NEGATIVE POSTING - Enough already

[K-fab]

Help me understand something here:
Why is the need to post negative comments or unwarranted criticism of someone's project or machine or thought so prevalent in the world of the Internet?

What does it accomplish other than pissing people off, hurting one's feelings or just making the poster sound like an idiot?

Doesn't everyone just love Haters on the 'net?

I've never understood the mentality of tear it down because someone else has done something to their ride that you wouldn't do. Fine, you wouldn't do it, so don't. But don't go telling someone that they're stupid for doing so unless you have experience with said thing.

It's one thing to offer constructive criticism, with factual info, or even to offer a critical point of view with a reason why, but the negative attack on someone's work, because they don't like it is such a pain in the ass and so unwelcome in a good thread.

When someone's sharing something that they've done, if you don't have anything good to say about it, then stay quiet. Nobody wants to hear that you don't like "X" or listen to you piss all over something that they've put time, effort and often money into. If it's not your bag, and you have nothing more to say than something negative, shut it.

If you have something negative to say, such as "I don't think the trans will handle it", then say so, but explain why you feel this way, not just "That's stupid, you'll blow up the tranny."

Step back and put things in perspective. It makes a difference.

An example would be here in the Mid-West (God I want OUT of it!) the trend in the 'hood, is to take the last model of Trans Am or Camaro and paint them funky colors (often w/lots of large glitter flakes - think bass boat paint), put 24's on them and parade around down town.

Do I like these? Hell no. I find them silly. But, on the other hand, I can appreciate them for two aspects:

First and foremost, it gives the owners pleasure. Who am I to criticize for that? They are getting fun factor out of their ride and that's what owning a vehicle that's been customized is all about.

Secondly there is, on some rides, some very impressive craftsmanship and paint work. I don't care who you are, you have to appreciate hard work and effort put into a project - especially when the results can be quite spectacular - even if it's not in your realm of what you like or think is cool. If you happen to be a fabricator of any sort you'll appreciate the work no matter what it is, even if it's not your bag. Good work is good work.

I don't want the MBN world to be a happy My Little Pony mentality - there are often some very good arguments which yield great points of view and options of ways to go about doing things, but at the same time if we can avoid negativity (for the sake of being negative) then let's try.

(I'll call this example out by name) Since we banned Masterfabr, this site has run beautifully. The attitude of the place has done nothing but get better and better. It's true that one bad apple can screw up the bunch. Getting rid of the bad apple made the place better. Let's work on keeping the Master Attitude off the site. Okay?

Sorry, off my soap box - I just get tired of seeing bitchfest posts (on many forum boards - most of this is copied from a post I put up on an Audi board this morning, but it fits right here too.)

[Bugpac]

Can I say something respectfully, The internet is a information database, and when you get people that praise others work merely for being nice, or acting as a friend, All it does in retrospect is make that person look like a King in someones eyes that dont know, For example, when someone refers to another's car as a professional build, yet has never seen the car to examine it closely, AKA weld quality etc, this only makes the builder look more dominate, then when another guy who sees this goes and spends his 20-30k and gets an absolute POS.. This is the problem with the internet, And IMO really costs the consumer in the long run... So I guess, Positive criticism has the same effects as negative Criticism in this electronic world... And it seems that anyone posting that cant accept negative criticism, shouldn't be posting at all... I say this not pointing fingers at no one in particular.. Over the yrs of being here, It has grown on Myself to be more respectful to people building for themselves, I damn sure am gonna give anyone that is building for a profit, A ton of crap about stuff... Hell me and Yoshi over the last 3 yrs have done just that, I respect the quality of his work greatly now as well.. And just imagine were he might be if no one ever gave him any grief, He may not have stepped upped to his A game so fastly, He could still be in his c game...

[yummi]

K fab: Do you need more fiber in your diet?




You know where i stand on the crap fests. So, good post my friend.

BTW- safety issues are fair game - no sense in letting somebody get hurt - just be constructive about it....

[K-fab]

Originally Posted by Bugpac

Can I say something respectfully, The internet is a information database, and when you get people that praise others work merely for being nice, or acting as a friend, All it does in retrospect is make that person look like a King in someones eyes that dont know, For example, when someone refers to another's car as a professional build, yet has never seen the car to examine it closely, AKA weld quality etc, this only makes the builder look more dominate, then when another guy who sees this goes and spends his 20-30k and gets an absolute POS.. This is the problem with the internet, And IMO really costs the consumer in the long run... So I guess, Positive criticism has the same effects as negative Criticism in this electronic world... And it seems that anyone posting that cant accept negative criticism, shouldn't be posting at all... I say this not pointing fingers at no one in particular.. Over the yrs of being here, It has grown on Myself to be more respectful to people building for themselves, I damn sure am gonna give anyone that is building for a profit, A ton of crap about stuff... Hell me and Yoshi over the last 3 yrs have done just that, I respect the quality of his work greatly now as well.. And just imagine were he might be if no one ever gave him any grief, He may not have stepped upped to his A game so fastly, He could still be in his c game...

