Goonhub
10-10-2015, 09:11 AM
I used to be a shitlark, and through lots of painful and embarrassing experiences online learned how to act within online communities, and online in general.
The best methodology I learned for online is twofold: Formality and restraint. Marcus, you don't really have either.
Formality is best because people take you more seriously, and, in general, being more formal allows you to better convey your arguments. In short, use good syntax (Structure), decent diction (Words), and for gods sake don't forget punctuation.
Restraint keeps people's views of you as positive. If you say nothing, then people have nothing of you to base off of to dislike you with. Of course, you still want to say something, so the ultimate goal is to say nothing that will rub people the wrong way, and you would only act against this principal if you think what you want to say must be said. (And I mean, must be said.) Think when you want to say something, do people really want it to be heard? Generally, exercising extreme restraint upon entering a new community is preferred, until you learn what is and isn't acceptable in said community. Lack of restraint is the reason people get into spats with you, Marcus, so try showing more, and you'd be surprised in the change with how people treat you online.
A third, slightly weaker aspect is the nature of funny. Funny is like a muscle, it's something that needs to be exercised, and it's use practiced. While formality can go out the window for funny things, restraint is absolutely critical, or you risk a joke going horribly sour. Funny takes a long term to learn, and generally should be foregone until you better know the community you choose to enter.
Finally, Keep in mind that the fundamental point of internet forums is discussion. While you can occasionally just leave comments, to have a good comment, you need to have something that people can talk about. Leading into more discussion is a very good thing.
...and that's all for internet discussion 101 today. Classes will resume sometime before the next century.
The best methodology I learned for online is twofold: Formality and restraint. Marcus, you don't really have either.
Formality is best because people take you more seriously, and, in general, being more formal allows you to better convey your arguments. In short, use good syntax (Structure), decent diction (Words), and for gods sake don't forget punctuation.
Restraint keeps people's views of you as positive. If you say nothing, then people have nothing of you to base off of to dislike you with. Of course, you still want to say something, so the ultimate goal is to say nothing that will rub people the wrong way, and you would only act against this principal if you think what you want to say must be said. (And I mean, must be said.) Think when you want to say something, do people really want it to be heard? Generally, exercising extreme restraint upon entering a new community is preferred, until you learn what is and isn't acceptable in said community. Lack of restraint is the reason people get into spats with you, Marcus, so try showing more, and you'd be surprised in the change with how people treat you online.
A third, slightly weaker aspect is the nature of funny. Funny is like a muscle, it's something that needs to be exercised, and it's use practiced. While formality can go out the window for funny things, restraint is absolutely critical, or you risk a joke going horribly sour. Funny takes a long term to learn, and generally should be foregone until you better know the community you choose to enter.
Finally, Keep in mind that the fundamental point of internet forums is discussion. While you can occasionally just leave comments, to have a good comment, you need to have something that people can talk about. Leading into more discussion is a very good thing.
...and that's all for internet discussion 101 today. Classes will resume sometime before the next century.