Starting to get tired of this forum

There were always separate sides, liberals and conservatives etc., but this forum has degenerated and the people who were genuinely interested in meaningful dialogue have moved off or become infrequent posters. It's not hard to see why when the majority of posters now are not interested in meaningful dialogue, but somehow see themselves as trying to further a 'cause' rather than dialogue and understanding. All they are are mindless parrots.

 

I would suggest you create a few threads to inspire those still here to interact as you wish.....think of it as a mission.

 

Totally agree. There's simply not many worthwhile threads around these days it seems. It's basically just 'leftists are idiots' and 'rightists are racists' threads left. I've been spending most of my time here lately raging about all the trolls and lack of good posts here... Yeah, I'm definitively getting tired of this. MOD EDIT>>>OFF TOPIC<<<

 

I also tend to agree; this forum seems to attract extremists like flies around a turd. Islamophobes, neo-Nazi fanboys, anti-Semites, racist goons and the like. You name it and you'll find one here.

 

Im guessing they are as tired of this forum as we are.

If only there was a way to filter out the unserious trolls...

 

That's not a problem. Au contraire, the good thing about a politics forum is that it has members from all over the spectrum. I go here for debate and views from other perspectives. It's not supposed to be a club of think-alikes expressing their agreement all the time. As long as nazis, commies, racists and whatever post posts of substance and keep civil they are a good addition.

 

To an extent you're right, and I guess one person's 'substance' is another's bullsh*t. The problem arises when forums like this are used to do little more than push personal agendas, and where personal dogma allows for no meaningful debate.

 

from u, thats hilarious; iv never seen u not pushing a conservative agenda, besides drug-issues (u like the ganja i guess)...anyway, its hard to have dialouge when virtually no conservative and some on the other side dont care for facts, reality or logic at all. but then again, us tv is pretty much the same, so i guess some are conditioned to be like that - really a very sad situation.

 

That happens at most any political site except those where the moderators/owners are so partisan that they drive away/ban those who disagree with them.

 

Well if you manage to find a better dedicated political forum let me know.

I sure as hell ain't going back to arguing politics in the off-topic section of other forums.

 

I think you've both managed to validate the OP's opinion.

But I disagree with the OP. The problem with this forum isn't the members. I'll leave it at that, as most know exactly what I mean, and why I can say no more.

I don't think you'll find any forum out there that lacks partisan extremist. If so, you'll undoubtedly find a partisan fascist at the helm, who's either managed to lull other staff members, or run off those who believe in free speech... or a combination of both.

 

Lefties have my heart felt sympathies. Trying to defend Barack Obama is a daunting task. If they were smart, they'd stop throwing themselves in front of Obamas bus and join a bowling site.

 

We are a divided country, fighting for basically polar opposite principals. I think the forum is a snap shot of what's taking place in the real world.

 

I think there is a good core of posters from across the political spectrum, who can engage in thoughtful interesting debate on various issues. The others, just put on ignore. Helps the blood pressure somewhat

 

Interesting, not one left-wing extremist group listed in your post.

 

That's the crux of the problem, threads are being made with the stupid intent of showing ludicrous things like, "see, all x are racists/idiots/moochers" etc. Its no surprise that the quality of discussion then deteriorates, but the real problem is the people. So many look st in such ways, as hyper-partisans, and aren't even interested in genuine discussion, let alone furthering their understanding. That's why there are always real straw men - people on the forum today are much less interested in the rural value of political discussion. They're interested in phantoms.

 

It seems to me that many of the divergent views expressed on this forum reflect a contrived perception that pervades our society. The news media perpetuates the perception of a nation fundamentally divided on ideological, political, religious, and moral principles. People tend to believe what they hear on TV and radio, it validates whatever they were predisposed to believe in the first place. The lack of meaningful dialog is a reflection of that trend. Add in the fact that internet forums provide a platform for some of the most extreme opinions.

 

Its interesting that the forum in many was begins to reflect real life conversation. There is a reason that thanksgiving dinner in most families does not include political discussion. Everyone can load up and veg out to football, but if your dad and your uncle get into political debate the whole day is ruined.

