Are we all a little strange? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

creekster · 01-20-2006, 05:33 PM

My wife, who is more grounded, intelligent and attractive than me (admittedly she didn't have to try hard to reach any of those goals) thinks my attachment to this site (and CB beofre it) is a bit strange. She doesn't understand why I enjoy it and finds it very odd when I start talking about people here like I know them. Every time I bring something up that I read or heard on this site, she'll use the dimnutive ("was this from your little friends on the internet?") or somethign similar to remind me that I should be a little embarrassed that some of my decisions/opinions are based on stuff from a message board. I try to explain by saying things like "it's very interetsing" and "but a lot of them actually enjoy, particiapte in and like bicycling" and "at least it's not pornography", but to no avail.

So my question is: Are we social freaks, or are we on the cusp of the next mode of community building? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? The other day I was tlaking to one of my cycling friends (this is in the flesh; a person with whom I actually ride) and just about everything I told him I had to preface by saying "a guy I . . . .know . . . on the internet said . . .", which made me feel a bit like some sort of internet loser.

What do you think?

JohnnyLingo · 01-20-2006, 05:36 PM

I vote no.

Logically, what's the difference between getting advice from someone you've had discussions with on the internet and getting advice from your next door neighbor?

Archaea · 01-20-2006, 05:37 PM

just a new type of gathering place. not weird well a little as the likelihood that we'll ever meet is not high.

My wife believes we're guys who are emotionally suppressed and selfish, thus attached to an emotionalless board suits us just fine.

DrumNFeather · 01-20-2006, 05:41 PM

It's funny that you say that, my brother and I have both had comments made to us by his wife and my fiance about how they don't care what the latest discussion was on CB, CG and UF.

tooblue · 01-20-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

My wife, who is more grounded, intelligent and attractive than me (admittedly she didn't have to try hard to reach any of those goals) thinks my attachment to this site (and CB beofre it) is a bit strange. She doesn't understand why I enjoy it and finds it very odd when I start talking about people here like I know them. Every time I bring something up that I read or heard on this site, she'll use the dimnutive ("was this from your little friends on the internet?") or somethign similar to remind me that I should be a little embarrassed that some of my decisions/opinions are based on stuff from a message board. I try to explain by saying things like "it's very interetsing" and "but a lot of them actually enjoy, particiapte in and like bicycling" and "at least it's not pornography", but to no avail.

So my question is: Are we social freaks, or are we on the cusp of the next mode of community building? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? The other day I was tlaking to one of my cycling friends (this is in the flesh; a person with whom I actually ride) and just about everything I told him I had to preface by saying "a guy I . . . .know . . . on the internet said . . .", which made me feel a bit like some sort of internet loser.

What do you think?

We are married to the same woman ... and the answer to your question is most certainly!

MikeWaters · 01-20-2006, 06:55 PM

I don't know about you guys, but in day to day life I rarely have the opportunity to talk about the sort of things that are discussed here...

creekster · 01-20-2006, 06:59 PM

Of course, asking this group if we're freaks is a little like asking inmates at an insane asylum if they're crazy, or asking prisoners if they're guilty. Of course they're not, just ask them.

And I must disagree about the neighbor/message board friend comparison. I think there is a big difference. Live person, face to face, the communication involves someone who might be accountable and about whom you know more than a moniker and an avatar.

That's not to say that the message board advice one gets is necessarily bad advice, or that your neighbor's advice is good advice, but it is to say that it might be a little strange if this is the place that becomes a significant basis for information you use to make decisions or evven to have conversations with live people in your life.

Or is it?

MikeWaters · 01-20-2006, 07:18 PM

I met a guy at work who is a BYU grad. I asked him if he was a BYU sports fan. He said yes. I asked him if he was on any of the message boards. He said "I dont' do message boards." Like I was some kind of loser.

cougjunkie · 01-20-2006, 07:47 PM

When ever i see funny pictures and things on the boards I always have to laugh because I know within an hour or so i will be getting it via email from someone, i found out just yesterday that 4 of the guys my mom works with frequent the board.

Archaea · 01-20-2006, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by creekster

Of course, asking this group if we're freaks is a little like asking inmates at an insane asylum if they're crazy, or asking prisoners if they're guilty. Of course they're not, just ask them.

