Only "Ugly" Threads Popular?

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ed4copies

ed4copies

Local Chapter Manager
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In a recent e-mail exchange with Jeff, he was concerned about people not returning to the IAP because of threads that turn "Ugly" (My word, not his). I pointed out the "offending" threads are also the most viewed, gaining many "posts per day".

So, let's see what happens with a truly INSPIRING thread.

Skye posted recently, How does one say THANKS. The topic generated little comment.

Let's look at it from a different angle. The facts: One member of both the IAP and the PenShop wins a lathe in a raffle. The fact that he BOUGHT a ticket indicated to me he WANTED the lathe, but actually, he seems to have viewed his ticket as a DONATION (an act of giving without expecting any return!) HE WAS A WINNER OF ONE OF THE LATHES.

So, he turns around and GIVES the lathe to Skye. Why? Because Skye has MORE of a need than Mudder (according to Mudder).

So, how about a FEW of us responding to THIS thread and accepting it as inspiration. THERE ARE LOTS OF QUALITY PEOPLE HERE. Sometimes we disagree in a way that is disagreeable. HOWEVER, let's take THIS opportunity to honor a REALLY CLASSY act of generosity!!!

Those who have "left" the IAP, sorry you missed this!!! It could have been inspirational![:p][:p][:p][:p]
 
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Agreed, a very classy act.
But to respond to your basic question could take a whole whoop of expert analyzing by professional shrinks on what constitutes want/need, motivation, truly unselfish acts, etc. In the case of a fund raising raffle, most of us buy the ticket knowing we are making a donation. But, at the same time, there is the slim hope of winning the item being raffled. No mystery there. That is human nature.
 
People do move on...if they found something better for them then it is well and good. Same thing happened to me and brought me to this site/forum almost 2 years ago.

That said, I agree that people tend to respond more to the negative threads (me included). But it is indeed sad when good deed is ignored.

Mudder hovers on the background...does a lot of good deed and most of the time, he won't let others know it. I too was touched by his generousity and helped my penturning tremendously. I can say this...he has a part on each and every pen I turn [8D].

He is just one but there are lots of "angels" amongst us, we just don't know it.
 
Another important note to mention again is that there were others who bought tickets in my name without telling me. I didnt even know about it till Sat morning! So, there were others who went to bat for me, who will never get properly thanked.
 
Gee Ed,

I hope I don't disappoint anyone here. It seems this "Mudder" character is one heckava nice guy.

If I could ask everyone here for just one favor. The next time you have a disagreement with someone here, before we type the remarks that will increase the negativity between the members of this site and others, Please take a moment and try to consider what they are saying from their point of view. It took me many years to realize that in some situations I let emotion overtake logic. It still happens to me more than I would like to but please folks, lets just try to see this all for what it is; a disagreement between two people who have at least one thing in common.

I'm sure that if you talk to Skye he will tell you that he and I have disagreed on many subjects but we have a mutual respect for the opinions and thoughts of the other and on many occasions we must just have to agree to disagree.

In closing I want to leave you with a thought from another whom I have a great respect for......"How bout them Pirates" [:I]
 
I am one who is guilty of reading the ugly threads[:(] Partly it is curiosity, partly because I think it gives me an insight as to what kind of people are posting them, their thoughts, feeling etc. I don't respond to them because for 1. I feel I'm too new to know the backgrounds involved and 2. Because the more people that get involved the worse it becomes. Everyone here is great in their own way and we all have something in common, we love making things[:D] JMHO

OK...........who took my soap box[?][?][?]
 
Congratulations to Skye for getting the lathe and to Mudder for being a great guy.

To try to answer Ed's question, I think there are a number of things at work about viewing threads, at least for me anyway. The two main things are the title and the originator. There are certain originators and topics that I will always read because I hope to learn something or think I might have something to contribute. In addition, if I see a thread and it has 20 posts, I will probably read it just because there might be something in there that's useful. I certainly don't have time to read every thread every day, so that's my criteria.

