NationStates Jolt Archive

When I first arrived at the General Forum, what caught me most by surprise was that you Generalites debate not only the applicability of religion to the public/political/governmental sphere but also the merits of various religions (or the lack therof) themselves!

Share your stories of what most surprised you when you first joined the General Forum.

straining to remember, i think it was how i could jump between both stoney-faced serious debate to ridiculously silly threads... the only forums i'd been on till this wern't nearly so silly :p
though the place has sobered up a bit now TIN has gone :(

i was also suprised at how lovely Tink was :fluffle: :fluffle:

I was amazed at the views of some right-wing Americans. It was then that I realised that the perceived extremism of George W. Bush was only a scratch on the surface.

Three things really:
1: The mindblowingly comprehensive stickies. I doubt I'll live long enough to read them thoroughly
2: That someone actually claimed that ultra-utalitarianism is a good thing. That was pretty shocking, but I've seen much worse since :p
3: The scope of these debates. People will seriously discuss everything, and get really upset about everything as well.

That latter bit still blows my mind. I'm not fully over the culture shock, or whatever I should be calling it.

I was amazed at the views of some right-wing Americans.
that never ceases to suprise and amaze me... not just americans either

how personally everyone took things. i mean, it's strangers debating politics in an abstract, largely powerless way, yet everyone treats it (at times) like it's life and death.

I thought that General would be 99.9% serious.

I thought that General would be 99.9% serious.
ROFL!

I noticed that my bullshit-detector started to beep constantly as soon as I arrived here.

The incredibly WIDE variety of views. People here have opinions on anything and everything, often incredibly extreme in either direction. It's opened my mind, for sure.

I was surprised by how fast my post count started to get inflated when I finally started to give General a chance.

The incredibly WIDE variety of views. People here have opinions on anything and everything, often incredibly extreme in either direction. It's opened my mind, for sure.

Psst: It's "Le coeur du monde".

I was amazed at the views of some right-wing Americans. It was then that I realised that the perceived extremism of George W. Bush was only a scratch on the surface.
I have seen people on channel one message boards and other message boards that make neo regolia look tame and slightly less of a fanaticist in comparsion (note slightly here)

Ihatevacations']I have seen people on channel one message boards and other message boards that make neo regolia look tame and slightly less of a fanaticist in comparsion (note slightly here)

It's the downside to the Internet - the scary extremists gain a platform.

tubgirl

The fact that on one thread I could have a serious discussion with correct grammar and punctuation, but then on another thread I would have a sarcasm-joke oriented conversation. I laughed myself on the floor one day when I finally realized that.

tubgirl

In General? Was it a suicide by mod attempt?

I thought that General would be 99.9% serious.

Not with me around, thanks. :p

I'm good for 25% silly just by myself. :D

In General? Was it a suicide by mod attempt?
Every once in a while someone would create a troll account and bomb all the threads with her. It was scaring.

Not with me around, thanks. :p

I'm good for 25% silly just by myself. :D

http://www.inspire21.com/Images/eCardART/toot_horn.jpg

Most suprising for me was the niceness (most of the time) of vetrans and regulars to newbies, as on other fourms Ive been on people are downright horrible.

Every once in a while someone would create a troll account and bomb all the threads with her. It was scaring.

I remember a time when tubgirl was scarring and scary.

Alas, not any more.

When I first arrived at the General Forum, what caught me most by surprise was that you Generalites debate not only the applicability of religion to the public/political/governmental sphere but also the merits of various religions (or the lack therof) themselves!

Share your stories of what most surprised you when you first joined the General Forum.

What surprised me most was the number of people here who believe in the redistribution of wealth... socialism.

In General? Was it a suicide by mod attempt?
ahh, luecide, you know they made that a banned word on gamefaq forums after a while?

http://www.inspire21.com/Images/eCardART/toot_horn.jpg

So true. I'm a fairly humble person. But I'm not going to deny my talents. Like silliness. *nod*

There is less debate than I expected. There is a stream of position statements from individuals, most of whom have closed minds and strong political bias - both left and right. There is more institutional thinking than I expected. People are much the same, all thinking they alone understand how the world should be, all thinking others are wrong and too happy to denounce them.

