Current state of affairs on HT

[Shangobango]

I wonder what role the “like button” has played in the change in tone. It’s one feature I definitely use, but would choose to get rid of if I had the power. I think it can have a negative influence.

How so? Egging people on?

 

[mtmuley]

I’m pretty new but this place is one of the most civil I have found on the interwebs. Wealth of knowledge on all things hunting and conservation. A great central location for western hunting updates too. It’s nice to find a place somewhere between the usual echo chamber and a no holds barred royal rumble.

Yep. It don't take much looking to figure out HT is a good place. Great people too. Thick skin is required at times. I wouldn't change a thing. mtmuley

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Hang in there @Randy11 and @neffa3 , this year is unprecedented in many ways. We are almost to hunting season and hopefully that separates the pessimists from the optimists! You two are two of the good ones!

 

[Sytes]

How so? Egging people on?

Becomes rather, tribal in certain settings. Outside that, I enjoy sharing a thumbs up for a good comment, etc... no matter the person.

 

[Shangobango]

Becomes rather, tribal in certain settings. Outside that, I enjoy sharing a thumbs up for a good comment, etc... no matter the person.

Yea, I can see what you mean.

People should be able to disagree with each other on some subjects without it getting in the way of agreeing on others or enjoying each others posts.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

The petty crap and ignorance certainly gets obnoxious. Some great characters I’ve come to know personally however, makes up for a lot of bs.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I think it's too easy to fall in to the trap of blaming our attitude and actions on outside influences, and to not take personal accountability.

I hate how preachy that makes me sound, but I believe it. I also know how guilty I can be of it.

The devil”crats” made me do it.

 

[Gerald Martin]

The petty crap and ignorance certainly gets obnoxious. Some great characters I’ve come to know personally however, makes up for a lot of bs.

The real value of Hunttalk is the way online interactions have led to real life relationships.

The rest of it is just entertainment and intellectual stimulation.

 

[rtraverdavis]

How so? Egging people on?

Yeah. Sometimes. If you pay attention, you can see tribal lines being drawn on certain topics by people’s “like” patterns. I wonder if it adds to the hostilities, to distill one’s thoughts on often highly nuanced topics to oversimplified symbols of approval or disapproval.

Also, if I’m to be honest with myself, I’ve noticed it has had an influence on my own posting since it was added to the forum a year or so ago. Saying things I might not ordinarily say, because I think I might get a “like.” As if it actually means something. But that’s my own personal problem that, like @Randy11 said above, I need to take personal responsibility for and do some work on.

 

[Shangobango]

Yeah. Sometimes. If you pay attention, you can see tribal lines being drawn on certain topics by people’s “like” patterns. I wonder if it adds to the hostilities, to distill one’s thoughts on often highly nuanced topics to oversimplified symbols of approval or disapproval.

Also, if I’m to be honest with myself, I’ve noticed it has had an influence on my own posting since it was added to the forum a year or so ago. Saying things I might not ordinarily say, because I think I might get a “like.” As if it actually means something. But that’s my own personal problem that, like @Randy11 said above, I need to take personal responsibility for and do some work on.

I'll be paying attention to the way I am tempted to use the button now. Definite food for thought.

 

[rtraverdavis]

I'll be paying attention to the way I am tempted to use the button now. Definite food for thought.

Like.

 

[rwc101]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Facebook went down the crapper when liked were introduced.

 

[Gerald Martin]

I know I feel much better about myself whenever I check my reaction score. There’s that going for the new system.

It’s so much easier to say something that gets you virtual affirmation than it is to go out and slay a wild beast to gain the admiration of fellow Cro-magnens. Evolution of human society is a beautiful thing.

(3858 is my official score. Not that I am a score guy or anything. I am more of a meat hunter.)

 

[Irrelevant]

I don't think it's a coincidence that Facebook went down the crapper when liked were introduced.

Negative or went down the crapper when they let anyone join. It used to be for college kids only (you have to have a .edu account). Those were the days a boobs and keg stands...

