All I need to know about conservatives I learned in the second grade....

Perhaps when you get "older" as a Lounger, you have seen pretty much everything and the issues seem redundant.

good point.

Well, I think you are right. The issues ARE redundant.

One of those things I truly despise (and, as you'll note, this is when I tend to get out and out beligerent) is when we see threads and posts which simply say, "all liberals do X" and "all conservatives are Y".

I see it from both sides. And, of course, now, without the buffer of the occasional cooking, band or silly thread, I see it more clearly.
I wonder how people get along in life like this.
I think there are a core group of folks here who honestly wish to learn, listen and understand. Then there is a larger group which simply seeks to further a political agenda (sounds silly given the nature of the forum) and/ or bash those with opposing viewpoints. Aggressively, passive aggressively, with beligerence, whatever. There is a HUGE group that has no intention of listening to what is said- no intention of looking at another POV- they only intend, through whatever method, to deride another opinion or philosophy.

I think there are a couple of things going on.

1) the snipers seem to be hanging out in the politics forum...more so than the regular lounge. So you have a concentration of flamers here. That makes this forum seem more hostile, and the regular forum to seem less so.

So, I'd say the "Lounge" is still pretty much the same in total, but lopsided in the specifics.

2) Often the snipers are the ones who make some of the controversy in the regular lounge interesting. A little spice can go a long way.

But too much spice in one mouthful can be unpleasant.

On the issue of gaining some new insight, I think I have gotten a lot of interesting info in this forum. The last couple of days have been rather bland, but not much is happening, and most of the "background" stuff has been beaten into the ground.

I really like the discussions about what the underlying reasons for the war may be. I now know a lot more world history than I did two weeks ago.

Simey continues to provide an interesting commentary on the working of the military, TF, BlackGriffin, Theoleon (and a few others) have posted very thought proving pieces, and the extremists on both sides have provided some interesting pieces that offer different paradigms in which to view the war. All in all, I have had a tremendous education this last couple of weeks.

But then again, Lerk, I'm still a youngin'. I'm only early 30-something, and I am about to be fresh out of school and into the "real" world where I actually have the time to learn this stuff. I haven't really had that opportunity before, what with being chained the a lab bench for the last 12 years. I especially look forward to my time with the golf pro this summer. And my soon to ebarked upon adventure with Python or Perl...I'm not sure which yet.

yes, i think the bifurcation hurts both lounges. However, it has been enlightening personally. I have come to the realization that I no longer see any value, here at macNN, of tryiing to discuss politics. Not because there are opposing viewpoints...that is in fact why I came here to discuss politics. But because this separating the forum has, IMHO, further pushed the noise to signal ration to such a point as to make it fruitless.

And, further, the remaining threads in the regular lounge appear to be on topics that don't interest me as much: neons, what I have on my ipod, what I had for breakfast, yadda yadda yadda.

makes me very sad, in a way.

but perhaps its for the best. I've wasted a great deal of time here over the last year or so without really accomplishing anything except momentary diversion, which I can do less stressfully in other fora.

good observations.

yes, now that you frame it that way, I guess a higher concentration of snipers is in fact what I'm noticing.
(I had written my last note before seeing this one from you)

Lerk,

No matter what side they come from, personal attacks always happen in these threads.

It's just a matter of time before this thread becomes a flame war.

How about starting a thread that interests you? Or resurrecting an older one?

What interests you, anyway? Is this perhaps just a doldrum? I go through periods where I'm just plain blas� about about everything. Then, a week later, everything is exciting. It cycles for me.

Eh, I've noticed the bifurcation of the fora into warmongers and song posters has flattened whatever variety we used to enjoy in the Lounge. But I'm a hope-springs-eternal type: keep your expectations for the Lounge low, and it might reward you with style, grace or humor.

Or, failing that, those viking kitties.

I'm a fan of Devil Bunny cameo's myself.

FWIW, I made an effort to include both sides in my observations.

not a bad idea...maybe I'll bump up the silly titles thread.

Same old people, same old stuff. It's definitely more concentrated in this war/political lounge.

I'd love to have sane discussions, but it always seems to turn into a flame war of name calling, which I try to avoid.

I'm all for more quality discussions. However, the lack thereof doesn't cause me any distress.

I tend to agree. I also love sane discussions as well. I try not to call people names or start a flame wars as well.

I try to stay out of the flame-wars too, but once in a while, I get sucked into the back-draft when I open a thread. There are certain people that make me understand why my dog goes ape-sh�t every time she sees a squirrel.


Having said that, some of the more extremist (relative to me, of course) people have challenge me to look at things in a much different light...even if I don't agree with them. They have linked some really thought proving, if propogandized, articles.

You know some people just type "lol" even though they aren't technically laughing out loud. I actually laughed out loud at that comment.

If you were me, you'd go apeshit EVERY time you saw a squirrel.
48 and counting...

We had a one-eyed and albino squirrel at our little ranch... not the same squirrel, that would be cruel.

seems to me that it isn't the lounge split that is causing the signal/noise ratio to change, but the ongoing war and most people's inability to budge on their opinions.

war stirs things up. why should we be surprised that it's stirring up the same stuff we've been talking about for years on here. it's just swirling about that much faster. mmmm, cinammon swirls...

I think war has brought out the trolls, too. It's easier to spot here in the lounge for "special people" but the flames have been dying down lately I've noticed. Folks have started to ignore the most blatant of the troll-bait. Either that or I'VE started to ignore the most blatant of the troll-bait.

It's easier to avoid the obvious anti-conservative stuff that way, and let the flames burn themselves out. Then, I DID post in response to this thread.