Why is there SO MUCH negativity here?!

mmipanda

http://24.media.tumblr.com/45d2908b7a1d2b789b18f786954f0bc3/tumblr_mjbipyzkBC1qdqrpco1_1280.png

Cranquistador

LOL

ThickMcRunFast

FIFY. Keep practicin' them internets.

ldula88

Definitely agree with you, OP. I get especially annoyed when people are so sure that certain lifestyles (in my case, Paleo) are wrong, "ridiculous", or "dangerous" because they either don't believe in it themselves, or don't understand what it actually is. Seriously, people, do some research before you form your oh-so-important opinions on someone else's lifestyle!!

DopeItUp

http://24.media.tumblr.com/45d2908b7a1d2b789b18f786954f0bc3/tumblr_mjbipyzkBC1qdqrpco1_1280.png

Didn't learn much, growing up with the internet, now did you?

(Sorry, that was too easy)

mmipanda

FIFY. Keep practicin' them internets.

now its TOO SMALL though:sad:

why these forums can't stretch to accomodate normal images, i have no idea.

DavPul

FIFY. Keep practicin' them internets.

now its TOO SMALL though:sad:

why these forums can't stretch to accomodate normal images, i have no idea.

you're the expert, you tell us.

ThickMcRunFast

FIFY. Keep practicin' them internets.

now its TOO SMALL though:sad:

why these forums can't stretch to accomodate normal images, i have no idea.

google image provided a medium option

eta: see! Support brought, even if it is IT support. boom.

SLLRunner

I will agree, to an extent. But some people (often) are just plain rude and righteous. We all have opinions, of course. And I don't want to stifle that. But I just see an overwhelming amount of really unsupportive comments.

Opinions are a dime a dozen and everyone has one. I think disagreement is healthy, and I also believe in a good debate. People have a right to share their truths and opinions in whatever way they choose, even though I sometimes disagree with how it's done.

That said, do you notice that most of the snark comes in when people come on here asking for support in crash diets or other low calorie diets and they get pretty much told about how unsafe such diets are? My motto is that I will not support anyone in anything unsafe, and I have a feeling that is what others are advocating as well.

So, what some people might see as negativity is really other people taking a stand.

gigglesinthesun

^this

I would *love* an MFP cheat sheet to help me navigate the forums more easily.

use the search function if you have a question and see whether the existing threads can answer it. But please for all things holy, don't post onto threads that are like 2 years out of date.

DavPul

.

LiftAllThePizzas

I roll my eyes at every 'welcome to the internet' response. *****es, I grew up with the internet. Its changed, and has become an integral part of peoples lives now - as such, normal social guidelines need to start being acknowledged. This is the only board I frequent that still has members saying 'errr its the internet' as an excuse for being a jerk.

Maybe as a general rule of thumb... If you wouldn't say it irl, then its probably mean.

It isn't held to the same standards as Real Life interactions because it isn't the same. For all you know, all of the text you're reading is generated by paid actors, or an automated script. It would be rather silly to get one's feelings hurt by a computer program.

watto1980

Lots of overweight people aren't happy with their lives resulting in anger / depression issues. This factor probably doesn't help in respect to negative comments on a weight loss forum. Solution - don't take comments personally, it's the instigator who in fact has the issue.

EvgeniZyntx

The negativity your read, like voice you hear, is in your mind. It's sometime constructed from the contextual meaning of the post but both are of your own making. You decide the emotional response and value to what you read.

Now you can spend your time saying "oh, the meanies" or you can search for the levers of change and success.

And if your full of the digested elements of bovine cud, don't worry, we'll let you know.

sjohnny

The last time we went to TGI Friday's was over 13 years ago. My wife's drink had broken glass in it. We brought it to the attention of our waitress and she was all "so, what? Do you want another one or something?"
"Yes. Please."

When we got the bill they had charged us for the drink she sent back. The one with the broken glass in it. I took it up with the manager who was RUDE AND A BULLY (see, relevant to this thread). After some harsh words during which I stood up and told him he was ridiculous he finally removed the broken glass drink from our bill.

I did NOT tip that waitress. Because NEGATIVITY!!!!

You're right. That was very negative of you. Did the broken glass in the drink KILL YOU?!? Of course not. Just drink through a straw.

Now I see how you people are unsupportive.

YOU GO, OP! SHOUT IT FROM THE ROOFTOPS!

sjohnny

I roll my eyes at every 'welcome to the internet' response. *****es, I grew up with the internet. Its changed, and has become an integral part of peoples lives now - as such, normal social guidelines need to start being acknowledged. This is the only board I frequent that still has members saying 'errr its the internet' as an excuse for being a jerk.

Maybe as a general rule of thumb... If you wouldn't say it irl, then its probably mean.

Sorry about your detached retinas.

neandermagnon

Telling people "right on!" when they're doing something stupid and potentially hazardous is not support, first off. And second....a lot of people are asking questions, so of course they're going to get answers. It's a discussion forum, that's what it's for. Just because you may not like people answers, doesn't mean they're not being supportive.

^^^^ this

a lot of the "don't do it like that!" posts come from genuine concern for the person they're saying them to. If someone said to me "I'm going to New York... I'm catching a plane to Madagascar then taking a taxi to New York" I'd say "errr... that's not how to get to New York!", because I wouldn't like them to be stranded in Madagascar trying to get a taxi driver to take them to New York.

While there is some leeway for individual preferences, and some things that work for some but not others, there are also things that don't work well in the long term for anyone and things that are potentially damaging to health. The humane thing is to point that out, not let people just carry on along a path that's going to end in failure and health problems.

Even when people are wrong about things (e.g. people who demonise food groups and believe pseudoscience about carbs, grains etc) I can still appreciate that their posts warning people about this come from concern from others, and that they're misinformed. In fact there are very, very few genuinely mean people on this site.

NataBost

Tone can't be implied online so what you may think is rude very often actually isn't.

Personally I would much rather have blunt, honest opinions than fake 'you go girl' crap that took all of two thoughtless seconds to type.

This. I have seen people congratulate people on being under their calorie goal, then I see that they only ate 1000 or less calories. CONSISTENTLY. Honestly, people!

Myhaloslipped

I roll my eyes at every 'welcome to the internet' response. *****es, I grew up with the internet. Its changed, and has become an integral part of peoples lives now - as such, normal social guidelines need to start being acknowledged. This is the only board I frequent that still has members saying 'errr its the internet' as an excuse for being a jerk.

Maybe as a general rule of thumb... If you wouldn't say it irl, then its probably mean.

lighten up.

MichMunchkin

If hatefulness burned calories, half the people in these forums would be ****ing invisible.