Ihatevacations']ahh, luecide, you know they made that a banned word on gamefaq forums after a while?

Gamefaq has a forum nowadays? Et tu gamefaq?!

/Been on-line for far too long.

Anyway, silly coincidence: I was just pulling up a faq on Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy when you wrote that. Spooky.

What surprised me most was the number of people here who believe in the redistribution of wealth... socialism.

Inference: capitalism is a system which operates to defeat redistribution of wealth. In other words, the richer get richer (or stay equally rich) and the poor get poorer (or stay equally poor). So much for equality of opportunity.

The incredibly WIDE variety of views. People here have opinions on anything and everything, often incredibly extreme in either direction. It's opened my mind, for sure.and thats what makes NS very rich.

I came on during the 2004 elections... and the anti-americanism/Anti-Bush threads made me thankful for Tinks and the Paradise Club

I came on during the 2004 elections... and the anti-americanism/Anti-Bush threads made me thankful for Tinks and the Paradise Club

Interesting the way you conflate anti-Americanism with anti-Bushism. Surely you're not suggesting they are one and the same thing?

Interesting the way you conflate anti-Americanism with anti-Bushism. Surely you're not suggesting they are one and the same thing?Nope... just lumping them together... there were anti-bush threads and anti-american threads that had nothing similar except the "Anti"

oh and that General really isn't General at all.

Interesting the way you conflate anti-Americanism with anti-Bushism. Surely you're not suggesting they are one and the same thing?Bushites always do suggest that.

Nope... just lumping them together... there were anti-bush threads and anti-american threads that had nothing similar except the "Anti".

Strange way to categorise them: they certainly weren't just love-ins of anti-Bushists or anti-Americanists... for every vulture there was a corpse, or to put it less obliquely, there were many fighting the corner for pro-Bush and pro-American 'values'.

"When you first joined General, what surprised you most?"

All the trained, attack, killer gerbils who slap an extreme label on you if you dare depart from their ideas about politics, religion, etc. :p

Gamefaq has a forum nowadays? Et tu gamefaq?!

/Been on-line for far too long.

Anyway, silly coincidence: I was just pulling up a faq on Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy when you wrote that. Spooky.
unless they canceled it, I quit their forum a few years before coming here

I was suprised by people's apparent lack of historical knowledge and/or utter disregard for it so they can further their own agenda (*cough* atheists *cough*)

"When you first joined General, what surprised you most?"

All the trained, attack, killer gerbils who slap an extreme label on you if you dare depart from their ideas about politics, religion, etc. :p

Spoken like a true centrist! :p

/I kid because I love. I do! Kid, that is. Love, too.

I was suprised by people's apparent lack of historical knowledge and/or utter disregard for it so they can further their own agenda (*cough* atheists *cough*)

My irony meter just blew up because of that troll attempt.

Interesting the way you conflate anti-Americanism with anti-Bushism. Surely you're not suggesting they are one and the same thing?



They aren't the same, but, from what I've seen, they tend to go hand-in-hand ;)

My irony meter just blew up because of that troll attempt.



Another thing: Before coming here, every Swede I had known was a nice person...and I had known a lot of Swedes. :D

Another thing: Before coming here, every Swede I had known was a nice person...and I had known a lot of Swedes. :D

Sorry, honey, but I'm not biting on your bait tonight. You bring nothing new to the table.

Another thing: Before coming here, every Swede I had known was a nice person...and I had known a lot of Swedes. :D
are you implying that there are not-nice swedes here? i hadnt noticed any.

Strange way to categorise them: they certainly weren't just love-ins of anti-Bushists or anti-Americanists... for every vulture there was a corpse, or to put it less obliquely, there were many fighting the corner for pro-Bush and pro-American 'values'.no... as I said... I'm mentioning those two as two seperate catagories... do you see the "/" that is a seperator. like he/she. yes there were other threads but the most popular ones there were at the time of the 2004 elections were the ones that were Anti-Bush OR Anti-American and if you still think that they are all one and the same, then that is your poblem.

