope' brigade...one of the soundbite brigade. People with nothing to bring to the table. It kind of throws a dampner on things, and makes you think that we really are just pissing in the wind.

Whaddya reckon?

I knew this before Ed apparently said it or you posted it.

canadajammer

this is a message board, it's just discussion

Don't think your going to have a completely legitimate political debate on a Pearl Jam message board.

If you want that, go to an academic institution...




And furthermore: the amount of blatant Anti-Israel crap posted on this board, a lot of which comes from blatant anti-Israel sources, makes it clear to me
that no true and honest discussion (at least regarding that situation) can be made on THIS board.

Please criticize Israel's policies, (like most Israelis do), but don't hold Israel to such a ridiculous double standard, while ignoring all the other horrible human rights atrocities that go on in the surrounding areas, as well as around the world.

I mean, based on this board, you'd think in Israel there would be no human rights, women couldn't vote, gays/lesbians couldn't marry, there was no legal system and there was no democracy...

rebornFixer

I reckon that you shouldn't be afraid to name names, assuming that you've got someone specific in mind. What soundbyte brigade? There's a ton of people who agree with everything you post about Israel, which seems soundbyte-esque to me, but I assume you arent taking about them.

I can understand your frustration, I've been there a ton of times myself. But this post comes off more as "why are there so many people who aren't swayed by my perfect logic?" ... Maybe its just me. I'd try starting from the a priori position that you won't sway people .... Then if you actually do, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
I'll be the first person to admit that my views on the Middle East have shifted, in part due to discussions on this board. I remain to be convinced on gun control, though.

puremagic

Byrnzie wrote:

I read about the interview with Eddie Vedder some time back where the interviewer asked him if he ever posted anything on this message board. Ed then spoke about the fact that he corrected someone on the lyrics to one of his songs. The person he corrected came back with the reply 'Nope'.
I think Ed then said something to the effect of life being too short. I.e, trying to debate/discuss anything with most people on a message board is like pissing in the wind.
Now it supposedly took Ed just one or two posts to figure this out.
I think that after 2 years of my posting on here, and over 10,000 posts later, I've realised he was right.

The last post on the 'Slow death in Gaza' thread sums it up perfectly. Some people choose to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

Not that this applies to everyone of course. There's some really intreresting, and smart characters on the M.T, and I've loved reading their posts these past two years.
It's just fucking frustrating when everyday you encounter one of the 'nope' brigade...one of the soundbite brigade. People with nothing to bring to the table. It kind of throws a dampner on things, and makes you think that we really are just pissing in the wind.

Whaddya reckon?

Posting of accepted facts or one's viewpoint on a message board leads to discussion due to another person's interpretation of those facts/viewpoint because they may have been exposed to different misinterpretations of those facts. Ed knew his response was correct. What Ed failed to realize is that maybe through constant misinterpretations of those lyrics that person came to believe their response was correct. It's easy to get frustrated.

Just remember that the goal of these discussions is to make one think, not to change a person's way of thinking because only they can do that. What you see as a person choosing to be blind, deaf and dumb may simply be a person set in their way of thinking with nothing having been presented to change their viewpoint. It doesn't mean that it didn't make them stop and think about what was said.

stu gee

People who post replies like that 'nope' example shown up there are no more annoying than the people who present their word as gospel. Obviously in that case Ed was most probably right, as they were his lyrics! But some people on here, whilst obviously very knowledgable, simply cannot deal with people disagreeing with them. I never have any real problems or get upset on a forum because im not always trying to win an argument, or prove someone wrong, or show off that i am more intelligent or all knowing than they are. You tend to see those kinds of folk on here quite a lot, particularly in the AMT part of the forum.

