A different type of entry from me today. I just wanted to ask you all, what are your views on message boards. Are they a good thing or a bad thing?
I rarely visit message boards myself, only now and again in odd moments but I was reading the news about the death of Ken Bigley yesterday evening and message boards caught my eye so I went and paid a visit.
To be honest I was completely appalled. Some of the vile things that were being said about Mr. Bigley sickened me to my stomach. I, in fact, reported several to AOL myself. There was also a good deal of incitement to racial hatred on them. I picked through to see if I could find one or two informed comments and thankfully I did along with genuine condolences messages. There were also comments from people who had watched the "beheading" videos and one went into such graphic detail, I stopped reading it. It beggars belief, to me, why anyone would want to witness the death of another human being..........then to sit and relate gory details to others.
I thank God that we live in a democracy and we have the right of free speech. However, there must be limits. The hosts do a great job on the whole in cleaning up the boards and we all have the right to report things which are offensive. Thankfully, most of the truly offensive postings are now unobtainable. However, there has been trouble even on the Journal boards quite recently.
So, now I am wondering. Are message boards good or bad? Frankly, I do not think they would be a great loss but then maybe my judgement is being coloured by what I read last night.
How can there ever be peace in the world when people cannot even treat each other with respect and decency on message boards.
I would appreciate your views. For or against - please post your comment.
My thoughts today are with the Bigley family, especially Ken's elderly mother. They have to live with this for the rest of their lives along with the families of others executed in this dreadful manner.
19 comments:
Don't worry the Hosts clear out those message boards when they can.
There are nice message boards.
Type Keyword BOOKS and try them out?
http://journals.aol.co.uk/sdrogerson/SpecimenDays
On the whole I enjoy message boards very much, thye give one an opportunity to express oneself, instead of bottling it up, and then gives others the chance to give a different viewpoint to consider. I have made good friends through message boards, they can be very helpful, both practically and emotionally. One of my favourites is Femail, part of the Daily Mail newspaper, their many message boards cover just about every topic imaginable.
But what you have described Jeannette, seems to me to go beyond the bounds of reasonable expression. How anyone can actually watch the beheading of anyone, no matter who they are, I just don't know, it's quite sickening, and I hope they have nightmares!
Freda
Personally, I try to stay away from the message boards. Occasionally I put my journal on the journal message board, but every time I go there and read I find negativity. Half of the people who post are using it to introduce their journals or ask help for a technical question. The other half are involving themselves in cutting each other down by saying rude and lewd things to one another, or putting controversial questions up that will lead to a lot of mud slinging and name calling. Message boards are not really a bad thing, but they do attract a lot of negativity. So I try to just stay away from them. I dont and wont participate in ganging up on other indivisuals no matter how negative or rude they are. I just post my journal and get the heck out of there. LOL. God Bless You My Friend
Jeannette, I've only ever used two message boards. The journal message board, and one I found recently for people with, or parents of children with autism. I've had good help and advice from both.
What you're describing though, well, it makes me feel sick that people would say such things. It's the people who wrote those comments that are the problem, in my view, I agree, I hope they have nightmares.
Sara x
Forgot the B2B message board :)
Sara x
Jeanette I am sorry that you had a bad experience...I have to tell you that when the first behedding video came out I watched it because I didnt want to believe the news casters!!!! I was sickened for weeks after!!! I dont think that I actually got a good night sleep for a week!!! Lately there has been just mean people all over the message board and I am not sure why.....i think that they need a hug!! LOL
I luv ya Jeanette
Chelle
http://journals.aol.com/chellebelle1977/chellesjournal
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on message boards. I agree with you. I rarely read them, don't care for the hatred or leud subjects. I just wish everyone could get along. Reminds me of the old saying. "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." Deborah
I don't go to message boards because they remind me of talk radio here in the States- many(not all) ignorent people letting their prejudices run wild with purient interest. I know it exsists but I try to keep that kind of negativity out of my life.Margo
I've seen some positives from certain message boards...the key seems to be staying AWAY from the debate boards and sticking with support boards. The nastiness level seems lower (most of the time). I had a bad experience recently that soured me on message boards for a good long time, but I do credit them for helping me find answers about childhood illness and dilemas and I made a few good friends there too. Mixed blessing, I guess. -B
I suppose message boards can be dangerous but also fulfilling.. Sometimes you may happen upon knowledge you might have wanted to be ignorant to in this world.. However.. I try not to let the negative comments and things that I have run across ie: beheading video in the past get me down.. I said my peace on that subject myself not too long ago in my journal if you remember... What a vicious horrible thing...
I try to now focus on only those boards that I pretty much know will be somewhat safe... When I say "safe" .. an example of this would be the boards at a site like About.com or ivillage.com .. they have some really FUN boards! There are alot of sites out there for one's hobbies /interests that can be fulfilling and fun..
