Where Are We Headed?

Off Topic
1

I was going to post this on the thread in the beginners forum where some kid is yelling about everyone hating on him because he thinks Ryan Reynolds has a very aesthetic physique and that people shouldnt be hating on him on a bodybuilding website since “not everyone wants to be 250 lbs of useless mass”. I received a reply from the moderator saying my message had not been posted because it was too inflammatory for the beginners forum.

Here is my post:

"Things like this thread piss people off because it shows where T-Nation is headed:

a website where kids suck each others cocks for being 155 lbs instead of 150 and where being 185 means youre pretty much the authority on gaining. A website where kids argue endlessly over whether or not creatine is a steroid, leg extensions build more mass than squats, and exactly how many situps you have to do to get a six pack. a website where being able to see your abs means so much more than being able to see any other muscles on you body.

there has been an influx of new members here and the maority of them have been immigrants from that other site. That is why this is happening, and that is why people get pissed off when new guys post pictures of Ryan Reynolds talking about how “aesthetic” he is. Ryan Reynolds is not aesthetic. Frank Zane, Dave Henry, Stan Mcquay, and Reg Park are aesthetic.

This is a bodybuilding website. What use is it to build something if its not going to be strong?"

I understand TC doesnt want to scare the newbs off and I agree that some of the bullshit that goes on on this website is too much, but at the same time, I feel that fostering a mediocre mindset on this website is going to lead to the sort of stagnant wasteland that bb.com has become.

This is the problem with a lot of whats going on in our culture lately…mediocrity and laziness have consumed us. We want the best results we can get without having to work for them. We want to take a pill before we go to bed to lose weight and get a six pack while we work at our desks. The 170 lbs six pack physique has become our society’s Greek ideal. And well spend all of the money on earth to achieve that ideal, as long as we dont have to actually expend any effort.

/rant.

2

7/10 on the rant, now try to do something about it. If you can’t think of anything, then don’t stress over it.

3

I absolutely hear and understand what you’re saying.

It’s as if you have a favorite neighborhood bar and suddenly, it’s discovered by uptown yuppies talking about their Beemers.

As one of the managers of the “bar,” I promise you that the influx of the yuppies won’t affect the menu, the drinks, or the attitude of the establishment.

You’ll still have your corner of the bar and your seat.

And hopefully, you’ll rub off on the yuppies and they’ll eventually start drinking the whisky instead of the wine spritzers.

Oh hell, I should have ditched the analogy before I began.

The newbs are bound to come. Ignore them, or convert them to your (our) philosophy. They won’t change the type of articles we run.

If the “Rate My Physique” thing turns out to be too repugnant, we’ll get rid of it.

4

If we were to shitcan the “Rate My Physique” forum, all the nobs would just start posting their pictures in Beginners/Physique and Performance Photos. I don’t believe for a second that getting rid of the RMP forum would solve anything. By the way, I don’t really see the purpose in having in the first place, either. 2 opinions, $0.04. By the way, at the very least, some of the responses to the lame threads are getting very funny. A zombie bodybuilding thread? C’mon, amazing.

5

[quote]TC wrote:
I absolutely hear and understand what you’re saying.

It’s as if you have a favorite neighborhood bar and suddenly, it’s discovered by uptown yuppies talking about their Beemers.

As one of the managers of the “bar,” I promise you that the influx of the yuppies won’t affect the menu, the drinks, or the attitude of the establishment.

You’ll still have your corner of the bar and your seat.

And hopefully, you’ll rub off on the yuppies and they’ll eventually start drinking the whisky instead of the wine spritzers.

Oh hell, I should have ditched the analogy before I began.

The newbs are bound to come. Ignore them, or convert them to your (our) philosophy. They won’t change the type of articles we run.

If the “Rate My Physique” thing turns out to be too repugnant, we’ll get rid of it.

[/quote]

The RMP forum is great. I love it. I think it puts some of the keyboard warriors in their place when they see that they have been rated a 2.6 for their lousy physique and that all of the internet shit talking in the world doesnt build big muscles.

Im just getting tired of threads about “should I do isolation exercises?”, “Im a hardgainer and squatting hurts”, and “I am hoping to slowly bulk up to 170 over the next 4 years”.

People have gotten so lazy that they dont even want to put in the effort of using the search function.

