Do you change your real opinions when posting on MR?

[edesignuk]

When I first came here I was still a big Windows user, and beside the obvious irritations of the platform sometimes, I still liked it and used it all he time (as well as my Mac). But, when I started posting in this forum I found myself dragged in to the all singing all dancing Macs are the greatest, PC's BSOD all the time chanting gang. Basically I was posting what I thought people would want to hear, or indeed expect to hear on a Mac forum, basically trying to fit in.
As time has gone by I've moved further and further away from that. I have no time to care what people think about my view, I don't think Steve Jobs is God and his products his jesus like spawn, I do like PC's, and Windows XP is a good OS. Difference is, now I will say this on here, I have been here long enough that I'm not "afraid" of the mac zealots jumping on me for being a trolling wintel fanboy.

So, did you or do you alter your views to that which you think MacRumors members would be more excepting of? Has this changed over time? Newbies, do you feel a need to "conform" to become a "valued" member here (especially now there are so many members and it's so busy here).

Good god, that was actually quite a serious ramble for me! :eek:

[iGav]

So, did you or do you alter your views to that which you think MacRumors members would be more excepting of?

Nope. :D

[musicpyrite]

For the most part, no.

The 1% I don't act like myself is when I'm discussing religion.

The other 99% It's all good. :D :cool:

[Zaty]

No, not at all.

[dubbz]

Haven't really changed my opinions, as I've always belived that Windows is the work of the devil ;)

Seriously, I don't care much for the whole PC vs Mac thing. I've used recent versions of both main OSes, in addition to various other OSes, and they all have their good and bad points. I won't be pressured into beliving otherwise :)

I may not be a big fan of MS, but I try to stay cool about it. Whether I post here, or in another forum doesn't (/shouldn't) affect my opinions.

[bousozoku]

I haven't changed my opinions for MacRumors or any other forums, which is quite evident in the number of ruffled feathers around me. If you alter your integrity to fit the situation, who can trust you?

[jsw]

I haven't changed my opinions for MacRumors or any other forums, which is quite evident in the number of ruffled feathers around me. If you alter your integrity to fit the situation, who can trust you?
Indeed.

I don't alter my opinions either, although, truthfully, some of my opinions shift significantly over time. Good thing I'm not in politics. ;)

[edesignuk]

I haven't changed my opinions for MacRumors or any other forums, which is quite evident in the number of ruffled feathers around me. If you alter your integrity to fit the situation, who can trust you?
Very true. And this is my view now, but, at the time (2-3 years ago), I did "follow the crowd" with my posts *shame on me*.

Course, all that's changed now, I think I've ruffled a few feathers of my own :eek: :D

[Zaty]

Indeed.

I don't alter my opinions either, although, truthfully, some of my opinions shift significantly over time. Good thing I'm not in politics. ;)

I guess it's a good thing if you can change your opinions over time. No one's always right, so if your realise that someone else has a good point, you should be able to admit it and therefore shift your opinion, if only slightly. But of course, sometimes that's easier said than done :)

[emw]

So, did you or do you alter your views to that which you think MacRumors members would be more excepting of? Has this changed over time? Newbies, do you feel a need to "conform" to become a "valued" member here (especially now there are so many members and it's so busy here).

I haven't altered my opinions, but some of you have altered them for me :D. That is to say, my opinions have sometimes been based on "knowledge" that wasn't accurate, and reading other points of view, or getting better facts, has made me realize once again that sometimes opinions need to change.

[rueyeet]

I don't change my opinions, but I do change how I express them to be less loud-mouthed and offensively opinionated than I am offline. You should just hear my tone of voice sometimes... *tsk tsk* :p

Also, I sometimes steer clear of posting when the potential for offense is more trouble than defending my opinion is worth, or when there's simply something I don't feel the Internet at large needs to know (thus avoiding most political/religious discussions). Conversely, I'll sometimes post on a controversial topic to see if I can solidify and defend my opinion.

