h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

What should you do if you totally disagree with what someone has posted, or if someone really annoys you? Any thoughts?

If someone annoys you you can try ignoring them, sometimes they'll get bored and go away if no-one responds.

If you disagree with what someone has posted register that disagreement with calm, reasoned argument. Don't SHOUT, and don't rant.

Just my two pen'orth .

I've never actually used them myself but the acronyms IMO and IMHO might come in useful. Depends on the context.
^. .^
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You could always try a reasoned argument or failing that ignore them, ther's always other postings

Bear in mind that a lot of the people who flame and rant are doing so under the influence, and the embarassment they will enjoy when they come to and read what they've written is often punishment enough.

Esp. in a forum like this one, where everything is so permanent!

Fraid I use the coward's way, just silently boycott the thread from that moment on. For extreme cases.

But otherwise - I thought the whole purpose of forums was to have a healthy argument. There are some really meaty arguments going on without people slanging each other for having opposing views (e.g. American politics, which is, of course, in the limelight at the moment)

Since I have to live in Florida, I'm all for the words "American" and "Politics" being forceably separated for at least four years, after this boondoggle.

It's easy for emotions to be misconstrued in a text forum, and likewise it's easy to get a bit more worked up than you really intend to be. So when I'm having an otherwise great discussion, but someone seems to be going over the top, I'll simply and politely point that out to them. Most times the offender rereads their comments, feels a flush of embarassment, and stammers out a hasty apology. At this point I gloss over the transgression... after all, I've been on the other side of that stammered apology as often as anyone.

But you'll still find the occasional hothead who can't cool off. It's times like these where you need that middle-finger smiley...

Could ya tell me how to make that one cuz sometimes...

There is a difference between a healthy argument and a flame. The former is (usually) a rational discussion over differences of opinion. (Okay, okay, so they can get heated at times, that's part of the fun, and everyone usually cools off after a while, with apologies all around).

Flaming is the random and offensive posting of insults, shouting (with the use of capitals), etc. It's like the "hit and run" of cyberspace, cowardly and useless in an argument, and should never have a place in a Web community such as h2g2.

Oh I don't know - sometimes I can admire a really good flame - not often - but the best are practically an art form. Kinda like 'your momma so fat' jokes...

Yeah, but the problem with emotions is that the 'Net does not convey them very well, so what you might think is a jape at someone could be taken REALLY badly, and bad blood can get ugly very quickly in the virtual world...

I think disagreements should be conveyed in a rational, reasonable manner. It really ruins someone's day when they come on to H2G2 and find out that someone's been calling them an idiot because of something they said.

I know, because I was having a conversation with someone, and I started telling her some of my personal opinions of life and people. She suddenly started calling me all sorts of names, and started insulting H2G2 at large, as if I were a representative of an average H2G2 user. It certainly ruined my day.

Personally, I think the best way to deal with these things is not to respond to them. You might lose a bit of face for not fighting back, but you'd probably lose a lot more face in an extended conflict. And you'll appear more mature for not getting sucked in to an argument; I certainly don't go to H2G2 hoping to get p****d off.

Wampus

There was one time when I caused a bit of trouble.

There was one thread where I was generally accepted as the 'guardian' in that place, and things had gone on normally, a good discussion. Afterwards, someone said something I didn't particularly like (and at the time I thought they were breaking several rules of continuity, so that only made things worse), and I retaliated.
I ended up being quite offensive, and the thread had to be deleted by Towers themselves, albeit at my request.

My point is, I do feel terribly stupid about it, and I now of course realise that I could have been perfectly reasonable about it.
But it is sometimes the other party that do continue to annoy you afterwards - they don't let it go.
I appologised for my wrongdoings ages ago, but even now the people I annoyed still treat me as if I'm unable to post rationally any more, and try to get back at me at every opportunity.

I'm trying the best I can to stay out of trouble with them, but I don't know if I'll be able to cope with them treating me like an inferior for very long...