Poll: Escapism Elitism?

[Arcticflame]

I voted no, because I'd prefer elitists to illiterate mindless dribble that most forums suffer from.

Somehow elitism does seem to at least hold the community to some standards posting. So I vote for the (much) better of two evils.

 

[yosophat]

I think you're confusing elitism with plain old stubbornness.

 

[Internet Kraken]

Yes we suffer from elitism. People are so full off themselves that they shun new members and don't even realize when they are feeding a troll.

But that's just the way the Escapist is. I've learned to live with it.

Somehow elitism does seem to at least hold the community to some standards posting.

That's a problem I think this forum has; a lot of members have ridiculous standards of quality. People complain that we should be able to have mature and intellectual debates about topics like religion and politics. I have no idea where they get that idea from. This is a gaming forum. People aren't drawn here because we are a collection of brilliant minds discussing the status of the modern world; they are drawn here because it's a gaming forum.

 

[Kajin]

Stop trolling people! Gosh!

Yeah I can see Elitism being a problem on the escapist. I used to get berated by people all the time here, but it's mostly because I have some pretty oddball beliefs that can sometimes be misconstrued as trolling. Fortunately it doesn't happen as often as it used to so it isn't as much of a problem as it used to be anymore.

 

[Mcface]

Protip: If you voted no, you are one of those people.

 

[Pendragon9]

Ever since I joined, I've noticed alot of elitism when it came to religious matters, console debates, or whether someone liked a post you made or not.

However, I'll be one to admit I had my fair share of elitism as well. I always try to avoid it, yet somehow people always take offense.

Sometimes it's hard to be humble. *looks at the last sentence* damnit, I did it again!

 

[AkJay]

I've been saying this since March, when I was only here for one month, I realized "wait a minute, a lot of people on here are full of themselves".

 

[Dancingman]

Yeah, but I've noticed that since it's already a part of gamer culture, it kind of diffuses here, I've noticed we have more of a problem with intellectual elitism, what with the arrogant Europeans around here (having, or formerly having a world-spanning empire tends to do that to a culture, don't try and argue about it), and of course all of us Americans who have taken after our ancestors in terms of the elitism. And though I relish the opportunity to talk to plenty of Europeans around here, the mixture of Americans and Europeans will inevitably cause nationalist flame wars. I suppose it's just sort of a thing, but what I really dislike is the political elitism, just because you subscribe to a leftist and/or liberal school of political thought does not make your views superior to those with more conservative leanings. I'd call myself centre-left, so I generally agree with the majority political views around here, but I still find all the elitism very obnoxious and I think, for one, that it reflects poorly on us.

 

[Tdc2182]

To tell you the truth, yeah I think there is. It might just be that they really do have more expierience in on this website,so have much more expirience in arguing, but whenever I have a problem with one of the gonzo's, it does kind of seem that they are a little more ...snobby.

 

[Tdc2182]

I don't think we have a lot of 'em here, but the ones we do I'd like to poke in the eye. There's one in particular...

Don't leave us hanging, although I think I know who you mean.

 

[AkJay]

To tell you the truth, yeah I think there is. It might just be that they really do have more expierience in on this website,so have much more expirience in arguing, but whenever I have a problem with one of the gonzo's, it does kind of seem that they are a little more ...snobby.

It stems from the fact that when we were "Copy Clerks" we got pushed around by the "Gonzo's" now that [we] are "Gonzo's" we feel we get the right to push other people around, it's a horrible cycle, and I chose not to be a part of it.

 

[manaman]

I've been here since December last year and in that time I feel, not to be arrogant (or indeed, elitist) or anything, that I've become one of the more well known and recognisable Escapists. Back when I first joined, these were people like Baby Tea, Labyrinth, Gallatea, UltraJoe, and so on. Nowadays, it's still them, but also people like Max, Cpt. Oblivious, Neonbob, pimppeter2 and the like, who I notcie mostly joined around the same time as me. I've not really noticed much elitism among the sort of people I've listed as examples. However, some people, for example, Internet Kraken (no offence to Kraken) and others like him, have got a bit of an elitist problem. This is something I never noticed all that time ago when I first joined.

Take Kraken, for example (just since he's the one I named, this isn't meant as a personal attack or anything, it applies to others as well). Although he seems to have calmed down a bit now, for a few weeks a short while ago I noticed every other post from him was "SEARCH BAR!", and this isn't on. That's the sort of thing that leads to problems with people claiming the Gonzos are elitists, when the majority of us aren't.

So what we have is a small group of Gonzos becoming elitists, while the vast majority of Gonzos are perfectly friendly and not snobbish at all. But the minority do it so often that it soon ends up looking like the Gonzos as a whole are responsible, and assumptions like this start, and just get worse. So really, there isn't a problem with elitism on the Escapist. It's simply a few elitists causing scorn for the entire Gonzo community as a whole.

I am a join date snob. I have been around longer then you. =P

Anyway rippity rip. Who really gives? I have made like 800 forum posts in all that time. I could have made 10,000. Does that really change who I am or invalidate my opinion?

 

[WolfThomas]

I feel out of place, I joined in '07, but only post occasionally and thus have a relatively small post count.

So I am the longest joined member (at the moment) in this thread but one of the lowest numbered posters.

Edit: Second Longest Manaman ninja'd me.

 

[DrDeath3191]

Yes, we suffer from people who have egos that rival Russia in size. These tend to be the people who claim that they're an individual thinker when in reality, they aren't. It may not be true for all of you, it's just a trend I have noticed.

 

[ucciolord1]

WE aren't elitist. We're just smarter than everyone else. We can't help that, so we try to be quiet about it.

 

[Ultress]

I think a bit of the elitism is steaming from the constant Halo sucks threads and the like. People are tired of them and it makes people a bit more testy. Also I do tend to notice certain people like yelling search bar(mostly the newer Gonzos). I try not to be an asshole about things but some times my asshole button is pressed .

 

[Poopie McGhee]

There are no trolls and no one uses shorthand. I use shorthand everywhere else. So, ya, higher standards so people act more normal here.

GRR, Pai me 5 centz or else...
Seriously, I agree with the quoted post...

Edit:

Spip

Samurah Goomba is sux0r (or whatever it was, I remembered that one...)
:~)

 

[Burst6]

I see a bit of elitism. Not too much though, I guess i agree with a lot of things posted here(not everything though).


Also i came into this thread to beg some of the higher postmasters if they may have some spare posts for this poor beggar.

 

[Naeo]

Elitism is not a problem on the Escapist. It's endemic to all forum board and more broadly to all congregations of people.