I've been an internet user for quite a while, and even before the chans there was a similar tough-skinned and hard-nosed culture on IRC and Usenet. And you know... it's not really in spite of the crass bluntness and "bants", but because of them, that those sort of communities tend to be more honest and down to earth, because there's no personal reputation to uphold, feelings don't matter, and whatever you say is going to be judged on its own merit alone.
"Feelings don't matter" That's so wrong. Many people got very personal feelings towards me when I had a different opinion than the majority of this forum.
Many arguments here were fought very fast on personal accusations.
The argument "people who use strong language are in general more trusthworthy and speak the truth more often" is interesting. I think it has some truth in it. Some people (the typical ones are upper class ones that try hard to be the better human, but way more often just ordinary people nowadays) tend to just ignore arguments when the other guy starts to use strong language or starts harassing. The thing is that this idea has to be read backwards: People who only accept nice talk and deny people who start talking a little more freely are not very trusthworthy in general.
So its totally fine to speak your mind freely. But this is an ability many people here are not grown up to, because you have to actually read your opponent, if it is able to understand your rant. You can't just blunty rant and complain just because you feel like so. You have to know when the other dude understands your strong language, and you still have to know, that the other dude doesn't take it very personal. In many cases on this forum, strong language or honest words here gets used to directly attack another dude. And that makes the justifying idea "people who use strong language are in general more trusthworthy and speak the truth more often" more a joke. I personally don't thrust people at all that try a little bit to hard to hurt my personal feelings.
Like 90% of matters that get discussed here on this board (including power talks!) should not be taken so serious that foul language is even needed.
The thing is, that many normies here on this board (oh look when people start using snowflake I can use normie too: snowflake implies a very limited view because the person thinks his opinion is justified because he has a right to be heard as minority; normies implies a very limited view of a person, because he thinks his opinion is right as he can go ignorant through life following the biggest crowds behaviours - these two terms can be used like everywhere just look if the opponent is part of the majority of minority opinion...) take some problems, like my request for more moderation some days ago, very very serious. The point again: you can allways talk a little bit more open - but in the right meassure. Or you agree with everyone that this is a troll board.
One personal thing: I request the usage of snowflake only when its justified.
Urban Dictionary: Snowflake
Snowflake's as the internet defines them are people who "cry murder" as soon as they get counter argumented. Like...immediatelly after the first counter argument. There is a difference between complaining after getting a lot of negative crique to his opinion, or to get annoyed just right after this first counter argument. So actually this term is more suitable for the people here that quickly use strong language on this board and call other people snowflake just because the assumed snowflake gets not as much backup for his opinion...Or for people who call out small moderational edits a threat to the freedom of speach, best recognisable when I made a topic to request heavier moderation (so this forum doesn't become annoying to read from all the normies, like those that immediatelly got salty when the devs announced to stream the newest power dev-build...). Just saying that one important part of being a snowflake is, that you actually complain bitterly and relentless. Gosh.
