Is political polarization kind of blighting your enjoyment of the forum?

Yeah?

  • Total voters
    22
acd said:
Harharhar! But seriously. Just merge all these threads.
Click to expand...
For my part I would be wary of that. The threads I have created were created with purpose. To talk about different aspects of what has a political foundation. But as an example President Trump has nothing to do with the discussion of liberal America imploding and both discussions should be kept separate in my mind.
 
Eventhorizon said:
For my part I would be wary of that. The threads I have created were created with purpose. To talk about different aspects of what has a political foundation. But as an example President Trump has nothing to do with the discussion of liberal America imploding and both discussions should be kept separate in my mind.
Click to expand...
Maybe we need a Liberal America sux! Megathread!
 
LittleLissa said:
I think it's more the nature of the discussion I have a problem with. It seems like more of an argument than a discussion. I know it's alright to disagree but I don't understand how people can argue the same points endlessly without getting any closer to any one else understanding their point.
Click to expand...

That's very much it for me. Many of the thread topics are interesting to me. As you said it's the nature of the discussion that is the problem. 90% of what could be productive discourse is eclipsed by a whack-a-mole argument spanning several threads. Thread titles themselves are designed to provoke. Insults, condescension, and countless articles from sources that are always labeled as questionable replace people actually discussing philosophies, actual data, and rationale.

There are several people who make a genuine attempt to have a discussion, and I appreciate that. However, the actual discussions are inevitably swamped and the same handful of threads continue to get juggled and bumped, which keeps them at the top of the feed despite the fact that they are all the same discussion. A car wreck doesn't continue to keep transferring itself up the highway once you pass it.
 
Sloe Djinn said:
That's very much it for me. Many of the thread topics are interesting to me. As you said it's the nature of the discussion that is the problem. 90% of what could be productive discourse is eclipsed by a whack-a-mole argument spanning several threads. Thread titles themselves are designed to provoke. Insults, condescension, and countless articles from sources that are always labeled as questionable replace people actually discussing philosophies, actual data, and rationale.

There are several people who make a genuine attempt to have a discussion, and I appreciate that. However, the actual discussions are inevitably swamped and the same handful of threads continue to get juggled and bumped, which keeps them at the top of the feed despite the fact that they are all the same discussion. A car wreck doesn't continue to keep transferring itself up the highway once you pass it.
Click to expand...
I think you also don't continue to revisit a car wreck. You know it's there, why go back unless you are looking to be confronted with the reality of it?

Oh and at least in regard to my thread topics I can assure you they are not designed to provoke but stimulate. But I do see other thread titles as having been designed to provoke. Fortunately I do not trigger easily.
 
I am not going to post about my personal life much, I am not going to weigh in on others disastrous decisions, I am not going to offer a lot of relationship advise, I am not going to tell folks what I believe about God or the afterlife or whether or not being hit as a child is good or bad for your, not often anyways. But I am going to post about what I think is going on in the world politically. I am going to challenge folks who think Sandy Hook was a hoax, that the Clintons murder people and that Trump has the intelligence above a fourth grader. Boot me if you like
 
Stu said:
I am not going to post about my personal life much, I am not going to weigh in on others disastrous decisions, I am not going to offer a lot of relationship advise, I am not going to tell folks what I believe about God or the afterlife or whether or not being hit as a child is good or bad for your, not often anyways. But I am going to post about what I think is going on in the world politically. I am going to challenge folks who think Sandy Hook was a hoax, that the Clintons murder people and that Trump has the intelligence above a fourth grader. Boot me if you like
Click to expand...
The Clintons do have people murdered. Notice how I did not say "have murdered people". Trump is clearly intelligent and certainly past that of Obama's intelligence. Though Trump is lacking in what I would call a decent personality. Though you are simply wrong on many many things you do not warrant being booted. Being wrong is not a bootable offense.
 
Sloe Djinn said:
That's very much it for me. Many of the thread topics are interesting to me. As you said it's the nature of the discussion that is the problem. 90% of what could be productive discourse is eclipsed by a whack-a-mole argument spanning several threads. Thread titles themselves are designed to provoke. Insults, condescension, and countless articles from sources that are always labeled as questionable replace people actually discussing philosophies, actual data, and rationale.

There are several people who make a genuine attempt to have a discussion, and I appreciate that. However, the actual discussions are inevitably swamped and the same handful of threads continue to get juggled and bumped, which keeps them at the top of the feed despite the fact that they are all the same discussion. A car wreck doesn't continue to keep transferring itself up the highway once you pass it.
Click to expand...
Studies show after three rounds of back and forth per topic without some agreement taking place, that both sides dig in their heels deeper even when factual evidence is glaring them in the face.
 
Asa said:
TBH, this forum makes it seem like ‘INFJ’ is synonymous with the alt-right. We already have an issue with Hitler being labeled an INFJ to contend with, so I wonder if this is alluring to far-right conservatives who have a 'certain agenda', many of whom are not INFJs.

