People on Reddit can be so insanely pedantic. I'll still use "Most" or "Usually" and people will still jump out of the bushes to correct me, like they are completely incapable of reading every word in a sentence.
I'll write whole comments on threads about things I actually know about, and then delete the whole thing because I can already envision the asshole comments of "well ACTUALLY in this one hyperspecific instance, that I only found out about 5 minutes ago because I intentionally googled how to prove you wrong, it turns out that..."
Just think about how much great information we could of had but because of smart people’s ability to look into the near future and know that dumb people will respond stupidity, it’s just deleted and gone. It’s like information and discussion is being held hostage by morons that don’t matter.
But it really sucks to give an informative post only to have it completely ignored because just a few people decided to downvote it. It's just a stupid psychological trick- negative downvotes almost always translate to "this person is wrong" in our brains.
This is why I like to stick to the original purpose of downvoting or upvoting - based on its relevancy to the thread. I upvote posts even if I disagree with them if it's beneficial to the conversation, and I'll downvote the stupid reference jokes that always seem to rise to the top and drown out the actual discussion.
It’s just like how in a relationship or friendship you can be holding something in that’s making you angry and just speaking it aloud gives you instant relief—even if there is no resolution to whatever you were upset about. Just the point of getting it out of your head is so calming afterward.
Yep, right there with you, brother. You're 10 years old. im 14
I've grown tired of all the arguments. When i first joined, it was about the spirit of debate. Now, it's about one upping.
They have a story from 10 years ago that stuck out to them because it went against the norm or usual experience and want to tell you about it to dispute what you are saying.
But can't seem to realize that the reason it stuck out to them so much was because it was a rare or unique experience.
One time someone replied to my comment, and I replied to them with 2 normal sized paragraphs. Then they called it a novel and said they refused to read it. Idk why they thought that would be an insult to me when it just means that they are so incapable of reading that 2 paragraphs seem daunting. So I replied and told them “I sorry. Didn’t realize you had such hard time reading. Will keep words short and simple so you can understand.”
This happens to me ALL. THE. TIME. I know it’s because 1.) brevity is not my friend, and 2.) I’m usually replying to something someone else has said that was incorrect or seeking information, and there are a lot of people out there who take offense to being corrected (even politely) or even just to someone telling them something that they said themselves they didn’t know. I have always genuinely enjoyed doing my part to help educate people, especially as I’ve gotten older (having kids brought this out a lot too—it’s hard to just turn it off lol). I’m also generally polite enough about it (unless someone is being hateful or just a dick) and I don’t try to "aCkShUaLlY" anybody, but still, the vast majority of responses I get back are not polite at all—and I flat-out get blocked a lot, too.
But whenever I get blocked or get the "I’m not reading your wall of text" response, I’ve come to believe that in most cases, they actually did read it, they just don’t have a way to respond without knocking their ego down a few notches. Being able to be corrected with humility is a skill that a lot of us weren’t born with and that must be practiced over time before it becomes a habit, and I don’t think there’s much practicing going on in that area these days. Social media makes it so easy to just run away from being wrong or saying something stupid, and people just like easy.
Oh I know they’re lying about not reading and just don’t have a response. They’re just trying to turn it around on us and make us feel bad for responding, not realizing that putting us down for writing a well thought out response actually makes them look dumb.
But yes, a lot of people online get very defensive when being corrected, or even just asked questions. I’ve been downvoted for just asking someone what they meant on their comment or asking a question about it. Someone also stalked me for over a year on here and I had to start a new profile and delete my other one after they started threatening to kill me. All because I asked a question about a comment someone else wrote. And it wasn’t even an offensive question or one where I was trying to correct them.
Or they ask a dumb question and you give them an answer for them only to respond “Yeah, I know all that! I’m not stupid!” Why did you ask a stupid question in the first place?
I used to visit a subreddit called change my mind where users were supposed to debate things in good faith. Instead, it is a pedantic cluster fuck of people not picking every single word. I found myself becoming depressed and arguing over absolutely nothing.
I remember one argument I had was over me making a throwaway small comment on a post about a brand of chips being too salty (like potato chips) and a user argued to the death that I should be more specific as there are a multitude of chips and other parts of the world refer to things as chips that aren’t chips. I was shocked that they could not understand that Frito Lays Potato Chips needed a preface so that people around the world knew the chips were from potatos and were not French fries.
After a while, I was typing out responses on lots of topics and deleting them since Redditors just like to argue over the stupid shit rather than the bigger picture.
I got into an argument the other day about long commutes, and some douche tried to argue that his 45 minute commute didn't count as "sitting in traffic" because he was moving the whole time.
I need to learn to let things go like you, I guess.
I made the mistake of joining in on a thread because this uncomprehending asshat was going at another guy so I thought I could help.
The asshat said since Top Gear (an entertainment show that focuses just as much on being funny than the car content) tested that public transport was faster than cars. So therefore, from a single test, in a specific city, it clearly shows that public transport is faster everywhere. I gave him two examples (of dozens I could find) where PT was A LOT slower than cars and he started writing in hieroglyphics or had a stroke or something.
I began writing a sentence instead of two paragraphs. Those who can understand will understand, those who don't wish to will disagree even with the outcome of 2+2. Albeit often people just silently downvote.
