People are wrong on the internet! What gets your goat?

[PhunkyPhazon]

People just do not seem to understand the difference between subjectivity and objectivity. At all. It really frustrates me because I think it is an incredibly simple concept, yet people keep trying to pass off their opinions as being "objective" all. The. Fucking. Time. People: it is literally impossible for an opinion to be objective. And no, if we're discussing a movie or game, don't even think about pointing to some overall critic score to paint it as some measure of its worth. By all means use those numbers to decide if you think a movie or game is worth your time, in fact I highly encourage that. Just don't say, to use an example I saw earlier on IGN, "Nolan's Batman movies are great because they have high critic percentages and made a ton of money!"

 

[CityofTreez]

People who micro argue.

As in, not just arguing a certain point, but will cut an entire post into 50 different replies. It gets annoying.

I sort of agree with you there, there are times when an argument needs to be dissected and refuted in detail, but there are people who seem to do this to every post they reply to, and it can come across as a subtle form of trolling (although it's probably not ussually intended so).

Some posts it's fine, but people often take it a bit too far.

Captcha: save yourself. D:

People who micro argue.

I don't understand why this bothers you, it's merely the easiest way to be clear that you're addressing every part of their response

As in, not just arguing a certain point,

Could you elaborate on this?

but will cut an entire post into 50

Exaggeration

different replies.

Wrong, sometimes they repeat the same reply

It gets annoying.

Subjective

Which segues perfectly into my gripe. People who use the word objective to describe their opinions.

Oh you.

 

[thejackyl]

Double standards in arguments:
I was discussing Rocksmith with a friend of mine and made a comment about how I would have liked "Smells like teen spirit", instead of "Breed". He makes the comment that he doesn't like the song, and I ask why. He makes the comment "Because I can't understand what he's saying." about a week later he's going crazy about "Gangnam Style". I make the comment that I don't like the song, because I don't speak Korean. He calls me racist...

Explanations that have nothing to do with the argument: (I don't really know how to classify this one, really)
I was on skype with a friend of mine(same one as above) when I started playing X-Com (The original, the new one wasn't announced yet.) and he asks why I play that "stupid" game. I tell him I find it fun. He makes the comment "Only faggots like gay games like that." I then ask him "How exactly does liking this game make someone gay?" and he responds "Well, do you have a girlfriend?". Which has no connection to anything relating to the game. So I answer, "No, but neither do you, so that must mean you're gay." He hangs up.

Status: Butthurt
Jimmies: Rustled

 

[SirPlindington]

The only thing I really mind is when people outright refuse to consider their opponents point of view. Otherwise, I don't care about much of anything. Except for creationists. I will personally seek out and execute any creationist you point out to me, or my name isn't Dave!
[sub]Not that is is, but still...[/sub]

 

[rosac]

militant aetheists. Seriously, you aren't high and mighty for not believing in a deity. There's no need to rub stuff like "OMFG you're wrong, because science!" It annoys me even more when said people don't fully understand the theory/research they are quoting, and thus are following the words of a book without questioning it at all. Sound familiar?

Note: I am subscribed to the view that science is becoming a religion. This is my opinion, and one that is shared by many sociologists. This is incredibly subjective and open to opinion.

Also, people saying to me "You study psychology/sociology? Why don't you do real sciences like physics?"
1. define a real science for me.
2. I admit that sociology is not the most scientific of subjects, but it still revolves around theories, and the testing/reimagining/rethinking of these theories.
3. Psychology is, apart from social psychology, generally regarded as a science.
4. And finally, even if you don't agree that it's a science, you can't help but deny that psychological and sociological research are important, with a lot of mental illnesses, even those that are very similar, receiving different labels and different ways of dealing with them. As for sociology, a lot of social policy instigated by governments is influenced by social research (at least in the western world)

CAPTCHA: Dog days. I sure as hell hope they're over.

 

[A_Parked_Car]

Anything to do with military history, especially concerning the Second World War (I'm a fourth year military history major). The vast majority of people have no idea what they are talking about, yet still feel the need to talk.

Really the best thing to do is assume that all the "facts" concerning the Second World War that you learned in high school, from documentaries or from general-reading books are either over-simplified, super-biased or flat out wrong, because that is almost always the case.

 

[Pegghead]

People who think that your taste in entertainment is somehow a mark of yourself person. Obviously you can tell a fair bit about someone based on what they like to do (i.e someone who enjoys sky-diving is probably more of a thrill-seeker than someone who builds model ships) but when it comes down to people outright saying that people who listen to a certain band or play a certain game are stupid I think it just makes the accuser look like the idiotic one.

Oh, and on the flip-side is people who think their hobbies make them better people. Oh, so you listen to classical music and think that makes you so much more better than those filthy Plebeians who dare enjoy Dubstep? Guess what, so do millions of other people, so how about just dropping that crusade of sound preference and just enjoy the music you reckless misunderstood genius you? Besides, assuming that people only listen to Dubstep or only play Call Of Duty is so very very silly, especially considering the fact that the internet itself gives everyone access to all the kinds of entertainment.

 

[Bestival]

People who get shit wrong about movies/shows. Good example for this is Gremlins, everyone mixes up the water and food thing. Water = multiply, Food after 12 = transform.
I've only seen Gremlins 2, and it was like 10+ years ago, and I can remember it... Either don't mention it, or make sure you get it right! GAH!

Also, theories that make no sense, and of which it takes like 10 seconds to figure out that they make no sense. Recently this started making rounds on the internet:

And it makes no sense. The kids call him dad multiple times, he keeps referring to the rest of the cast as 'your Uncle Barney' and 'your Aunt Robin'.

