Poll: Forum Anxiety?

[Rakun Man]

Yeah, I kinda have that too.
I was a lurker for a long time before I joined, and my post count is still kind of low.
1. I only post if there isn't like a bazillion replies because I figure, "Who would care?". 2. Then I try not to get ninja'd. If someone else already said it, why would I repeat it?
3. Grammar and spelling.
4. This is a big one: AVOID LOOKING LIKE AN IDIOT.

But it really only gets better over time.

 

[The Night Angel]

I have occasionally worried over a post, but it is extremely uncommon. I usually just stand by what I said. You can always edit your comment later if you want

 

[Forgetitnow344]

Spend some time on 4chan. The anonymity thing actually leads to turning off your common decency when you type... There's a reason I'm on probation on here at the moment.

But really, sticking to the blue boards should keep you away from most of the horrible things. Go there, lurk, put noko in the email field whenever you post something, and learn how to talk as though you couldn't give a blue fuck what another person thinks.

 

[Easton Dark]

Post what you mean and mean what you post. Then you have nothing to fear. No regrets.

Although I try to stay on the polite side so I don't get in trouble. When I'm meaner than usual I might be a little nervous at the possible repercussions.

 

[Kungfu_Teddybear]

Yes, I do. Quite a lot in fact. It's usually worrying I don't get my point across properly and then I start getting bombarded with quotes from people telling me how stupid I am and that I don't make sense.

That's never actually happened, but yeah, I do get like that quite a bit.

 

[Crazy Zaul]

There's always the expectation of criticism.

 

[Krantos]

No.

I typically refrain from posting for one of the following:

a. Have no interest in the topic/discussion.
b. I don't having anything particularly insightful to add. In other words, if I don't have anything to say that's worth saying.
c. There's no point in saying what I want to say.

The last one there is typically in the "Flame war" threads. I'm not going to bother writing out my stance and thought process if it's just going to be disregarded. I have better things to do with my time.

 

[Relish in Chaos]

No, mainly because I'm not talking directly to anyone and people may not even read my post. Sometimes I do look over it, wonder whether it's meaningful or adds anything to the thread, and possibly delete it. The good thing about talking over the internet is that you can back out at any time.

I'm socially anxious and have low self-esteem IRL, though. Even with my close friends, I tend to stutter multiple times in conversation or flat-out don't know what to say, sometimes for fear of saying something stupid or no-one listens, making me feel like a twat.

 

[Jonluw]

Nope. Never suffered from that.

I will strut through these forums just not giving a fuck till the banhammer hits me.

Which will happen in one infraction, it seems.

Yep, for the next 4 months or so anyway. Looking forward to it?

Waddayamean 4 months?
Won't you be permabanned?

Or do you mean 4 months until you start receiving amnesty?

 

[DazZ.]

Not here.

Used to in a few other places when I was learning how the internet worked and the etiquette, but confident enough I know what's what now.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Yep, for the next 4 months or so anyway. Looking forward to it?

Good grief Smash, look at all those infractions. What on earth have you been doing? Put your dick away.

 

[Lionsfan]

Hi, Escapists!

Despite having been a forum-goer for several years now, I still find myself mildly tense when it comes to writing a post, creating a new thread or in some cases, writing/responding to a PM.

I'm not entirely sure why this is - perhaps a fear of what people will think, or that I won't communicate my ideas properly? - but it's an interesting occurrence, and one I feel can't be too uncommon given how similar it is to social anxiety, something which seems to be a lot more common nowadays.

Does anyone else ever feel this way when browsing the Escapist, or indeed any other forums you may frequent? Do you have any insight as to why this happens to you?

Spoiler: Silly Joke

But seriously, I don't really have any forum anxiety anymore. I used to be really nervous people would attack my posts[footnote]Half of my first posts I ended, That's my 2 cents anyways[/footnote], but as I've posted more I just post what I think

 

[Richardplex]

I'll write out a long and thoughtful post, and then just close the tab because I realise I don't benefit from giving my opinion that no-one will either read or care about. But anxiety? Up until 100 posts maybe. I never make new threads, so wouldn't really know about it there.

 

[OutcastBOS]

Oh yeah, I get that quite a bit...especially after some...unfortunate and unwise decisions I've made in the past.

 

[Henkie36]

Well, the brilliant thing about being on a forum is that you can choose to be anonymous. Since I have done that, the only thing that keeps me from posting is if I think there isn't enough debatable matter in a subject, everything has already been said or I just don't care, which is the most common one.

 

[Realitycrash]

Just roll with it dude.

It's just like talking (granted, typing on a forum requires less confidence but still), you just need to be confident about the thing you're trying to say, get it across in a clear way, and avoid the Religion & Politics section of the forums.

For that way leads to madness.

Eh, I think it's the other way around. It takes more confidence with typing on a forum, since you don't risk gettin flamed over nonsense IRL nearly close to as often as you do online.

 

[Samantha Burt]

This is a clear "yes" for me. I have Asperger's Syndrome, so I struggle socially anyway, and I always worry, in any sort of social medium, that I'll miscommunicate and/or make a fool of myself.

 

[ablac]

I say stupid things occasionaly and I dont like that and I hate it when arguments get viscous and i get nervous when responding because of the backlash (this mostly comes about when people are aggressive/insulting without warrant, warrant only being agressive or insulting origanally and some positions on certain subjects are simply indefensible, not illogical, I can accept that and wont get mad, but morally wrong and self serving).

 

[Jonluw]

Nope. Never suffered from that.

I will strut through these forums just not giving a fuck till the banhammer hits me.

Which will happen in one infraction, it seems.

Yep, for the next 4 months or so anyway. Looking forward to it?

Waddayamean 4 months?
Won't you be permabanned?

Or do you mean 4 months until you start receiving amnesty?

4 months till it drops again.

I was actually 1 month away from having it drop completely at one point, but then I got suspended for "trolling" a pony thread.

Since it's you, I'm going to go ahead and assume you deserved it.

 

[Smooth Operator]

If there is one place I don't have anxiety then it's the internets, you don't know me so all my stupidity is just lost in the wind