There are two parts to this question. One on the online community, one in the real life observations.
Online:
This is a problem I've been having with the Voat community. Everyone seems so passionate about arbitrary things, and yet, I see hardly anything being done to create, or amend the issues. We're not technically a community; in fact, it's a strange crossroads of communities that happen to all be residing in the same space.
I got here three months (well lurking, I think my profile says 1) ago. When I joined, I felt like I found home. People would argue with each other, reach a compromise, all without downvoating. I met some great friends, all of us passionate about writing. And now, a good majority of them have left due to the culture change.
Instead of discussion, I find more and more "Fuck you faggot you SJW cocksucker" sort of deals. They didn't like this. They left. I took a hiatus for awhile. But I notice more and more this mindset of witchhunting, hive minded anger, without any solution but to ban users (Not in Particular @She but also many, many others). I feel like we could be better at open discussion, without the name-calling. It weakens arguments --- granted, I've seen several good arguments going on, but it all revolves around downvoats instead of null debate.
In Real Life:
More and more, people get angry. They're angry about everything. And They offer no solutions, not feasible ones anyway. I'm pretty laid back. I try to not get angry these days, though sometimes something gets under my skin, but everyone seems to make it a black and white issues (sometimes literally) without ever seeing the facts.
My question to you, voat, is that.....
How do we take our passion and make it into something constructive? How do we regain control, and instead of only being angry and passionate, we become motivated and passionate?
I apologize for rambling. I'm getting fed up with anger with no constructive direction.
EDIT: This discussion is amazing! I haven't read through everything yet, but I'm so happy you all are really getting into this! thanks!
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[–] Gerplunckamo 0 points 52 points 52 points (+52|-0) ago (edited ago)
Its easier to pick things apart, than to see the beauty that holds it all together, OP.
[–] 1865734? 0 points 8 points 8 points (+8|-0) ago
Destruction is so much easier than creation, for most.
[–] Fuckery 0 points 2 points 2 points (+2|-0) ago (edited ago)
Paradoxically human desire for destruction often drives creation. The status quo allows people to become lazy. A perceived threat can drive the survival instinct and that is very powerful.
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
That was a beautiful reply. Thank you.
[–] Gerplunckamo 0 points 12 points 12 points (+12|-0) ago
Why thank you! :DDD most of the time when people reply to me, its something along the lines of
Or
Depending on the time of day T-T
[–] BraneS2 3 points 0 points 3 points (+3|-3) ago (edited ago)
No, most of the adolescents (or at least adolescent-minded) are repeatedly saying f* ggot, c* nt, n-word, and downvoating entire threads, all entries, over and over.. Again, THAT is why they had to change the downvoat rules the other day.
This is a real problem
[–] PuttItOut 0 points 34 points 34 points (+34|-0) ago
I watched them tearing a building down,
A gang of men in a busy town.
With a ho-heave-ho and lusty yell,
They swung a beam and a sidewall fell.
I asked the foreman, “Are these men skilled,
As the men you’d hire if you had to build?”
He gave me a laugh and said, “No indeed!
Just common labor is all I need.
I can easily wreck in a day or two,
What builders have taken a year to do.”
And I tho’t to myself as I went my way,
Which of these two roles have I tried to play?
Am I a builder who works with care,
Measuring life by the rule and square?
Am I shaping my deeds by a well-made plan,
Patiently doing the best I can?
Or am I a wrecker who walks the town,
Content with the labor of tearing down?
— Unknown
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
Thanks, PuttPutt. That was wonderful.
[–] TheBuddha 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
If only I were gay... You want to come play video games while I watch and amuse me with pithy sayings? I'll give you room and board and you will most certainly be entertained. Hell, I'll give you a stipend so you can concentrate on Voat. But you have to supply me with witticisms and be receptive to my man-crush (no homo). Also, you have to keep your beard. You can bring Atko with you. I reserve the right to give him a new nickname though. I also traipse around the house nude at times, again - no homo (not that there's anything wrong with that). I will try to stop doing that but I am not properly house broken. I can, and do, pee on my lawn.
Hmm... I think that is all the conditions I can think of. I'd demand a witty reposte and brilliant insight (not on command, I am not a task master) and a reasonable level of hygiene. I eat dead animal, grow my own veggies, and live in the middle of nowhere on the side of a mountain. I do have broadband with enough bandwidth to keep you amused. I do have some small, older, "big iron." We can virtualize your entire setup locally.
I don't drink any more but I have alcohol. I'd want a reasonable sane drunk though. Other assorted drugs are not actively encouraged but they are tolerated. Unless they are for your beard. Your beard gets a free pass on such things. Alternatively, blame Atko. We can make the dog sleep with him just to amuse ourselves. Also, I am visited by a group of strange characters, they are real humans and not in my head. You should be nice to them, it is not required but they were here first. Still, call them out if they are dicks.
Also, you must be a US citizen. Not for any good reason but simply because they won't let you stay unless I marry you. I doubt I can claim you as an H1B. That did not work with my last batch of Lithuanian boys. (I keed, I keed...) Also, no homo.
We'll have to make some sort of plan if you're a cigarette smoker. You can smoke, others do, but do try to keep it cleaned up.
Hmm... Also, I do not really like furries but, well, it would be kind of awesome if you wore a furry suit from time to time just to screw with people. I am not stuck on that rule and am open to the costume. I'd settle for a superhero costume too.
Musical talent would be nice but is not required. No, it is kind of required. Otherwise you have to be nice to those that do even if you don't like it much - feel free to be honest though.
