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And now comes a post that is probably out-of-line but is, at the same time, well-intentioned. It's my weekend too so I'm a bit buzzed. lol.
In most of my years I've never been the kind of person that would ever equate stuff in real life with stuff that happens online. I'm not real old but I remember the Usenet arguments that predate the web and, I guess, having those Sans Serif wars makes skin get thicker, experiences online soften and most arguments and fights get relegated to that part of our brain where we send our earliest memories of arguing over the ball when we're 6 years old.
To my chagrin, those early text wars, at least in my experience, didn't thicken the skin and the immediacy and intimacy of today's WWW tended to heighten the nerves of those of us that were around back then and instead of letting things roll off the back, I've noticed that I've been getting more angry and reactionary because of them. I see now that I'm not alone. Take it from me, without apologies and acceptances in the world, online and off, life is just not as bright. And that's a fact. Don't take my word, you can see it all the f over.
I'm a perfect example. If some anon or new member at a forum that I frequent posts something with which I disagree, I'll be the most polite, self-aggrandizing, modest poster there. If someone I know from online posts something with which I disagree, no punches will be pulled, I'll happily accuse them of having a hyena for a mother, and, more than likely, I'll accuse them of either being born from Hitler or a close relative. The reason? Because online, it just doesn't matter. All bets are off.
Therein lies the difference. Online, things are different. People state their true feelings and show everybody, ironically, their true self without showing themselves at all. Weird how that works.
But, most importantly, at the end of the day, friends are friends on any level. They will make you happy, they'll make you sad, they'll make you mad, and, lots of times, you will have to wonder just why the hell you love that person. If they're really a friend, that last question is more rhetorical and nothing will break the bond.
And therein lies, I hope, a reason that two certain members of our site, both of whom I consider friends, might be able to get past typed words, posts, arguments, etc., and remember that no matter how big an argument becomes online, it is bound to be----no, scratch that------it IS so much smaller if those words were said in person. It's the nature of communication.
The internet has made the world much, much smaller. imho, that's a great thing. The bad thing is that, online, there is no difference between intent and inference. That's a bad thing. It causes fights online.
But not in real life. And, if you guys come back togehter, I promise to at least try and take my own advice.
Edited by banj0, 10 April 2009 - 08:11 AM.
well put Banj, but let me concise the whole issue if I may, u 2 turdheads (yeah u know who u are) are def my friends now quit bein goofy and get over it......remember, we're all Bozo's on this bus......so don't make me have to spank u two 
Well it looks like Rik deleted himself from the board after the discourse between a few friends on skype a couple nites ago............and of course it's what Banj was referencing in his post, me too btw, Dave needs to have a chat with Rik , MO and Rik both need to quit gettin hammered and then bein a bit hmmmmmmmmmmm let's say "unthoughtful" ......maybe a bit rude to other guys on skype and here, and for god's sake grow up a little .....that goes for most of us on the skype chat (myself included)....now the crap is in the open for all to read. Rik get your mangy scottish ass back here pronto u dufus.......just what I think today as I'm in a kinda crappy mood but I still mean what I said 
