Are people really as mean as they seem on DCUM?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Okay. Would you care to defend the people who are ugly all the time? Would you care to defend someone who basically says they are smarter than everyone in the Midwest? So you are just as smug, IMO.

+1. Anyone who posts "I'm snarky because I'm smarter and better educated than you" and then accuses others of being smug is actually ... an idiot.

Signed, originally from the great state of PA

You mean Alabama with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (themselves no garden spots) on both ends?

Another problem with the anonymity is that it encourages trolling. Sometimes you think you're engaging with a sincere person, and then they reveal their trollishness. Like this poster, who is probably a lonely middle-aged guy in a filthy apartment.

And has probably never even been to PA.

[Anonymous]

It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Do you really believe this? I fear you are right but I hope not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Successful people are more often than not assholes. There are a lot of successful (and yes, overeducated) people in D.C. Ergo, there are a lot of assholes in D.C. (and on DCUM).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Okay. Would you care to defend the people who are ugly all the time? Would you care to defend someone who basically says they are smarter than everyone in the Midwest? So you are just as smug, IMO.

+1. Anyone who posts "I'm snarky because I'm smarter and better educated than you" and then accuses others of being smug is actually ... an idiot.

Signed, originally from the great state of PA

You mean Alabama with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (themselves no garden spots) on both ends?

Another problem with the anonymity is that it encourages trolling. Sometimes you think you're engaging with a sincere person, and then they reveal their trollishness. Like this poster, who is probably a lonely middle-aged guy in a filthy apartment.

Oy.

1. It's a quote (paraphrase, actually) from James Carville, who is neither lonely nor middle-aged nor lives in a filthy apartment (though I admit I'm just guessing on the last one).

2. If you really want to "engage a sincere person," it's probably best to not call her an idiot.

3. It's a commonwealth, not a state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Do you really believe this? I fear you are right but I hope not.

Not Midwesterners! They're ALWAYS polite and nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Do you really believe this? I fear you are right but I hope not.

Not Midwesterners! They're ALWAYS polite and nice.

Well at least you are better educated, right? So you can be a smart ice queen with a lump of coal where a heart should be.

[Anonymous]

^^ and your Ivy League diplomas can keep you warm at night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Successful people are more often than not assholes. There are a lot of successful (and yes, overeducated) people in D.C. Ergo, there are a lot of assholes in D.C. (and on DCUM).

Are successful, busy people really on DCUM though? Or are we basically bored (like me) or frustrated/damaged mean girls (like "I'm smart therefore I snark" poster)?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Successful people are more often than not assholes. There are a lot of successful (and yes, overeducated) people in D.C. Ergo, there are a lot of assholes in D.C. (and on DCUM).

Me again. As sad as DCUM is, I'm guessing it is relatively civilized compared to many if not most anonymous forums country-wide and world-wide. The world is full of angry, frustrated people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Sadly, I think this poster has it right. I was born and raised in the DC area and I'm not "mean" IRL, or on DCUM unless someone says something bigoted. I sort of resent the implication that region has anything to do with it. I would bet most of the posters here, mean girls included, are transplants anyway.

Reading DCUM has been a seriously eye-opening experience for me. I guess I'm naive, but I never realized there were so many hateful, bigoted, ignorant, self-righteous people around. It makes me wonder whether people who seem nice are actually thinking horrible things about me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Sadly, I think this poster has it right. I was born and raised in the DC area and I'm not "mean" IRL, or on DCUM unless someone says something bigoted. I sort of resent the implication that region has anything to do with it. I would bet most of the posters here, mean girls included, are transplants anyway.

Reading DCUM has been a seriously eye-opening experience for me. I guess I'm naive, but I never realized there were so many hateful, bigoted, ignorant, self-righteous people around. It makes me wonder whether people who seem nice are actually thinking horrible things about me.

We are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Okay. Would you care to defend the people who are ugly all the time? Would you care to defend someone who basically says they are smarter than everyone in the Midwest? So you are just as smug, IMO.

+1. Anyone who posts "I'm snarky because I'm smarter and better educated than you" and then accuses others of being smug is actually ... an idiot.

Signed, originally from the great state of PA

You mean Alabama with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh (themselves no garden spots) on both ends?

Another problem with the anonymity is that it encourages trolling. Sometimes you think you're engaging with a sincere person, and then they reveal their trollishness. Like this poster, who is probably a lonely middle-aged guy in a filthy apartment.

Oy.

1. It's a quote (paraphrase, actually) from James Carville, who is neither lonely nor middle-aged nor lives in a filthy apartment (though I admit I'm just guessing on the last one).

2. If you really want to "engage a sincere person," it's probably best to not call her an idiot.

3. It's a commonwealth, not a state.

1. Carville, although I admire him, is irrelevant. The smarter trolls know to say "Pennsyltucky."

2. Trolls aren't "sincere" so the gloves can come off.

3. Only a pedant would insist on the distinction between "state" and "commonwealth" on an informal board. Congrats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not specific to the DC area, it's just how people are in general. There's an external persona and internal one. When people can speak anonymously they say things that they would never say in real life, so you probably won't ever have to deal with the internal persona other than online. People are generally assholes though, doesn't matter what part of the world you are in.

Sadly, I think this poster has it right. I was born and raised in the DC area and I'm not "mean" IRL, or on DCUM unless someone says something bigoted. I sort of resent the implication that region has anything to do with it. I would bet most of the posters here, mean girls included, are transplants anyway.

Reading DCUM has been a seriously eye-opening experience for me. I guess I'm naive, but I never realized there were so many hateful, bigoted, ignorant, self-righteous people around. It makes me wonder whether people who seem nice are actually thinking horrible things about me.

We are.

LOL

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Of course--I'm from the midwest, and can't wait to get the heck out of DC. I don't think that people in DC are that nice, generally.

I agree. Never understood the sense of superiority and entitlement, either.

We're better educated than the people in the average midwestern city.

I think this is funny. Better educated than all the people in the average midwestern city? I'm currently in DC, and moving to an "average midwestern city" in a few months to become a professor at a major university--will I become less educated when I move? I know people in DC love to think they're smarter and better educated than everyone, but it's just a symptom of the ridiculous myopia that plagues this city. I can't wait to leave.