Whoops sorry, mis read. And no there were no pro-bush/pro-american threads during that time... either that or the one (possibly two) threads that were Pro-Bush/Pro-American. Sorry about the mis understanding.

NR, I thought you had learned your lesson after your suspension. Old habits die hard, I guess.

no... as I said... I'm mentioning those two as two seperate catagories... do you see the "/" that is a seperator. like he/she. yes there were other threads but the most popular ones there were at the time of the 2004 elections were the ones that were Anti-Bush OR Anti-American and if you still think that they are all one and the same, then that is your poblem.

No, we are talking at cross-purposes here: I was saying that although it might have appeared that there were fervent tides of Anti-Bushism and Anti-Americanism, in fact what was really just happening was that Anti-Bush and Anti-American positions were being expressed in the original posts of the threads, but there were also those defending Bush and America in the threads.

I thought that vulture/corpse statement would be too oblique.
Let 'vulture' equal 'anti-whatever' and let 'corpse' equal 'pro-whatever' posters.

No, we are talking at cross-purposes here: I was saying that although it might have appeared that there were fervent tides of Anti-Bushism and Anti-Americanism, in fact what was really just happening was that Anti-Bush and Anti-American positions were being expressed in the original posts of the threads, but there were also those defending Bush and America in the threads.

I thought that vulture/corpse statement would be too oblique.
Let 'vulture' equal 'anti-whatever' and let 'corpse' equal 'pro-whatever' posters.Sorry. I mis read your post.
and still the answer was no. during the 2004 elections the basic flavor of all poli threads were anti-bush/anti-american very few (maybe 1 or 2) pro-american/pro-bush. the battles inside the threads crossed the flame line but the board was awash with stupid american type treads.

Sorry. I mis read your post.
and still the answer was no. during the 2004 elections the basic flavor of all poli threads were anti-bush/anti-american very few (maybe 1 or 2) pro-american/pro-bush. the battles inside the threads crossed the flame line but the board was awash with stupid american type treads.

I'm not disputing that Anti-A or Anti-B threads were predominating over pro-A or pro-B threads, but pointing out that within those threads there were an equal amount of pro-A (or Pro-B) posters participating as anti-A (or anti-B) posters.

NR, I thought you had learned your lesson after your suspension. Old habits die hard, I guess.



At least the thing I just said could actually be construed as punishable, unlike the things I said the time I did get punished :rolleyes:

At least the thing I just said could actually be construed as punishable, unlike the things I said the time I did get punished :rolleyes:

So, are you claiming then that deliberate moderator malpractice was behind your original punishment?

What really took me by surprise were the - in my eyes - extremely right-wing, conservative and extreme Christian positions. I had never before encountered a person who thought of creationism as a scientific theory and alternative to the evolution theory, I never met anybody who seriously advocated free gun ownership, etc.
At first I thought that a huge number of people must be playing devil's advocate for the sake of argument....

I was surprised not by the differing views , extreme or otherwise. I guess I was somewhat surprised by how much flaming is done. Which shouldn't have surprised me at all.... though I believe it is because I am just rusty. That might be because the last time I had posted on any type of forum was about 6-7 years ago. I guess I forgot how it was lol. :D

So, are you claiming then that deliberate moderator malpractice was behind your original punishment?



Am I allowed to say yes or is that a bannable offense too? I'm not saying anything until someone clarifies.

When I first joined General, I was most suprised at how much people could get away with in this forum without so much as a warning from the mods...


Well, I'm sorry, it's true.



Now I'm suprised by how much the forums have helped me to become a more mature, intelligent person, how much I've grown up with them, and how much they influenced my politics to be even more extreme! :D

First thing I noticed is how out-numbered I am on the political grandscale...

Cause I'm a Conservative... o_O

First thing I noticed is how out-numbered I am on the political grandscale...

Cause I'm a Conservative... o_O



....really? I'm not alone in this cruel world (errrrr....forum)? YAY!!!!

At least the thing I just said could actually be construed as punishable, unlike the things I said the time I did get punished :rolleyes:
Don't play with me. Flaming is a bannable offense, and you did plenty of it.

When I first joined General, I was most suprised at how much people could get away with in this forum without so much as a warning from the mods...

