Why are people in here so mean?

wborisenok · Oct 3, 2014

I've been lurking on the forums for quite some time, but only recently signed up to join in the excitement of the iPhone 6 discussion. I've been frequenting multiple times a day for the last 3 or so weeks.

I can't speak to the other forums on MacRumors, but it seems that many people in here are downright mean. Some of the posts I've read in response to others' questions are unbelievably sarcastic and penurious. Among the handful of other forums that I peruse, I've never encountered such disdain for new members or those that may not have as much knowledge of the topics being discussed.

Most people come here to learn and share knowledge. The amount of things I've learned since becoming an active member is tremendous. The unfortunate part is that I haven't felt welcome to post my own threads or respond to others' threads because the number of times I've seen someone get completely flamed is off-putting. Some of the drama and immaturity feels like high school all over again.

The very people that I'm referencing in this post are going to show up in this thread and do just that: flame me. Save your breath because I won't engage with you. I wanted to acknowledge the crap that goes down in here, my viewpoint as a "new" member, and hopefully help people realize what kind of atmosphere is getting fostered. I'm not looking for World War III and I'm not going to hide in a corner, I plan to frequent the forums in the same manner that I've been doing. I'm also no angel, I've had my days where I want to flame everyone/everything in sight. It happens, but in here it seems to happen A LOT. The takeaway message here is: lighten up, peeps. Life is good as an iPhone owner.

Mods: You all do a great job. Sorry for the rant. Do what you will with this thread, but I hope it's semi-enlightening for the active iPhone forum population.

deviant · Oct 3, 2014

Most new users come here and create new threads for things that were discussed a million times before (but that's still kinda ok. But there are some that come here and create flame threads like "it just works, except it doesn't, i hate it, i can't take it anymore". some create thread like "i want to use it THIS way but now i can't, even if it's not supposed to work that way I WANT IT like THAT and i DON'T CARE". Some are just plain stupid like "i love my 6+, do you love it too? iPhone 6 sucks, right? haha". Some are pointless.. "iPhone 6 radiation OFF THE CHARTS and we are all gonna die, thanks for cancer, apple!"

That's annoying, that's all.

satchow · Oct 3, 2014

Too many times I come to this forum and see a post started off with "You do realize that [blahblahblah], right?"
People just like being condescendng online. Let's be nicer please.

bmac4 · Oct 3, 2014

Why are people in here so mean?

I could not agree with you more. It seems a lot of iPhone users that post on here have this "I better than you" attitude. As I new member I am sure it can be hard. I have had my share of arguments on here, but in the end I learned it does no good. I just except when I am on here there will always be at least one poster that has a chip on their shoulder, or just out to say the complete opposite of you.

Ddyracer · Oct 3, 2014

I think, people just generally are a cantankerous lot and just take it out on strangers on the internet that they wouldn't do in real life for various reasons. I advise anyone reading this to visit other forums not related some much to screen tech and the air is a lot more cheery.

Arran · Oct 3, 2014

wborisenok said:
... The very people that I'm referencing in this post are going to show up in this thread and do just that: flame me. Save your breath because I won't engage with you...

Good advice. A real time-saver too.

wborisenok · Oct 3, 2014

deviant said:
Most new users come here and create new threads for things that were discussed a million times before (but that's still kinda ok. But there are some that come here and create flame threads like "it just works, except it doesn't, i hate it, i can't take it anymore". some create thread like "i want to use it THIS way but now i can't, even if it's not supposed to work that way I WANT IT like THAT and i DON'T CARE". Some are just plain stupid like "i love my 6+, do you love it too? iPhone 6 sucks, right? haha". Some are pointless.. "iPhone 6 radiation OFF THE CHARTS and we are all gonna die, thanks for cancer, apple!"

That's annoying, that's all.

I completely understand this and also have been annoyed by it. I think to myself, "This person definitely did NOT search before making this thread." Then I remember that it's not my job to moderate the posts, it's the job of the mods. But yes, I generally agree with what you're saying.

2984839 · Oct 3, 2014

I have come to the conclusion that the majority of the membership is 12 years old.

wborisenok · Oct 3, 2014

Ddyracer said:
I think, people just generally are a cantankerous lot and just take it out on strangers on the internet that they wouldn't do in real life for various reasons. I advise anyone reading this to visit other forums not related some much to screen tech and the air is a lot more cheery.

This. I think you're spot on.

Apple fanboy · Oct 3, 2014

Some people are more polite than others. It's just life. When you factor in the anominity of a forum, it tends to bring out the worst in people.
That said when you have seen 29 threads all started that seem to be just about asking or saying the samething, this can be frustrating. It tends to be the newer members that fail to see the 20 other threads right on the front page as well.

That said, some of the sub forums have a bit more regular posts from fewer members, so things tend to be a bit friendlier.

Also humour is not always interperated the sane (especially across borders). I'm naturally a sarcastic person. If your not, you might interperat my posts as rude.

Meister · Oct 3, 2014

I am getting the impression that you are rather new to the internet. This forum is extremly tightly moderated. You should visit the dpreview or other forums where everything goes. Or look at youtube comments

macrumors seems like a gentlemens club to me.

wborisenok · Oct 3, 2014

Meister said:
I am getting the impression that you are rather new to the internet. This forum is extremly tightly moderated. You should visit the dpreview or other forums where everything goes. Or look at youtube comments macrumors seems like a gentlemens club to me.

