Well, for anyone out there who’s worried about newbies not getting good answers…you could provide those answers, now couldn’t you?
But I notice that the people who generally complain about flaming and cliques and so on are usually not the ones who really provide the quality information on the boards. They - as a rule, mind you, not always - post a lot over here on the O/T board, and you sometimes see them on the Photo Forum… but somehow never on the T/N board. Or, if they are on the T/N board, their answers are one-liners that are really more opinions than anything else.
Again, this doesn’t apply to everyone. MD2006 made an excellent effort over on that dietary thread, for example. But by and large, yes.
But look at what happens to someone like Eric Cressey. He has over 500 posts to his credit since the new forum went live, the overwhelming majority of which have been helpful, well-researched, well-written, insightful and to the point. In other words, he’s a forum stud. But let him make one flame-like post (on a thread that was idiotic to begin with, made by a poster who is - to all appearances - a total tool) and what happens? People jump all over him about it. People who, I might add, generally speaking haven’t done a tenth of what he has on this forum.
While I do see the cliques, I don’t buy that they’re preventing the exchange of information. I’ve never felt like one of my questions has been ignored because I’m not in a certain social group. Typically, if my question gets ignored, it was either a dumb question or communicated in the wrong way.
I think newbies control a lot of their own destiny. Look at seminole chick. She comes out, tells us she’s new here and to the iron game, asks for our patience, and gets it. The same with the guy who recently had some LONG posts about trying to come down from over 300lbs. Even though he was new, his desire to achieve results and his willingness to learn kept him from getting flamed.
An example of a fix would be the deadlift post. Instead of just asking which day we deadlift on, the poster could have provided a little background on why they wanted to know that. It just seems more polite to tell us why you want to know something, as there’s no use answering a poll, and if you explain your reasoning, we can answer your question more completely.
I think another reason many of us can be rough on the newbies is that most of us have spent a LOT of time looking through the previous issues and the forums before we ever posted. To post a question that can be answered somewhere in the archives without much difficulty in searching can be seen as saying, “Hey guys, since my time is much more valuable than yours, how about you tell me the answer to this question so that I don’t have to actually read and formulate an opinion for myself.” While this in no way justifies roasting a newbie, it does explain some of the reasoning behind why it happens.
Some of the people that have been here the longest seem to feel it necessary to let others know that time and time again. Often times they use that as a reason to bash the hell out of someone. We’re supposed to respect these people. Yeah, they have important things to say, but for several of them, I stopped paying attention a long time ago.
I guess they don’t realize or care that the more they do this sort of thing, the more people like me tune out and lose respect for them. If you’re so smart, why do you have such a hard time explaining yourself without insulting people?
I’ve gotten my back up on occassion and I’ve even done some rude stuff, but I try my best to stay away from the attacking that’s become pretty common around here. Remember Stan? He got chased away because he posted a picture of himself. That should be a good lesson to all of us. The man could have taught us all an awful lot about what it takes to look as good as him at 51, but we ran him off and lost a valuable opportunity. I remember that incident very clearly and it nearly caused me to abandon these boards altogether.
You can jump on someone and pick apart what they have to say without insulting them and trying to demean them. The day I stop telling someone I think they’re wrong when I actualy think they’re wrong is the day I kill myself, but I’ll do my best to do it without trying to dehumanize them.
Look at what happened to JPFitness & Trish before some enterprising chap discovered her porn site.
I dont think for a minute that the problem lies with the newbies or the ones complaining.
Since when is rudeness justified???
Jared NFS - a “fucktard”? (note to self - use new term at first available opportunity…)
Great posts, guys. MD2006 makes some great points, as do char-dawg and cakeman.
I have noticed a sort of “clique-ish” mentality in this forum at times. And I have probably been guilty myself of piling on some knucklehead for a seemingly lame post. But I don’t know that it is much different from a lot of other forums.
Forums are communtities and filled with a variety of personalities, so flaming and piling on is bound to happen from time to time. But it is nice when someone steps in and makes a sincere attempt - when warranted - to be helpful.
if we are teachers then the new posters are students and they must read the required material. its to the left. i had to do a good deal of reading to get my knowledge that i have acquired. they should do the same. they will learn other things in the search. its not only the best way but its also the best way. I wouldnt email dave tate and ask him a question that was covered in one of his articles. I go back and read all of the articles and then if i cant find it, i ask. not the other way around.
Paul, you are on the money. That post is destined to be a classic.
My problems lie with the name calling and telling people to leave. If someone is out of line, say so, but do you need to call them an idiot and tell them to leave the forums? How about helping to educate them and if they want to spout nonsense and not listen, just ignore tham instead of contributing to the moronic garbage.
We’re sliding done the shit rope, boys. That’s some shitty rope.
Ok I have been here a week, SO I am pretty new, I have been reading T-=mag for a year now. OK so I did six months on the H.I.T program and hated it. SO I came here did a Lot of reading and decided to become a T-Man. I made a few post on some of kings training and on a good mass diet, after reading articels just to get opinions, and of course I got a lot of read the arcives. Ok made me a little mad like I not worth some ones opp. but I will get over it.
STill a T-MAn
Cuda
There are so many great posts now on this thread that it would be impossible to cover them all.
Well…except maybe for the whole “fucktard” thing. I have to admit, though, that is a very creative word and I’ll be sure to use it in the future (maybe on the wife the next time she pisses me off)
I also notice that most who responded to this thread are just the kind of people who repeatedly give detailed, well thought out answers to those in need. I know that because I read 'em!
yeah fucktard is a very cool word specialy when you call somebody one. Sorry Jared had to use it, the dude at work just looked at me with this blank stare. It was cool.
oh yeah I know the same guy so which tablets are the best I want to get huge too…I looked on yahoo…see now that’s lazy at least I know were the search is