Actually, I'm usually pleasantly surprised by the amount of thoughtful and intelligent discussion at MacRumors. When it does get down and dirty and personal, usually it's only one or two people creating the problem, not the community as a whole.

[wdlove]

I haven't altered my opinion. Always try to be as honest as I can. What you read is the real me.

[Vector]

I never change my opinions to better suit those of a thread. If there is a thread that i see that i have strong feelings about (opposite of the poster or the majority), i do not post in it because i don't want to get shouted down by some idiot who just flames me instead of debating an actual issue. I don't pariticpate in religious or political threads because i don't feel a need to defend my opinions to others especially when those others are vehemently opposed to my opinion and my posting would only cause more shouting.

[sonofslim]

i don't change 'em, but i do keep 'em to myself some of the time. there have been lots of times i considered jumping into some heated thread, but i usually figure it's not worth it in the end. especially if it's going to end up as an unproductive and probably wastelanded flame-heap.

[FriarCrazy]

i don't change 'em, but i do keep 'em to myself some of the time. there have been lots of times i considered jumping into some heated thread, but i usually figure it's not worth it in the end. especially if it's going to end up as an unproductive and probably wastelanded flame-heap.

Very true. Sometimes its just not worth mussing things up if all you throw in is a weak argument. I have done the same thing.

[edesignuk]

Quite a few of you saying that you don't act differently, but that you do hold back. Why? You don't know anyone here. Do you care what they think? Bollox to 'em, say what you think. That's pretty much the point I'm at now. No being sensetive or delicate around things, go Alphatec* on their ass! :eek:

*if you've been here long enough you'll know ;)

[Vector]

I remember alphatec.

I hold myself back sometimes because i don't feel its worth my time or energy to partipate in some of the volatile threads. Sure i could voice my opinion on some of these threads, but it isn't going to change the poster's opinion since he obviously feels strong enough about it to start a whole thread; and it will just anger me when the poster or someone that agrees with him starts flaming me over my opinions. It isn't that i am worried what others think, it is that i don't want to waste my time dealing with people i disagree with when i know it won't get me anywhere.

[FriarTuck]

Quite a few of you saying that you don't act differently, but that you do hold back. Why? You don't know anyone here. Do you care what they think? Bollox to 'em, say what you think. That's pretty much the point I'm at now. No being sensetive or delicate around things, go Alphatec* on their ass! :eek:

*if you've been here long enough you'll know ;)

I think there is something to be said for keeping MacRumors a more civil spot on the web. There are plenty of other places to "go Alphatec" on someone.

If you have to rely on anonymity to say what you really think... that's just sad. Why not say what you really think, but say it in the right place? and just don't say anything anywhere you couldn't say what you really think. Or something. :p

[kettle]

It may not change personal opinion very often, if ever, but Macrumors is as good a place as any to collect the information needed when forming opinions on new subjects.

Apart from there being too may uptight liberals roaming the forums with a posse of thought police hobby bobbies ready to hammer and sickle society into a large departmentalised mega-branch of idealists-R-Us, I really think I like the place. ;)

They don't like it up 'um! (hmm...well)

Don't tell 'um yer name Pike! :eek:

[Vector]

Apart from there being too may uptight liberals roaming the forums with a posse of thought police hobby bobbies ready to hammer and sickle society into a large departmentalised mega-branch of idealists-R-Us, I really think I like the place. ;)

:D Nice rant.

[edesignuk]

Apart from there being too may uptight liberals roaming the forums with a posse of thought police hobby bobbies ready to hammer and sickle society into a large departmentalised mega-branch of idealists-R-Us, I really think I like the place. ;)

They don't like it up 'um! (hmm...well)

Don't tell 'um yer name Pike! :eek:All of that really made me chuckle...so true though...:eek:

[sonofslim]

Quite a few of you saying that you don't act differently, but that you do hold back. Why? You don't know anyone here. Do you care what they think? Bollox to 'em, say what you think.

