Do you want to cry when you see what this place has become?

Question

I do. *sigh* I've been on Yahoo! Answers since the first month of its conception. And I've enjoyed this place with all of my heart and soul. I've loved the people.... loved the questions... and loved the interaction and sharing. But I"m seriously in tears right now as I see how hatred and harmful ways have caused people to be scared and close themselves off from others out of fear of what could happen. I don't think Yahoo had this intent.... and I know that the people that have been here for ages would never want to believe that this is what Yahoo Answers has become. When this is a place used to escape the drudgery of work and every day life, why bring in issues that only make it feel like work? Can't we get back to just having fun? Does anyone have a Kleenex? *sigh*

Answer 1

It is sad...and I am one of the fearful...I fight for my very existence here against some I can see and other vicious attackers that I cannot. Where do they come from? I do not know. How do they keep finding me when I close off almost all ways to do so? Again, I do not know. I hate being suspicious and hate being defensive as my first move even more. With time I hope I can lighten up....until then please do not be offended if I am not my same open laughing broad that I used to be. She's here behind iron broad...scared to death.

Answer 2

I of course have not been on here nearly as long as you (only since Dec 2006), but have already developed a really ambivalent attitude toward YA.

On the one hand, I have truly enjoyed getting to know a few new people (And you, dear MnG, are one of the neatest), and I have had a good time sharing my baseball/sports knowledge, hopefully helped a few people, and shared more than a few stupid answers on P&S, but it is true; there are a lot of hurtful, spiteful, and just plain dislikable people on here who seem to have never learned how to simply have fun.

You're right: Sometimes coming on here seems like work, so I simply don't come on here. I have very limited time, anyway, and spend way too much of my time stuck in front of a monitor tryiing to be creative so I can eat. I don't need to be on here for so-called "fun", as well, if it isn't fun.....

Sure, I'm going to get on here and see what you and a few others have to say, but aggravation is something I just don't need - I can get aggravated enough working on here as I try to beat a self-imposed deadline, thank you. "Aggravation" and "fun" don't go together, so I find myself drifitng further away from YA each day, unfortunately...

It makes me sad to realize that some people might actually fear coming on here, because this should be a place of learning, sharing, and laughing. It just goes to show that there are some of us that simply MUST have things their way, or they will make things miserable for everyone else around them. All I can say is I feel sorry for them.....

You, persnally, MnG, make this place worth a trip back here every now and then. Thanks! :-)

Answer 3

Well, at the end you ask about "just having fun." It was never intended to be just fun. It was supposed to become an exchange of information and opinions as well as fun, and to some extent it has. But too many people are using the "opinions" part without regard to good manners. Yes, it grieves me when I see how bitter and even brutal people can be, and how tacky. I am especially offended by those who think dissing others is amusing, or even expected. Do they talk that way at home? In their school or neighborhood? If so, I expect they get into a fair number of fist fights.

We are not playing the Dirty Dozens here, folks!

Answer 4

Here you go Sis (hand MnG a big Kleenex). Now blow. And again. And once more. Now wipe.

Certainly used to have a different vibe - more of an "all together" vibe, and I take your point about how sometimes now it feels like work. There are still some good folk here though. Know 'em, keep 'em close, and it's still possible to have loads fo fun here. It's just "rainy day" fun, while the storm blows hard outside.

(Falc whips out a big bag of colouring books, board games and puzzles). Who's up for a game of Life?

Answer 5

I didn't notice it, until after you said so. One of the people from the website I frequent posted something about trolling, and I took a look at it. They were frigging nasty, and I apologize for that kind of behavior. I'll come clean and say I've done my share of promoting the website in the past, but I've NEVER been mean about it. As far as I'm concerned, the two sites have different target audiences, and should be working together, not against each other.

But, for the record, there's no call for that kind of thing. YA has enough problems with trolls, without another website causing more problems for them. When I was here full-time, I liked it here too.

Answer 6

I have met some very interesting people since I have been on here a year. I have had some people like you MnG that have made me laugh with the intelligent humor, I have been saddened by people in trouble. I have watched confused people test the waters of a different belief system to see if it suited them. I watched people argue with all their intellect on their religious beliefs while you could tell they were looking for an answer.

I have helped one person on here escape the feelings of suicide while unfortunately I lost another person to the same fate.

I watched interesting people that became good friends come and go. I have even met one of you from here.

I lived on here as a serious person trying help people while I lived as another in this profile trying to make people laugh.

Yahoo built a wonderful thing in this forum. And despite my battles with the staff over suspensions and deleting questions/answers it has all been worth it.

There are bad people, even dangerous people on here. They are often found out and isolated.

The Internet does one thing well and that it bypasses people's morals and judgment. They say and do things they would never dare in real life. We let our guards down because we feel safe behind the screen. We need to make ourselves aware of this new online type psychology.

In all I am glad to have met many of you. Whether I have liked some or not, I am fascinated by people.

Yahoo Answers is a good place. I am glad to be here with all of you.

Answer 7

I'm sorry, I think I part of the problem, I try to have fun and be silly, to forget about my real life...but yes lately, I've really gotten out of control and have become such a slut , here on yahoo answers, thank god I'm a respectful woman in real life... anyway I've had my fun, I promise to be good and help others as they have helped me, I really care...You want to be my friend? And get on my list so you can keep an eye on me?

Answer 8

Hasn't made me cry but it has made me want to barf. There are still so many good people on here. I've made a lot of dear friends. It's only the few that make almost unbearable at times. Sadly that's the very way our whole world is headed. Stick with the good ones, ignore the bad ones. All they want is attention. If you give it to them they'll stay and continue. If you don't they'll fade away. Evil must have something to grow on. If it doesn't it dies.

Answer 9

*hands her a tissue*
Don't cry...I find that there isn't always the same joy de veevre that we once had but there's sometimes a tiny ray of hope from the bottom of Pandora's box. I've had some lovely advice about a situation that bothered me for a while and except for one goof ball (who I won't report ) everyone was super helpful and pretty polite.
I even still go 'round and give others thumbs ups.

Answer 10

Poor Marianne. Lets go out and have some laughs for old times sake and talk about the others like Skinhead Charlie and $mitty who make this such an awful place.