When peoples preconceptions are challenged it triggers a defense mechanism. Even intelligent adults often turn to tantrum throwing, insults, passive aggressive emotional breakdowns and so on, its just the way people are.

That being said I don't post a lot. I will keep on replying to quotes as long as the conversation seems to be going somewhere, but as soon as I see it degrading I stop.

For my own mental health and theirs.

peace.

 

Wondered about that myself.

 

And, of course, we all remember it was liberal American academia, long ago, which believed the scholarly Jihadists who assured them there was nothing to worry about from Jihad. It is just a spiritual struggle...like Yoga, they were told.

And so the liberal American college professors and "deep thinkers" believed the half-truths and lies they were told and they passed that misinformation on to their peers and their students. And the lies colored our perception of Islam in our nation's newsrooms and boardrooms throughout the years and now the misperception of Jihad still remains today among liberals even after bin Laden and 9/11 and the GWOT and the thirteen years of Jihadist attacks on America.

You want PF to be like that fertile scholarly atmosphere enjoyed by your predecessors who indoctrinated and propagandized the naive American academics so that you too might calmly spread your fertilizer to a new generation of uninformed or misinfomed Americans..

Lottsa luck with that, Pal.

EDIT: The reality is that you are no better than the ones you look down your nose at. In fact, they aren't sworn to bringing America down like Jihadists are.

So, you'd be at the bottom of the barrel if that's your agenda.

 

I like them just the way they are, doing just as they do.

It's fun and challenging to try to win them over with facts and logic.

Then watch them slither away and disappear like snakes or continue repeating the same disspelled and debunked lies and myths when they can't handle the truth.

 

I thank the gentleposter from Maine for opening this discussion.

Mr.Speaker, there is a rule, could be considered by people, address all comments to the President or to the Speaker, take some time to revise and extend remarks, and know where is the focus or direction the information is supposed to flow, and why. That is a good idea for the Congress, someone had to think of it, could be to keep their cool, be honorable.

As this body knows, sensationalism wins the day. Even while the sphere of politics is ruined by liars in the press, there is some amusement. To be real, straight talk, maybe that just too offensive, that jaded people feel nothing without their enhanced angular momentum techniques of rhetoric, desensitized. So those of conservative ideals try to be thoughtful, but are met on a spectacular battlefield made of drones and hyperbole. Should they respond in kind, it's futile and pointless. Their adversaries know only of the praise and admonishment, whatever pleasures and pains they give and receive by way of the images they follow.

At once this is an elegant sketch pad of ideas, any journalist or politician can weigh out, so there's always potential that by whatever serendipity the world may be changed. It's not very likely, the authoritarian way is like that of a drill instructor, and there are too many propagandists all determined to own and operate the public opinion instead of accepting the natural, organic flow in that. I believe that is where America is at, as though since the Cold War has ended the two parties have taken up the slack, Mr.Speaker, playing the role of the USSR to fill in the empty space left by the Russians. I think they will continue along that path as far as they can, until their fever breaks.

Thank you, I yield back.

 

Brilliant.

 

Just take a break from the site for a while. I don't post a lot on weekends because I don't want to think about politics on weekends. By Monday I'm ready to come back and expose progressives again. I just post when I feel like it.

 

No, I would say that's what's right about this and most open forums...

The idiocy is self exposed. It needs no examination, stands as simple example of one whole sector of the forum membership. If you don't like it, ignore it.

I think we have to divide politics and the "fringe issues"....There, the situation is comically insane and the OP is right, two extremes screaming at each other. And frankly the level of debate is sickening....

Then there are pone trick ponies who only post on one subject, the aliens who ate the World Trade Center or that Jesus gave birth to sextuplets....what I call the 'Nationnal Enquirer Section' and the only real problem I have with that is it clutters up a new posts search late at night on the West Coast here when only the weird are wired..

On the politics side, yep, lots of trolls, but then is there anyone among us who has NEVER trolled, let him cast the first

I suggest looking for the gems in the (*)(*)(*)(*)...the Republican who will listen to an economic argument in favor of universal health care...the Democrat who see some things wrong in Obama's Washington - OK, hasn't happened yet...