Try to aim that way I guess and try to not let the bad comments, etc.. get you down... :) Peace and Blessings * Melaney
I have to confess that I've never had the patience for posting on message boards or to read them. They sound like a good idea: a place for people to comment & share their ideas. It's a shame that some people abuse them or have no sense of decency. Unfortunately, there are some nasty people out there.
I have been to a few message boards. I think the attitudes depend on how heated the subject is. I am sorry you had such a bad experience. There are some good support boards or ones that just are for fun or a hobby that stay pretty neutral.
http://journals.aol.com/valphish/ValsThoughts
I actually enjoy going to some message boards but the ones I visit are all in good humour and I wouldn't want to visit the kind you mention above. I guess some people think their point of view is so important doesn't matter how sick or vile that is! Otherwise I would've assumed that the Host of the board will have to do something about that just out of a courtesy to Mr Bigley's family. Why does someone wish to talk about it in that way, it would've disgusted me too.
I actually enjoy going to some message boards but the ones I visit are all in good humour and I wouldn't want to visit the kind you mention above. I guess some people think their point of view is so important doesn't matter how sick or vile that is! Otherwise I would've assumed that the Host of the board will have to do something about that just out of a courtesy to Mr Bigley's family. Why does someone wish to talk about it in that way, it would've disgusted me too.
I too am totally sickened by the cruel and barbaric death of Ken Bigley and I am with you insending my deepest condolences to his family. The unimaginable cruelty and downright evil of this sadistic act is too painful for me, who does not know him, let alone his poor mother , who at 86 and very frail, should never had to live through the senseless and barbaric death of her son. As for message boards themselves. Some I find have been very useful and I have met some firm friends through them. Some of them are just sick. I find the ones that have dreadful news items, such as Mr Bigleys, are the ones where you get the vilest of comments and they really keep the hosts busy and as for the language used, well, I really wonder what goes on in the minds of the individuals concerned. So to sum up. They can be wonderful, depending on where you are. I personally go to the Dog sites. But there are some very dubious ones indeed. Sorry for my ranting but it had to be said......Sandra xx
Message boards have their days......Any message board that is started because of a world wide, contraversial or dramtical issue will automatically bring out the freaks and nasy people who have ntohing better to do than be rude and obnoxious.
Then I have also noticed on message boards, especially regular boards that have been around for a long time and have turned in to a sort of "club" have their cliques. If you do not fit into their personalitys or bown down to the "Queen and her/his court, then your are targeted and ostercized.
Then you have the boards of interest/subjects that you have your royality and no one knows more than they do or are as good as they are. They find their nitch intot hese boards where they fell special and do not want anyone to unsurp. them in popularity.
They are all attention getting schemes for people who have nothing better to do or need to be the center of attention. All of these things are just peopel being able to show their REAL heart/personality/character with the protection of a monitor screen. They wouldn't be able to act this way as openly in the real world without suffereing a slap in the face or law suit. I have seen some things done by people who is they did it in the outside world, it would be against the law.
As for "off topic" issues on boards as we are experiencing now on the journal board. I do not feel that being "off topic" is bad all of the time. It help as "Demandnlilchit" said about her "Happy Thread" post bring out memories and things to write about (ideas).
Message boards are good you just got to avoid the junk and rude people.
Sorry so long and I hope i made sense.
Cheryl
http://journals.aol.com/dvlwitgrneyes/Fortysomething/
Good question. I have found some helpful suggestions on message boards, but on the whole I stay away now. The one I used to visit regularly was a "support" board for women who were pg and due in Oct of 2003. Some of the women knew quite a bit about parenting, pregnancy and nursing, but there were others who were just plain judgemental. For some people I think a message board is a way to take out there troubles on other people without having an actual confrontation.
it can go either way with me with the boards, i do frequent a couple and have struck up some good friendships on them, there are some nice people around but also you do tend to get the odd *troll* ( troublemaker basically) who trawl the boards causing havoc then sitting back to watch what follows, best to ignore them, after-all they are just attention seeking and to respond to them would be feeding them xx
Jay xx
http://journals.aol.co.uk/g1itterkat/OurBrood/
You certainly raised some good points Jeanette. I for one do think that message boards are good as they do allow people to communicate. Censorship is a tricky issue though, whilst in no way condoning what was said, how do we know when to draw the line? After all we must have some freedom of speech. Certainly the hosts try to do the right thing but they must feel they are treading on egg-shells at times, I know where people get very annoyed when their post is removed, not necessarily for the points you raised but in case someone takes offence.
Personally I feel there should be some sort of 18 certificate for some. I recall Davethesod bringing this up and then at least you would know that you would be liable to find some unsavoury efforts. I contribute to an alternative writers forum and if we are going to cover profanity or a controversial subject we will put up a warning first so as to warn the reader. If the reader does continue and get offended at least they had a warning first.
Alas that the message boards will attract detritus but I would like to think that the majority are sensible. Thanks for bringing up some valid points and it certainly makes you think.
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