A call for (in)action

[ignorant1]

The intent of this forum is to be a helpful resource for all xPAP’rs. Ideally, every thread would contain relevant & useful information for others in the community. But alas, it is not always so.

Unfortunately, some very bored and/or lonely people post inapropriately in (various) internet forums in an attempt to re-connect with humanity; they’ve oftentimes alienated those that surround them in “real life”. The alienation can be due to a variety of transgressions, but the basis is usually a misperception of acceptable social interaction (and purpose), oftentimes combined with an ego desperately seeking approval by others. Although they may portray an air of superiority and self-aggrandizement, that is merely the public façade covering a core of highly diminished self-esteem. (Those suffering from narcissistic personality disorders also share those traits.)

This has nothing to do with intelligence. Recall that the UniBomber was a genius mathematician, but obviously very misguided. Due to schizoid tendencies, he was not able to understand the nuances of the (human) world around him.

When an individual is identified as one that does not make a productive contribution to a specific society, they become ostracized from the group. This holds true in all social cultures; even primates behave in this manner.

An ability to “stir the pot” is perceived as power by the powerless; it gives them a sense of importance, a reason to exist. Any response, even a scathing one, is perceived as a victory of sorts. Negative attention is still attention nonetheless.

The only way to rid an internet based community of an interloper is to simply ignore them. By withholding response, their perceived power and sense of purpose is diminished; they have nobody left to interact with except for the voice(s) in their own head. Eventually (and with any luck) they go away to find more fertile pastures.

[BlackSpinner]

And your point is?
Remove all chatter and make the site boring?
Humans bond by chatter. Think of it as chimps grooming each other.

[robysue]

BlackSpinner,

I think the plea is more of a "Don't feed the trolls" post myself.

[chunkyfrog]

Chimps grooming one another; I love it!

[ignorant1]

BlackSpinner said:
Remove all chatter and make the site boring?

Not at all. There is much to say about the humorous posts & interactions that take place here. It can be very amusing, and that humor is an intrinsic factor that keeps forums such as this vibrant & alive. We all love that.

However, when an individual mistakenly believes that this is first & foremost a playground for his own insufferably self absorbed and narcissistic entertainment… that can become problematic for others. It serves no useful purpose, and it can dilute the core essence of the forum.

It can be fascinating (up to a point) to observe someone’s psyche as they prattle on in such a manner, but it does get old (and disruptive) after a while. It’s akin to being stuck in a social engagement with someone that thinks himself to be absolutely rip-roaringly funny, yet others find him to be (slightly) humorous at times, but mostly worthy of pity more so than admiration. In other words, an annoyance. (The human capacity for self delusion should never be underestimated. )

The primate/chimp behavior references are valid – both the grooming AND the ostracization of those that do not cooperate within societal norms mandating mutual benefit.

And RobySue has my intent absolutely correct: Please Don’t Feed The Trolls. Maybe I should include that in the Title?

[robysue]

And RobySue has my intent absolutely correct: Please Don’t Feed The Trolls. Maybe I should include that in the Title?

Yep

[jamiswolf]

ignorant1,
What I don't understand is why you feel it's necessary to try and influence others to join you in your little "call to action". Why not use the Foe option so those posts don't bother you? It seems to be mostly your issue.
J

[Paul56]

It can be fascinating (up to a point) to observe someone’s psyche as they prattle on in such a manner, but it does get old (and disruptive) after a while.

We could say that about your post.

[chunkyfrog]

I saw the original post before any responses, and was tempted to respond, "Is this a test?"

[Goofproof]

BlackSpinner said:
Remove all chatter and make the site boring?

Not at all. There is much to say about the humorous posts & interactions that take place here. It can be very amusing, and that humor is an intrinsic factor that keeps forums such as this vibrant & alive. We all love that.

However, when an individual mistakenly believes that this is first & foremost a playground for his own insufferably self absorbed and narcissistic entertainment… that can become problematic for others. It serves no useful purpose, and it can dilute the core essence of the forum.

It can be fascinating (up to a point) to observe someone’s psyche as they prattle on in such a manner, but it does get old (and disruptive) after a while. It’s akin to being stuck in a social engagement with someone that thinks himself to be absolutely rip-roaringly funny, yet others find him to be (slightly) humorous at times, but mostly worthy of pity more so than admiration. In other words, an annoyance. (The human capacity for self delusion should never be underestimated. )

The primate/chimp behavior references are valid – both the grooming AND the ostracization of those that do not cooperate within societal norms mandating mutual benefit.

And RobySue has my intent absolutely correct: Please Don’t Feed The Trolls. Maybe I should include that in the Title?

Why not post "Don't Feed the Trolls" and save typing the few hundred words. Question is a "Don't Feed the Trolls" post a troll post or a spam post? Jim

[xyz]

ig:
> The only way to rid an internet based community of an interloper is to simply ignore them.

Either that or a separate sub-forum (e.g., OT) so that they can yap all day to their heart's delight without diluting the helpful medical-related information that this forum provides.


bs:
> Remove all chatter and make the site boring?

There's nothing boring about useful medical advice.

Are you saying that you can't find another site on the entire internet where chatting is the _primary purpose_ of the site?

> Humans bond by chatter.
> Think of it as chimps grooming each other.

Thank you for the example.
That's _exactly_ the way I think of it.

cpap.com should consider giving the Golden Banana award to those who post mostly chatter, not OSA-related information.


jw:
> It seems to be mostly your issue.

That's not merely wrong, it's hugely wrong.

It's exactly the kind of dismissive response that you would expect from the apologists for all the OT and irrelevant posts in this medical-related forum.


ig was right.
("it gives them a sense of importance, a reason to exist. Any response, even a scathing one, is perceived as a victory of sorts. Negative attention is still attention nonetheless.")