And I must disagree about the neighbor/message board friend comparison. I think there is a big difference. Live person, face to face, the communication involves someone who might be accountable and about whom you know more than a moniker and an avatar.

That's not to say that the message board advice one gets is necessarily bad advice, or that your neighbor's advice is good advice, but it is to say that it might be a little strange if this is the place that becomes a significant basis for information you use to make decisions or evven to have conversations with live people in your life.

Or is it?

This assumes we make decisions on our lives based on discussions or advice given here or on other boards.

In light of the speed of life, unavailability of time to discuss matters, people need outlets and discussions here can generate meaningful thought. Much of my research is now internet based, not people based. So is it odd that I converse with people through the internet? No it's a natural outgrowth.

There are risks related to anonymity, but what the hell. There are risks in face to face discussions as well. In daily meetings, one is usually more reserved less likely to go Howard Stern on somebody. Here we can try out new personas without any intent of actually acting out these personas in real life.

01-20-2006, 05:33 PM	#1
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	Are we all a little strange? My wife, who is more grounded, intelligent and attractive than me (admittedly she didn't have to try hard to reach any of those goals) thinks my attachment to this site (and CB beofre it) is a bit strange. She doesn't understand why I enjoy it and finds it very odd when I start talking about people here like I know them. Every time I bring something up that I read or heard on this site, she'll use the dimnutive ("was this from your little friends on the internet?") or somethign similar to remind me that I should be a little embarrassed that some of my decisions/opinions are based on stuff from a message board. I try to explain by saying things like "it's very interetsing" and "but a lot of them actually enjoy, particiapte in and like bicycling" and "at least it's not pornography", but to no avail. So my question is: Are we social freaks, or are we on the cusp of the next mode of community building? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? The other day I was tlaking to one of my cycling friends (this is in the flesh; a person with whom I actually ride) and just about everything I told him I had to preface by saying "a guy I . . . .know . . . on the internet said . . .", which made me feel a bit like some sort of internet loser. What do you think?

01-20-2006, 05:37 PM	#3
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	just a new type of gathering place. not weird well a little as the likelihood that we'll ever meet is not high. My wife believes we're guys who are emotionally suppressed and selfish, thus attached to an emotionalless board suits us just fine. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα

01-20-2006, 05:41 PM	#4
DrumNFeather Active LDS Ute Fan Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Nantucket : ) Posts: 2,566	It's funny that you say that, my brother and I have both had comments made to us by his wife and my fiance about how they don't care what the latest discussion was on CB, CG and UF. __________________ "It's not like we played the school of the blind out there." - Brian Johnson.

01-20-2006, 07:47 PM	#9
cougjunkie Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 5,741	When ever i see funny pictures and things on the boards I always have to laugh because I know within an hour or so i will be getting it via email from someone, i found out just yesterday that 4 of the guys my mom works with frequent the board. __________________ LINCECUM!

01-20-2006, 05:36 PM	#2
JohnnyLingo Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 2,175	I vote no. Logically, what's the difference between getting advice from someone you've had discussions with on the internet and getting advice from your next door neighbor?

01-20-2006, 06:55 PM	#6
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I don't know about you guys, but in day to day life I rarely have the opportunity to talk about the sort of things that are discussed here...

01-20-2006, 06:59 PM	#7
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	Of course, asking this group if we're freaks is a little like asking inmates at an insane asylum if they're crazy, or asking prisoners if they're guilty. Of course they're not, just ask them. And I must disagree about the neighbor/message board friend comparison. I think there is a big difference. Live person, face to face, the communication involves someone who might be accountable and about whom you know more than a moniker and an avatar. That's not to say that the message board advice one gets is necessarily bad advice, or that your neighbor's advice is good advice, but it is to say that it might be a little strange if this is the place that becomes a significant basis for information you use to make decisions or evven to have conversations with live people in your life. Or is it?

01-20-2006, 07:18 PM	#8
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	I met a guy at work who is a BYU grad. I asked him if he was a BYU sports fan. He said yes. I asked him if he was on any of the message boards. He said "I dont' do message boards." Like I was some kind of loser.