And as far only "ugly" threads being popular, does anyone remember how many hits Eagle's posting of Pentarsia got? I don't recall it being "ugly."
 
Gerry-
11728 but it got ugly at the end.

Ed-
This thread is rather confusing.
Is it about Skye not getting many responses to his "thank you" post.
Nice post good job Skye.
Is it a post where we jump on the bandwagon and congratulate Mudder for being a heck of a guy?He doesn't need to be told.People like that don't need to be told.
Is it a thread about the fact that only "ugly" threads are the "good" ones.Kind of like the National Enquirer of threads.
I suspect Mudder does not need nor expect or probably even want accolades for for his act of generosity.
Skye expressed his thanks I am sure to Mudder when they spoke and then posted it here.
I consider Mudder a friend and I get the impression he is the type of person that would do a "Secret Santa" and be very upset if is act of generosity were made public.
This is pure speculation on my part.
My reply is not meant to diminsh Skyes Gratitude nor Mudders act of generosity.
Sometimes there is very little one can say.
Oh yeah nice act of generosity Mudder, good job.
 
No, I was sure to ask Scott if he minded if I told everyone, he said the cat was already out of the bag and it wouldent be a problem.

I think this post is simply asking "Why do we rubberneck so much?" It's the same with people on the highway looking at an auto accident. It's just human nature to get in the mud and roll around a little while. Unfortunatly, I think posts that are the polar opposite are almost a little too mushy and people have an even harder time replying to them.
 
Originally posted by Skye
<br />No, I was sure to ask Scott if he minded if I told everyone, he said the cat was already out of the bag and it wouldent be a problem.

I think this post is simply asking "Why do we rubberneck so much?" It's the same with people on the highway looking at an auto accident. It's just human nature to get in the mud and roll around a little while. Unfortunatly, I think posts that are the polar opposite are almost a little too mushy and people have an even harder time replying to them.
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I think you hit the nail on the head Skye.


Originally posted by ed4copies
<br />
Originally posted by ctEaglesc
<br />11728 but it got ugly at the end.
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But who's counting!
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I had to Look it up, it's in the archives now.
 
OK, so I chose a bad example. How about the "What do you look like?" thread. Approaching 30,000 hits and there's absolutely nothing ugly there, well except maybe for that first picture of Lou.[:0][:D]
 
Originally posted by gerryr
<br /> Approaching 30,000 hits and there's absolutely nothing ugly there,
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That's because Jeff deleted my picture [:0] (Just kidding Jeff)
 
Please bear with me on this reply. I think the lyrics of an Anne Murray (my favorite Canadian!) have a lot to say to the question Ed brought up. The lyrics are copied below:

A Little Good News
Anne Murray
Written by Charles Black, Rory Bourke, and Thomas Rocco

Peaked at # 74 on the Pop chart in 1983 while hitting #1 on the Country chart


"I rolled out this morning
Kids had the mornin' news show on
Bryant Gumbel was talkin' 'bout the fighting in Lebanon
Some senator was squawkin' 'bout the bad economy
It's gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy

There's a local paper rolled up in a rubber band
One more sad story's one more than I can stand
Just once how I'd like to see the headline say
"Not much to print today, can't find nothin' bad to say", because

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today

I'll come home this evenin'
I'll bet that the news will be the same
Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane
How I wanna hear the anchor man talk about a county fair
And how we cleaned up the air, how everybody learned to care
Whoa, tell me

Nobody was assassinated in the whole Third World today
And in the streets of Ireland, all the children had to do was play
And everybody loves everybody in the good old USA
We sure could use a little good news today

Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down
FADE
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain
We sure could use a little good news today."

Sorry folks, bad news sells in our society. Mudder's generosity, and Skye's heart felt post of thanks doesn't sell. We want excitement, and good news just doesn't cut it. Don't believe me, check your local paper for a week and see what I mean. Now that being said, let's try to be a good news group for awhile.