New to the internet? Haha. Nah. Like I had mentioned, I'm a member of a few other highly populated forums and none of them come with the condescending tone that this one has. It's weird.

Meister · Oct 3, 2014

wborisenok said:
New to the internet? Haha. Nah. Like I had mentioned, I'm a member of a few other highly populated forums and none of them come with the condescending tone that this one has. It's weird.

I have been around since the start (~1994) and there used to be no rules on the web.
I think people should be allowed to write whatever they want, unless they are spamming.
I constantly have to modify and filter my posts as to not violate forum rules.

Goftrey · Oct 3, 2014

The iOS sub-forum is an out of bounds area for me personally - I salute the mods that are tasked with the job of patrolling that side of the site.

Having said that, I find that the rest of the forum on the whole is incredibly well behaved. The Photography, PowerPC and Collectors' forums in particular - as AFB said, the number of posters there tend to be fewer but are mostly all regular contributors who have been around for a while.

daflake · Oct 3, 2014

Meister said:
I am getting the impression that you are rather new to the internet. This forum is extremly tightly moderated. You should visit the dpreview or other forums where everything goes. Or look at youtube comments macrumors seems like a gentlemens club to me.

Yeah, but you have to admit that it has gotten a lot worse over the years. I remember when you could come on the web and ask questions and get solid advice. Now, it is just a flame fest of crap that you have to sift through to find what you are looking for. It is a little sad that it has all come to this.

wborisenok · Oct 3, 2014

Goftrey said:
The iOS sub-forum is an out of bounds area for me personally - I salute the mods that are tasked with the job of patrolling that side of the site.

Having said that, I find that the rest of the forum on the whole is incredibly well behaved. The Photography, PowerPC and Collectors' forums in particular - as AFB said, the number of posters there tend to be fewer but are mostly all regular contributors who have been around for a while.

To be fair, I should poke around on some of the other sub-forums. This is just what I've been encountering on the iPhone forum.

Aspasia · Oct 3, 2014

556fmjoe said:
I have come to the conclusion that the majority of the membership is 12 years old.

Aptly stated.

For the OP, there is one very nice attribute of this forum: the ignore list, which can be found in your User CP settings.

GGJstudios · Oct 3, 2014

wborisenok said:
To be fair, I should poke around on some of the other sub-forums. This is just what I've been encountering on the iPhone forum.

Yes, you should explore other sub-forums. The iPhone forum is, on a whole, not as well behaved as many other areas of MacRumors. It seems to attract a larger concentration of less mature posters than other areas.

Astroboy907 · Oct 3, 2014

wborisenok said:
To be fair, I should poke around on some of the other sub-forums. This is just what I've been encountering on the iPhone forum.

Note that this is also the worst time to be on the iPhone forum as people try to jump on -gate bandwagons, diss on the iPhone, troll, try to incite flame wars, etc.
This is commonplace at every iPhone release. Give it a couple months and it will be more civil.

TWO2SEVEN · Oct 3, 2014

Astroboy907 said:
Note that this is also the worst time to be on the iPhone forum as people try to jump on -gate bandwagons, diss on the iPhone, troll, try to incite flame wars, etc.
This is commonplace at every iPhone release. Give it a couple months and it will be more civil.

Don't forget about the people who try to justify their purchase by putting down other products (iphone 6, ipad mini, etc.).

MarkCollette · Oct 3, 2014

It's my feeling that within the past two years, there have been a number of new accounts created by a vocal minority who are either Android trolls or paid shills, who's free time and/or job is devoted to repetitively pushing antagonistic views in the forums. There have always been passionate tech debates on the forums, but recently it's taken another tone altogether.

Coincidentally, 2012 is when Samsung drastically upped their marketing budget, and astro-turf campaigns are standard marketing now. All just conjecture, but based on noticing that almost every single antagonistic post comes from a join date of 2012 or later, and the worst ones are from the past few months.

It's getting to the point where it's no longer fun and relaxing for me to read just about any thread off the front page. I wish there was a way to crowd source flagging the relentless trolls, and then filtering out everything they say, and everything written to reply to them.

We have enough Apple fans here already, who hold Apple to account on their choices, to counter an Apple fanboyism, that we don't really need people in here who's purpose is to just reiterate the latest anti-Apple talking point.

Rogifan · Oct 3, 2014

wborisenok said:
To be fair, I should poke around on some of the other sub-forums. This is just what I've been encountering on the iPhone forum.

I make a point of saying away from iOS and iPhone/iPad forums right after a release. It seems to settle down a few months later.

wborisenok · Oct 4, 2014

Thanks for the insightful responses, everyone. You've all given me hope! Haha. I didn't think about the influx of band wagoners from the release. I'll definitely be sticking around, especially knowing there will be a "clearing out" of the trolls.

28Gauge · Oct 4, 2014

Ddyracer said:
I think, people just generally are a cantankerous lot and just take it out on strangers on the internet that they wouldn't do in real life for various reasons. I advise anyone reading this to visit other forums not related some much to screen tech and the air is a lot more cheery.

I agree. I frequent many internet forums ranging from Apple stuff, aviation, firearms, etc and they all devolve into nastiness from time to time.

roadbloc · Oct 4, 2014

satchow said:
Too many times I come to this forum and see a post started off with "You do realize that [blahblahblah], right?"
People just like being condescendng online. Let's be nicer please.

nah. cba.

trollface.jpg

Why are people in here so mean?

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