Poll: "Attention Whores"

[jamail77]

I didn't read much of the posts but here goes:

I am not sure you understand the meaning of the term. It has a negative connotation because it's negative. Attention whores are selfish, egotistical, and believe the world has wronged them when it has not and thus deserve recognition for their beliefs, contributions, and sacrifices. So, they crave attention and spam you constantly, "whoring" themselves at as the slang would go. This gets annoying dragging you and other people down as well as the culture or society they are directing this attention-seeking behavior at.

Now, don't get me wrong. Giving them names like that and not trying to help them isn't much better and probably violates a lot of rules on a lot of forums or something. It's like calling someone a troll when they're not actually trying to troll but are just cynical or have an extremist opinion they feel their opponents need to be enlightened to (though when it gets excessive in a single place and offensive then it can become trolling). You're just driving them away rather than helping them recover from whatever is causing their attitude if anything set it off at all.

Some positive or neutral examples of someone who just craves attention on the other hand might be
1) Unsocial and want friends, finding the Internet a safe place to do so. May overly try to get people's attention but still harmless.
2) Someone who gets really excited about something they did or discovered and wants to feel good about themselves or relate to other people to not feel alone in their experience. Can get all high-pitched cutesy excited (I couldn't think of a good adjective)and/or be mistaken as a troll or an attention whore because of perception bias and bad wording from the OP. As long as it's only once in a while or you know they're big fans of something and have lots of fanboy/fangirl friends they're not attention whoring really.
3) People who feel the issues they are concerned about are pushed aside too much in important discussions, usually in the political arena or mainstream media. They bring attention to those issues. There is a group of these people who get too self-important thinking they're better than other people for bringing up an issue they feel nobody has talked about but I'm referring to the more positive people.

Anyway, there you go.

 

[90sgamer]

I have noticed, during my time here (and elsewhere), that the "attention whore" is now one of the most reviled creatures on earth. I see it crop up time and time again. Some lad or lady is found guilty of seeking attention, and the mob rises up to give them the savaging their transgression merits. If folks were given a choice between Ted Bundy and an attention whore as a roommate, they'd have to sit down with an extensive list of pros and cons before coming to a conclusion.

When did this happen? When did "seeking attention" become an unbearable crime? Isn't a craving for attention a sign of insecurity? Shouldn't a community of self styled nerds and outcasts be particularly sensitive to this kind of vulnerability, instead of particularly scornful? To say nothing of the fact that dwelling on an internet forum and spouting your opinions into the void in hopes of a reply is a form of attention seeking in and of itself.

What makes someone an "attention whore"? Is it bad to want attention? How much is too much? What if you merit attention? What merits attention? Say someone was attractive, or could do a thing. And they were all..."Look at me, I am attractive...I can do this thing". Would you be like..."Pfft, look at this piece of shit over here, attention whoring"? If so, why? What about it bothers you?

I realize that we live in an age of reality television and youtube, and that everyone wants their 15 minutes, and that some of those people will legitimately have nothing interesting to do or say. I just don't understand why it's bad. What's bad, exactly? That they're trying? That they're distracting you from your more important pursuits, like your doctorate, or that opera you are trying to write? What is it that bugs you so?

Wanting attention is not inherently bad. What makes "attention whores" vile is that they have absolutely nothing to offer other than a sob story or an attractive appearance or some other useless thing. "Attention whores" want to be someone without putting forth a good effort, and that is revolting and worthy of scorn.

 

[NearLifeExperience]

I'm definitely an attractive boar.

Gold star for that one, OP

 

[klaynexas3]

Also, I'm assuming you neutral part of the poll was in response to the guy who has no stance on gay marriage. Congratulations on your passive aggressive response.

I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. Was this even directed at me?

No to be an attention whore, but I am one hell of an attractive boar.

Spoiler: Check it

Holy crap. You ARE an attractive boar.

Yes I was addressing you, and I can't tell if you're being serious or not, as there are very few instances where your comments have been serious, at least with what I've seen of you. If you really don't know, my apologizes then. I had just come from a thread where the idea of being neutral was like someone caused the holocaust, so I guess I was a little on edge and passive aggressive myself at the time. Again, my apologizes.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Yes I was addressing you, and I can't tell if you're being serious or not, as there are very few instances where your comments have been serious, at least with what I've seen of you. If you really don't know, my apologizes then. I had just come from a thread where the idea of being neutral was like someone caused the holocaust, so I guess I was a little on edge and passive aggressive myself at the time. Again, my apologizes.

