Charlie Brooker tells it like it is, from The Guardian...

There's no point debating anything online. You might as well hurl shoes in the air to knock clouds from the sky. The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities for fruitless point-scoring: the heady combination of perceived anonymity, gestated responses, random heckling and a notional "live audience" quickly conspire to create a "perfect storm" of perpetual bickering.

Stumble in, take umbrage with someone, trade a few blows, and within about two or three exchanges, the subject itself goes out the window. Suddenly you're simply arguing about arguing. Eventually, one side gets bored, comes to its senses, or dies, and the row fizzles out: just another needless belch in the swirling online guffstorm.

But not for long, because online quarrelling is also addictive, in precisely the same way Tetris is addictive. It appeals to the "lab rat" part of your brain; the annoying, irrepressible part that adores repetitive pointlessness and would gleefully make you pop bubblewrap till Doomsday if it ever got its way. An unfortunate few, hooked on the futile thrill of online debate, devote their lives to its cause. They roam the internet, actively seeking out viewpoints they disagree with, or squat on messageboards, whining, needling, sneering, over-analysing each new proclamation - joylessly fiddling, like unhappy gorillas doomed to pick lice from one another's fur for all eternity.

Still, it's not all moan moan moan in NetLand. There's also the occasional puerile splutter to liven things up.

In the debate sparked by my gibberish outpouring, it wasn't long before rival posters began speculating about the size of their opponent's dicks. It led me to wonder - has the world of science ever investigated a casual link between penis size and male political leaning?

I'd theorise that, on the whole, rightwing penises are short and stubby, hence their owners' constant fury. Lefties, on the other hand, are spoiled for length, yet boast no girth whatsoever - which explains their pained confusion. I flit from one camp to the other, of course, which is why mine's so massive it's got a full-size human knee in the middle. And a back. A big man's back.

Anyway, if we must debate things online, we might as well debate that. It's not like we'll ever resolve any of that other bull****, is it?
Click. Mine's bigger than yours. Click. No it isn't. Click. Yes it is. Click. Refresh, repost, repeat to fade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.charliebrooker

I do like Charlie Brooker, the Dawn of the Dumb is an excellent read.

I knew they'd write a book about SF eventually

Charlie Brooker tells it like it is, from The Guardian...

There's no point debating anything online. You might as well hurl shoes in the air to knock clouds from the sky. The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities for fruitless point-scoring: the heady combination of perceived anonymity, gestated responses, random heckling and a notional "live audience" quickly conspire to create a "perfect storm" of perpetual bickering.

Stumble in, take umbrage with someone, trade a few blows, and within about two or three exchanges, the subject itself goes out the window. Suddenly you're simply arguing about arguing. Eventually, one side gets bored, comes to its senses, or dies, and the row fizzles out: just another needless belch in the swirling online guffstorm.

But not for long, because online quarrelling is also addictive, in precisely the same way Tetris is addictive. It appeals to the "lab rat" part of your brain; the annoying, irrepressible part that adores repetitive pointlessness and would gleefully make you pop bubblewrap till Doomsday if it ever got its way. An unfortunate few, hooked on the futile thrill of online debate, devote their lives to its cause. They roam the internet, actively seeking out viewpoints they disagree with, or squat on messageboards, whining, needling, sneering, over-analysing each new proclamation - joylessly fiddling, like unhappy gorillas doomed to pick lice from one another's fur for all eternity.

Still, it's not all moan moan moan in NetLand. There's also the occasional puerile splutter to liven things up.

In the debate sparked by my gibberish outpouring, it wasn't long before rival posters began speculating about the size of their opponent's dicks. It led me to wonder - has the world of science ever investigated a casual link between penis size and male political leaning?

I'd theorise that, on the whole, rightwing penises are short and stubby, hence their owners' constant fury. Lefties, on the other hand, are spoiled for length, yet boast no girth whatsoever - which explains their pained confusion. I flit from one camp to the other, of course, which is why mine's so massive it's got a full-size human knee in the middle. And a back. A big man's back.

Anyway, if we must debate things online, we might as well debate that. It's not like we'll ever resolve any of that other bull****, is it?
Click. Mine's bigger than yours. Click. No it isn't. Click. Yes it is. Click. Refresh, repost, repeat to fade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.charliebrooker

I cannot argue with any of that as it would only serve to prove the article correct!

I cannot argue with any of that as it would only serve to prove the article correct!

No it wouldn't! Prove it!

Also summarised nicely here (http://xkcd.com/386/) :thumbsup:

I knew they'd write a book about SF eventually

..didn't you know Charlie Brooker's off Lane Top?! :hihi:

..didn't you know Charlie Brooker's off Lane Top?! :hihi:

And doesnt he frequent the La Chambre ? The premier UK club for liberated couples ? :lol::lol:

It's a good piece, he's captured the truth quite nicely there.

It's a good piece, he's captured the truth quite nicely there.

Hopefully you can learn something from it.

He's a cock and that article is pure drivel.

He's a cock and that article is pure drivel.



No it isn't! Yes it is! No it isn't! Yes..


Watch out!!! He's behind you.

The one thing I would say in favour of pointless, endless, futile bickering on the internet is that you can switch it off and go and be pleasant to people; also If you want to challenge your own opinions, just post them on here and have them shot down in flames. Posting in defence of yourself against a determined opposition may result in improved critical observation and revision of your ideas and principles, but it does force you to articulate your position in detail, and ultimately understand it better.

