Why do people name call on here for having their own opinion?

1. 67

   MrsLWarnerposted 11 years ago

   Why do people name call on here for having their own opinion?
   
   If were all adults here, why do people feel the need to call people names, just for having their own opinion? Many people answer questions with their opinions, sometimes facts. Why do other's need to call people names like BIGOT for example, for thinking differently?

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2. 91

   Georgie Loweryposted 11 years ago

   Some people don't know how to correctly express their passion for something, I think. Then there's big old babies that have to be right. If they're not, it will degenerate into name calling. I think it's a sad fact of the internet... we can say nasty things behind the relative anonymity of a laptop screen.

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      MrsLWarnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree! Thank you for your insight! "Trolling" is seeming to become a big thing! Everyone's "meaner" on the internet!

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   Lisa Marie Warrenposted 11 years ago

   I'd say the answer to this question may be that while we're all "chronological adults", we aren't all adults when it comes to level of maturity in social interaction and in discussion/debate.
   
   When I was in school one English teacher would repeat two "sayings" frequently:  "Profanity is the crutch of the verbally crippled," and "Sarcasm is the weapon of the weak."  (I'm not sure I particularly buy that "weapon-of-the-weak" thing, but the teacher was generally referring to sarcastic teenagers at the time.)  Nonetheless, it was a catchy saying that I've always remembered.
   
   I'd throw my own "saying" into that mix:  "Name-calling is the weapon of people who have no other weapons."

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      MrsLWarnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I definitely think maturity has a lot to do with it! I like what you said about name calling being their only defense! It seems to be proven true everytime!

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I like those - will have to try and remember...!

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4. 59

   TheLifeExperimentposted 11 years ago

   Some people are just too narrow minded to realize that websites like this are for people to express their opinion. When people have different opinions than their own, they get frustrated and start saying dumb things.

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Agree - many people think other opinions are ok so long as they aren't different from their own - LOL

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5. 61

   Lions Den Mediaposted 11 years ago

   Well young lady, often times you will find others projecting their prejudices and bias onto you because they have this incesent belief that those that disagree with them are bigots or morons, because they themselves are bigoted morons. Hence, everyone must be like them.
   
   However, if someone is pointing out the fact that someone is a bigot by claiming someone is a bigot, doesn't mean they are bigots. It is similar to the time that President LBJ (Lyndon Banes Johnson) bigot racist hated blacks. He refused to support Civil Right legislation until HE proposed on the political belief that he could 'secure forever the black vote for the democrat party'.

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      You lost me for a moment, but I think I got it. I was just having this conversation with a client/friend tonight. People seem to use the ego defense mechanism of projection rather frequently these days.

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6. 0

   Larry Wallposted 11 years ago

   It is a trend you find on many forums: how repulsive and insulting can you be without making a point yourself.
   I use to participate in a computer-related forum. Regardless of the question or issue, the forum turn into a bashing of Microsoft and all successful companies, the praising of AMD and all less successful companies, a considerable amount of name calling and very little discussion on the subject.
   
   Occasionally, I would ask that people stick to the point and stop the name calling. I was told to mind my own business. I no longer participate in that forum.
   
   Some people crave attention and they get that attention by acting like children on forums such as this. Everyone remembers who was the trouble maker in the third grade. You may not remember who the valedictorian of your college class.

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      LOL - "how repulsive and insulting can you be without making a point yourself." As a businesswoman with a strong background in science and writing, I am impatient with people who talk and say nothing and just seem to want to argue.

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7. 71

   jennzieposted 11 years ago

   As Georgie said, I think it's just that some people always need to be right- either that or they just think it's funny, or they do it out of boredom. Some people wouldn't  have the guts to say many of the things that they say over the internet if they were face-to-face with the person on the other side of the monitor.

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8. 85

   Express10posted 11 years ago

   I agree 100% with Georgie Lowery. Some people don't know how to agree to disagree, others grew up in a "my way or the highway" household and don't know how to discuss things rationally, and there are some people who feel threatened when their view has been obliterated by reality, verified data, or commonly accepted facts.

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9. 60

   eternals3ptemberposted 11 years ago

   Respect is earned, and if people act like a degenerate fool, I'll treat them like one. If they act civil the whole time, I'll generally act quite civil in return. I don't throw around the word bigot, or other labels, but when the title is earned, people should expect me to address them with that title. They earned it through your actions.
   If someone's opinion is "I prefer 'blah blah blah' to 'this that and the other' because of these reasons..." and they have reasons, not just a malicious intent on attacking people's beliefs or opinions, there would be no name calling. However, when your hub is devoted to treating the religious like their mentally unstable (*some* atheists), or saying that the left is an organization of communists/fascists (*some* right-wings) or something else, I honestly treat you like I treat your opinion.
   If your opinion is "Global warming deniers are [insert childish name-calling]" or "Obama is a [insert childish name-calling]" etc. I'm going to talk to you with words like [again, childish name]. It doesn't matter who you are.
   
   If someone is called a name, they might have earned it.
   
   Or, more likely with hit-and-run trolling, they were the unhappy target of some idiot. Or, I'm having a bad day and you're "crazy" opinion is going to experience the unjust, undeserved lashing of my irrational snap judgement. After which, I will apologize for my actions.

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      Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Hmmm...I have asked questions and received thoughtful answers with which I disagree, but which I think the responder is quite convinced and since s/he took the time to respond I do not vote down, post inflammatory responses or delete.

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    Becky Katzposted 11 years ago

    They may be technically adults, but their actual mindset is that of a juvenile.

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11. 59

    Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years ago

    Good question. While many people on this site are very nice, some are very rude and obnoxious. In response to a question I asked about what a blackhawk helicopter was for example, a man responded, "You answered your own question stupid." I was appalled! I normally do not engage with people of this calibre.
    
    I guess it's just the day we live in. Many people seem to have lost a sense of courtesy toward others. I guess the best advice is to ignore them since it doesn't seem to be "against the rules" in many cases for people to behave this way on here. Try not to let these miserable souls steal your joy!

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12. 76

    silverstararrowposted 11 years ago

    Some people are too stringent in their opinion and have a really stubborn attitude. They find it difficult to accept an opposing reply from a second party. Usually they feel that they need to convert others too, into their way of thinking.
    
    I think they are just blindly passionate about things they believe in. not that passion should override courtesy, as is often the case.

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    Doc Snowposted 11 years ago

    I suppose people who do this think that their passion for their particular truth--or 'truth'--outweighs every other consideration.  Ironically, of course, it just makes their ideas less likely to be considered on their merits.
    
    But "venting" can be both tempting and satisfying--which accounts for occasional lapses of judgment on the part of those who both know better, and (usually) do better.

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