Don't read the comments.

Unfortunately, it comes with the territory of free information with access for everyone who wants it. Today, people are emboldened with aggressiveness thanks to the current world climate; it's worse than ever and doesn't look like it's getting better anytime soon. 

First, you have to learn to ignore the noise. Once you do, things are a lot easier. About 75% of the people on social media seem like they smash their face against the keyboard and post the result. YouTube is about 99% hate and stupidity. Ignore the edgelord trolls and things get better.  

I see things from both sides as a reader AND a writer. When I write, my things get shared across social media, and there's usually both praise and hate coming back at my content. You just can't please everyone. I have one troll on the blog I write for that HATES anything Chevy. It's even in his user name on the blog's commenting system. And if it involves a Chevy engine in something else, like a LS swap, he goes INSANE. I make sure to explain how awesome and powerful the LS engines are in every story I do that involves them, just for him. 

A while ago, I found a browser plug in called Comment Snob that hid Youtube comments based on a few simple algorithms to grade how much stupidity went into the comment. For example, posting in all caps or a high % of the words being profanity would get the comment to disapppear.

Tony Sestito said:

Unfortunately, it comes with the territory of free information with access for everyone who wants it. Today, people are emboldened with aggressiveness thanks to the current world climate; it's worse than ever and doesn't look like it's getting better anytime soon.

It's not all that new, and it's not the world climate - it's been going on for a while. I think it's a combination of the anonymity and the lack of face-to-face communication. If you don't have to put your name to something, then you don't have any concerns about your hatefulness being attributed to you. There are no consequences to your statements.

The biggest recent change has been the politicization of Facebook, now that it's a "news" platform with algorithms that reward controversy, it's becoming more controversial. And I'll agree that the current "if you're not with me, you're against" me tone and inflammatory language taken by certain leaders isn't helping.

The lack of personal interaction is obvious. It turns your vitriol target from a person to an abstraction, which means you don't think of your victim like a person so it's easier to denigrate them.

Honestly, we see the same thing in cars. Road rage comes from anonymity and depersonalization. My rally car has my name in big letters above the window along with my sponsor's names all over it. Even though I haven't had a road rage attack in years, it really does make you think about how you're behaving towards other people on the road.

Anecdote - years and years ago, there was a Miata enthusiast who just HATED Flyin' Miata. I don't know why. We weren't cool or something, but he ran us down every chance he got. Then we met him in person the first time we were at the Mitty and his attitude totally changed. He also got into the industry and he's on my list of "good guy competitors" - people who may be competing with us, but do the industry good overall and who has a good relationship with us. I credit this with that face to face meeting, it took us from some sort of evil trolls to actual real human beings.

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I know the site, and I know that poster. I often find myself writing comments just to wind him up. Am I part of the problem?

Appleseed said:

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I know the site, and I know that poster. I often find myself writing comments just to wind him up. Am I part of the problem?

I'm not sure how much of his persona is real, but given his screen name and how his comments tend to venture into absurdity, I'm pretty sure he considers it all in good fun. And a lot of his responses are genuinely funny and original. I don't think he is taking it seriously so much as using the comments section as a real life version of the Argument Clinic.

That's why I call it Douchebook.

Keith Tanner said:

 I think it's a combination of the anonymity and the lack of face-to-face communication. If you don't have to put your name to something, then you don't have any concerns about your hatefulness being attributed to you.

Far better to post in your real name, and try to be known for your helpfulness.

In reply to Keith Tanner :

You make some great points there Keith! The anonymity of the internet shields people from feeling like there are real world consequences for their actions, and they go nuts. Meanwhile, in actual, "off-line" reality...

Made the mistake of pointing out the historical inaccuracy of a comment posted under a picture of a 50's housing development on a car group.

Yeah, that went sideways quickly.  Sorry to bring up the inherent racism that was very prevalent at the time and how terrible the cars really were.

stuart in mn said:

One other one that should be permanently retired is the Lucas prince of darkness response about any British car, whether it has electrical problems or not.

That one's not a joke.

In Before The Lock.

Don't encourage Keith; he works at a company that has the most disingenuous name "Flying Miata" not a single one of their creations look airworthy to me! Furthermore don't they know that the safety record of flying cars is abysmal!! A company with that uses a disengenous and a dangerous product.

Trolly Trolster.

I'm not even on twitter book or facetagram or any of that other stuff but obviously I'm on various forums. I try to remember not to be that guy who would  taunt Mike Tyson online. Of course I will own up to baiting a multi time national champion because he was acting like a total rectal-headgear bad mouthing one of our events all over the Internet but that really doesn't make it better. 

I work for the local school district and the newspaper and local TV stations often use us as a punching bag. Much like the online goobers they don't have all the facts and jump to conclusions. So this type of thing has been going on before the Internet.

To the OP, this reminds me of a line from George Carlin, who, when he heard that a pastor was complaining about the music being played on radio, said "Hey pastor, anyone ever told you that there's two knobs on the radio?"

