Anybody else noticed how depressing the atmosphere is on the Escapist forums?

[Stall]

I've said it before, and I will say it again: cynicism is a bitter and ABSOLUTELY POINTLESS emotion. It accomplishes nothing, and does nothing but to make the practitioner of the emotion, the cynic themselves, look like a bitter, antagonist, shallow, and absolutely joyless person. The worse thing is these people are being cynical over media! Not only are they engrossed in this unproductive and terrible emotion, but they hold this destructive and terrible emotion towards a fucking leisure activity!

I might be an asshole. Hell, I might even be a pretty snarky asshole. But you know what? I'm not a cynic, and I am exceedingly proud of that fact.

 

[omega 616]

it's noticeable if you've been here long enough. The Escapist Forums is a very depressing place.

I have been here longer and haven't noticed it ...

It is 'cos we always get our hopes up for games, films, books etc then when they are released we very quickly realize we have been disappointed again. After being let down so many times people become jaded and bitter and it seeps into there comments and opinions.

Look at brink for example, people were so excited for it ... till they played it and wish they hadn't (not speaking from personal experience, I thought the game always looked bad).

 

[Dogstile]

I don't exactly see it. I usually am quite happy about most things XD

 

[genericusername64]

That's the reason I come here, and depressing isn't the right word, depressing would be like a "I SLIT MUH RISTS" forum. The word would be nitpicky, and seeing as how most of the people on here are nerds it's not that surprising.

 

[imnot]

Thats because the escapist is a edgy place to be daddyo!
It makes us dark and mysterious!

OT: I noticed it too, ah well I find it strangley amusing.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

The whole community seems to have further steps down 'not very nice' street recently. It's kinda sad, I love(d?) this place, but I'm getting a little tired with a lot of people on here these days. It used to be 'The Escapist community hating on everything else', but now it's 'The Escapist Community hating on everything including eachother'. We've never been a particularly nice bunch but we seem to have gotten more hostile recently.

 

[imnot]

This is because reality is boring and almost everyone hates it, along with hating those who somehow enjoy reality, the site is called "Escapist" for a reason, most of us are pessimists or escapists or cynical or generally moody to some extent, not everyone is like that but most who browse the site sadly fall under these categories.

Personally I fall under the reality is boring part category with minor cynicism.

Realitys boring for pussies. Go rick climbing or hiking in the woods and tell me your bored... Now if your a fat guy on his laptop 24/7 I have no sympathy. I lost 88 pounds in 8 months and am becoming a Marine medic because being a heathen nerd got old... Heahthen soldier/doctor? EPIC

I love Rick climbing too! Mr.Astley got pretty pissed of at me though.

 

[funguy2121]

snip

I'm glad you focused on cynicism and not mean-spiritedness or loserdom. Cynicism is the main problem. Cynicism is the reason why people post dickish things like these on the internet to give themselves a false sense of superiority. It's why American Escapists post on threads about a massacre in the 3rd world saying "who gives a fuck? I only have $500 in my bank account" and why non-American Escapists post on threads about 9-11 saying we got what we deserved or that 3,000 Yanks dead isn't really that big a deal.

It all comes down to cynicism. How many doctors, lawyers, successful politicians, members of upper management and film producers do you think come on the Escapist to tell everyone that their favorite game sucks? Not a lot, I suspect.

So it's cynicism, plain and simple. Someone who can't admit that perhaps Gears of War 3 is a little too much like Gears of War 3 or that the Call of Duty series is popular for a reason (just examples, by the way and not my own opinions) and feels the need to take to the internet and insult all who disagree are simply not willing to look at how they have arrived at this point in their life without more to show for it.

 

[Rooster893]

I noticed it too.

That's why I spend most of my time on here in the Forum Games and RP. It's a little bit more optimistic over there.

 

[Rooster893]

I don't exactly see it. I usually am quite happy about most things XD

Same here!

 

[Ace of Spades]

Welcome to the internet, where people have been complaining about losing their faith in humanity for many years.

 

[Venereus]

I liked I, Robot...

Plus on the internet, intellectualism = Cynical and pessimistic.

But we're not all like that! There is even a delightful bunch of individuals over at The Miracle of Sound Fans User Group [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/groups/view/Miracle-of-Sound-Fans], and some kick-arse music to boot!

/Shameless Plug.