6

Lol, sorry my man but this makes me laugh. I like your attitude and you make some good points but for now I think you should work on putting in your time into this great iron game. Do you really expect people to take you serious? You have been lifting for 2 years and weigh all of 175.

Everyone has to start somewhere and I was once 175 but I did not get so worked up when I really had nothing to show for whatsoever. So proof me wrong and show you are different from these same posers you talk about. Put in your time, pay your dues and show us some progress. Good luck and train hard.

A

[quote]fightingtiger wrote:
I was going to post this on the thread in the beginners forum where some kid is yelling about everyone hating on him because he thinks Ryan Reynolds has a very aesthetic physique and that people shouldnt be hating on him on a bodybuilding website since “not everyone wants to be 250 lbs of useless mass”. I received a reply from the moderator saying my message had not been posted because it was too inflammatory for the beginners forum.

Here is my post:

"Things like this thread piss people off because it shows where T-Nation is headed:

a website where kids suck each others cocks for being 155 lbs instead of 150 and where being 185 means youre pretty much the authority on gaining. A website where kids argue endlessly over whether or not creatine is a steroid, leg extensions build more mass than squats, and exactly how many situps you have to do to get a six pack. a website where being able to see your abs means so much more than being able to see any other muscles on you body.

there has been an influx of new members here and the maority of them have been immigrants from that other site. That is why this is happening, and that is why people get pissed off when new guys post pictures of Ryan Reynolds talking about how “aesthetic” he is. Ryan Reynolds is not aesthetic. Frank Zane, Dave Henry, Stan Mcquay, and Reg Park are aesthetic.

This is a bodybuilding website. What use is it to build something if its not going to be strong?"

I understand TC doesnt want to scare the newbs off and I agree that some of the bullshit that goes on on this website is too much, but at the same time, I feel that fostering a mediocre mindset on this website is going to lead to the sort of stagnant wasteland that bb.com has become.

This is the problem with a lot of whats going on in our culture lately…mediocrity and laziness have consumed us. We want the best results we can get without having to work for them. We want to take a pill before we go to bed to lose weight and get a six pack while we work at our desks. The 170 lbs six pack physique has become our society’s Greek ideal. And well spend all of the money on earth to achieve that ideal, as long as we dont have to actually expend any effort.

/rant.[/quote]

7

[quote]TC wrote:
I absolutely hear and understand what you’re saying.

It’s as if you have a favorite neighborhood bar and suddenly, it’s discovered by uptown yuppies talking about their Beemers.

As one of the managers of the “bar,” I promise you that the influx of the yuppies won’t affect the menu, the drinks, or the attitude of the establishment.

You’ll still have your corner of the bar and your seat.

And hopefully, you’ll rub off on the yuppies and they’ll eventually start drinking the whisky instead of the wine spritzers.

Oh hell, I should have ditched the analogy before I began.

The newbs are bound to come. Ignore them, or convert them to your (our) philosophy. They won’t change the type of articles we run.

If the “Rate My Physique” thing turns out to be too repugnant, we’ll get rid of it.

[/quote]

I’ve been going to the source as of late. I became a bb.com member and started posting a blog, pics and giving advice here and there on the forums. The women’s, over 35 and powerlifting/strongman forums are not too hard to stomach. The teen forum is horribly painful and mostly an exercise in futility.

Yeah, bb.com is painfully weak and wrong in many ways. The kids do argue over what to do for dropping from 8% to 6% bf while at 150 lbs. Some 155lb kids are all worried about their symmetry.

Some bb.com member listen to good suggestions and some just ignore them. However, I’ve received a fair amount of thank yous for good info and/or linked articles.

Probably 1/2 of my posts link back to an EFS or a T-Nation article. While I do NOT do it as some sort of “mole”, it would sure be nice to get a few T-Nation converts.

8

[quote]4est wrote:
TC wrote:
I absolutely hear and understand what you’re saying.

It’s as if you have a favorite neighborhood bar and suddenly, it’s discovered by uptown yuppies talking about their Beemers.

As one of the managers of the “bar,” I promise you that the influx of the yuppies won’t affect the menu, the drinks, or the attitude of the establishment.

You’ll still have your corner of the bar and your seat.

And hopefully, you’ll rub off on the yuppies and they’ll eventually start drinking the whisky instead of the wine spritzers.

Oh hell, I should have ditched the analogy before I began.

The newbs are bound to come. Ignore them, or convert them to your (our) philosophy. They won’t change the type of articles we run.

