[Polar Bear]

With the recent forum problems, I just wanted to put something out there...

The political forum has always been a bit...to put it mildly...disturbing. When ToTV works properly, the political forum is easy enough to avoid...don't join the group, ignore posts by Guest, etc. But with all the problems lately, it's impossible to totally ignore it. All the posts are listed in New/Today's Posts, thread titles often do not give away the content of the thread, you can't get to the group options in the Control Panel, forum names are shown so you can't quickly skip posts by Guest, etc..

The displaying of forum names just adds to the general strangeness of the political forum. 'Guest' somehow makes posts seem a little more distant. But when forum names are displayed...especially when often they appear to possibly be a person's real name...then the creepiness factor goes off the charts.

Here's the point of this post. After seeing that many of the most racist, sexist, bigoted, nasty posts come from the same small group of people, I'm convinced more than ever that the worst of the posters are nothing but trolls. Sure, they're nasty and possibly believe a lot of what they post. But I think the motivation is predominantly to get a thrill from inciting the reactions that naturally follow their intentionally over-the-top posts. Even if they believe what they say, the ultra-extreme wording and hatefulness is uncalled for to make a legitimate point. It's simply to get off on the reactions.

Until the technical issues are resolved, it's not going to be easy to totally ignore the political forum.

So, as difficult as it might be, if you think there might be a grain of truth to what I'm saying, give it your best effort to ignore the trolls. An unfed beast goes away.

[dewilson58]

Agree.

Even in other threads, the trolls are participating........watching the forum limitations and bumping up against them.

As always, all I can do is pray for these people and hope some day they find true happiness.

[LitespeedRider]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

With the recent forum problems, I just wanted to put something out there...

The political forum has always been a bit...to put it mildly...disturbing. When ToTV works properly, the political forum is easy enough to avoid...don't join the group, ignore posts by Guest, etc. But with all the problems lately, it's impossible to totally ignore it. All the posts are listed in New/Today's Posts, thread titles often do not give away the content of the thread, you can't get to the group options in the Control Panel, forum names are shown so you can't quickly skip posts by Guest, etc..

The displaying of forum names just adds to the general strangeness of the political forum. 'Guest' somehow makes posts seem a little more distant. But when forum names are displayed...especially when often they appear to possibly be a person's real name...then the creepiness factor goes off the charts.

Here's the point of this post. After seeing that many of the most racist, sexist, bigoted, nasty posts come from the same small group of people, I'm convinced more than ever that the worst of the posters are nothing but trolls. Sure, they're nasty and possibly believe a lot of what they post. But I think the motivation is predominantly to get a thrill from inciting the reactions that naturally follow their intentionally over-the-top posts. Even if they believe what they say, the ultra-extreme wording and hatefulness is uncalled for to make a legitimate point. It's simply to get off on the reactions.

Until the technical issues are resolved, it's not going to be easy to totally ignore the political forum.

So, as difficult as it might be, if you think there might be a grain of truth to what I'm saying, give it your best effort to ignore the trolls. An unfed beast goes away.

Having been an IT professional for the last 20+ years. I think that "most" of what we see on such forums is simply internet banter and much ado about nothing.

Some of the most tyrannical buffoons and "Keyboard Hero's" are very nice people when they are in person. The anonymity is key, and the fact that there is no tense or tone on the internet takes away some of the jest in many situations.

It is the nut who lives in their mothers basement and takes themselves seriously who we have to watch for.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

,,,,,, give it your best effort to ignore the trolls. An unfed beast goes away.

I don't think it's primarily trolls, just passionate political posters.
Insults will still be traded after election day.
However, by the end of the month, peace will prevail on the Political Forum!

[NYGUY]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

With the recent forum problems, I just wanted to put something out there...

The political forum has always been a bit...to put it mildly...disturbing. When ToTV works properly, the political forum is easy enough to avoid...don't join the group, ignore posts by Guest, etc. But with all the problems lately, it's impossible to totally ignore it. All the posts are listed in New/Today's Posts, thread titles often do not give away the content of the thread, you can't get to the group options in the Control Panel, forum names are shown so you can't quickly skip posts by Guest, etc..

The displaying of forum names just adds to the general strangeness of the political forum. 'Guest' somehow makes posts seem a little more distant. But when forum names are displayed...especially when often they appear to possibly be a person's real name...then the creepiness factor goes off the charts.

Here's the point of this post. After seeing that many of the most racist, sexist, bigoted, nasty posts come from the same small group of people, I'm convinced more than ever that the worst of the posters are nothing but trolls. Sure, they're nasty and possibly believe a lot of what they post. But I think the motivation is predominantly to get a thrill from inciting the reactions that naturally follow their intentionally over-the-top posts. Even if they believe what they say, the ultra-extreme wording and hatefulness is uncalled for to make a legitimate point. It's simply to get off on the reactions.

Until the technical issues are resolved, it's not going to be easy to totally ignore the political forum.

So, as difficult as it might be, if you think there might be a grain of truth to what I'm saying, give it your best effort to ignore the trolls. An unfed beast goes away.

You are absolutely right!!!!

[LitespeedRider]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

So, as difficult as it might be, if you think there might be a grain of truth to what I'm saying, give it your best effort to ignore the trolls. An unfed beast goes away.

Why not just change your settings? For instance - this image is all I see on TOTV. No ad's, no chat box, no recent posts....

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by Barefoot;131***0

I don't think it's primarily trolls, just passionate political posters.
Insults will still be traded after election day.
However, by the end of the month, peace will prevail on the Political Forum!

Definitely there are the nasty racists that give a terrible name to The Villages. There are also the misguided but passionate political posters who do not know how to properly carry on a reasonable discussion. There are also a very few reasonable posters who honestly do want to discuss political events - but they are always drowned out by the trolls, the misguided, or the deplorables.

Some are very nice people when not on a forum. Others are just as big a jerk in person as on an a forum. I have met both in person.

No, peace will not prevail on the political forum - ever.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

...peace will not prevail on the political forum - ever.

That's for sure.

Hopefully the technical issues will be resolved soon so it will be a little easier to ignore.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Barefoot;131***0

I don't think it's primarily trolls, just passionate political posters.
Insults will still be traded after election day.
However, by the end of the month, peace will prevail on the Political Forum!

No Bare. THIS is far worse than anything I have encountered in the worst of the political forum.. I think the people who posted before me are right and we should ignore the one most horrible recent poster and the runner up who has been here for a long time in several guises.

Many of us are really disturbed to know that anyone would type such heinous things. I wonder when we will see his mug shot and what horror he will do.

He has mocked almost all of the things that most of us hold sacred or valuable. Viciously mocked. Sick. More than sick.

[photo1902]

Originally Posted by LitespeedRider;131***5

Why not just change your settings? For instance - this image is all I see on TOTV. No ad's, no chat box, no recent posts....

Same here. I see no political stuff on my home screen.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by LitespeedRider;131***5

Why not just change your settings?...

One of the technical issues...I can't.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

One of the technical issues...I can't.

I can't either.

I can mouseclick the word guest and see whose screenname it is, so when we see this person, who also posts on the online news under the same name, we should all ignore him. He loves attention.

[LitespeedRider]

Heh - that works for me too...I guess the coders are not that good (or more so, "guest" is a bad idea all in all).

[LitespeedRider]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

One of the technical issues...I can't.

On Chrome I cant - on Firefox with ABP running I can...I have not tried IE, Edge or Opera.