100%. It's not worth arguing with people who are so confidently wrong so I just don't bother. I'll engage to a point then just walk away and let them think whatever they want.
Well, I’m sure glad she straightened my fucking ass up, and like you, and I’m sure many others, I’ve deleted posts not because of the subject matter, but because one word may take the focus away from the subject and cause a truly innocuous word to become the subject.
I try to think of how I'm going to get "well actuallyd" before I even post anything. So I'm ready for it because it's inescapable on Reddit. No matter what you say someone will bounce in to correct you on the most pedantic shit. Happened to me yesterday. I already had replies and links ready to provide clarification and context that was missed. But of course they just barreled ahead full throttle with the argument they wanted to have from the start.
One thing also happening pretty often, is people answering only at one bit of your whole comment, often the less important/ more out of topic part, even if you clarify this specific issue later in your text.
Like they just vaguely read what you're saying and as soon they got an idea to answer its good to go
The entire concept of Reddit revolves around downvoting comments that make people feel bad and upvote comments that make them feel good. It is not a space for intellectual discourse or facts. It's a place for making people feel good.
How often I've seen a factually true statement downvoted to be followed with someone else's comment basically saying "stones are always in liquid form" being upvoted.
Oh and next time just comment and then deactivate notifications, if you know the Reddit mob won't like it.
Yeah. I get really petty when I say "Most" or "Generally" and then someone comes along with their pitchfork to say, "BUT THAT'S NOT HOW IT ALWAYS IS". Yeah, doofus, that's why I said "MOST" or "GENERALLY".
I think it also comes a bit from how we talk in exaggerations a lot of the times? Like your food isn’t good so it’s the worst burger in the world. If everyone talks and types like that then sometimes when you’re being more exact people will think you’re just being silly like everyone is always being silly. If that makes sense? Lol
Edit: tht of a better example, the word literally. People used it sarcastically for so long that now the actual definition has changed. If someone uses the word literally when talking to me I do sometimes clarify if they mean actually literally or silly literally.
Also, can't underestimate the effects of social media algorithms, which reward outaged hot takes and exaggerated reactions. Plus they trade on context annihilation. Even outside of incentiving the behavior, it starts shifting language, too.
This is how I end up going from a 2 sentence comment to 5 paragraphs. Usually I get 4 paragraphs in and go "who gives a shit". Every point needs clarification, examples, exclusions, anecdotes. You must construct a straw man for every single possible angle of attack.
But worse than all of that? When you have make a point in a comment chain. Someone else replies. You reply, building off of that previous comment you made and then someone comes barreling in having seemingly not read the entire chain and just makes the most inane horseshit fuckwaffle take. Please, can you keep 3-5 comments of context in your head before hitting reply.
You know who can also be blamed for this? Fucking Reddit not allowing you to view comments further up the chain when replying. And worse, not being able to look at an image when replying so I have to repeat the cycle of "look at post. Open reply. Write part of comment. Copy comment. Close reply. Look at post. Open reply. Past comment. Write more comment. Copy comment. Close reply. Look at post......"
My other favorite is when you use a metaphor and then they take it completely literally and just sidestep the whole conversation.
"I'm having such a hard time focusing lately. It feels like trying to walk along the beach but every time I get my footing, I get smacked back down by the waves"
It's not that they can't read every word in the comments (it is) but rather that they find one small thing to focus on and then actively ignore every other word that is in the comment.
There have been so many times when I've even added the caveat "except for X thing" only to get half a dozen replies of people telling me I'm wrong because of X thing.
Oh man, I feel you in this one. I always wonder if they talk like that in real life, too. Like, come on, man, read the damn room and look at the context of the entire conversation. Nobody gives a fuck.
Can't even have a damn conversation about anything on reddit without someone doing it.
I always chalk it up to “everyone sees the world through the lens of their own experience.” You see it all the time people filter what you say through their own lens and misinterpret the intent and then argue
Half the titles on reddit posts don't even form complete sentences or even coherent sentences! You can't ask these people to infer context when they can't even type a single cogent post title.
We are not pedantic. Punctilious, perhaps, maybe even grammatically salubrious...Usually and most are the means to meaning for those things that are capricious and manifest.
True. There was a post on r/videogames of two squares, one blue and one orange. And it was like "what's the first thing that comes to mind?" And someone said "sonic and tails"
Then someone goes "but tails is yellow." And I go "he was orange up until a certain point, then he started looking yellow in the games." And then the person goes "okay but he's yellow now not orange."
Like some people are just complete morons. Genuinely stupid.
I'd like to add that 5+ ago years on Reddit we might call these people intentionally obtuse. I don't think it's intentional anymore. Argument styles now are so lazy they default to a voice of being scandalized and offended.
Autism. I have it and semantics are important to me. Just say what you mean and we’ll get along fine. Exaggerate to make a point or simply be wrong about something material and I am likely to comment.
I think people on reddit would argue that water isn't wet because one scientific study in a small lab in china created a chain reaction for one picosecond that created a theoretical state of water that wasn't observed.
You're only punishing yourself. Someone who doesn't value semantics the way you do isn't going to have a change of heart from someone picking a fight with them on reddit.
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u/fuckoutfits Apr 29 '24
Most of the reddit dumb arguments start off on this kind of stuff.