Why Be A Flamer?

Off Topic
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Well, this is my first post and I’ll keep it short. First off, there are a lot of great discussions on this sight…there’s a lot of T-Men and T-Vixens who’ve put a lot of work into their training and they deserve a certain amount of respect for that. Obviously there are a lot of aspects that go into gaining respect but in the context of this sight, hell yah, they deserve respect.

This post if for those T-Readers who appreciate all the positive things T-Nation offers. Lately I’ve noticed a higher than normal amount of T-Readers who seem bent on putting down people’s hard work and accomplishments…i.e. FLAMING.

Now, I was always taught when someone has a negative view it’s important to say something to them or they’ll continue on with their rant…BUT…I think if we respond to too many of these “FLAMERS” (yes, pun intented without insulting anyone) we’re giving the thing they want most…ATTENTION.

So, I thought I would throw this idea out there…to all the positvie encouraging T-Men and T-Vixen…keep up the hard work and listen to the feedback of those readers you respect and are positive…and to all the “FLAMERS” out there who will probably respond to this…don’t wait for me to respond to you because I won’t. It would not be worth my time and a fullfillment of what you enjoy the most…wasting mine.

2

Well said

3

I’ll second that.

4

I agree.

5

Let me be the first…

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Second to the initial posters, not what NateDog said.

Some people are merely posting to get their name in all the forums. They drop an insult and never even go back to read it.

I love reading Get Lifted posts. Reading the first 3-4 pages of flamers, and then he shuts them up by actually doing it.

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Nate,

I’m afraid you are going to be sentenced to Kumba-Ya camp to learn hand-holding and sensitivity training…

Good luck!

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This isn’t about sensitivity and hand holding.

It’s about positive reinforcement and encouragement rather than negativity and insults.

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Well said, jsshane!

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Just be sure you don’t mix up flaming with harsh, realistic criticism that some people need. Sometimes the best way to push someone isn’t the nicest. Some people ask for feedback after posting their progress pics where they make minimal, if any, progress. In that case, you can’t expect people to say, “way to go” or “keep working at it!” You have to help them get angry at themselves for wasting their time in the gym and deluding themselves.

Yes they will experience some pain in the beginning from all the harshness, but that is significantly outweighed by the fact that they are now pushed harder in the right direction and will make legitimate progress in the future. Telling them politely that that they have been wasting time won’t get the point across much of the time. Yes they won’t hurt but they won’t make immediate gains.

If people really care about making progress with their bodies, they should put emotions aside for a moment and accept the criticism.

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I agree poster, but you got to remember that this is T-Nation. The home of some hardcore motherfuckers! It seems that most of the people that are flaming are the Old School vets of this site like Nate (that pic is hilarious), who have seen a lot threads that should have never been posted. I remember how this site used to be before the switch and it was a lot different. Don’t get me wrong I love the site now and I am here everyday, but it is not the same. In ways it is better, and some ways it’s not. You really can’t place all the blame on those who start the flaming. A lot of it starts from a troll or some idiot who should be on muscleandfatness.com.

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[quote]vroom wrote:
Nate,

I’m afraid you are going to be sentenced to Kumba-Ya camp to learn hand-holding and sensitivity training…

Good luck![/quote]

I think Nate gives some of the most honest and constructive feedback on this site. Not just want people want to hear, but what you can do to make improvements. Just my two cents.

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[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
Let me be the first…[/quote]

I second Snoop’s brother.

Now is certainly a time that I could use Shugart-like penmanship.

Look, the world is not a nice place, yet some of you fail to recognize that. Pointless “flaming” is at best a hell of a lot of fun and at worst pointless cruelty.

It is my belief that just because we were taught to be nice to everyone doesn’t mean it is right. I was taught all kinds of things that I am continually having to unlearn in order to progress through life. There are ways to be tactful, but there are times when it just doesn’t work.

Here, many posters don’t have a clue. Exposure to all of this FREE greatness that is T-Nation (articles, interviews, threads, data, science, numbers, experiences, etc.) … and still they don’t get it.

So … what to do?