This is mainly due to the fact that there's about 20 of us running a game with anywhere between 50-100,000 users and not all of us are even active all the time. I would still hazard to guess that the majority of rules violations go unreported; we can only act on things we're told about as a general rule; with the game being as large and multifaceted as it is.

But, on to topic. I had been on NS for about 2 and a half years before strapping on the hip waders and waddling out here: the thing that surprised me most, actually, was the healthy yet well-concealed Libertarian population. There's a good number of them here; certainly more than I had originally thought. I'm still pretty much a lone wolf as far as Objectivism goes, but hey, that's how I like it.

Everybody seemed to be liberal. It was nice when I was one but then I discovered what a crock it was and now feel insulted every time Im referred to as a liberal.

I'm not disputing that Anti-A or Anti-B threads were predominating over pro-A or pro-B threads, but pointing out that within those threads there were an equal amount of pro-A (or Pro-B) posters participating as anti-A (or anti-B) posters.you'd think so... but not really, no it was like the spartans. the pro side was few in number but the anti side were... well Horde come to mind.. and that was also surprising to me.

Am I allowed to say yes or is that a bannable offense too? I'm not saying anything until someone clarifies.if you felt they were, you could've appealed the decision. However, it must be done in a rational manner. Flaming and throwing tantrums at the mods rarely helps.

What suprised me most was the lack of a strong neoconservative element here. NS is in no way similar to the real sphere of current politics.

Now I know that this is obviously because the board's full of teens.

I had no idea so many kids were interested in politics. It's interesting to see which ways they lean (thank God not neocon), and I was very happy to see the suprising amount of libertarians among them. All in all it's been a pleasant suprise, even if there tends to be strong idealist streak among members. That's not really a bad thing among people so young (better than extreme pessimism).

I was surprised not by the differing views , extreme or otherwise. I guess I was somewhat surprised by how much flaming is done. Which shouldn't have surprised me at all.... though I believe it is because I am just rusty. That might be because the last time I had posted on any type of forum was about 6-7 years ago. I guess I forgot how it was lol. :D

Me too. Wonder what would happen if the mods really clamped down on flaming and insults? Would probably lose a large number of people whose raison d'etre is to insult and disrupt.

Probably the sheer amount of people who pledge allegiance to this creed called "Libertarians".

I was surprised that this is general, yet only things to do with Debate or politics are welcomed.

I was surprised that this is general, yet only things to do with Debate or politics are welcomed.

In what way is exchanging recipes and discussing lingerie political??? :confused:

What suprised me most was the lack of a strong neoconservative element here. NS is in no way similar to the real sphere of current politics.

Now I know that this is obviously because the board's full of teens.

I had no idea so many kids were interested in politics. It's interesting to see which ways they lean (thank God not neocon), and I was very happy to see the suprising amount of libertarians among them. All in all it's been a pleasant suprise, even if there tends to be strong idealist streak among members. That's not really a bad thing among people so young (better than extreme pessimism).
Precisely. I don't like making generalizations any more than the next guy, but I am forced to admit that the vast majority of leftists that I've ever met were below the age of majority. Typically, I've noticed people tend to grow more conservative as they age. When I was in middle school I almost became a Socialist, and then I watched my brother [who was a Socialist at the time] get into debates with my father, which never ended well for my unfortunate sibling. In a way I was lucky, because I didn't have to go through my the ordeal of having my beliefs meticulously disassembled and analyzed by my father, who is a very intelligent man.

I've also run into lots of people who tell me with no small amount of embarassment that they were radically liberal in their youth, but now they're trotting out to the polls to elect assholes like Bush. Just take a look at the "Summer of Love" crowd circa 1967 and realize that they're the electorate that voted Bush into office.

To all of you teenage socialists: I can almost guarantee you will become much more conservative a few years after leaving college; or if you have to live on your own before that. The needs of others have a way of taking a back seat once you compare the 'Net Pay' and 'Gross Pay' amounts on your first paycheck.

In what way is exchanging recipes and discussing lingerie political??? :confused:Where are the (ahem)

WORD GAMES!

If done properly, they can also educate.

