Communication Breakdown

I'm seeing more and more of it. Not only that, I'm witnessing more and more people noticing it. Some of the threads here on ATS could pass as skits on the
Tower of Babel. I'm not talk'in about people of a second language at all.
I'm seeing well educated people , who's first language is english. Completely unable to communicate with a person of the same exact mentality.

Look at pg 2 of this thread. Op is struggling to get a simple point across.
These people are intellegent and that isn't sarcasm.

Now if you will study this thread..
I totally accepted the OPs conclusion and moved on and I'm not even an atheist.
The ones she really has a problem convincing are for the most part other atheists.
For me this is the kicker. I can bring many more examples, if someone thinks I need to.

I don't really know what the rest of you will say to this. Either you've noticed it yourselves and know damn well, what I'm driving at. Or, have even been involved, in trying everything you can, to convey. With what seems like no effect.
Or you know nothing of what I speak. So let me tell you it's as if a psychological
bottom has dropped out suddenly in either peoples comprehension. There attention span or something. I don't know but Somptings happning .
Any body else?

hey randy. I must admit sometimes I too can jump the gun when certain issues are being discussed, but I am willing to correct myself and apologize for it. We all make mistakes and it comes down to swallowing your pride and admitting when you're wrong. Most people like to hold tight to their beliefs and so I think they disguise this by taking something out of context, hoping that the other person will give up and not continue a discussion without being proven wrong. Does that make sense?

[edit on 7/30/2010 by The Endtime Warrior]

reply to post by randyvs


I don't know, but I think some of the communication problem is on purpose. I really think some posters feign misunderstanding or purposely twist other peoples words around.
I don't know if they think it confuses others they disagree with or they think they are being clever or what.
But yeah, you can see this happen several times a day in several different threads. It's constant.
I can only compare it to a young kid that thinks being a smart ass is effective or clever.

[edit on 30/7/2010 by Chamberf=6]

reply to post by randyvs


I don't understand what point you're trying to put across. Sorry, it had to be done.

Seriously, though, I think a lot of people are a bit uncomfortable, suspicious or confused when someone of their own opinion puts across a slightly different point about the subject matter.

If you don't parrot their exact stance on an issue, then they think you must be an agent provocateur or lying about which side of the debate you're on.

The Endtime Warrior is also correct in that some people just won't admit they're wrong. For some reason, they seem to find it embarrassing for their ''virtual ego'', and this is magnified if they actually are an author of a thread which is factually wrong, or based on an erroneous premise.

Although, sometimes people can be a bit unpleasant on these boards, so they may not always want to admit that they were wrong, so that their faux pas is not brought up at a later date on another thread by someone that disagrees with them.

reply to post by The Endtime Warrior

hey randy. I must admit sometimes I too can jump the gun when certain issues are being discussed, but I am willing to correct myself and apologize for it. We all make mistakes and it comes down to swallowing your pride and admitting when you're wrong. Most people like to hold tight to their beliefs and so I think they disguise this by taking something out of context, hoping that the other person will give up and not continue a discussion without being proven wrong. Does that make sense?

I Think that makes perfect sense warrior. People seem to believe some taboo comes with conceding a debate. I've had to do it several times myself,
recently even. Better than try'in to play it off, if you ask me.


Sherlock

I don't understand what point you're trying to put across. Sorry, it had to be done.

Damn I was hoping to get two or three pages out that.

berf

I don't know, but I think some of the communication problem is on purpose

I guess I might be realising something here about my own self Berf.
The word gulible comes to mind.

[edit on 30-7-2010 by randyvs]

Originally posted by randyvs
The word gulible comes to mind

Don't look for that word in a dictionary. You won't find it there.

[edit on 30-7-2010 by Sherlock Holmes]

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes


You left out the part about being a disinformation agent of the Government. I see much of this in various threads.



reply to post by randyvs


Randy, I see many people try a style of over educating their writing to a point it is meaningless. This is totally different than not knowing grammar. Word usage using the wrong word, but it sounds and somewhat looks like the word they should have used. I usually think it's kids trying to be adults but this may be simplistic on my part. For me to think there are really this many ignorant people is problematic for me. I still have hope that the next generation can do better than we did.

My pet peeve of revisionist history or just pulling facts out of the air. If you can't find anything in the internet to back up the most ludicrous statement, then it isn't probably worth mentioning. This is totally different than a reference to material not found on the internet due to is very nature of being published in a narrow field before 1980 or so, or very technical in nature and not released due to the proprietary nature of the material.

Good idea and thread...

reply to post by hinky

Word usage using the wrong word, but it sounds and somewhat looks like the word they should have used. I usually think it's kids trying to be adults but this may be simplistic on my part. For

Ok confession time. I just remembered there have been times when I have gotten sick of a certain member/members needling me on a thread. To the point I ended up using jiberish on him with big words all placed fairly right. Just enough to completely confuse the person to the
point that he got left behind. But that's where their lip marks belong anyway as far as I'm concerned. Silly Satanists.