Quote from indythink75:
Ah, what the heck. It might be fun to see how close the objective reports from initial research is, and how much of a torrent of bad language and name calling transpires. There are about 30 more pages of information, but here is the initial review from about 2 months ago about some of the posters here. PM comments welcome, we would love to have a follow up for the next semester.
"Here is a much shortened review for a college course attended by my younger brother. He asked me for some help with a project about the current state of the political debates, especially the right left fissure we have currently. I asked a couple of friends for some ideas about websites that have debates. I went to several, and then, because I like trading, decided to try this one out. What a mess, I have to say. I'm sure my brother will have more than enough data to show just how screwed up Americans have become, or at least a small group of supposed traders and debaters. I even made a couple of posts to see if there were any people actually debating anything, or if this is just another talking points nightmare, shared by so many sites.
Much to my chagrin, this is worse than most, so very hostile and juvenile. The name calling alone is just plain boring. However, because his grades were involved, he asked me to work with him to try to understand a few of the players. We came up with some of the following. No personal attacks meant, since you are all hiding behind screen names.
Our fascination came when there was about 7 pages of back and forth using such childish language, that we chose to not include in the thesis. The Zimmerman charged with 2nd degree murder thread, with Trader666 and Two faced joker. This was absolutely amazing. I didn't bother with two faced joker, only because his time was short during our examination.
After learning how to search under names, he came up with some this: Excuse him if some of the references were mis- labeled or duplicated.
Side bar about the laziness and predictability of so many posters. Many use the same old reply to their counter parts. Something about gay, something about dicks, or panties, just odd.
Lucrum: A private pilot were told, quite honorable, who must be non-married, living alone. Is full of hatred of women, and apparently a fear or hatred for blacks. Several notations to back this up, including saying that perhaps women shouldn't be allowed to vote, and too many 13 year old sex references to mention. Seems to have a negative comment on everything, strictly along partisan lines. He has a following of Pspr, and a couple of others. They all seem to chime in to support whatever the winds seem to be blowing currently. Much more in notes.
RCG Trader: A counter to Lucrum, who is apparently a Male Nurse, and a veteran. It seems that he is the counterpart to Lucrum, without which, Lucrum would not have someone to express his daily rants. RCG seems to be a left type person, but his saving grace is that he doesn't seem to stoop to all the sup-par name calling, although at times, he has. Apparently he has other threads on the site as well. Probably a forex trader part time.
PeiltheTraveler: Another of the initiators of controversy. He likes to express an opinion with the hopes of getting some support, not discussion. A guy who is relatively smart, compared to many on this board. We believe he lives in a foreign land, yet does not get any grief for it. We may be wrong, did not read too many of his posts.
377OHM; One of the more intelligent of the right wing side, who does seem to cloak his anti-social thought behind some fair and sometimes even valid arguments. We both wonder why he, who seems to be pretty smart, is so vocal in support of the more lower class of the participants. By lower class, we mean vulgar and without any merit other than to repeat what others say.
PsPr: His handle pretty much says it all, he is without any real contribution, yet another fired up name caller, who does as he is told by someone else. Again, this is just a couple of hours of reviewing a couple hundred posts. He seems to be hung up on something about making cute little names from other's handles. Rather funny for someone using pisspoor as his handle. Another weird hangup about Canada for some reason, found that odd and simply irrelevant.
MaxEPad: Another smart poster, seems well educated and mostly benign. He doesn't seem to have to use all the stupid language on every post, like the more juvenile guys do. Has some great posts, good responses, and although he seems devoted to his views, posts them coherently and well. However, does follow the group that likes to make funny names of other's aliases. Too bad, pretty sharp otherwise..
AK-47: A relatively sane poster, who likes to screw with the other side at times. Again, he doesn't seem to lash out much, and doesn't resort to the name calling. We found several good discussions, only to have to shut them down due to childish responses.
Brass: The subject of pspr's anger, and again, without Brass, pspr wouldn't have anyone to lash out at. Another weird paradigm. Apparently Brass is Canadian, and seems to like to get involved in discussion from Religion to Politics, as the thread is titled. He doesn't seem to sink to the depths of depravity very often either. We're not supporting anyone here, but I'm sure there will be some backlash to anything we say. Who cares where a person lives anyway. This was supposed to be a trading forum.
PhoenixTrader: This person is just a non-event. Never says anything of value. His sole purpose is to seek some sort of affirmation or validation just by going along with someone's else's rant. Just a go along, yes man. The Rodney Dangerfield of the group.
Scatagophagus This guy is a piece of work, comes out of the woodwork with just plain craziness. One thing to hate Obama, as many of us tend to do, but he is obsessed with hatred, always with scorn. He must live a very bad life. Might have to research a bit more on this one. Again, one of the smarter ones, just seems so sad or mad all the time.
Jem: Smart guy, with a very personal view of politics and religion. Especially religion. He and Stu will hopefully work it all out in the next life.
Stu: See above.
Free Thinker: As his name seems to imply. He likes to pull strings on the other side, starting discussion that knows will cause some furor or another. A good manipulator in his own right. He seems to combat the right with some pretty good rhetoric, and seems to document his thought fairly.
Ishopat Publix: Another of the smarter ones, very opinionated, but seems to use his strengths to debate well. Again, a leftie for sure, but not wild eyed or puppet like as some are.
Interim Summary: It seems that we have more on the right who tend to be more upset, more likely to use foul language and retorts instead of simple discussions. We did not find this to be the case in several other forums, they were more balanced, good arguments instead of name calling.
We'll get to some more people, and more detailed analysis, and hopefully have more from other sites as well. Again, not trying to bug anyone, just a younger man's school project. "
Since your research is for academic consumption I suggest being as polemical as possible in support of liberalism and snide insinuations of malevolence, superstition and low IQ attributed to conservatives .
That will ensure, if not a good grade at least universally unscrutinized approval.