Where are the (ahem)

WORD GAMES!

If done properly, they can also educate.

Word Games???
You want to play Scrabble?

Word Games???yep... fun threads that can be edjumacational as well. :D

Heard these types of threads florished in the old forums. but became extinct when moved to Jolt.

I'm quite pleased with the moderating on here. I've seen a couple of really nasty flames, but they've been dealt with. I've seen 0 mod abuse so far, though one post did make we raise an eyebrow.
I'm damn pleased with the fact that members usually are able to reign eachother in. At least I myself being told to calm down by a fellow non-mod.

I'm interested though, what is the usual age of people here? Anyone know?

The presence of closed-minded idiots we know as neocons didn't surprise me a bit.

What really surprised me was how many intelligent people there are on this forum (oh, there are plenty of morons --- but, let's not get into names, shall we?). Took me completely by surprise.

if you felt they were, you could've appealed the decision. However, it must be done in a rational manner. Flaming and throwing tantrums at the mods rarely helps.



How do I appeal a decision anyway? I know it's too late by now since that happened weeks ago, but just for future reference...

Precisely. I don't like making generalizations any more than the next guy, but I am forced to admit that the vast majority of leftists that I've ever met were below the age of majority. Typically, I've noticed people tend to grow more conservative as they age. When I was in middle school I almost became a Socialist, and then I watched my brother [who was a Socialist at the time] get into debates with my father, which never ended well for my unfortunate sibling. In a way I was lucky, because I didn't have to go through my the ordeal of having my beliefs meticulously disassembled and analyzed by my father, who is a very intelligent man.

I've also run into lots of people who tell me with no small amount of embarassment that they were radically liberal in their youth, but now they're trotting out to the polls to elect assholes like Bush. Just take a look at the "Summer of Love" crowd circa 1967 and realize that they're the electorate that voted Bush into office.

To all of you teenage socialists: I can almost guarantee you will become much more conservative a few years after leaving college; or if you have to live on your own before that. The needs of others have a way of taking a back seat once you compare the 'Net Pay' and 'Gross Pay' amounts on your first paycheck.

1: I'd kick my brother's ass if he lost an argument with my dad in such a way. Even moreso for him accepting an idealogy that he doesn't seem to grasp.

2: I never thought of people like this as "intelligent". They're more about going along with the times than actually having their own solid idealogy. My dad's one of them...

3: I may worry more about money later on, but that won't make me any more socially conservative.

*I know this really isn't on topic, but I felt I needed to make some points.

The presence of closed-minded idiots we know as neocons didn't surprise me a bit.

What really surprised me was how many intelligent people there are on this forum (oh, there are plenty of morons --- but, let's not get into names, shall we?). Took me completely by surprise.

You're allowed to mention me. I won't mind.

You're allowed to mention me. I won't mind.

If by you, you mean Eu--- Shit, almost walked right into that one.

;)

In what way is exchanging recipes and discussing lingerie political??? :confused:



We had a recipe thread? Link please?

If by you, you mean Eu--- Shit, almost walked right into that one. ;)

Hah, that's funny... but I must disappoint in saying that I'm on favourable terms with Eu--- nowadays. I still despise most of what he stands for, but that's no longer a hurdle for being nice to each other. Although, we did have some fun flame wars together...

The only thing that even remotely surprised was how many people equated "left" with "liberal" and "right" with "conservative".

If by you, you mean Eu--- Shit, almost walked right into that one.

;)



Let's play a game! I will call it "Who gets banned first: Potaria or me"

How people became famous and respected within the NS community. And most of the time, they were good people.

i Was disappointed by the lack off poop.

The incredibly WIDE variety of views. People here have opinions on anything and everything, often incredibly extreme in either direction. It's opened my mind, for sure.

Indeed, it certainly opened my mind a great deal, too.

Let's play a game! I will call it "Who gets banned first: Potaria or me"

400 quatloos (http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Quatloo) on Neo Rogolia!

Let's play a game! I will call it "Who gets banned first: Potaria or me"
But you already got banned. Doesn't that mean you lost before the game even started?

But you already got banned. Doesn't that mean you lost before the game even started?



