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So as we all probably know, and have personally witnessed, by now that half the threads in Dakka (I'm being generous) eventually degenerate off topic. These mutated threads usually end up being a argument between a couple of wargamers who have gotten stuck on a particular tangent that all of a sudden becomes an impassible point between opposing views. One of my personal favorites is the 40k should have a solid rules set that's balanced ect. ect. vs the game isn't meant for competitive play we shouldn't expect air tight rules because ect ect.

We've all seen these threads and we all know it will eventually degenerate further to an argument of why the gamers that expect air tight rules don't move on.

Then something even more interesting happens (though this generally happens somewhere in the first 4-5 posts, again being generous) the two opposing sides seeing how they wont ever move past this point start insulting each other. It's not really interesting that they're insulting the opposing group in general but the way they insult each other is sometimes indicative of self loathing. One of my favorites and best example of this is when people start saying "why don't you just sell you're army dolls."

How is this self loathing? YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO. So perhaps we can attribute this particular insult to someone trying to say, "Stop being so serious, we're playing with miniatures for crying out loud," but I still feel like this is people trying to insult others by way of insulting themselves. It's obvious that this isn't the most reputable hobby in the world (I don't start a date by showing off my WH collection, unless it's a particularly well painted piece). Have any of you guys noticed this? Do you think this is a natural by product of war gaming being a nerdy hobby?

So you started what you complain about? Excellent troll.

12thRonin wrote:So you started what you complain about? Excellent troll.

HAHAHA you've found my dastardly plan. Sarcasm aside, and to sum up the question why do we insult fellow war gamers with insults that reflect on ourselves?

The wonder of the interwebz my friend!

protonhunter wrote:So as we all probably know, and have personally witnessed, by now that half the threads in Dakka (I'm being generous) eventually degenerate off to...

I'm gonna go ahead and stop you here.



I realize you are probably new here, so take some time to walk around, get used to things. If you still have any questions about how arguments work on this crazy thing, let us know.

Meh.

I've seen similar attitudes from Slashdot (the only other online 'community' I frequent). comedians, and musicians. I do not believe it's actual 'self-loathing' as you put it, but merely self-deprecating humor. They are a not so subtle reminder that we're mostly grown men arguing about a inch and a half tall injection moulded toy pieces representing a fictional world that will never exist.

It's a good thing to maintain perspective. A good thing.

protonhunter wrote:
HAHAHA you've found my dastardly plan. Sarcasm aside, and to sum up the question why do we insult fellow war gamers with insults that reflect on ourselves?

It's often done tongue-in-cheek. I'll call them mandollies, space barbies, toys, what have you, and I'll try to defuse a situation by saying something like "calm down, we're just grown men playing with toys here" or something along those lines. I love this hobby but I won't deny that it seems ridiculous in many ways. Nerds in general have a lot of self loathing though, it's not just Dakka.

This is largely the reason I generally avoid topics that have gone on for several pages, at most I'll look through the first few pages. It leads to me posting less but helps me to avoid all the drama and nonsense that i generally dont care about

Why is 'discussion', repetition of memes, pandering to forum celebrities, etc self loathing?

Me fail english, that's unpossible...

40k is deliberately unbalanced to make the game more cinematic.

The high prices also make the game more cinematic, just like going to the cinema!

scarletsquig wrote:The high prices also make the game more cinematic, just like going to the cinema!

I'm going to write that one down for future use.

Lol yeah it is kind of like two overweight guys getting into an arguement then suddenly they beging slinging fat insults back and forth.

protonhunter wrote:YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO.

Calling them "dolls" makes you sound like an idiot.

H.B.M.C. wrote:

protonhunter wrote:YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO.

Calling them "dolls" makes you sound like an idiot.

Yeah, they are ACTION FIGURES!

I think if you stray too far off the pond with your insults the LCD won't get the joke.

protonhunter wrote:So as we all probably know, and have personally witnessed, by now that half the threads in Dakka (I'm being generous) eventually degenerate off topic. These mutated threads usually end up being a argument between a couple of wargamers who have gotten stuck on a particular tangent that all of a sudden becomes an impassible point between opposing views. One of my personal favorites is the 40k should have a solid rules set that's balanced ect. ect. vs the game isn't meant for competitive play we shouldn't expect air tight rules because ect ect.

We've all seen these threads and we all know it will eventually degenerate further to an argument of why the gamers that expect air tight rules don't move on.

Then something even more interesting happens (though this generally happens somewhere in the first 4-5 posts, again being generous) the two opposing sides seeing how they wont ever move past this point start insulting each other. It's not really interesting that they're insulting the opposing group in general but the way they insult each other is sometimes indicative of self loathing. One of my favorites and best example of this is when people start saying "why don't you just sell you're army dolls."

How is this self loathing? YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO. So perhaps we can attribute this particular insult to someone trying to say, "Stop being so serious, we're playing with miniatures for crying out loud," but I still feel like this is people trying to insult others by way of insulting themselves. It's obvious that this isn't the most reputable hobby in the world (I don't start a date by showing off my WH collection, unless it's a particularly well painted piece). Have any of you guys noticed this? Do you think this is a natural by product of war gaming being a nerdy hobby?

Hmmmm sounds to me like you don't understand the difference between self-loathing and self-deprecating.

protonhunter wrote:How is this self loathing? YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO. So perhaps we can attribute this particular insult to someone trying to say, "Stop being so serious, we're playing with miniatures for crying out loud," but I still feel like this is people trying to insult others by way of insulting themselves. It's obvious that this isn't the most reputable hobby in the world (I don't start a date by showing off my WH collection, unless it's a particularly well painted piece). Have any of you guys noticed this? Do you think this is a natural by product of war gaming being a nerdy hobby?