No, I genuinely had no idea what you were talking about. I still don't, if I'm being completely honest. I do not, however, collate neutrality with the Holocaust. At no point have I ever thought "Darn that Hitler and his obsessive neutrality". If anything, I trend towards positions of extreme neutrality myself on many issues, and what's more fun than a little self-deprecation? Nothing. Nothing is more fun.

Well, nothing we can do on an internet forum, anyway.

 

[Overusedname]

There's your answer.

 

[axlryder]

There's your answer.

Well hey there, Good Lookin'~

 

[Alex Graves]

as a shy person im fine with them because they take attention away from me. unless their being annoying but the same thing could be said about anyone really. now time to hide in the shadows again goodnight.

First, frigin ninja.
Second, love the gir pick.
Third, my answer to the poll.

Spoiler

As for attention whores in general....well...

Spoiler

EDIT: Forgot to add the img to spoilers...
EDIT2: Deleted the http XD

 

[need4snacks]

I don't care. It's not like I have to pay attention to someone on the internet.

 

[SadisticFire]

Eh I'm going to steer it slightly differnt for reasons that are, I just feel like it should be said.
I think there's differnt things between attention whores, people who just act extroverted to maybe too much of a level, and people that need it.
I say this because when I was a in elementary/middle school teachers/parents/authority figures kept saying I was an attention whore. The thought of seeking attention never crossed my mind though, I just behaved oddly. Yet people kept telling me to stop doing it to point it actually scarred me, and traces of it still can be kinda felt on occasion, it basically made me never want to do anything, always just hide in the corner, never talk speak or anything. Iunon, just went off on a tangent, point being in my semi derail, people need to stop mislabeling pl0x.

 

[feeback06]

I'll tell you what I can't stand. Folks, who post on social networks "Grrr...so mad" then someone asks "What's wrong?"
Of course their response is "Too angry to tell u about it"

Then why in the fuck did you post that?!

I know exactly why.
Attention and sympathy.

This is what popped into my head when I read the title of this thread. I can't stand it when people post every 15 minutes, with either some quote a celebrity said or an observation about food.

 

[Pink Gregory]

I'm definitely an attractive boar.

Gold star for that one, OP

I've never known an unattractive boar.

 

[Ishal]

I have noticed, during my time here (and elsewhere), that the "attention whore" is now one of the most reviled creatures on earth. I see it crop up time and time again. Some lad or lady is found guilty of seeking attention, and the mob rises up to give them the savaging their transgression merits. If folks were given a choice between Ted Bundy and an attention whore as a roommate, they'd have to sit down with an extensive list of pros and cons before coming to a conclusion.

When did this happen? When did "seeking attention" become an unbearable crime? Isn't a craving for attention a sign of insecurity? Shouldn't a community of self styled nerds and outcasts be particularly sensitive to this kind of vulnerability, instead of particularly scornful? To say nothing of the fact that dwelling on an internet forum and spouting your opinions into the void in hopes of a reply is a form of attention seeking in and of itself.

What makes someone an "attention whore"? Is it bad to want attention? How much is too much? What if you merit attention? What merits attention? Say someone was attractive, or could do a thing. And they were all..."Look at me, I am attractive...I can do this thing". Would you be like..."Pfft, look at this piece of shit over here, attention whoring"? If so, why? What about it bothers you?

I realize that we live in an age of reality television and youtube, and that everyone wants their 15 minutes, and that some of those people will legitimately have nothing interesting to do or say. I just don't understand why it's bad. What's bad, exactly? That they're trying? That they're distracting you from your more important pursuits, like your doctorate, or that opera you are trying to write? What is it that bugs you so?

I tend to be a bit neutral on the subject. I like to think I am able to recognize when people do things that can be called "attention seeking behavior", like posting on forums as you said.

My only problem is when people flip personalities around people in order to get that attention. What I mean is that when they are there around their friends they act completely polar opposite of their "default" personality. The addition of alcohol rarely helps the situation. I once had a friend who I would play videogames with and we'd hangout a lot, he knew quite a bit about me and I'd occasionally give him rides to a few parties and small get togethers. Once he was there he would become the life of the party and get loud and bombastic. His laughter was infectious and everyone loved to be around him. He would often tell jokes and generally be an ass, and heaven forbid anyone try to steal his thunder. Worst part was when he insulted me in front of everyone and things quickly escalated from things everyone can "haha" about to things I told him in confidence and just general put downs and sarcasm, where everyone was laughing except me. At one time it got particularly bad and when we both got in the car to leave, before I could say anything, or even start the car he hit me with a pseudo-apology.

