has DCUM changed the way you view people?

[Anonymous]

I never had an opinion of moms in Ward 3 until I came here. My perception now is classist, competitive, and out of touch. Made me wonder about some of the ladies in my mom's group and just hope they're actually decent.

[Anonymous]

I'm really astounded that so many people are drawing conclusions about entire groups of people based on some comments on an anonymous Internet board. Does no one else think that's very odd?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm really astounded that so many people are drawing conclusions about entire groups of people based on some comments on an anonymous Internet board. Does no one else think that's very odd?

OP here, that is exactly the reason why I started this thread. I think that DCUM has changed the way I see people similar to what others have stated. I am surprised about what people will say and the beliefs they have about others. Even if these people are posting anonymously it is still sometimes shocking that there are so many people who hate dogs, or criticize working moms with such animosity. I have also learned some interesting things here, definitely a strange community to be a part of that is for sure!

[Anonymous]

"I have also learned not to engage non-dog owners in a debate. Either someone understands the importance that a dog can have in the life of a family or they don't. There is no point in trying to convince people on either side of this divide to try to overcome their differences. Better that people just agree to disagree and move on to another topic of discussion. "

You are so right! I've never owned a dog or any other pet. A longish term boyfriend and I broke up in our 20s because, in large part, I couldn't relate to how he felt about his dogs (yes, he had more than one). I didn't get it, still don't, and married a man who's also not a pet lover. I think I would almost marry across my race or religion before I'd marry a pet person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really astounded that so many people are drawing conclusions about entire groups of people based on some comments on an anonymous Internet board. Does no one else think that's very odd?

OP here, that is exactly the reason why I started this thread. I think that DCUM has changed the way I see people similar to what others have stated. I am surprised about what people will say and the beliefs they have about others. Even if these people are posting anonymously it is still sometimes shocking that there are so many people who hate dogs, or criticize working moms with such animosity. I have also learned some interesting things here, definitely a strange community to be a part of that is for sure!

Im the PP you quoted and I still don't see how DCUM has changed anyone's perception about people as a whole. Is it not clear to everyone that the population of people who post on DCUM is a small self-selected slice of the total population? And that the way people act in an single anonymous posting is not equal to the way that that person really is or even what they really think? Or even that the percentage of people with inflammatory postings I personally have experienced to be less than the postings that are expressing normal opinions (which may or may not be in agreement with your opinion, but it doesnt make that person's opinion inflammatory just because it's different) with as much politeness or more than you would expect out of someone responding anonymously to a very short description of an issue or question? I continue to be very surprised that people aren't thinking about DCUM from these angles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really astounded that so many people are drawing conclusions about entire groups of people based on some comments on an anonymous Internet board. Does no one else think that's very odd?

OP here, that is exactly the reason why I started this thread. I think that DCUM has changed the way I see people similar to what others have stated. I am surprised about what people will say and the beliefs they have about others. Even if these people are posting anonymously it is still sometimes shocking that there are so many people who hate dogs, or criticize working moms with such animosity. I have also learned some interesting things here, definitely a strange community to be a part of that is for sure!

Im the PP you quoted and I still don't see how DCUM has changed anyone's perception about people as a whole. Is it not clear to everyone that the population of people who post on DCUM is a small self-selected slice of the total population? And that the way people act in an single anonymous posting is not equal to the way that that person really is or even what they really think? Or even that the percentage of people with inflammatory postings I personally have experienced to be less than the postings that are expressing normal opinions (which may or may not be in agreement with your opinion, but it doesnt make that person's opinion inflammatory just because it's different) with as much politeness or more than you would expect out of someone responding anonymously to a very short description of an issue or question? I continue to be very surprised that people aren't thinking about DCUM from these angles.

PP I don't think that we are disagreeing with you here. Do I believe that what I read here is a direct reflection of these posters or the groups these posters represent? Absolutely not. I also don't think posts are inflammatory just because they are of a dissenting opinion. But the questions and responses do come from real people, does it give me incite on who that person is or what group they represent as a whole? Of course not, but reading some of the things here as opened my eyes as to how SOME people really think. I prime example is those popular I am a... ask me anything. Some of the most ignorant questions and thoughts about different races have really changed my opinion about where we are as a society in terms of our race relations. I know not everybody thinks like that, but a lot more people do then I originally believed. So yes, DCUM is still able to change my perceptions without pigeon holing an entire group of people or making wild assumptions.

[Anonymous]

I am actually grateful to DCUM for confirming that I have been right to be explicit with teaching my AA daughters that there are people out there that will judge her because of the color of her skin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"I have also learned not to engage non-dog owners in a debate. Either someone understands the importance that a dog can have in the life of a family or they don't. There is no point in trying to convince people on either side of this divide to try to overcome their differences. Better that people just agree to disagree and move on to another topic of discussion. "

You are so right! I've never owned a dog or any other pet. A longish term boyfriend and I broke up in our 20s because, in large part, I couldn't relate to how he felt about his dogs (yes, he had more than one). I didn't get it, still don't, and married a man who's also not a pet lover. I think I would almost marry across my race or religion before I'd marry a pet person.