FWIW, I will post my thoughts on an allied subject in Casual Conversation later this evening.
 
I gotta agree with eagle (whoa!!!) Muddder has done a selfless thing and when one does a selfless act they are not looking for a pat on the back for doing such. I know of many things like this that have taken place among board members and I have been around here less than a year.

As for ugly threads, well, fact is nobody makes anyone read them. As long as there is at least two people on this ol dirt ball we ride around on, sooner or later there will be a difference in opinion and views. The result can get ugly if there is no mutual agreement. As mudder mentioned, many times, if we would take the time and consider the other person/poster, we can many times disarm a potential bit of ugliness. Sometimes the best we can do in a given conversation which is turening ugly is to agree that we disagree and move on. Unless one is willing to try and see things from the other persons pointy of view it is useless to continue. 27 years of marriage has taught me this.

Sometimes thought we need the ugly threads. The Romans understood the need for a way to release aggression thus they began the games in the coliseums. Throughout time people have gathered at this event or that as a form of releasing their aggression. Today we have football, pro wrestling, ultimate fighting, and extreme sports. This may well be the reason for the high number of views of the ugly threads. It is easy for people to get caught up in the aggression coming out in the posts of these threads. Ever notice how a board will cycle concerning ugly threads? I've seen it itme and time again on all types of boards from hardcore chopper boards to Christian based ones. If one looks, you can see these cycles at work, at home, at school, and where ever people gather together on a continual basis. Ugly times come and afterwards all is well. after a while, frustrations build, tempers begen to flair and words become aggressive and the cycle repeats itself. It is during the ugly times that we need to do as mudder suggested and thus help these times pass much easier and quicker.

With that, if I have offended anyone by being ugly in some of the latest ugliness, I sincerely apologize.[:D]
 
Originally posted by cozee
<br />Ever notice how a board will cycle concerning ugly threads? I've seen it itme and time again on all types of boards from hardcore chopper boards to Christian based ones. If one looks, you can see these cycles at work, at home, at school, and where ever people gather together on a continual basis. Ugly times come and afterwards all is well. after a while, frustrations build, tempers begen to flair and words become aggressive and the cycle repeats itself.
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Good observation Cozee. In the field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, the professionals call that The Cycle of Conflict. You see it all the time with kids in school who are disruptive. They get into a cyle of conflict with those around them and it becomes self-perpetuating.

If we took a look at the nature of the posts in those Ugly threads, we would probably find a mix of reactions. Not all of the responses are designed to add fuel to the fire. A number of them are written with the intent of calming things down.

That might make an interesting poll. How do you respond to ugly threads? Maybe I'll give it a try.

We had a Christmas Party at my university today. People took time to tell inspirational stories. I took the opportunity to tell people about Mudder. I was drowning in my sorrows all day Saturday. I didn't even make it to Bubbasville Atlanta. But, come Saturday evening .... I was uplifted by the guy from CT.
 
Originally posted by DocStramIn the field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, the professionals call that The Cycle of Conflict.
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On forums, idiots like me call that 'Stirring s**t up.' [:D]
 
Originally posted by Skye
<br />
Originally posted by DocStramIn the field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, the professionals call that The Cycle of Conflict.
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On forums, idiots like me call that 'Stirring s**t up.' [:D]
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Thanks for the laugh.
 
It sounds like ANG needs to come in and do a group session for the boys [:D]
Do we get a discounted group rate ? and can we pay in pens [:)]
 
Originally posted by Skye
<br />
Originally posted by DocStramIn the field of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, the professionals call that The Cycle of Conflict.
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On forums, idiots like me call that 'Stirring s**t up.' [:D]
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No Skye .... you're confused. The correct term for that is "Fecal Stirritis". I looked it up.[;)]
 
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