I think Ed was right
Byrnzie
Posts: 21,037
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 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?
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
Nice...I reckon you're right.
Arguing with someone I don't know, and will probably never meet with no real conclusion is incredibly dumb.
The economy has polarized to the point where the wealthiest 10% now own 85% of the nation’s wealth. Never before have the bottom 90% been so highly indebted, so dependent on the wealthy.
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?
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
Good points.
naděje umírá poslední
I knew this before Ed apparently said it or you posted it.
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...
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.
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.
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.
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
Let's just breathe...
I am myself like you somehow
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.
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.
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
-Oscar Wilde
I rarely if ever talk about this type of stuff face to face with people at length, if they disagree I just drop it once people get angst and borderline combative.. It's just too uncomfortable for my liking. People are stuck in what their realities are. Me I'm open to heaing about anything. I'm comfortable with it. Some people freak out.
and reveling in it's loyalty. It's made by forming coalitions
over specific principles, goals, and policies.
http://i36.tinypic.com/66j31x.jpg
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I didn't say that I thought anyone was blind, deaf, or uninformed, simply because they don't agree with me.
If someone posts something which you believe derives from a 'blatant Anti-Israel source' then you can easily check the legitimacy of the information by refering to other sources to check it's validity. Just saying that Chomsky, or Norman Finkelstein, or the U.N, or Amnesty, or whoever, is an 'anti-Israel' source, doesn't cut it.
You don't think Israel is being held to a double-standard - to it's advantage - by the western media? The evidence is there for all to see. http://www.ifamericansknew.org/media/ap-report.html
Anyway, back to topic.
True.
I think there is plenty deep meaningful discussion to be had via this board.. its just a matter of the who and what... So to deem the whole thing useless from one experience is kind of silly IMO
Theres no black and white
And I never said you did.
the only message board i've heard of that the band members actually post on, is that of The Cardigans (Swedish band who had a 90's hit with 'Lovefool', fyi). they are actually a pretty cool band, and about five years back i used to go on there quite a bit, but it got stale. their bass player was on A LOT, just chattin it up with fans... nothing too serious. occasionally the singer Nina Persson was on. but they're not a mega huge band, so i see how they could keep it low key. they even used their full names as their usernames. i'm sure it would be total madness if pearl jam members posted on here.
to quote a shitty song by 311: fuck the naysayers, coz they don't mean a thing.
I just realised that I could be accused of the same offence for my above reply. Is a 'true' any better or worse than a 'nope'?