Does discussing various topics in Forums actually accomplish anything?

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   manlypoetrymanposted 14 years ago

   What does discussion in Forums actually accomplish?
   
   A. Ability to vent.
   B. Chance to show you know something.
   C. Chance to show you're right.
   D. Chance to try your luck at adding some humor.
   E. Chance for everyone to see your point and help change the known world as we know it!
   
   I often wonder on talk shows and internet forums and discussions if any points being made matter for anything than just spent energy on the person doing the talking or typing. What does all the chitter-chatter do in the end run?

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      rhamsonposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I don't know if it accomplishes much.  But the only other thing that I see out of not talking about the things that bother people is the acting out by stuffing their opinions away.
      
      Look on the positive side,  maybe somebody learns something by this medium even if they don't want to admit it.

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      Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Forums can be a venue for something that benefits everyone.
      
      One forum thread not too long ago eventually gave Hubbers concrete information about what a poetry Hub is and why it stands in a valued place on HubPages despite the Google Panda event and the subsequent questioning of whether poetry Hubs needed to meet word-count criteria.
      
      A forum gives everyone a choice...they can contribute something helpful to the community or they can choose to showcase an ego for personal self-gratification.
      
      Mostly, I find it useful to wade through forum posts to get the information I need from a topic that I wouldn't get in any other way. If some want to vent, puff themselves up, or agitate, then I pass them by.
      
      I think all the chitter-chatter can eventually culminate in your "E" scenario.

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         Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I'd like to read that forum thread, on the value of poetry at HP. Which I don't doubt, btw. But I missed that thread, anyone hook me up, or give me a clue?

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            Sally's Troveposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            http://hubpages.com/forum/topic/70209#top

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      tritrainposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Chance to learn something new.
      Chance to meet others with interesting, possibly similar, ideas.

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      waynetposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, it clutters up the Internet! that has to be good for everyone right?!!
      
      And it also wastes time for everyone concerned, just think of all of them religionists who spend their time arguing the point about God being the bees knees....waste of time!!!!

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      AEvansposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Chance for me to see who is still here, make my point and say hello.

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   Cagsilposted 14 years ago

   Discussion has only one result- impact.
   
   Regardless of what is discussed, the communication skill sets of the individual are on display. Their individual action has an impact, even if that impact goes unnoticed.
   
   The impression brought forth is perceived and learned from. Therefore, all discussion are good, even if the discussion leads to a heated argument.
   
   The only thing to keep a discussion from coming to a physical confrontation is self control of the parties involved.

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   Mark Ewbieposted 14 years ago

   I owe a lot to the forums.  When I arrived here I was toying with the idea of becoming a Baptist minister and voting Republican.  Thanks to hundreds of helpful and admittedly, slightly abusive comments (not all my own) - I have come to my senses.
   
   I am now divorced and living in a tepee.

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      prettydarkhorseposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hehe..you are funny Mark Ewbie..

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      Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Mark,    ......but have you properly decided to either hate or love Obama - depending on whether you already hate or love the guy, and/or whatever the latest Obama thread would require?

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   John Holdenposted 14 years ago

   Generally I think it accomplishes very little!
   Why then, you might ask, do I post so much?
   
   Last year I had a stroke which affected my ability to concentrate and to write. I find short posts are pretty good therapy, though I do have to be interested in a topic to post to it.

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   Stacie Lposted 14 years ago

   it gives some hubbers great material to write some hubs.
   

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      Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes.  Many ideas from here when just wandering through.

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      TLMinutposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      This is what I think it's good for, giving ideas on what you want to write about. Notice I 'said' YOU. So far, I haven't written because of the forums, I just read, and read, and read...

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         Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         I don't do this often, but I've been known to see something on the forums that "gets me going" - and then I'll go vent (but in a "proper" way) in a Hub.    It might only be two or three of all my Hubs, but they're among my better ones.  ("passion" - and all that)

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            Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            My favourite piece of work came from a right winger going on about the Gay problem and they should put the "horse back in the barn".  I don't think he'd be very pleased with it.

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   prettydarkhorseposted 14 years ago

   Hi manly, I learn a lot from different perspectives, but sometimes it is predictable and it gets nasty for some. I don't indulge in heated arguments myself. I like sports forum.

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   Pandoras Boxposted 14 years ago

   Well, I think it's symbolic of the community here. Writers, thinkers, expressing stuff they're interested in. And I do think that besides being an outlet for that, I think it all has a cumulative drip effect. It'll drive ya crazy sooner or later.
   
   Naw, j/k. I expect sometimes, maybe, at some moments in some random person's life, something happens which requires a crucial choice, for good or evil, let us say, and go ahead and be dramatic about it.
   
   At that moment, when otherwise surely the wrong would have been followed, that random person, that lucky hp forums lurker, the former and perhaps even ongoing recipient of tons of liberal abuse here, stops himself, freezes the moment, pauses the imminent catastrophe, and says to himself, "What would Mark Knowles do?"
   
   So there ya go. One minor little personal apocalypse avoided. Chalk one up for free speech.

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      Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      You should write more hubs...

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         Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Mark, I have to ask....what is your point(insinuation)?
         
         I mean, that was a loaded statement, all by itself.

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            Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            Ah, I suppose it could be taken in a number of ways.  Bother.
            
            What I meant was, that was a really cool, interesting, well written and ultimately funny post by PB.  So I checked the profile.  And only five hubs.
            
            Therefore my rather oblique comment.

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               Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Okay, just checking. Pandora Box actually is one hubber who has multiple accounts.

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                  Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Ah OK.  Thanks.  I'm just going to shut up for a while now.