Intellestualism? As in being smart? Well, being smart in this stupid world only leads to cynical and pessimistic smart people. And since a lot of smart people are yet to reach the cynical and pessimistic ultimate phase of their development, I think the root of the problem is the (already discussed in the past) arrogance of The Escapist forums. We just like to think we're "ahead of the curve".

Therefore the cynical and pessimistic aspects are somewhat exaggerated, leading to some people asking: "Why so depressed?"

 

[Kekkles]

Those who look for depression in something will always find it. Personally, I believe there are some misanthropic souls on here but I don't at all think this place is depressing. I honestly believe this is one of the better forums I've seen with the whole 'depressing' thing.

 

[Redingold]

Sure, there are some real depressing douches, like this guy [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/profiles/view], but most people on this site are okay. I think you're overreacting.

 

[moose49408]

OP, I actually couldn't agree with you more. Notice how low my post count is and take into consideration the fact that I've been coming to the Escapist for years now. I'm actually on here pretty much every day, not just occasional visits. The simple reason for this is that 80% of the time, the generally negative attitudes of this community discourage me from commenting on anything. Now, I'm the first to say that I'm not the biggest optimist in the world, but when it seems like every other forum thread/post is either complaining about something, or seems intended only to make people mad and incite debate, I just loose interest in the conversation.

 

[Duruznik]

Mmhm, I have to agree. The place is definitely filled with a lot of cynical people... though I hang out mostly in the MLP group and people there are rather bit more cheerful. Because, y'know, ponies.

 

[PrototypeC]

Trolls will be trolls, will be trolls, will be trolls. Unfortunately, I don't think the OP is at all wrong. Maybe it turns out that the longer you stay here, the more you notice the naysayer side of the equation, or something. All I know is, every thread is getting sadder and angrier and a lot of people recently got too angry and got suspended; it wasn't even on the same thread or issue, it was just all at the same time! Anyone who still believes that the Escapist forums are a happy, naive, carefree place should go check that Caves of Steel link. I couldn't find even one person willing to give it a chance except in a fatalistic kind of way. It is a perfect example of what the OP is talking about.

I'm trying to think of some reasons for this. Have we just been burned a lot by the current video game market for just a little too long? Is it that the superhero movie trend has bombed recently? Is it Obama's fault somehow? What??

 

[TimeLord]

Why thank you, I'm glad SOMEONE noticed.

I spend all my time [sub]trying to make things depressing[/sub]...

Thanks Marvin

OT: There are thousands of users and hundreds of threads on this site and you're taking the odd 5 comments and calling the site depressed?

Well the optimist in me says: Join a user group. They are much more fun! And the site isn't depressed, I've seen no staff articles or new posts that are complaining about the unfairness of being alive. Well except this one [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/editorials/op-ed/9140-Doctor-Who-Let-s-Kill-Craig] but at least it has context

 

[RatRace123]

I've noticed it, and to be frank it's very annoying.
What's more annoying is that I used to consider myself a cyncial pessimist, my time on these forums have shown me what I thought to be cynicism was downright happiness and love compared to some of the people here.

It's kind of shameful to admit that an internet forum impacted my life in a meaningful way, but the escapist did teach me to look on the bright side of life and see more of the good aspects of it and generally not think of my continued existence as a steaming turd; if only because I wanted to help bring some damn cheeriness to fight all this depression.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Em you do realise you are on an internet gaming site on the internet(yes I realise how ridiculous that sounds but on the internet must be stressed)? Also no offence as this is a well known stereotype of the Escapist that we are a bit elitist and look down on things. Now while all stereotypes are blown out of proportion most start with a bit of truth and we can be a lot like this and "go against the grain" and "fight the man" hating popular stuff and trying to be controversial. If you ever had any doubt go look at the Religion and Politics section where thankfully all that stuff stays and we don't get the flame wars on the forums any more.

I am not saying that that part of the forum is a bad place or this is a bad forum everything has their faults and this is just one of the Escapist's faults. As a forum we do have many good qualities otherwise me, you and a lot of other people would not be here and just remember nothing is perfect, all the glistens is not gold, not all those that wonder are lost and most of all this is the internet. The internet the place that does misanthropes even better than Carlsberg.

There are plenty of happy people here but people just tend to notice the crap more(eg 14 year olds on XBL, start up costs of PC gaming, etc)