I appreciate the comment but must admit I am new to this site and have been amazed at how civil people are to one another. Maybe I just haven't experienced the negativity yet or maybe I just became so jaded on other sites that my negativity threshold has been skewed..?

IDK... I just think there are some very very very angry, bitter, and in a number of cases twisted people out there.... They are looking for something..I don't know what?... And sometimes you are in their way...or just in the wrong place at the wrong time...and bang!..they pounce!

Misery loves company?

Projecting negativity onto others is a way of their trying to raise their own status by trying to knock others down. Unfortuately, it does also get them a lot of responses and thus more points on the site too.

Well if one wants something to wear then points are good. If one just wants to start the boil in order to release one's stress, how bad can it get? Saying the "n" word over & over as the "f" word has no effect any more? So what. They are words that mean zip in the universe & why should a strangers words mean anything to anyone? Rhetorical.

My two cents... Sarcasm is welcome and encouraged. Now, personal and/or offensive attacks in any way shape or form, that's a no no. No one is under any obligation to live in Trolland. When appropriate, block and move on. On the other hand, positive contribution is always nice and expected but, there will be times when not all planets are properly aligned. It can happen to anyone any given day. If it becomes a trend then....

My grandmother told me over and over "If you do not have anything nice to say, don't say anything". Words to live by. Personally I just like nice people. The world could use more, especially in the atmosphere we live in today.

If you cannot say something good say something funny. No wait that is not right, I do not go for humor because I cannot think up something good. Perhaps i take what I say to seriously as I can say things that get taken not in the manner I mean.m Oh well getting into trouble this was is what I do.

I don’t understand, unless they figure snarky, derogatory statements get them points just as much as thoughtful dissertations on why they disagree or support their position, if they actually have one.

When you see a mean, derogatory comment, click on the three horizontal bars under the comment and then "Report." You can select:

1. I think it violates community guidelines; or
2. I think it is illegal.

People that have a need to put the negative narrative on a pleasant post have a predetermined concept and can not accept that other people have much different perspectives of many different concepts.

I'm trying to think of a nasty comment, just to be difficult. All I can come up with is, Doesn't Bob have a big head?

Not believing in a god, doesn't guarantee the presence of courtesy or class...

I wish this image was a bumper sticker. I had one that said "One nuclear bomb can ruin your day"!

I'd put a lot of it down to toxic sperm build up for some and a lack of batteries for others, makes people cranky.

The point system is mostly about quantity, not quality. You get points just for posting. You get points just for replying. Personally I'd prefer to get no points for either and a lot more points for people replying TO me, which would be at least a rough proxy for quality since on balance hopefully engagement = response to quality.

So no, there's no bonus in being an asshat.

Always assuming of course that the posts you're talking about are truly "derogatory". Simply not agreeing with you is not derogatory or mean or rude.

Easy-peasy..go to the trolls' profiles and block them. Problem solved.

I have twice been told that I should not be on this site because I chose to label myself as 'spiritual'. It bugged me at first, and maybe still does a little. But, I have bigger fish to fry and it does me no good to get bent about it. I'd only be cranking up my blood pressure. What other folks think about me, truly, is none of my business. I'm a pretty cool chick. You are too. Screw those that think otherwise.

I'm a realist and, I think, a logical person. I try to be nice to others but it's impossible for that to always happen. Some people simply misunderstand you and what you have said. Others want to stir up shit. I firmly believe that everyone is talking and saying things today (even in your work place) but none of it has anything to do with what is really going on. Politics and media play that game and everything is clickbait, so how could it all be real? Donald Stump knows this and he desperately wants you to allow him to be your source news. Poor fellow. He's more deluded than the rest of us and twice as wrong!

That meme is fucking brilliant.

Yes, I believe in large part it is because being an asshole gets more responses and reactions as well as the points that come with them. Fortunately for a lot of people here, I don't give a rat's ass about levels, because I am very good at being an asshole when I want.

Just read over the responses of the bottom feeders and forget about them. Don't respond or react to give them points unless you absolutely cannot let it go.

Maybe it's just varying opinions on stuff. If you are only making positive comments are you truly being honest about how you truly feel about the world and life? If you are only showing a positive side I can understand the logic in it but if you are here for community I see nothing wrong with debating some subjects. I prefer people know who I am, and I can offensive at times because I reject some social norms. You can debate subjects without being nasty to each other. I personally think we need more of that practice since we are so good at hiding behind masks to make people think we are something other than what we are. I have seen some remarks that seem like people are going out of their way to be an ass. Overwhemingly people are nice to each other. I think there are several reasons for that but no matter why it's much nicer than fb. It's impossible to say what is going on in the mind of others but there is usually a reason. I was getting a little aggressive for a few days after they put me on steroids this week so I stayed off until I was stoned really good.haha

Where is this thread Carole. Imma go get 'em!

Egotism reigns supreme with them.

It's probably the same percentage of people in real life who only have negative things to say about every little thing, until you just have to tune them out. My only hope is that by putting out all that negativity, they are able to clear some space for happiness in their lives. I probably do this in some way to create balance in my life, but hopefully not too much here. I just ignore the negative posters.

Hopefully they will recognize this bad habit and make some small changes, like by maybe saying nothing if they don't have something constructive to say. The negative comments might prevent serious helpers from chiming in with something useful to the original poster, for fear they will get blasted. It takes all kinds - and opposing viewpoints is often helpful - but some comments are not helpful when designed to be mean or derogatory.