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                     Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     No need. I just wanted you to be aware.

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                  Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                  Yes, but none I'd recommend! Haha. Boring salesy stuff.

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                     Cagsilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                     Hey Pandora
                     
                     You did have more than 5 hubs on this account before? Have you been ripping down hubs?

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               Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               Yeh, I, um, chased the money instead. Well worth it, for me, as it established whether or not to waste my life recommencing a job search.
               
               I'll get back here soon, working on finishing a few.

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         Pandoras Boxposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Thank you!

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   superwagsposted 14 years ago

   It's cheaper than going to the pub and talking your mates' ear off after a few pints; if a little less enjoyable.

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   Lisa HWposted 14 years ago

   I've always seen discussions (especially the serious ones) as a way of finding some unexpected thing to think about and maybe discuss with someone else.  Sometimes I just post whatever thoughts I have a result of thinking about it on here.  Other times I may decide to turn those thoughts into a Hub (or another piece of writing somewhere else), rather than posting them on here.
   
   Lots of times I'm not looking for something to think about or write about.  Lots of times I look for things like questions that seem to warrant a thought out answer.  I know a lot of the stuff people post is baloney, or else is because they want to call attention to a subject they've recently written about; but I don't care.  There's always the chance that's not the case.  Besides, even if someone posts a baloney thread, there's always the chance someone who actually has interest in that question could use an few thought-out answers.
   
   Obviously, I'm not going to go to some thread/question that I don't know much about - so that means I generally gravitate toward trying to answer the stuff I know something about.  It's not about "showing what I know".  It's about trying to give whoever asked as well thought out an answer as I think some serious questions deserve.
   
   So, my selfish reasons for posting are about finding writing subjects, taking a break from work, enjoying the idea of discussing something (even if not a lot of people offer much in terms of "real discussion"), having a little "mental challenge".  My "altruistic" reasons are that I also enjoy thinking that maybe, in some tiny way, I offered someone something useful (and, yes, I know sleaze-balls can post questions for their sleazy purposes, but I don't care; I get my enjoyment out of the minor "minor mental challenge" and exercise).
   
   Something else, though (and this is going to come across as real "brown-nose-y" (and it isn't supposed to); but there's the thing about "contributing to the site".  I'm not here for my health, and I don't pretend to be; but I'm someone who (at least tries) to bring something to whatever it is I'm doing. I'm not being "goody-two-shoes" about that.  It's just something that's part of being a grown-up (at least for a lot of people).  On top of all that, I just enjoyed writing and discussing and thinking.  I don't always care (and these days I REALLY don't always care) whether 15 or 20 minutes of writing is going to earn me anything or not.     (Besides, there's something to be said for forgetting about who thinks what, what earns what, and what nobody is going to want to take the time to read - and just doing what you feel like doing at the time.  )  In any case, at least for me, "none of the above" (among OP's letter options) applies.   

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    Mark Ewbieposted 14 years ago

    Ok, following Lisa's example, but not so comprehensive obviously I'll be a bit more truthful.
    
    I know from previous experience that forum chatter in terms of changing or forming opinions is largely a waste of time.  But I also have a fair idea of how to play forum games.
    
    So.  When I joined up I played the look at me game in order to get some traffic.  That's my confession, although probably obvious to anyone anyway.
    
    Now I'm more confident and established it's less trying to get another follower or viewer, and more just because, I, er, like playing forum games.
    
    Still shallow and pointless though - sorry about that.

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       Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       Mark, I don't think it's any more shallow than anyone else's "self-benefit" reasons (including my own).  As you say, it's "games" - although some people play by different "rules" of the game.  My confession is that I weren't getting something out of it (for my own purposes), I'd see it as giant waste of time too.    My thing (with this spare-time stuff I do somewhere like on HubPages) is that I only have x amount of spare time, and it comes in a variety of spurt-lengths or chunks.  Only x percent of that x amount of stolen time is something I can devote Hub-writing to. Within the context of that, and of this site, I turn bits and pieces of otherwise useless time into something that serves some purpose for me.  For me, the forums are more "wise use" of bits of time that would otherwise be wasted.  (Of course, today - a rainy Monday - I'm just on here wasting time, and I don't pretend otherwise    Then again, I DID just post a mediocre-to-downright-bad Hub.    )  (Sorry, all you people who want only super-high-quality Hubs from now on.    )

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          Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

          Blimey Lisa.  You sure write a lot of words.

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             Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

             I know, and I feel self-conscious about it - but I don't know how to stop either.      (I think it may have to do with coffee.       )

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                Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                It probably didn't quite sound right, but I was just a bit staggered that's all.  There's about five hubs worth there by my standards.

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                   Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                   It sounded fine, and perfectly understandable.    (Nobody has yet seen the 19,000-plus word "Hub" I've been "not publishing"    Oops.  Even I won't publish that one.    )

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                      Mark Ewbieposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                      19,000 - lol.
                      
                      Put it in the competition.
                      
                      They have to read all the way through.

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                         Lisa HWposted 14 years agoin reply to this

                         lol    Somehow I have a feeling it would be eliminated at about the 1200-word point.     Think I need to do the proverbial "next thing" with those 19,000 words,

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    DTR0005posted 14 years ago

    Not a damn thing.

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    Evan G Rogersposted 14 years ago

    forum posts give you a chance to apply your arguments to a wide variety of people. Then, when they argue against you, you either have to a) apply mental gymnastics and sophistry to keep your argument strong, b) realize you're wrong, c) realize the other person is a nincumpoop, or d) further clarify your argument.
    
    Basically forums just make you a better arguer.

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