The relative increase in stupidity online
 

Have any other old-school internet people noticed that these days (and for the past few years), most writing posted on forums is getting progressively stupider and stupider...almost moronic....completely misinformed, almost 99% WRONG...making up facts, no evidence, no foundation for claims, etc etc.

I have come to the conclusion that because more of the population is now online, the quality (i.e. intelligence/sensibility) of writing on the internet has become more representative of the mean, which is defined as borderline stupidity.

before, you had a very intelligent section of the population that was connected to the internet...hence, you could almost count on the veracity of the information, or at least, a coherent and non-contradictory argument or statement.

now, because of the increase in the online population, output has become more representative of the average idiot...giving rise to the absolute garbage being posted as replies to statements or questions.

anyone have an alternative explanation for the increase in absolute stupidity online? or is this satisfactory?

Wow you figured all that very obvious stuff out all by yourself? You win the gold star.

of course it's obvious...I was just wondering if anyone had an alternative explanation for the phenomenon.

P.S. - gfy

cant wait for your next insightfull and deep observation... what will it be? hmm... i'm on the edge of my seat ..

will it be

"listen, 8 year olds are less mature than 22 year olds"

or maybe

"i've begun to suspect that the strippers in the clubs might not actually like patrons as much as much as they pretend to, nor might they have a lot of the personal financial issues they claim to have"

So you're hoping somebody has a wild guess completely out of line with the obvious. Now you've lost me. I guess I'm bringing this place down. :(

Lots of times I think the lack of intelligence is due to lack of people skills most of these people posses and being online is a better way for them to display this with out any real major repercussions. Plus I think it gives these same people a false sense of confidence and admiration. Also, it's easier for people to say what they don't like about something or discredit it, rather than expand on it or say what they do like. Or it could just simply be that they feel the need to speak (because they like the attention), so they speak on things they know nothing about.

gotta love that.. "the answer is obvious, i just explained it to you in a thread asking you to explain it to me"

are you a 'mac' user?

That was funny LOL:1orglaugh

By oldschool you are reffering to what, pre 95? Dude, the internet has ALWAYS been full of idiots. The problem is that behind the face of anonymity people feel comfortable saying whatever they have to say. Now considering that most people are just fucking retarded, what comes out of them is usually not too far off. Thus you have the internet, a big group of idiots talking their idiot shit. Is that really that surprising?

hahahahahahaha

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

windows allowed too many people to use a computer...it was better with DOS...

No, I 've noticed a distinct drop off lately too, though it has been going downhill for some time now. Not just on the internet either.

Yeah, when access cost $10 an hour, things were different. I haven't noticed any difference between the past 10 years. Go back earlier, and there certainly was a change.

I recall when only those who could afford to spend a small fortune, and those who were in an academic field were on the 'net.

It's a damn shame I was such a prude, then, I could have all of you as my dancing bitches, now. :(

Upon consideration, it would seem people have become or at least act less intelligent with the advent of each new internet social trend.

I also get the feeling the few users not swept up in the social wave 2.0 have been drowned out by an influx of others who don't think 4 themselfs and akt kinda childisbh (lolz). I speculate that the trend is reflected in people's every day lives when endless mobile social e-tangles overflow from internet personas.

Sometimes all I can see in people is an inhuman drive to snap photos for distribution via social networking and mobile phones in order to better network with others in order to plan a more complex social life in order to obtain more horrendous flash photos, low resolution mobile phone films, myspaces and bad trendy fashion in order to make oneself more approchable in the viewfinders of others snapping photos in order to build their social networks in order to..

Suffice to say they are snared and will probably never escape.

Yes it is getting more stupid

Agree wholeheartedly.

The AOL retards are the worst for webmasters. I'm surprised they even can turn on a computer. If you've tried to help any of these people you're ready to pull your hair out.

You give them a step by step on what they need to do on their POS computer to update codec's, or whatever. They then keep sending you e-mail complaining about how they wasted money, will sue you, and so forth. You ask them again, "So have you done the steps I told you?". They respond, "No".

:disgust

You put a smile on my face.

What's your 99% estimate based on?

Quoting you:

:1orglaugh

http://www.gluttonsess.com/blog/Smile_small.jpg

Section 1:
It started with geeks and nerds who are typically shy and not that social but at least intelligent and when behind a screen can be anyone really. They accounted for the vast majority of Internet traffic, hell if you can not find the humor in Archie and Gopher then I am afraid you may be in section 2.

Section 2:
Windows and WYSIWYG allowed most to get online yet still have to have at least a percentage of geekdom in their DNA or they would of never left AOL or CompuServe let alone figured out there is money in them thar hills. If you did not buy a PC and have dreams of being a porn tycoon after watching some 20/20 special about wetlands or some other site making more cash than you could dream about while dealing with naked women, odds are your in section 3.

Section 3.
Dell and plug n play. Now every 3 year old can find their way around the Internet. I am fairly certain now you can probably make web pages by dragging images around on someone else's server, clicking colors you like and then high fiving your best friend who also is your beer connect cause he was the only one in your HS class with a valid ID over the age of 21, saying yes we are now pimps. If this is not you please see section 4.

Section 4:
I am sorry and I do not speak Nigerian. I however am an orphan and know for a fact that every previous line of my DNA has died tragic and very poor deaths. Not only that I have terrible credit and am not allowed to open a bank account. Not to mention the check cashing place and western union does not accept my welfare card as identification. Please contact a section 3 person instead. Thank you sir.

i like poo :)

http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m...3/diarrhea.jpg

http://www.poopreport.com/Images/diarrheaHIV.jpg

http://sub2change.com/wp-content/upl..._you_know2.jpg