If you have an overwhelming need to blab-blab-blab and need more social interaction than you're currently getting, go talk to your rabbi/priest/pastor. Reserve this medical advice forum (the best in its category) for on topic posts which help people in need.

[RocketGirl]

Hmmm. I've been fiddling with the internet since it was but a gleam in DARPA's eye, and this much I know to be true: as long as there are forums, there will be off-topic posts and the occasional genuine troll. In some idealistic world every poster would police themselves and conform to one's wishes, perhaps, but in the world that I inhabit, people rarely do what I happen to want them to, most probably because I'm also not willing to do exactly what they want me to do .

IMHO it never hurts to occasionally (but kindly) point out that the best response to real trolls is an intense and refined ignore, since newbies happen by all the time (especially in a medical forum where those who arrive are not necessarily experienced internet denizens).

Unless a forum is heavily and strictly moderated, OT posts and some amount of trolling are pretty much inevitable. This forum is not heavily moderated, by design, and I rather doubt that many folks would want it to be, because what seems OT or uninteresting to me might not be, to you. (And vice versa ad infinitum, et quis custodiet ipsos custodes and all that...)

In my few months lurking and then posting here it has seemed that in most cases, the OT threads hum merrily along and the On-T threads hum just as merrily. True trolling and spamming seem rather rare (to my eyes) and cases where they occur seem to be handled with relative aplomb. Folks get right testy if someone posts genuine misinformation, or if someone comes in and tries to pull an On-T thread off the rails. But that included, what y'all have built here seems to work pretty well to my eyes.

Just my US $0.03 (inflation, dontcha know).

[nobody]

If I said I wanted positive attention would anyone give it? Sometimes it seems people pay more attention to inflammatory trolls than others who just come out and ask without stirring the pot so to speak.

[ignorant1]

Perhaps a title of “Feed The Trolls At Your Own Risk” would have been more appropriate?

XYZ “gets it”. And thank you for helping to clarify the issue. An “Off Topic” sub-forum could be helpful; it may serve as a beacon to attract people that have difficulty understanding boundaries (social or otherwise), but it is not necessarily a panacea. “…it takes a community…”

Jamiswolf said:
Why not use the Foe option so those posts don't bother you?

And miss the slow-motion train wreck? That’s like asking why people feel compelled to rubberneck at accidents on the freeway. (I won’t bother with the anthropological basis or simian behavior analogues right now. That would be off-topic bantering again, no?) The posts themselves don’t particularly bother me, what bothers me is the dilution of relevant information that people seek when they come here. Everything has its proper place, i.e., an “off topic” forum. Ironically enough, this thread would belong there, as it has no viable medical information.

Rocketgirl said:
In some idealistic world every poster would police themselves and conform…
… OT posts and some amount of trolling are pretty much inevitable.
…what y'all have built here seems to work pretty well.

Yes, this forum is a great resource, and it is in everyone’s interest to keep it as such. “For the good of the many vs. the individual.”
I’ve seen a few (highly specialized / technical) forums decay to the point of driving the most valuable contributors away - and ultimately the forum dies a slow ignominious death due to a few bad apples poisoning the cider. (Thus my original post.)

Paul56 said:

ignorant1 wrote:It can be fascinating (up to a point) to observe someone’s psyche as they prattle on in such a manner, but it does get old (and disruptive) after a while.

We could say that about your post.

Yes, you caught me. I’m actually an egomaniacal narcissist of the highest possible magnitude. This thread is MY attempt to be an attention whore, and try to use up as much bandwidth as possible while not making any discernable contribution here.

Goofproof said:
Question: is a "Don't Feed the Trolls" post a troll post or a spam post?

The answer is…. (insert buzzer sound) … Both! I’m trolling to build an audience not only to feed my pathetically shriveled ego and mitigate my deficit of human interaction, but I will also be back here soon to sell you a miracle product that cures all SDB problems. (I’m going to call is an Anti Suffication Valve, or ASV for short. ) It will be made in China from inferior quality and highly toxic materials, but it will cost only 28 cents! And if it does kill you, then you don’t have apnea anymore! It’s win-win.
Now, if only the grand conspiracists at Resmed, the FDA, and the CIA would stop trying to kill me to keep the secret safe. At least they still haven’t figured out a way to track me again – I made my tinfoil hat 6 layers thick this time!

[Mr Bill]

Hmmm. I've been fiddling with the internet since it was but a gleam in DARPA's eye, and this much I know to be true: as long as there are forums, there will be off-topic posts and the occasional genuine troll. In some idealistic world every poster would police themselves and conform to one's wishes, perhaps, but in the world that I inhabit, people rarely do what I happen to want them to, most probably because I'm also not willing to do exactly what they want me to do .

IMHO it never hurts to occasionally (but kindly) point out that the best response to real trolls is an intense and refined ignore, since newbies happen by all the time (especially in a medical forum where those who arrive are not necessarily experienced internet denizens).

Unless a forum is heavily and strictly moderated, OT posts and some amount of trolling are pretty much inevitable. This forum is not heavily moderated, by design, and I rather doubt that many folks would want it to be, because what seems OT or uninteresting to me might not be, to you. (And vice versa ad infinitum, et quis custodiet ipsos custodes and all that...)

In my few months lurking and then posting here it has seemed that in most cases, the OT threads hum merrily along and the On-T threads hum just as merrily. True trolling and spamming seem rather rare (to my eyes) and cases where they occur seem to be handled with relative aplomb. Folks get right testy if someone posts genuine misinformation, or if someone comes in and tries to pull an On-T thread off the rails. But that included, what y'all have built here seems to work pretty well to my eyes.

Just my US $0.03 (inflation, dontcha know).

Rocketgirl "gets it".