Why is there so much propiganda on this site?

It's enough to drive you crazy sometimes, but rooting for our team seems to be all that some have left. What is the most disheartening is the way that people treat each other here over something such as politics that we really have very little control over.

As others have said it. If you don't like it, don't read it. Nobody is forcing you to read the posts.

Well, I could leave because I don't like the way things are or try and influence them back towards civil and fun discourse. I do leave on occasion, but usually end up coming back.

towermonkey wrote: It's enough to drive you crazy sometimes, but rooting for our team seems to be all that some have left. What is the most disheartening is the way that people treat each other here over something such as politics that we really have very little control over.

I don't know about others here but I am just having fun. Like a Bronco fan smack talking a Raiders fan. Do I believe I have the power to convert the dyed in the wool liberals here? Nope. Just arguing freely back and forth, something I don't do at work. And I do smack talk my liberal friends, and even my more conservative friends. Sometimes it is hard to see the grin in my posts unless I add a smiley.

Fred, you are not one of the ones that gives me headaches. Your posts are usually well thought out or downright funny. I do know what you mean about this site being a place to let fly some of the things you can't really say in the meat world.

on that note wrote: Really folks, there seems to be a real lack of issues being talked about....

... I would love to see more substance behind people's perspectives...less insults and marketing for others agendas. I know those that take the time to be here at all have the substance, I am requesting just a little more time or perhaps a shift to quality time vs. quantity posts of the latest on Huffpost or Drudge that we all have already seen anyway.

I agree. I can think of several possible reasons. Apathy. Laziness. It's easier to drive by, copy paste, and type a few snarky cynical sentences. Probably many are using this site at work and have limited time to post, so they throw in a quick sentence. There are a few good posters, but many have slowly faded away and what is left are the hyper-partisan drive-bys. It may settle down some after the election. I would suggest identifying a few good posters and engage and respond to them and ignore the rest.

edit- you should change your title to "Why is there so much propaganda in the Courthouse". The rest of the site is fine, although it could use more activity.

My apologies for occasionally engaging in this behavior. I agree that it would be so much nicer to have a real debate about issues than the mudslinging that takes place here.
For me....I lose my temper after reading a long list of drive by posts about tans or the view or other ridiculous issues that have no real bearing on what many of us are actually living through each day.
I have even engaged in the behavior as a form of protest in the hopes others might see just how stupid it is.
Just my opinion but I think Americans are tired of all this negativity.
This morning, I watched an add for Obama that talked about assembly lines moving, fathers coming home and other positive issues. I watched the entire add. It was refreshing to see. It did not mention Mitt Romney once. I have seen several Romney adds like this over the last couple of weeks. Perhaps that has had a little to do with the change in momentum of the two campaigns.
My advice to all of us participating here who are offended by such behavior......don't post to it. Don;t click on it. (That includes me and my bad behavior at times.
I have seen incredibly decent people post some pretty awful things here. including myself.
This isn't the America or community I want to be a part of.
The America and community I live in is an amazing place filled with incredibly hard working folks in both parties.
I am convinced that many here believe that if it isn't ugly...it isn't interesting.
I am personally tired of the hatefulness and personal attacks here and on TV.

With the exception of answering personal attacks made against myself, I pledge to be more thoughtful about my posts here. I can only change my behavior. Thx for the post On That Note!

I can sympathize with Becky. Occasionally I do let it get to me, but I try to stay level headed and keep my blood pressure down.

on that note wrote: Really folks, there seems to be a real lack of issues being talked about. A lot of demographic information and a lot of the same marketing techniques used by advertisers are being used here in posts by citizens.

Posts like women are leaving Obama or Romney or whatever. If people's votes depend so much on trends and what other people think, we are screwed anyway. Posts about what other party leaders are saying. Posts that talk about since Obama had one bad debate he is sunk, like this is an actual issue. Even all the bla bla bla and govt solutions to fix the economy, our private economy.

What say you, anything that looks like a citizen would say vs. a campaign marketer? Any thoughts on how you are going to vote for just a few people you know little about and this is the only say you will have in how your govt is run, and more and more you own life, for years...and you cannot even really say anything specific. This really is just starting to feel like professional team sports where the only goal is your team winning, it no longer even matters if "your" team is from Japan and PR.

I know it is not all of you, but boy does it stand out. Actually making me feel much worse about my society, such a lack of actual content. I was ready to leave....on that note...but got sucked back in, I would love to see more substance behind people's perspectives...less insults and marketing for others agendas. I know those that take the time to be here at all have the substance, I am requesting just a little more time or perhaps a shift to quality time vs. quantity posts of the latest on Huffpost or Drudge that we all have already seen anyway.

Perhaps better put, reading things here make me realize just how forward thinking the guy who wrote Idoicracy was, work with me to prove this is not where we are going, don't get your handjobs at starbucks, get them at home. .

Thanks for another great poist OTN. I've wanted this same kind of change for a long time now but I let certain people piss me off too much and revert to attack mode. This is my weakness that I need to work on.

But coming from you, this kind of post means much more than from me or someone on the far left. You are much more in the middle so you can't be vilified for wanting honest and intelligent debate.

I think the key may be in just starting topics like this... no cut and paste articles, no stupid Google pictures meant to bash the other side, just a discussion about issues we all care about. When we post the opinion of others, there will always be attacks on the source.

I don't think it's possible for some here to just lay out an argument without the primary help of someone else's words. It's fine to use an article to backup your argument, but to use the article or Google pic as YOUR primary opinion is just laziness.

I think the only way this works is to just boycott every thread that is started to incite a hate fest. We all know how those threads start and we all know how those threads end... so what's the point? Some people feel the need to respond to every thread, even if it's hateful bs... that just gives the OP satisfaction.

The key is to get enough of us on the same page who want a back and forth discussion. And if we do have a "good thread" going that is suddenly interupted by a stupid or hateful response, just be sure to quote the previous post and bypass the person who is trying to send the discussion into the toilet. I'd personallly love to read the opinions of those I disagree with as long as they are THEIR opinions and not just a cut and paste.

I'll say right now that I'd be willing to join a positive trend and give the BS a permanent rest.