on the other hand, i really respect the opinions of a lot of the frequent posters here, and part of that is they're not the ones jumping in to post whatever crap first comes to mind whenever someone says something inflammatory. which is not to say they don't participate in these arguments, but they're the ones holding informed discussions while others are just bickering. i'd like to think that i occasionally contribute something worthwhile to this forum, and i don't want to compromise my credibility by putting my name next to comments that lower this site's collective IQ.

when it comes to heady stuff like religion and sexuality, well, that's when the morons jump out of the woodwork. like you said, i don't know these people, and i don't care what they think of me. but i guess that's just a simple difference of personality between you & i, because that makes it easier for me to ignore them and not get involved. no sense in raising my blood pressure over a few nuts who wandered in from slashdot; i deal with enough nonsense in the real world, know what i mean?

[edesignuk]

I know what you mean. Politics and such I don't get involved in, personally I could never understand why anyone would vote Bush in to office again, but I wouldn't even begin to argue a case as to why (and lets not start here ok?).

I guess sometimes I just pass by crap i don't agree with, but then other times i just have to say something, and depending on the apparent attitude of the poster who I disagree with I will either put my case forward in a sensible manner ...or maybe with a bit of bite :D

[stevehaslip]

i think its important to not only say whats on your mind but to speak honestly, you don't come here to listen to a bunch of yes men?(or women) Has my opinion changed? yes but then it changes gradually over time, not that i love all things apple but i don't always think of things in the same way any more.

[krimson]

i tell it like it is, so no, i dont change my opinion. But im open to having my opinion changed by someone else :)

[medea]

Hah, no of course not, if I had perhaps I would be more popular with the community. Pretending to be someone you are not in order to gain acceptance in an online community is pretty lame, let's hope this doesn't carry over into the real world for anyone. Be yourself, if people like you they will become your friends, if not......

[jefhatfield]

when i first came here i didn't say what i thought...i didn't post, i just read other people's posts and used macrumors for hints on products

[AppleMatt]

No one's always right,

um...well actually :cool:

I don't change my opinion simply because I'm too lazy too, that would require thought (think of new controversial opinion to make people go "oooohhhh......he's risky and dynamic") and memory (when I post normally and then someone says "I thought u hated them" and I'm thinking "oh yeah...buggar").

What I do do is post briefly, without explaining anything (laziness shines through). Then people pick it up and criticise, and others explain for me (typically by saying "I think what AppleMatt meant was..."). It's a very successful system :)

So...no. I do get annoyed on this forum with posters more so than any other forum, a lot more actually, but I've learnt to let it go rather than quote and post. Someone else can get into the ****-throwing match.

I killed my avatar because some people were annoyed I had a similar one to wdlove (I seriously had no idea, back then I sporadically viewed MacRumors. The best part was he didn't mind, but as he'd done his all animated compared to my...lazy...static image, mine had to go) and now I've left it off to gain more animosity.

AppleMatt

[bousozoku]

Very true. And this is my view now, but, at the time (2-3 years ago), I did "follow the crowd" with my posts *shame on me*.

Course, all that's changed now, I think I've ruffled a few feathers of my own :eek: :D

Was that you? <shakes head>

It's obviously that you've grown stronger. I don't think we agree that much but at least I don't have to reject your opinion automatically now. ;)

[absolut_mac]

I don't change my opinions, but I do change how I express them to be less loud-mouthed and offensively opinionated than I am offline. You should just hear my tone of voice sometimes... *tsk tsk* :p

I try and say what I mean, and mean what I say. And because one cannot hear the tone in my voice - and it doesn't come through in words - I try not to be too harsh in type.

But that doesn't mean that I might not change my mind/opinion at a later date. New info and a change of perspective tends to have that effect on me.

[AmigoMac]

It's just me, no way I will post things people want to read if I don't ... Because Mac users "think different" from windows users :p , doesn't mean that Mac users think the same ;) ... ahh! No Steve is not God!!! maybe was sent by him to save us :D ... and Windows is not that bad, I'm really happy with my Toshiba laptop running Win 3.1 (in the basement) and my workstation running Win NT 4.0 ... I'm not a zealot, I've seen the light ...