If something doesn’t work, QUIT DOING IT. This is where T-Nation shock therapy, aka flaming, comes in handy. LIGHT A FIRE UNDER THE ASS.

I’m guilty too. As a sometimes hypocritical and often cynical, sarcastic @sshole, I hate with the best of them. But I really do have good intentions. Some people need our negative energy to wake the f*ck up, and I am more than willing to help them out.

I give recognition where it is due. And I flame away when warranted.

My question: why be such a pussy and sugar coat everything?

Bastard

14

[quote]SicTorn wrote:
This isn’t about sensitivity and hand holding.

It’s about positive reinforcement and encouragement rather than negativity and insults.[/quote]

Thanks SicTorn…I think that constructive, honest, realistic feedback can be given without putting someone down. I’ve been reading posts for quite a while on this site and have noticed how supportive and encouraging you and Jillybop are. Way to go.

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[quote]Joebob wrote:
I agree poster, but you got to remember that this is T-Nation. The home of some hardcore motherfuckers! It seems that most of the people that are flaming are the Old School vets of this site like Nate (that pic is hilarious), who have seen a lot threads that should have never been posted. I remember how this site used to be before the switch and it was a lot different. Don’t get me wrong I love the site now and I am here everyday, but it is not the same. In ways it is better, and some ways it’s not. You really can’t place all the blame on those who start the flaming. A lot of it starts from a troll or some idiot who should be on muscleandfatness.com.[/quote]

Hey Joebob…you are right. I think that the core of T-Nation is that good old compound called Testosterone. And man, you made me laugh with your comment on posters who would be better suited to M & F instead of here. And yes, there are some attention grabbing threads out here…I just don’t give them my attention. Thanks for the post.

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[quote]Navers wrote:
Just be sure you don’t mix up flaming with harsh, realistic criticism that some people need. Sometimes the best way to push someone isn’t the nicest. Some people ask for feedback after posting their progress pics where they make minimal, if any, progress. In that case, you can’t expect people to say, “way to go” or “keep working at it!” You have to help them get angry at themselves for wasting their time in the gym and deluding themselves.

Yes they will experience some pain in the beginning from all the harshness, but that is significantly outweighed by the fact that they are now pushed harder in the right direction and will make legitimate progress in the future. Telling them politely that that they have been wasting time won’t get the point across much of the time. Yes they won’t hurt but they won’t make immediate gains.

If people really care about making progress with their bodies, they should put emotions aside for a moment and accept the criticism.[/quote]

You have a point there Navers…if a newbie doesn’t get realistic criticism they will continue to waste their time with an ineffective program/nutrition plan. I think that a lot of the old timers on here do have good intentions when they give feedback to the newbies and the newbies benefit from their lifting experience. I also think a lot of the newbies are appreciative. In my post I was more referring to sincere T-Nation posters who aren’t posting useless topics and getting flamed so someone can get their kicks.

17

[quote]Jillybop wrote:
Well said, jsshane!
[/quote]

Thanks Jillybop. As I said in my reply to Sictorn you and her are great at being supportive to other T-Nationers.

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Well, I’m with the crowd that feels that sometimes people need a good kick in the pants to figure out that they are on the wrong track.

That isn’t where you start, but when they dismiss advice from advanced folks and are simply looking for validation, that is where they end up.

It’s the real world.

So, when people ask questions around here, they get honest answers. Sometimes they don’t like what they hear and things degenerate from there. So what? We aren’t here, on the site or on the planet, to try to make sure everyone is happy at all times.

It’s the Internet, relax!

At the same time, yes, there are folks that simply like to start out flaming away whenever the opportunity presents itself, and perhaps they could tone down the attitude a bit.

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Here’s how a flame begins:

Newbie:"I weigh 120lbs 5’11 and want to get HUGE and lose this belly. Heres my current plan

Breakfast: 1 bowl of Capn’Crunch 1 cup of lowfat milk.
Lunch: 6" turkey subway sandwich with Diet Coke
Snack: 2 Fatfree cheesesticks
Dinner: Chicken nuggets with fries.

Workout: 2 hours of cardio daily.

Please help me out!

We all know what happens after that…

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Why Be A Flamer?

Cos it’s fun.