I think I have a Facebook account and have never used it. It's liberating to not be a slave to social media... try it.

kb58 said:

I think I have a Facebook account and have never used it. It's liberating to not be a slave to social media... try it.

I have a FB account.

I use it.

It's a tool (albeit not a very good one)

It's a slave to me.

You know, with recent revelations about Cambridge Analytica and what facebook is engineered to do, shutting down my facebook might be a weekend project I undertake. These last 2 years really have shown me how poisonous social media has become.

Stefan said:

Made the mistake of pointing out the historical inaccuracy of a comment posted under a picture of a 50's housing development on a car group.

Yeah, that went sideways quickly.  Sorry to bring up the inherent racism that was very prevalent at the time and how terrible the cars really were.

I had a 70+ year old co-worker who shared crap like that on his FB once, asking who remembered how to shift an old 3-on-the-tree. I commented that it was the first thing I learned to drive on and how much it sucked- couldn't imagine how a new one could be *better*. INSTANT hate from him and his friends- and then at work later, acted like nothing happened. The weirdest crap.

I come off as pretty troll-like sometimes, but I say those things to peoples face, too.  German car owners fear me...

Streetwiseguy said:

I come off as pretty troll-like sometimes, but I say those things to peoples face, too.  German car owners fear me...

Same here. Only it's Japanese car owners, though only the smug ones - which also happen to be most of them...

Tom1200 said:

Don't encourage Keith; he works at a company that has the most disingenuous name "Flying Miata" not a single one of their creations look airworthy to me! Furthermore don't they know that the safety record of flying cars is abysmal!! A company with that uses a disengenous and a dangerous product.

 

Maybe that's why the company name is actually "Flyin' Miata", so that they don't imply that their Miatas are actually flying.

Suprf1y said:

Streetwiseguy said:

I come off as pretty troll-like sometimes, but I say those things to peoples face, too.  German car owners fear me...

Same here. Only it's Japanese car owners, though only the smug ones - which also happen to be most of them...

I have huge fun with a local Lexus guy.  "Japanese Buick" and "Why would you pay an extra ten grand for a Camry with leather seats" seem to really get his blood pressure up.

I think I only do it because I was teased as a child.

I remember seeing the first Honda S2000 here on the streets. Only afterwards did I realize I should have rolled down the window at the light and asked "Hey, is that the new Miata? What did you pay for that, about $19K?" That would have got him going.

You guys are giving me ideas..

I remember the early days of youtube comments being a complete cesspool to be avoided at all costs.  Not that its saying much, but its gotten less terrible over the years. 

Dr. Hess said:

stuart in mn said:

One other one that should be permanently retired is the Lucas prince of darkness response about any British car, whether it has electrical problems or not.

 

That one's not a joke.

 

In Before The Lock.

 

Another thing I've found is that most people aren't nearly as funny as they think they are.

Mainlandboy, howzit, da buggah got one Loy-a toll em drop da G en call em Flyin Miata cuz no can sue. Das why I tawk stink bout dem, Day bulai 

you can't add tone and or timing to comments so really clever humor is very difficult and Samual Clemens, Vonnegut, Steinbeck sarcasm isn't something most people can pull off.

I'm a Japanese car guy and even I love to call new high end Nissans / Infinitis  Datsun, especially since I race one.

My family as diverse as it gets: My mom is 50% Irish and the other half is Afro-Cuban, English and Dutch. My father's side is German, Polish, Irish, Italian & Swedish. My wife is black with a smattering of Irish and Scottish. My cousins have also added Korean and Phillipino to the mix so our kids are Heinz 257.  We poke fun at all the stereotypes and if you heard us or read some of what we throw at each other you'd think we're racist as hell. The point being people take themselves way to seriously. 

I recently had one of my 24 yr old son's friend complaining about all their generation had to endure, my reply was to ask have you read Anne Frank's diary? Perhaps you should.  

I work for the local school district as a contract specialist, mostly doing contracts for health services but also for anti-bullying some of the programs are focused on social media. We strictly forbid our son from social media. He has a Facebook account now but hardly uses it.

As much as I love the car forums (especially this one) I can go without them for weeks for all the examples you posted here.

Zombie thread, canoe deleted

Every genre of the car hobby has its group that think they are the know all, be all for their type of cars. They somehow think they should be asked for permission before you do something on you car. I actually question if some of these people even own the type of car they comment on. I pretty much like all types of cars from sports cars to hot rods to performance and race cars. Unless I have something positive to comment on I don’t comment at all.

i frequent a forum that shall go unnamed for hot rods. Comments there can get down right viscous at times. Pretty much the theme is “if it’s not steel it’s not real” and any piece of of a billet machined part is subject to get comments or the comment banned. I actually find it amusing that some people actually ask for permission/advice as to something they want to do to their car is acceptable.

I subscribe to the build it like you want only you have to be happy with the results. Now there are cars I like better then others but I keep my opinions to myself. 

Well, even though the person that posted the canoe is a tool, thank you otherwise I never would've seen this thread. VERY entertaining and educational. I truly hope to meet you all in person one day. Maybe not at the same time though...