There's a dog. He's a Golden Retriever. He is nice. We needn't talk about ranking or anything but let's just say he's really important to me. He's also smarter than some of the humans I know. He is smarter than some of the people who visit. Not one of them will sit still while I leave a steak in front of them for an hour and then look at me like I am doing them a favor when I tell them it is okay to eat. None of them will come put their head on my lap when I am taking a poop either.
Oh well... LOL I am sorry, I could not resist. I am gonna post this anyways.
[–] Link1299 0 points 13 points 13 points (+13|-0) ago (edited ago)
Why create something when it is easier to destroy something else?
Why try and risk yourself to make something great while being angry that no one else will do what you want?
Why put yourself and your opinions up for critism when passively whining about a problem is enough to satisfy your disappointment and frustrations?
I dunno you tell me I still can't seem to understand why I'm the weird one here when I hate these mentalities and strive to take the hard path.
edit: Maybe I'm doomed to die young. But all I want to know is that while the life I lived wasn't easy, it was one I enjoyed. So far I'll admit it has been good given the bullshit
http://i.imgur.com/mTdImUa.gif
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
You and me both, Sibling.
[–] Link1299 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
yeah, I'm fed up with the world.
I don't care if what I make and provide isn't what people want. I know someone will like it and understand. That's what will matter to me.
[–] TheBuddha 0 points 1 point 1 point (+1|-0) ago
Too many people worry about Karma. What is the point of karma if you can't spend it being who and what you are? I do not really voat on anything (I gave a first vote away tonight). I am actually shocked I have CCP at all, to be honest. I figure if I can hover around zero I am probably doing a good job at being honest.
[–] CaliforniaOrange 0 points 9 points 9 points (+9|-0) ago
Destruction is easier than creation, it can take you weeks to build a chair and a second to destroy it.
You bring up a great point, you and the others that try to argue instead of down voting and name calling that left, allow those that name call to continue to do so. They will always do it, there's always an asshole. I feel like the majority of voaters can argue logically and constructively, and they will drown out the minority of people who are name calling and down voting, that's if they don't leave the second a culture change appears. New users may not see a good example of how to have a discussion, some people just haven't had the practice, when the capable people leave. We can learn by watching others, and there will always be an eternal September, in everything. In academics, in sports, in jobs, in industry, its the natural order of things. We can continue to run whenever something changes(besides the shit storm the suits at reddit caused, the problem you refer to is the users) but there will always be this problem. All we can do is overwhelm them with our numbers and logic. Or straight up ignore them, they only have power if we give it to them.
Just my opinion though!
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
That was gorgeously written. Thank you
[–] Genghis_Khan 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
If I had to put it succinctly, I would recommend those who feel oppressed and trodden upon here (as seems to be the central issue) to think twice, then ask questions. They might be surprised how it turns out.
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
There is a problem with that. When people ask questions, they're assumed idiots, and therefore downvoated and lost to oblivion unles those that wish to see click.
[–] Limpingdead 0 points 6 points 6 points (+6|-0) ago
Because most had no hand in building and get little if Voat succeeds they have little to no desire for it to flourish. Most people would watch the world burn unless they got something for putting out the fire.
[–] diggy 0 points 5 points 5 points (+5|-0) ago
I agree with you on the topics of debate and the negative effects of name calling on civil discussion. I think a lot of people who do that are just really young or are purposely wording things in such a way to make it seem like an ironic caricature of internet speech in general. This sort of thing can be entertaining to some people, but can also be frustrating for others.
I don't quite understand where you're coming from in regards to wether or not voat is a community. I feel like voat is as much a community as a town or a state is. Just like in a town you have people rich and poor content or angry, liberal or conservative all living next to each other. Just like a town though the individual members do not necessarily have any influence on each other unless the right circumstances are met (common hobby for example). Perhaps this is a cultural difference between where you live and where I live, though? I do not know.
In regards to being constructive, I would suggest to people to keep studying even if not formally,(edx,udemy,coursera are great) so they can develop their own solutions to perceived problems. Voat itself is this, I believe. All the image hosting sites brought up in response to voat needing one is this. I see a future where many passionate gamers become passionate game developers, where many nitpicky commenters become lawyers, and maybe even a few people become doctors to help fight obesity. There is hope and time. A large portion of the community is in its 20s or younger. I would say that witnessing problems that seem outside our control is an incredibly frustrating experience, but when you can figure out your own solutions to these sorts of things it feels amazing.
It is now well past midnight as I type this and I have to apologize that I too have a tendency to ramble.
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Diggy, I honestly love your well thought out reply to the community aspect.
In my city there is the "City" that everyone loves, but within it, there are "subsections" and each competes. Like "This one road is better than this other road" --- now, each area of town has its own community, but under the ame city name, so that's how I see voat.
[–] Classified ago
Your post reminds me of this comic.
[–] OneZero 0 points 4 points 4 points (+4|-0) ago
Creation is far harder than destruction. It takes a team of people a lot of time to build a house but all it takes is one person a short while to burn it down.
I have noticed the same thing both in real life and on the internet. I think that at least in America it's because people are under more stress than before. People are working more hours, their commute to work is longer, and after inflation they are worse off financially than they were before. The corruption and incompetence in our law enforcement is more visible and not enough is being done about it.
[–] OllieQueen [S] 0 points 3 points 3 points (+3|-0) ago
I absolutely love this reply. It addresses socioeconomic reasons and the psychology surrounding it.