So yeah, stuff like that really gets my goat.
Also people that try to directly translate idioms from other languages. They need to watch some god damn Archer to see why that doesn't work.

 

[Doom972]

I sometimes find myself reading a post on a forum/Youtube comments etc about Israel from someone who watched a CNN news flash and thinks he knows everything there's to know about the conflict and badmouths my country. I do my best to try and ignore it and accept the internet as the imperfect thing that it is.

Captcha: train surfing. Is that a thing?

 

[chozo_hybrid]

When people make a statement, or something similar and don't even back it up with some sort of reasoning/evidence.

For example someone makes a post about how they like Metroid games, then you have someone who just posts something along the lines of "You're wrong, they suck." and doesn't even give reason to it, like their opinion is fact alone.

 

[Sp3ratus]

Keyboard warriors who whine about the nonexistent "friendzone"(urgh, I don't like even having to type it) on the internet instead of doing something about it.

The friend zone is very real. There just seems to be some confusion about exactly what it is.

Yea... no, it's not. Look, girls aren't that different from guys. Either a girl is interested in you or she's not, there's no "magical" time period, during which you must make a move or be confined to the "friendzone" forever. I have no idea why the guys who believe in that shit have some bizarre need to blame the girls they're interested in, instead of realising that might be them and not the girl.

If you're talking about a friend who happens to be a girl, you're not in her "friendzone" either, you're just her friend. It's really that simple. The very idea of the "friendzone" is just misogynistic drivel made up by aforementioned keyboard warriors.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

When people get Star Wars wrong.

THE SITH ARE EVIL. JEDI DO NOT STEAL CHILDREN. YOU CAN NOT USE THE LIGHT SIDE AND THE DARK SIDE AT THE SAME TIME. YOU CAN'T USE THE DARK SIDE FOR GOOD PURPOSES, FULL STOP. THE REBELS ARE NOT TERRORISTS, THEY ARE REBELS.

The rebels murdered all those innocent contractors in Jedi. The rebels ARE TERRORISTS.

 

[Sidmen]

Recently I've become very annoyed with the abuse of the word "Liberal". Mostly because I took the time to actually look up what the word means. (note, this might just be an American thing)

For those of you interested: In American politics, the word Liberal is used when someone wants to say the words "Democratic Party" but know that Democrats are the wrong word (usually having something to do with socialism, environmentalism, or other "left" policies). The thing is, EVERYONE in America is a Liberal, it is literally the ideology of freedom and choice. So when people say crap like "liberals want to limit free speech" I can't stop my brain from going "NO! No they alsdkfnao;ivn do not!"

While I was writing the above, I also realized that I hate the confusion behind "Literal" and "Figurative." Because every time someone says "I literally died!" I want to punch them in the face and stake them in the heart - because I ain't taking no chances with vampires/zombies.

 

[kibbitz2000]

So lately I find myself spending inordinate amounts of time online correcting people on various things, usually things that are completely inconsequential. I can't help myself, I'm an addict.

So what gets your goat? Are there any topics that draw this response from you? What are they?

For me, my three big ones are;

- Evolution; I'm no biologist, but the basic facts aren't that hard. Still, I see people getting them wrong all the time.
- Physics; Now, I am a student of Physics, and there are so many misconceptions about Physics that sometimes I wonder how we've made it this far as a species.
- Swordplay; this one doesn't come up quite as often, but I've learnt(/am in the process of learning) various historical European sword fighting styles and the knowledge is less accessible than the other two. This one somehow gets me the worst (I've been known to write 1600 word responses on this topic), despite the fact that it matters the least.

So for physics and evolution, what's the most common things that you see people getting wrong?

 

[triggrhappy94]

Politics. I'll leave it at that, because I hate getting into political debates/arguement (eventhough I can crush just about anyone, except for maybe a PoliSci major).

I do love to read comments at the end of articles online. There's always at least one completely out-of-nowhere super racist one.

 

[Vigormortis]

Apparently there are one or two people who refute the fact that The Scorpion King 3 is the best movie ever.

Those people frustrate me with their opinions, because they are factually incorrect.

I mean, come on! =D

Ha, oh ye of poor taste. You've no idea how utterly WRONG you are.

Clearly, The Scorpion King: Rise of a Warrior is the vastly superior film.

. . . . . . . . . . .

Ahem, hmm..uh, anyway. On topic:

The only thing that really "gets my goat" is when people argue for the sake of arguing. Especially in instances where someone will make broad, sweeping, generalized statements about something or about someone based on lies or misinformation.

The ones that get me the most are when people deride others for differing opinions.

For fucks sake people, opinions are subjective! They are part of what makes each of us unique. Deriding someone for that is one of the most obnoxious and moronic things anyone can do.

(and yes, I'm aware of the irony here. that's part of the point. ;D )

 

[The Funslinger]

- Evolution; I'm no biologist, but the basic facts aren't that hard. Still, I see people getting them wrong all the time.

Pretty much this one. I am a biologist and I have more knowledge on the specifics of evolution than most and almost guaranteed more knowledge than someone who's not a biologist. People seem to think it's a magical thing that allows anything to happen.

Most fun I have ever had was when I actually had to explain that there's fundamental differences between plants, bacteria and mammals. It doesn't get easier than that and still some haven't understood that. Also by fun I am being sarcastic. It was really annoying.

So you're saying my terrier won't evolve into a wolf if I enter him in enough dog fights?

Nooo.

He's just saying that it won't evolve into a Venus Flytrap.

Then I guess I'll have to start using a taser on a daffodil!