Ravelry Problem, Part Tres

While waiting for an answer to a question I have here at work *ahem*, I decided to do some dete-ka-tive work, and Googled "Ravelry Problem".

*OK, so I was pleased that my original blog post came up first on Google*. :)

Beyond that, I read some of the snarkiest blog posts I have ever seen.

Conservatives bashing "liberal sluts". Liberals bashing "conservative a**holes". Everyone, all around, blaming the Ravelry People for banning them from their beloved site.

People! Get a hobby! (Oh wait...) I mean, go work out at a gym or play rugby and get your anger worked out in a constructive manner, and improve your self-respect so you don't feel the need to go foaming at the mouth online. I guess a lot of people feel that the Internet is a great cloak and they can finally be the jerks they've always wanted to be, but man it makes searching for useful information much more difficult, and much more angering!

I sometimes feel that politics often lies under a large umbrella of subjects that are not meant for conversation except as objective, educated discussions, with perhaps only those you know well. Politics, like any other controversial topic, is going to have people on many different sides, arguing many different points. And a lot of people have grown up believing that the "correct" way to argue is to start taking others' opinions a) personally, and b) as fact from the "0ther-side's-media", which obviously means they are lies because they simply do not agree with your point of view, and then this miasma of deceit makes these offended parties feel cornered, so they lash out and make personal attacks, or perhaps worse, start perpetuating stereotypes about others' points of view. (I am ignoring a big part c) - many folks do not take the time nor trouble to become educated about topics of interest... this spawns ridiculousness like Creationist Museums, where Neolithic Man hangs out with Brachiosaurus, and T-Rex and his giant woodlice-isopod pals come over for afternoon tea.)

Also, there are people that apparently feel that their opinion is fact, and have trouble distinguishing between the two. Wouldn't it be great if all your opinions were facts?! Wow, life would rule because you'd always be right about everything!

***

Anyway, what this boils down to is:

- Opinions are subjective, while facts are objective. Let's all learn the difference! :)

- If you can't say something constructive, don't say anything at all. This just makes people mad and doesn't help anything.

- Politics, like race, religion, abortion, science, music and anything else that has more than one viewpoint, can potentially be a stinkbomb waiting to explode in your face. Treat it as such. Unless you're out getting drunk with good friends. Then, ya know... go nuts. As long as there is no written or videotaped recording of your conversation. :)


...Come back to me, Ravelry!!!!