JordyWordy

Byrnzie wrote:

Yeah, it's rare that any thread has a 'conclusion'. Though occasionally they do. People sometimes turn full circle. I suppose It's not easy for anyone to admit that they're wrong about anything

More often than not I just find myself reacting to statements that have no relation to the facts. I then find myself spending a whole thread providing evidence to the contrary and exposing the original statement for what it was. Still, after a while the exact same thing will be repeated - either by the same person, or by someone else - and the whole process begins again. Or else, you spend a load of time providing evidence and source material/links e.t.c, to support your argument, only to be criticised for providing source material/links e.t.c, which support your argument.
Kinda feels like banging your head against the wall.
And then there's the occasional 'nope' post. Very fucking frustrating. Maybe a 'nope' has become perfectly acceptable in certain public arena's, such as most U.S t.v news programs, but when you have all the freedom and time in the world to make your point, as you do here on a message board, then a simple 'nope' seems to me to be..rude?...arrogant?....stupid?

i find it best to avoid the headbanging/pissing in the wind. Backing up an argument is grand, but theres enough material on the internet for anyone to counter any point you make....whether it be poor or strong counterpoint.

the thing is i see you do this to yourself (repeated posting regarding the same point), and its totally frustrating for you and anyone who agrees with your posts......but i think there's a happy medium. state your point, its down, make it clear........theres no need to get bogged down in dogmatic / factual debate with people who will never agree with you.
itd be a shame to abandon the MT for the reasons above.

Its not about turning people to your opinion, its about providing food for thought.

decides2dream

mca47 wrote:

I try not to get into the back and forth with people on here...as Ed said, life is too short.
Arguing with someone I don't know, and will probably never meet with no real conclusion is incredibly dumb.

i should reread this now and again.



seriously, after a number of years here i have learned a lot, enjoyed a lot....and yes, learned not to take things personally nor to get *too* involved. sure, sometimes i faulter ...eh well. thing is though, there is so many of the same people about, you get to 'know' many even if you never meet...so after awhile at times it does seem rather futile. it's like the same conversation. however, in spite of that....i STILL manage to find some truly interesting things to read here, which makes it so worthwhile....and the entire board in general can really make me smile, friendships started here, continued into real life, etc. besides, it's a great way to pass a sloooowww workday.

IAmMyself

Byrnzie wrote:

I read about the interview with Eddie Vedder some time back where the interviewer asked him if he ever posted anything on this message board. Ed then spoke about the fact that he corrected someone on the lyrics to one of his songs. The person he corrected came back with the reply 'Nope'.
I think Ed then said something to the effect of life being too short. I.e, trying to debate/discuss anything with most people on a message board is like pissing in the wind.
Now it supposedly took Ed just one or two posts to figure this out.
I think that after 2 years of my posting on here, and over 10,000 posts later, I've realised he was right.

The last post on the 'Slow death in Gaza' thread sums it up perfectly. Some people choose to be blind, deaf, and dumb.

Not that this applies to everyone of course. There's some really intreresting, and smart characters on the M.T, and I've loved reading their posts these past two years.
It's just fucking frustrating when everyday you encounter one of the 'nope' brigade...one of the soundbite brigade. People with nothing to bring to the table. It kind of throws a dampner on things, and makes you think that we really are just pissing in the wind.

Whaddya reckon?

I love what you wrote! I feel the exact same way; why bother? But obviously I don't have a life like Ed, so I always come back! I would be a better person, if I didn't. You made me think! Which is a good idea, since it isn't illegal, yet.

Open

Dont give up man..their are a lot of people who read posts but dont ever post replies. All you can do is provide information how the person processes it is out of your hands. If you make them think you've done your part.

Abookamongstthemany

It's not just message boards...it's people in general....life. I still like putting my opinions out there and having the chance to debate them against differing ones. It tests what I think and how I feel instead of just thinking a certain way and closing myself off to other views. And it forces you look deeper into why you think the way you do and gets you to look further into the thick of things, build a better understanding and see what your support of whatever idea or cause really includes.

Bottom line, it's much easier to be set in your views and fixed into thinking the way you always have. But it takes something more to be willing to put those thoughts out there in the open to face scrutiny and opposition. It takes a certain amount of courage and confidence in these beliefs to do so. So I think boards like this one and others like it are a great forum for evolving ideas and expanding your viewpoint.