Eh, you know what I mean -.-

But you already got banned. Doesn't that mean you lost before the game even started?

Quiet, you! You're ruining my chances of winning a bet that's already been decided.

How do I appeal a decision anyway? I know it's too late by now since that happened weeks ago, but just for future reference...Post in the moderation areas... so you'll need a puppet.

Eh, you know what I mean -.-
I think so Brain, but where are we going to get a tub full of Monosodium Glutamate?

Post in the moderation areas... so you'll need a puppet.
They delete your nation if you do that.

They delete your nation if you do that.if you're temp forumbanned (not ipbanned or DOS) you'll need a puppet to post an appeal. (seen others do it. )

again, tho, you need to be civil, reasonable and logical. go in flaming and you loose your puppet too. Use the puppet, flame/troll and get that banned and you're that much closer to being IPbanned or DoS.

I think so Brain, but where are we going to get a tub full of Monosodium Glutamate?NARF! :p

1-How strict the rules were as far as post content.
2- LP's postcount
3- The number of Tink worshippers(of course I totally understand it now ;) )


and ........how easy it was to get hooked and completely stop working during the day, just to post around with your NS pals(miss you guys) :fluffle:

and ........how easy it was to get hooked and completely stop working during the day, just to post around with your NS pals(miss you guys) :fluffle:
I totally agree with this. :D

1: I'd kick my brother's ass if he lost an argument with my dad in such a way. Even moreso for him accepting an idealogy that he doesn't seem to grasp.
Fair enough, but my brother's not your brother and my father isn't yours either. The circumstances are hardly comparable since there is likely to be a vast difference in the way we think.

Oh, and as a point of fact, my brother was [i]very familiar with Socialist theory and philosophy [he still is]. He's no slouch, and he wasn't then either.

2: I never thought of people like this as "intelligent". They're more about going along with the times than actually having their own solid idealogy. My dad's one of them...
Excuse me? Are you trying to inform me as to the intellectual qualities of my father, with whom I am very familiar with and you are not? Also, he is hardly going with the times. You don't really have a leg to stand on making a claim like this without even knowing what his politics are in the first place.

3: I may worry more about money later on, but that won't make me any more socially conservative.
I didn't become socially conservative either; neither did my brother. All three of us despise social conservatism and don't trust the people who beleive it farther than we can throw them [which isn't very far, since they're tricky enough to get close to in the first place].

*I know this really isn't on topic, but I felt I needed to make some points.
Me too

and ........how easy it was to get hooked and completely stop working during the day, just to post around with your NS pals(miss you guys) :fluffle:
not to mention staying up till the wee small hours of the morning posting around with NS pals ;)
like i am now...










i need sleep.

not to mention staying up till the wee small hours of the morning posting around with NS pals ;)
like i am now...]

What time is it where you are? Here it's 03.44 :rolleyes:

What time is it where you are? Here it's 03.44 :rolleyes:am or pm?

am or pm?

03.44, as opposed to 15.44. 24 hour clock. The rest of the world uses it.

Honestly, nothing's surprised me on General, so far.

Honestly, nothing's surprised me on General, so far.

Except the totally random reincarnation of Johnny Wadd a few weeks ago as Big Haliburton (sic). That threw me off a little.

03.44, as opposed to 15.44. 24 hour clock. The rest of the world uses it.wow... first time I met someone exactly 12 hours difference. Hi! :D

400 quatloos (http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Quatloo) on Neo Rogolia!
I'll put down 30 galleons.

I had honestly never encountered libertarianism before this forum, and it surprised me. I thought it was an odd political ideology, at first. It seemed somehow… out of place, but, after a short amount of time, I came to respect what I had at first thought was a silly little ideology, and, after a bit longer, began to identify with it. Now, I feel I pretty much am a libertarian.

What I wasn’t surprised by was the amount of people who think that anybody who doesn’t agree with them must be somehow mentally deficient.

The fact that the pound was the currency used by alot of users, I guess I should have figured that out when I saw .uk in the address.

The fact that the pound was the currency used by alot of users, I guess I should have figured that out when I saw .uk in the address.


I'll trade my shilling for your pound :D