Thank you Bug! You've nailed it.

It's not that I'm against a good debate or even negative posting, it's the method in which some people post that after a while can get under my skin. I was set off this morning on an Audi board by someone being a total moron and just flat out saying what someone did was stupid. Yea, sure it was to the person that posted "you're stupid", but what was the end result? Just a bunch of bickering and loss of the thread's integrity. The guy that did the work was very happy with what he'd done, so having someone step up and tell him it was a waste of time, money and that it was stupid was, well stupid and not necessary.

I'll also admit that I'm a "find the good side of everything" sort of person - yes I have laughed at funerals. I always go to the good side of what ever it is and try to learn from it or laugh with/at it.

Give me a good rush of endorphins from a long hard laugh-fest over feeling crappy about something any day of the week.

I despise the negative attitude and work very, very hard to avoid it. It's a feeling that from the time I was little I have worked to avoid.

I've noticed in my years on this wonderful planet that approaching anything from a light(er) hearted point of view, be it teaching, learning, just general living always makes the results (even in bad and/or tragic situations) easier to work with and better.

I wish I could convey this attitude to everyone, but I realize that there are some that will never understand it either and it's not my job to try to fix that. People are not projects.

Originally Posted by yummi

K fab: Do you need more fiber in your diet?




You know where i stand on the crap fests. So, good post my friend.

BTW- safety issues are fair game - no sense in letting somebody get hurt - just be constructive about it....

Indeed! Safety is one spot where it needs to be said flat out and if what's seen is wrong it needs to be called out immediately.

Thanks guys for the positive replies. When I posted this thread this morning I wasn't sure what road it was going to head down.

[Bugpac]

All crap aside, I lost what I thought was a good friend, Because I always gave him praise no matter how junky I thought his stuff was, It just came down to me sick and tired of listening to him condone others crap, and I had to come clean and tell him what I really thought about his stuff... If I would have just said it to begin with, we likely would still be friends... I have came to the conclusion, If I do like something from seeing only a pic, I am just gonna Shut The F up, If I think someone did something wrong, I will make a suggestion, If they are in the business, I will tell them exactly what I think...

[TutTech]

Wow all very good points.
I think you can do everything you all just said but just do it in a nice way.

The difference is: What a piece of junk!
Or: You should add cross bracing, your welds need some improvement for safety, you have no seatbelt and your fuel tank is attached to your exhaust!

The difference is how you come accross on the internet. With no face to face and human interaction the internet comes accross as negative.

Please give exact and accurate feedback. You don't have to say something nice or negative you don't have to post at all.
But if you do be as accurate as you can on your details or use your own experience to help others
on their projects. That is what I try to do. I don't know half the stuff some of you know but I just happen to build a ton of little projects and I am getting better I like to think with each build with all of your help. I still make mistakes and learn from them. But someone had to catch that mistake and point it out and help me learn from it.
It is just the way you go about pointing out the mistake. Hey Tut I like your builds they are kinda cool, not my style but I give you props for your hard work but it looks like part A is upside down?
Hmm I flip it over and try it.. Wow, I repost you know what, it was upside down... I learned, the site learned and all is better and the community has all learned something.

The difference is my stuff is not what most people like as it is more old school race stuff and
so people just say not my thing, or I don't like the beam etc.... not looking at the beam in upside down! For example...

I just think the attitude can be dropped and we can still post positively and help one another out without trying to out do our sound better or whatever and simply post what we really see or know.

Your personal feelings should be left out of your posts for the most part. If something just looks
cool well that is fun to post but as Bug posted it can lead a person down a slippery path of them just thinking their fabircation etc is also the best too.

For example this does not need to be included: Personally I hate beam cars they suck.
Uhm that is not a very good post.
I do like them and in my field and class my friends and family race that is what we do and we will continue to do so.
So don't post or post something like: Not a big beam fan but yours structually look strong, your detail has improved since joining Minibuggy and you seem to do ok work. Would like to see your work in person and go for a ride in a Coil Over Beam Car and see how it rides.

Great post and meet me at the desert anytime.



Anyways I think you can and should say something that is what posting is all about but leave out the negative and a lot of the personal type feelings.

Give facts, post about your personal experience... in my experience I have tride to do that and it broke. Ok cool thanks.
Not it is going to brake. Why is going to? How can I improve it. Etc.
You guys know what I am saying and cool. I don't think we are as bad here as some of the other sites I go to so cool. Good post.