If the “Rate My Physique” thing turns out to be too repugnant, we’ll get rid of it.

I’ve been going to the source as of late. I became a bb.com member and started posting a blog, pics and giving advice here and there on the forums. The women’s, over 35 and powerlifting/strongman forums are not too hard to stomach. The teen forum is horribly painful and mostly an exercise in futility.

Yeah, bb.com is painfully weak and wrong in many ways. The kids do argue over what to do for dropping from 8% to 6% bf while at 150 lbs. Some 155lb kids are all worried about their symmetry.

Some bb.com member listen to good suggestions and some just ignore them. However, I’ve received a fair amount of thank yous for good info and/or linked articles.

Probably 1/2 of my posts link back to an EFS or a T-Nation article. While I do NOT do it as some sort of “mole”, it would sure be nice to get a few T-Nation converts.
[/quote]

I find it all irritating. It has gotten out of hand and this site seems to want them to be here. You don’t “rub off” on people like that. You don’t “convert” them. They simply slowly take over because there are far more skinny newbies with their heads up their asses than there are people who actually want to work hard and build some muscle with a shit load of heavy weight.

There is a 139lbs guy in the Picture forum who actually posted his picture asking if 2-3 servings of fruit a day might be too much. WTF? I grew up in the 80’s so it isn’t like I am so out of touch or so old that what I am seeing is simply a sign of my own detachment. The problem is them and it is a very fucking large one.

This used to be a place where I thought there were many people with similar interests. I am finding this to not be the case even with regular members.

AA already posted in this thread. That means there may be possibly 4 other people on this site that I would actually want to lift weights with because I thought they could elevate the intensity.

9

I just want to say, I’m very disappointed about my 134lb photoshop getting blocked.

Those 5 minutes cost me half my life.

10

[quote]4est wrote:

I’ve been going to the source as of late. I became a bb.com member and started posting a blog, pics and giving advice here and there on the forums. The women’s, over 35 and powerlifting/strongman forums are not too hard to stomach. The teen forum is horribly painful and mostly an exercise in futility.
[/quote]

That last line in particular cracked me up. As the mother of two teenagers, I can tell you that it applies to just about any situation dealing with teens.

11

Since there’s a Beginner’s forum, how about a Hardcore forum? That could be a place where you’re allowed to stomp into dust anybody who even hints at the idea that large muscles are not the zenith of human achievement.

12

I can’t believe there are still cries of how badly the newbies are treated. This is a bodybuilding site and it needs to be made clear. If anything, the bashing should be encouraged! How else can we ‘rub off’ on A MAJORITY!?

How else can we demonstrate to the casual observers that this site is for bodybuilders or weightlifters and Metro School is down the block? How do we keep up the reputation to attract more posters who train seriously when at this rate we’ll look like an Abercrombie & Bitch flagship store in a year’s time? How, then, are we any different from bb.com or Maxim or Muscle & fitness?

Let’s either call a lion a lion or not. If we’re T-Nation and Bodybuilding then it must be accepted that this site isn’t for everyone. And for the 1000000th time: THOSE WHO ARE SERIOUS WILL STICK AROUND AND BECOME CUSTOMERS, THOSE WHO ARE NOT WILL NOT WHETHER YOU COMPLEMENT THEIR DOUBLE DIGIT WEIGHTED BONES OR BASH THEM!

Because if you follow those same threads on a regular basis, you know that people who truly want to learn do stick around and listen. Yes, even through the bashing. It’s the internet for shit’s sake! Or what, is the site getting emails with complaints?

13

[quote]Majin wrote:
I can’t believe there are still cries of how badly the newbies are treated. This is a bodybuilding site and it needs to be made clear. If anything, the bashing should be encouraged! How else can we ‘rub off’ on A MAJORITY!?

How else can we demonstrate to the casual observers that this site is for bodybuilders or weightlifters and Metro School is down the block? How do we keep up the reputation to attract more posters who train seriously when at this rate we’ll look like an Abercrombie & Bitch flagship store in a year’s time? How, then, are we any different from bb.com or Maxim or Muscle & fitness?

Let’s either call a lion a lion or not. If we’re T-Nation and Bodybuilding then it must be accepted that this site isn’t for everyone. And for the 1000000th time: THOSE WHO ARE SERIOUS WILL STICK AROUND AND BECOME CUSTOMERS, THOSE WHO ARE NOT WILL NOT WHETHER YOU COMPLEMENT THEIR DOUBLE DIGIT WEIGHTED BONES OR BASH THEM!