I think it's you reading too much into it, to be honest. It's generally exactly what you suggested: people pointing out that it's just a game with toy soldiers.

What I have noticed is the tendency online to make sweeping generalisations about the attitude and outlook of a given forum based on the actions of a small minority of posters. Like when people see several posts slinging off at a company and decide that 'Dakka' is against that company.... while others see a few positive posts and decide that 'Dakka' is pro- that company.


What you're talking about isn't about 'Dakka'... it's about certain posters on Dakka... And you'll find similar posts on pretty much ever gaming forum in existence back to the dawn of the interwebs.

English Assassin wrote:

scarletsquig wrote:The high prices also make the game more cinematic, just like going to the cinema!

I'm going to write that one down for future use.

You could always sig it.

protonhunter wrote:So as we all probably know, and have personally witnessed, by now that half the threads in Dakka (I'm being generous) eventually degenerate off topic. These mutated threads usually end up being a argument between a couple of wargamers who have gotten stuck on a particular tangent that all of a sudden becomes an impassible point between opposing views. One of my personal favorites is the 40k should have a solid rules set that's balanced ect. ect. vs the game isn't meant for competitive play we shouldn't expect air tight rules because ect ect.

We've all seen these threads and we all know it will eventually degenerate further to an argument of why the gamers that expect air tight rules don't move on.

Then something even more interesting happens (though this generally happens somewhere in the first 4-5 posts, again being generous) the two opposing sides seeing how they wont ever move past this point start insulting each other. It's not really interesting that they're insulting the opposing group in general but the way they insult each other is sometimes indicative of self loathing. One of my favorites and best example of this is when people start saying "why don't you just sell you're army dolls."

How is this self loathing? YOU"RE PLAYING WITH DOLLS TOO. So perhaps we can attribute this particular insult to someone trying to say, "Stop being so serious, we're playing with miniatures for crying out loud," but I still feel like this is people trying to insult others by way of insulting themselves. It's obvious that this isn't the most reputable hobby in the world (I don't start a date by showing off my WH collection, unless it's a particularly well painted piece). Have any of you guys noticed this? Do you think this is a natural by product of war gaming being a nerdy hobby?

Welcome to the internet: It has been this way forever.

You'll get used to it...

I think saying "it's the internet.." rings a little false. If i want something serious i go to other forums, if i want to read something hilarious i come to dakka. It seems like a thread cannot get over 3 pages without degenerating into a really sad "bitch fight".
I do not see this much on the other forum i go to, but here on dakka, it's like what everyone seems to aspire to.

Keep me laughing dakka

Bullockist wrote:I think saying "it's the internet.." rings a little false. If i want something serious i go to other forums, if i want to read something hilarious i come to dakka.

Yes, because Dakka is the only place on the web that people nerdrage about GW/40k...

I was trying to make the point , that perhaps it's gamers (especially 40k gamers) that love the "pointless arguments" and not the internet as a whole.

Thanks for clarifying and supporting my original post

Bullockist wrote:I was trying to make the point , that perhaps it's gamers (especially 40k gamers) that love the "pointless arguments" and not the internet as a whole.

Thanks for clarifying and supporting my original post

And I stand by my statement that the internet is overflowing with "pointless arguements".

Look at social media, look at the comments section of news stories, look at comments on youtube videos, etc., etc. Regardless of topic or location you will find a constant stream of pointless arguements and webrage. It IS the norm...

CT GAMER wrote:And I stand by my statement that the internet is overflowing with "pointless arguements".

Exactly.

And you're right about the other thing. If anyone needs a demonstration of what 'pointless' actually looks like, all they need do is start reading YouTube comments. My God...

What I have noticed is the tendency online to make sweeping generalisations about the attitude and outlook of a given forum based on the actions of a small minority of posters. Like when people see several posts slinging off at a company and decide that 'Dakka' is against that company.... while others see a few positive posts and decide that 'Dakka' is pro- that company.

What you're talking about isn't about 'Dakka'... it's about certain posters on Dakka... And you'll find similar posts on pretty much ever gaming forum in existence back to the dawn of the interwebs.

A lot of the time, the "attitude" of the forum on whatever topic can be set by a surprisingly small number of posters, when the majority either disagree or don't care, it's just a question of being ardent enough. If I keep passionately restating a view on something long enough and give no ground to opposing arguments, people will just get sick of debating me, especially if someone else agrees with me, and we keep cheerleading each other's posts.

I get the general feeling that "this is the internet" but what I don't see on other sights is the amount of insults that can simply be turned around on themselves. Someone brought up two fat people making fat jokes about each other and that's what I see in dakka all the time.

Now if this was just the internet what I'd expect it to be more on the lines of XBL or other forums that I go to where people just call each other "gay" (being charitable to the language on most online multiplayer) and other such stupid names that don't really reflect on the person themselves. I find on dakka (and by which I mean the general argument thread) that fights generally contain these comments that could be considered self deprecating.

CT GAMER wrote:

Welcome to the internet: It has been this way forever.

You'll get used to it...

It hasn't been that way forever. The internet hasn't been around forever.
God, CT. You're such a stupid-head.

You should internet better!

Eric

Two sides of a point of view on the internet are not able to reach agreement and resort to name calling, this confuses you why?

Well what do you expect? This DakkaDakka after all

Been on every forum since the dawn of da webz.
Make a contribution to a thread, enjoy it if it educates you, leave it if it dosent.
And simply ignore the flotsum.

I'm off to hug a big tree