There are numerous posts here that are ripped directly from Sinclair Broadcast Group propaganda… and anyone who does their homework knows two things about Sinclair: 1. The news is fake, exaggerated, or corrupted to send a specific message 2. It is far-right conservative.

I think the majority of people who come here are looking for fellow INFJs to share discussions with, because we've never met fellow INFJs, or know very few of them, and it is refreshing to be with like-minded people, yet the political posts on this forum overshadow everything else. Sometimes the political discussions are diplomatic and inclusive, but rarely. It's too bad.

That's why I spoke up in the past – I wanted everyone to feel welcome here, and I wanted INFJ forum to be a place where INFJs felt accepted and safe.
And that is why I left for a while. Now, I try to stay out of the political threads. There are a lot of people here who are cool when they don't plaster the forum with propaganda.
Speaking up made me more miserable. Being loud like that means utilizing inferior traits... and it made me feel fried.

Ultimately, I'm not sure a lot of INFJs are getting what they need here. A lot of interesting people, INFJs, leave or fade into the background.

For many members this is a forum, like any other forum on the Internet where they can bullshit and argue, but it is my impression that the majority of people who sign up here are INFJs, or know an INFJ, and are seeking connection, and understanding, or advice.


I know I will be called a SJW or Snowflake for this post, but I am actually a moderate. I disagree with many SJW platforms, and I wish we could all be funny about stereotypes here, but the political climate on this forum doesn't allow for that. The bottom line is, the forum has to be for all INFJs to be called the INFJ forum.
Click to expand...

I was delighted to read this post. I was actually feeling a bit hopeful.

And then I continued reading...

I'm pretty sure my days here are numbered, and by my own choosing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Asa
Stu said:
It bothers me to be considered a troll or a propagandist. I will refrain from any more "news and Politics" threads.
@SkipINFJ @Sloe Djinn @Asa @Gale @Katniss Neverbeef @Pin
Click to expand...

No one was thinking or saying that about you @Stu or anyone else. I think they're just raising their feelings about the forum vibe generally.

I don't think that political disagreements are wrong, on the forum or in real world. They're a proof of freedom, so to me that has real value. Even if that makes some uncomfortable at times.

I'd be more worried if there was no debate, discussion.
 
giphy.gif


Bathing in mud is natural to animals.

giphy.gif


Mud wrestling is natural to humans.
 
James said:
No one was thinking or saying that about you @Stu or anyone else. I think they're just raising their feelings about the forum vibe generally.

I don't think that political disagreements are wrong, on the forum or in real world. They're a proof of freedom, so to me that has real value. Even if that makes some uncomfortable at times.

I'd be more worried if there was no debate, discussion.
Click to expand...

CindyLou said:
No one thinks that.
Click to expand...

I'm responding here because I was referenced in Stu's post.

I lack the ability to actually know what someone else thinks or doesn't think - especially someone I don't know, so I would be reluctant to state as much. I can however testify on my own behalf: I don't think of @Stu as a troll or propagandist. In fact, I've enjoyed many of his posts.

That doesn't preclude me from thinking either way about anyone else.
 
Stu said:
I am not going to post about my personal life much, I am not going to weigh in on others disastrous decisions, I am not going to offer a lot of relationship advise, I am not going to tell folks what I believe about God or the afterlife or whether or not being hit as a child is good or bad for your, not often anyways. But I am going to post about what I think is going on in the world politically. I am going to challenge folks who think Sandy Hook was a hoax, that the Clintons murder people and that Trump has the intelligence above a fourth grader. Boot me if you like
Click to expand...

I don't want anyone booted, nor do I want to dictate what is ok to discuss. I want for people to be able to agree to disagree and be able to have dialogue about politics without insulting each other or rehashing the same argument repeatedly in multiple threads. If you don't do any or all of that stuff, great! I'm not saying that any one person is "the issue" or engages in all of the things I mentioned that turn me off. I think it's a collective issue that a lot of us contribute to here and there, and I think we can all work on that. I'll readily admit that I've contributed non-productive rants which didn't further the discussion. I have no issue with people being passionate about what they discuss. I am lamenting the seemingly-inexhaustible tit-for-tat exchange in all of these threads (and perpetuated in new threads) that is never going to be won but always takes center stage.

I'm a fan of yours o helper cow. You're not a troll, and I've seen you respond to several provocative posts with almost superhuman restraint and objectivity. I thoroughly enjoy the occasional personal anecdotes that you relate. I totally respect your right and preference to stick mainly to political topics. Blaming or singling anyone out as the "problem" is neither a credible solution, nor the point, but I acknowledge that it's hard not to feel singled out seeing as how you're the OP of several of the hot threads. Not my intention. What I'm bitching about on the forum is really a microcosm of what's going on with political information on a national level. There's so much emphasis on being "right" that there is no room to look for the truth. You not posting or getting booted is not going to change that, and it's not what I want. I'm interested by the topics of several of your threads, and in what you have to say, but none of the political threads (regardless of my interest) in the past several months have been untouched by that same frustrating style of exchange.

edit: sp
 
Last edited:
@Stu. You say oddly uninformed things on occasion but I certainly do not think of you as a troll.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top