Because if you follow those same threads on a regular basis, you know that people who truly want to learn do stick around and listen. Yes, even through the bashing. It’s the internet for shit’s sake! Or what, is the site getting emails with complaints?[/quote]

I doubt I could have written it better…or at least without probably 30 more cuss words.

14

[quote]Majin wrote:
I can’t believe there are still cries of how badly the newbies are treated. This is a bodybuilding site and it needs to be made clear. If anything, the bashing should be encouraged! How else can we ‘rub off’ on A MAJORITY!?

Because if you follow those same threads on a regular basis, you know that people who truly want to learn do stick around and listen. Yes, even through the bashing. It’s the internet for shit’s sake! Or what, is the site getting emails with complaints?[/quote]

Most of the complaints are that we ALLOW newbies to post questions and photos.

So, are you saying we should allow the newbies to post, get flamed, and let the strong survive? :slight_smile:

15

[quote]Mod Laurie wrote:
Majin wrote:
I can’t believe there are still cries of how badly the newbies are treated. This is a bodybuilding site and it needs to be made clear. If anything, the bashing should be encouraged! How else can we ‘rub off’ on A MAJORITY!?

Because if you follow those same threads on a regular basis, you know that people who truly want to learn do stick around and listen. Yes, even through the bashing. It’s the internet for shit’s sake! Or what, is the site getting emails with complaints?

Most of the complaints are that we ALLOW newbies to post questions and photos.

So, are you saying we should allow the newbies to post, get flamed, and let the strong survive? :)[/quote]

Wait, how do I use the type 40 Font.

YES!

Did that work?

No?

Damn.

16

After hearing all this talk about Ryan Reynolds I google-searched to see who this guy was that seemingly everyone except a handful of people on here aspire to look like.I don’t understand why the guy from “Just Freinds” is being regarded as having an awesome physique.

Did anyone see the thread where there was a 138 pound kid who wanted to know how he could look like some model who weighed like i guess 120.He posted pictures of the guy and it was the most metrosexual thing I’ve ever seen.The kid kept saying "well I think he has a good physique."People like that make teens in general look bad.They need their own website.

17

[quote]Professor X wrote:
Mod Laurie wrote:
So, are you saying we should allow the newbies to post, get flamed, and let the strong survive? :slight_smile:

Wait, how do I use the type 40 Font.

YES!

Did that work?

No?

Damn.[/quote]

Then why all the complaining about the Rate My Physique Forum?

18

[quote]Mod Laurie wrote:
Professor X wrote:
Mod Laurie wrote:
So, are you saying we should allow the newbies to post, get flamed, and let the strong survive? :slight_smile:

Wait, how do I use the type 40 Font.

YES!

Did that work?

No?

Damn.

Then why all the complaining about the Rate My Physique Forum? [/quote]

Simply put, before, there were a few rats in the farmhouse. You all let the whole freaking world population of them in and now they won’t leave.

I mean, damn, how many of these fuckers can there be? Every single day a new thread with someone who weighs 135lbs. I…I just can’t take anymore! I can’t sleep at night. I’ve pulled all of my hair out. What else do you all want from me!!!

19

[quote]Mod Laurie wrote:
So, are you saying we should allow the newbies to post, get flamed, and let the strong survive? :)[/quote]

Yes. I understand that we should have a “Welcome” rug, but if we begin making restrictions as to our behavior…that would be changing the scene and menu for the yuppies.

Honestly, how’s a site supposed to change anyone when you can walk in with a 130lb puberty-just-arrived look and walk out with a few endorsements? Then there’s not a damn thing you can name that separates us from the rest.

20

[quote]MAS50 wrote:
After hearing all this talk about Ryan Reynolds I google-searched to see who this guy was that seemingly everyone except a handful of people on here aspire to look like.I don’t understand why the guy from “Just Freinds” is being regarded as having an awesome physique.

Did anyone see the thread where there was a 138 pound kid who wanted to know how he could look like some model who weighed like i guess 120.He posted pictures of the guy and it was the most metrosexual thing I’ve ever seen.The kid kept saying "well I think he has a good physique."People like that make teens in general look bad.They need their own website.[/quote]

I figure those are trolling posts. I find it hard to believe they are sincere.