That was wise of you. I do have an interfaith, interracial marriage to a man I absolutely adore. But, if he hadn't been a dog-lover I would not have married him. That is just one bridge too far for me. Being an animal lover is a much more important part of my personality than my race or my religion. Only another animal lover would make me happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am actually grateful to DCUM for confirming that I have been right to be explicit with teaching my AA daughters that there are people out there that will judge her because of the color of her skin.

Not just her skin, but her whole culture.

[Anonymous]

"That was wise of you. I do have an interfaith, interracial marriage to a man I absolutely adore. But, if he hadn't been a dog-lover I would not have married him. That is just one bridge too far for me. Being an animal lover is a much more important part of my personality than my race or my religion. Only another animal lover would make me happy. "

Holy cow, being an animal lover is more important than your relationship to God? You are nuts, nuts, nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I have also learned not to engage non-dog owners in a debate. Either someone understands the importance that a dog can have in the life of a family or they don't. There is no point in trying to convince people on either side of this divide to try to overcome their differences. Better that people just agree to disagree and move on to another topic of discussion. "

You are so right! I've never owned a dog or any other pet. A longish term boyfriend and I broke up in our 20s because, in large part, I couldn't relate to how he felt about his dogs (yes, he had more than one). I didn't get it, still don't, and married a man who's also not a pet lover. I think I would almost marry across my race or religion before I'd marry a pet person.

That was wise of you. I do have an interfaith, interracial marriage to a man I absolutely adore. But, if he hadn't been a dog-lover I would not have married him. That is just one bridge too far for me. Being an animal lover is a much more important part of my personality than my race or my religion. Only another animal lover would make me happy.

Being an animal lover is more important than religion to me, too, but I'm an atheist. I can't see why you would ever try to convince someone to like dogs, though. I like, even love, dogs, but I don't treat them like my brothers treat theirs. Theirs are like their children. Spoiled children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"That was wise of you. I do have an interfaith, interracial marriage to a man I absolutely adore. But, if he hadn't been a dog-lover I would not have married him. That is just one bridge too far for me. Being an animal lover is a much more important part of my personality than my race or my religion. Only another animal lover would make me happy. "

Holy cow, being an animal lover is more important than your relationship to God? You are nuts, nuts, nuts.

Not nuts, just different from you. People find comfort and solace in many different things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I have also learned not to engage non-dog owners in a debate. Either someone understands the importance that a dog can have in the life of a family or they don't. There is no point in trying to convince people on either side of this divide to try to overcome their differences. Better that people just agree to disagree and move on to another topic of discussion. "

You are so right! I've never owned a dog or any other pet. A longish term boyfriend and I broke up in our 20s because, in large part, I couldn't relate to how he felt about his dogs (yes, he had more than one). I didn't get it, still don't, and married a man who's also not a pet lover. I think I would almost marry across my race or religion before I'd marry a pet person.

That was wise of you. I do have an interfaith, interracial marriage to a man I absolutely adore. But, if he hadn't been a dog-lover I would not have married him. That is just one bridge too far for me. Being an animal lover is a much more important part of my personality than my race or my religion. Only another animal lover would make me happy.

Being an animal lover is more important than religion to me, too, but I'm an atheist. I can't see why you would ever try to convince someone to like dogs, though. I like, even love, dogs, but I don't treat them like my brothers treat theirs. Theirs are like their children. Spoiled children.

But, that is the point. Your brothers shouldn't try to explain this to you. They feel differently than you about their relationship to pets. Respect the difference, don't try to fit their experience into your own model. People can be different without either one being "right."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm really astounded that so many people are drawing conclusions about entire groups of people based on some comments on an anonymous Internet board. Does no one else think that's very odd?

OP here, that is exactly the reason why I started this thread. I think that DCUM has changed the way I see people similar to what others have stated. I am surprised about what people will say and the beliefs they have about others. Even if these people are posting anonymously it is still sometimes shocking that there are so many people who hate dogs, or criticize working moms with such animosity. I have also learned some interesting things here, definitely a strange community to be a part of that is for sure!

Maybe you are just overthinking it? I've read DCUM for more than a year and I wouldn't ever take that away from it. People filter posts through their own experiences. So, I would think that negative people would respond to your post with a negative viewpoint, and vice versa. To answer your question, it hasn't changed the way I view people, but I realize that in relation to many I don't over-analyze my kids or situations with others. I've seen some posts on here that go in to minute detailed analysis of their kids, and that was eye opening for me.

[Anonymous]

If people do not like animals, they likely do not like people. Including themselves. This from what I have seen.


AA mom, not everyone judges on the color of ones skin. Lets not teach hate.