 

[devon deer]

I wonder what role the “like button” has played in the change in tone. It’s one feature I definitely use, but would choose to get rid of if I had the power. I think it can have a negative influence.

I totally agree with that, whilst it has only happened to me on one occasion I was pm'd for 'liking' a post and questioned why I dared to do it, it was an innocent 'like' but taken in the wrong way by the member concerned, that person is now on the ignore list
Cheers
Richard

 

[Irrelevant]

while conversations can grind on me. This is my online community. I ditched FB. I really like the spectrum of quality posters with differing ideas. If I'm honest this site has definitely shifted my political leaning more center.

 

[longbow51]

I'm new here, and I think it's pretty cool. I appreciate the ethical hunting discussions with, as far as I have seen, none of the "600 yard chip shots" at elk that are common elsewhere. Lots of pretty neat off-topic stuff too, like the lady that started the "Jesus Moment" thread, and the Friday music videos. Some really take me back.

I have been taken aback by a few things though e.g. for some odd reason a guy in Texas knows better than I how possession limits work in Montana. And I was surprised to know that someone who doesn't know where I hunt knows exactly why a rancher locked up access into a vast stretch of public land. That's new to me. Seems a simple, "Wow, that's different from Texas,", or, "Does Senator Daines know about this lock-out?" would have been a little more appropriate. Maybe suffering a little from the draw, shoot, aim syndrome.

Everyone is on edge now, though. We are receiving so many mixed messages, often from the same "expert" within the span of a few months, e.g., " Virus is no big deal...wait, we're all going to die, but masks don't help...maybe masks help if you're sick...now everyone needs a mask, don't go to church but protests are fine, hey, goggles or face shields wouldn't be a bad idea....kids don't get sick (fact: influenza MUCH more deadly to kids) or transmit the disease but they can't go to school, and so it goes. That's classic cognitive dissonance and the brain can't process it. The result is anxiety and just general orneriness (isn't that what Karenism really is?).

So, I have no idea what the tenor of the group used to be, but I'll bet it will change as the virus wanes, which it will, and folks get back to work, kids in school, etc.

Thanks to the moderators!

 

[VikingsGuy]

From my experience (which is only 3 years), the worst threads this month are not as bad as the worst threads when I started. Threads about public lands have seemed less contentious and personal. Threads about covid are of course new and have been a real mixed bag, but that is probably not surprising. Talk about gun stuff, gear, and hunting have actually been nicer - there was a nasty dismissive edge to a number of those seemingly harmless threads a few years ago that has definitely been cleaned up. I think more facts and data are being brought to the table in discussions than I recall. I think when one or two people behave poorly more people post to call out that behavior and support those who may have been targeted. The one thing that has headed the wrong way is the propensity to twist every topic into a "Trump vs libtard" thread - but I wasn't here during the last election year so maybe it is on a natural 4-year cycle. But I think some of BigFin's July password clean up has already helped with the worst behavior. As for "like", I can understand the concerns, but frankly, I will take the downside for the upside being a 95% reduction in "+1", "agree", "haha", "wink emoji" replies.

But when push comes to shove, Hunttalk is the best online discussion board I have seen on any topic, and other than a few posts here and there about handloading and long-range target shooting I post on another thread, it the only online forum I use (never liked twitter or 'gram, check FB about once a month for pictures of friend's kids is about it). It is definitely a credit to @Big Fin and Mrs. Fin for the work they do and the tone they set. They have created something special and I hope it lasts for many years to come. As they say, "Even a bad day on HT beats a good day on FB".

 

[3855WIN]

Great forum. We are going through some tough times as a country and world.

 

[Deleted member 40728]

As for "like", I can understand the concerns, but frankly, I will take the downside for the upside being a 95% reductions in "+1", "agree", "haha", "wink emoji"

Well said. Maybe a “welcome” button can be added as well to cut down on the amount of worthless space that term takes up on a majority of threads without ever adding any useful content.