"Sorry about all that in their, bro. Its just how it is, ya know? No hard feelings?"

The apparent guilt was pretty fucking amusing to me, and it still is. Yeah I get it, he wanted to be the life of the party and to do that he needed to use whatever material he could get his hands on, and the stuff that got the most laughs coincidentally destroyed our friendship. But... yeah... thats just how it is.

Anecdote aside, TLDR: If you are a bubbly outgoing person then thats fine, just don't be a dick about and try to be genuine in your desire to get attention. As much as people see attention whores as something to be reviled, right alongside them are fake people. At least thats what I see.

 

[knight steel]

No to be an attention whore, but I am one hell of an attractive boar.

Spoiler: Check it

You-me-bed-now-
OP:depends on the situation

 

[IndomitableSam]

Online, I can easily ignore them, so I don't mind so much. We've all been attention whores online before, it's natural. If they try to derail topics and such, then I get annoyed, but if they're just doing it on their own, I'm fine.

In real life... I work with one, and it drives me nuts. The constant "I must dominate this conversation even if I know nothing about it." "Someone else has talked for 5 seconds, it must be my turn again." "I have opinions on everything!" makes me want to punch her. ... I wonder if she realises this is why I dont invite her out to lunch with the others? She's a decent person, if a bit pretentious, otherwise. Its just everything has to relate back to her.

It all cmes down to self esteem, which most people don't have enough of, so... it's natural. Just annoying as hell when you get out of school and into the working world.

 

[FalloutJack]

Bacon.

Err, I mean...I hope you appreciate the irony of the thread here.

That said, when I see a thread or a post that doesn't look interesting and seems to be more about flailing than anything else, I try to ignore it.

 

[Risingblade]

No to be an attention whore, but I am one hell of an attractive boar.

Spoiler: Check it

That picture needs a Brazzers insert...

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'm an attention whore myself. Well, an attention nympho, to be correct.

I'm just able to subdue the attention seeking beast within pretty well. If I don't, things get ugly... I'm like an attention Hulk.

Anyway, I do find people going all "look at me, look at me" annoying as hell. I well aware this behaviour is usually based in insecurity, but that doesn't make it any less fucking annoying. I once knew a guy who was a total gear head, and he just would not shut up about cars and Gran Turismo, and would constantly steer [sub]heh heh[/sub] the conversation into that direction. Whether he was insecure or if it was simply the only thing that brought him any happiness in his life, I don't care. I have my limits to how much jabbering and clinging I can stomach.

 

[Guitarmasterx7]

The natural disruptive nature of being an attention whore should be obvious.

If someone knows you exist and is not paying attention to you, chances are they don't want to waste their time paying attention to you. An attention whore is not someone that does things that warrant attention. That's a performer. An attention whore is someone that does things for the sake of attention.

Not that its difficult to just not pay attention to it, but you're going to notice it and when you do it's cringe inducingly pathetic.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

The worst thing about attention whores are the people who think that they're special little snowflakes who deserve attention simply by being themselves. They haven't done anything, yet for some reason they believe they're god's gift to the world and everyone needs to know how fucking important they are. Those are the kind of people I hate.

If you have actually done something of merit and seek attention for it then that's fine. What gets me are the people who seek attention for doing absolutely nothing.

"Look, I ate a hotdog, but before I ate the hotdog I took a picture of it, instagramed it, and put it on facebook. Look how unique and impressive I am all you plebeians. You've probably never even SEEN a hotdog in person!"

2. The thing about being an attention whore is that there is such a gigantic ego that they make themselves the center of attention and are quite shameless promoting themselves even when they didn't actually do anything at all. Attention is certainly not a bad thing but basically imagine that everyday you see a person who is basically proposing to someone on their relative's or best friend's wedding ceremony. Kinda makes you want to punch that person in the face and have them learn some humility.

gotta agree with both of these. attention whores are like gigantic black holes of attention, they bask in it and turn into the biggest negative nancy party pooper if they aren't getting it, and they make sure everyone knows because of how fucking pouty they are. They essentially live and breathe for attention, rather than comradeship and understanding amongst peers. Especially when they fix the scenario to give them attention rather than them earning it by whatever means worthy they should've gotten it through.

and as such, attention whores most of the time end up being posers too, and i loathe posers more than any other stereotype in the world.