Do posters intend to hurt the feelings of other members?

There are quite a few here (earth) who tend to make absolute statements. "Brand X sux" or "it is stupid to do it that way". Sometimes these are knowledgeable people. But I think they respond this way to make themselves feel good or seem more knowledgeable than they are.

They often couch this sort of behavior in the idea that they are "straight shooters" or they they are "frank" or that they "don't suffer fools". Usually it means that they just don't have any tact or regard for others.

Most of us have let ourselves respond in ways that we shouldn't so I'm not throwing stones. Just saying.

And then there are the trolls. They are here (earth) to disrupt and insult.

In my experience this is a universal problem on earth that is magnified by the internet. Audiogon seems slightly worse than a lot of other sites I frequent. I don't know why. 

I had to step away from Audiogon for a while for this reason (and my tendency to get drawn into the pig wrestling).

Now I try to avoid any threads about contentious subjects altogether.....except for this one.

np80, +1 for honesty 

lmbo @ the lulu talking smack now. Get a sense of humor, you’ll live longer.
Learn to laugh with people, not at people...*winks

WTH? Last time I checked, this was an English thread.

I don’t think it is the primary aim of anyone to obviously or even subtley, to denegrate another.  anywhere. at anytime.

however,    people tend to post online as though they are a different animal now and then. as while online, normal social constraints are disolved, invisible, or just ignored.

I mentioned to another person here recently, and privately, I am old school. I speak to whomever as if they were sitting across the table from me. regardless, online, on the phone, mail, text, or email.

Audiogon has expanded thru the years with its membership and as such it emcompasses a multitude of cultures and social demographics as such demonstrating respect and common courtesy should be key in any debgate, discussion, or argument, but once more, people without apparent boundaries can become devoid of social ettiquites and protocols.

lastly, the emotive content is vacant in our posts. only the bare lines of words are displayed. without the emmotive or expressive feedback sometimes things are not well received.

say what you mean.

mean what you say.

don’t say it mean.

be well, jim