The only thing worse than people flogging feint faint spots of horse grease on the internet, is people indulging in endless mutual backslaps and sycophantic agreement-fests, on the internet.

The one thing I would say in favour of pointless, endless, futile bickering on the internet is that you can switch it off and go and be pleasant to people; also If you want to challenge your own opinions, just post them on here and have them shot down in flames. Posting in defence of yourself against a determined opposition may result in improved critical observation and revision of your ideas and principles, but it does force you to articulate your position in detail, and ultimately understand it better.

The only thing worse than people flogging feint spots of horse grease on the internet, is people indulging in endless mutual backslaps and sycophantic agreement-fests, on the internet.Well said:thumbsup::hihi:

Charlie Brooker tells it like it is, from The Guardian...

There's no point debating anything online. You might as well hurl shoes in the air to knock clouds from the sky. The internet's perfect for all manner of things, but productive discussion ain't one of them. It provides scant room for debate and infinite opportunities for fruitless point-scoring: the heady combination of perceived anonymity, gestated responses, random heckling and a notional "live audience" quickly conspire to create a "perfect storm" of perpetual bickering.

Stumble in, take umbrage with someone, trade a few blows, and within about two or three exchanges, the subject itself goes out the window. Suddenly you're simply arguing about arguing. Eventually, one side gets bored, comes to its senses, or dies, and the row fizzles out: just another needless belch in the swirling online guffstorm.

But not for long, because online quarrelling is also addictive, in precisely the same way Tetris is addictive. It appeals to the "lab rat" part of your brain; the annoying, irrepressible part that adores repetitive pointlessness and would gleefully make you pop bubblewrap till Doomsday if it ever got its way. An unfortunate few, hooked on the futile thrill of online debate, devote their lives to its cause. They roam the internet, actively seeking out viewpoints they disagree with, or squat on messageboards, whining, needling, sneering, over-analysing each new proclamation - joylessly fiddling, like unhappy gorillas doomed to pick lice from one another's fur for all eternity.

Still, it's not all moan moan moan in NetLand. There's also the occasional puerile splutter to liven things up.

In the debate sparked by my gibberish outpouring, it wasn't long before rival posters began speculating about the size of their opponent's dicks. It led me to wonder - has the world of science ever investigated a casual link between penis size and male political leaning?

I'd theorise that, on the whole, rightwing penises are short and stubby, hence their owners' constant fury. Lefties, on the other hand, are spoiled for length, yet boast no girth whatsoever - which explains their pained confusion. I flit from one camp to the other, of course, which is why mine's so massive it's got a full-size human knee in the middle. And a back. A big man's back.

Anyway, if we must debate things online, we might as well debate that. It's not like we'll ever resolve any of that other bull****, is it?
Click. Mine's bigger than yours. Click. No it isn't. Click. Yes it is. Click. Refresh, repost, repeat to fade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2006/jun/02/comment.charliebrooker

Lovely post, spot on, although the knee problem sounds like excessive inbreeding, there 1-0 to me.
Its all a bit of fun.

All Good Obs!! :hihi::hihi:

I think this is a very observant, funny, and true article about perpetual bickering on internet forums, written by a professional perpetual whinger.

This kind of opinion doesn't throw shoes at clouds, it just lobs one into a crowd, from a height, and vanishes. The kind that with ease and wit points out: other people’s failings, various social ills, but offers no solution and just leaves you feeling slightly more doomed than you already did.

It isn’t designed to make anyone-the-wiser, just to strike chords with people who already know, in a stroky beard sense, with a few added swear words for popularity’s sake with the less eloquent, but equally cynical.

****, even I can do that.

I think this is a very observant, funny, and true article about perpetual bickering on internet forums, written by a professional perpetual whinger.

This kind of opinion doesn't throw shoes at clouds, it just lobs one into a crowd, from a height, and vanishes. The kind that with ease and wit points out: other people’s failings, various social ills, but offers no solution and just leaves you feeling slightly more doomed than you already did.

It isn’t designed to make anyone-the-wiser, just to strike chords with people who already know, in a stroky beard sense, with a few added swear words for popularity’s sake with the less eloquent, but equally cynical.

****, even I can do that.

No you can't. :P

No you can't. :P

Sorry, it was just another needless belch.

Pardon me.

It isn’t designed to make anyone-the-wiser, just to strike chords with people who already know, in a stroky beard sense, with a few added swear words for popularity’s sake with the less eloquent, but equally cynical.

****, even I can do that.

You should have your own TV show too then. With posts like this, you'd have everyone in stitches, and there'd be no swearing, so the kids could watch it too!

I love this article:hihi:

And doesnt he frequent the La Chambre ? The premier UK club for liberated couples ? :lol::lol:

:hihi::hihi::hihi:
..and apparently is Dozy's toyboy :wow:

I think this is a very observant, funny, and true article about perpetual bickering on internet forums, written by a professional perpetual whinger.

This kind of opinion doesn't throw shoes at clouds, it just lobs one into a crowd, from a height, and vanishes. The kind that with ease and wit points out: other people’s failings, various social ills, but offers no solution and just leaves you feeling slightly more doomed than you already did.

It isn’t designed to make anyone-the-wiser, just to strike chords with people who already know, in a stroky beard sense, with a few added swear words for popularity’s sake with the less eloquent, but equally cynical.

****, even I can do that.


*Strokes beard*