Hey All

I'm writing a conference paper this week on the internet and political socialization. It's part of a panel I'm doing with a few friends, and I'm going to be writing about on-line communities. I've got a few questions for all of you, especially people who regularly read N+D.

Why do you post here? What do you get out of it? What do you learn?


Do you think this is a valuable source of political knowledge? Has it taught you anything about being a citizen, expanded your worldview, etc?


What, if anything, would improve the experience?

I enjoy posting here for a few reasons:
i like to debate
i like to learn more about the topics of debate so i can be better educated in day to day life
the board helps educate me on issues/brings issues to my attention that i might normally not pay attention to
it has DEFINITELY expanded my views on many issues, including economics(which is also a good parallel to taking economics classes in college; getting different perspectives onthe same issues), middle east issues
and in terms of philosophical and thoelogical issues (although not necessarily directly related to the topic), my view has been expanded and refined because of challenges to my logic by cb and others

that last point highlights the main benefit i've received from posting here: refinement of my views due to learning more about the topic at hand, and having my logic on this portion or that portion of my views challenged, and having to formulate counterpoints to the points someone has raised, etc.

if i think of anything else, i'll add it in.

I'm between undergrad and grad school so this provides a forum to discuss and debate topics that I don't really have the opportunity to often discuss during the course of a normal day. Plus it helps to make a slow day go by faster, and can provide some entertainment as well. Additionally, other than wsj.com I've pretty much stopped combing news websites and I have little to no patience for news on tv, so this forum helps me stay informed about the issues of the day.



Plenty. Although I'm not sure that is the case for many people on the board. The best thing about this board is learning how people of all different political persuasions view the same exact issue. Often times it is different than the political stereotypes would lead you to expect. I enjoy hearing a well-defined argument that is counter to my beliefs as much as one I agree with. There is often a good dialogue on this board; when it breaks down and devolves into the same people banging their head against a wall over the same exact things is when the forum as a whole suffers.
I would say I learn about topics I wasn't strong on before (and still am not) such as economics, philosophy, etc. Many times the threads I learn the most from are the ones where I am not an active participant, but rather an observer. N&D is great because we have people who are very strong in a wide range of areas. It's also good (and I'd say better than in the past) because we have people across the political spectrum here, so there isn't quite that single-minded group think mentality that seems to plague many boards and websites.


Yes. It has expanded my worldview in that, like I said above, I can better understand why persons who have beliefs that seem irrational to me believe as they do. It also has reinforced my previously held belief that almost nothing in this world is a black and white issue, but rather that we are all almost constantly dealing in shades of grey.


Clearly when certain topics crumble and turn into a shouting match rather than a discussion that sucks. But I'm not sure if that could really be eliminated without taking away the differences of opinion which makes this place good in the first place. I would say that if the more close minded persons were more open minded it would almost assuredly improve this place, but hey.

I would have to agree with just about everything 4/05 said. I'd add that what separates RM from other forums is that it is first and foremost a music forum. People may only post in certain sections, but the common thread is music, not political ideology. I think it is because of this that there is a wide range of political thought on this board.
I also prefer to read about topics being debated here rather than on TV where it just turns into a shouting match. In text, everyone can get their point across.
TV news can filter whom they allow to speak and push an agenda, whereas here it is completely open. I realize this can lead to credibility issus, but I am a strong believer in the free market of information and finding truth for myself.

I think that I post for two sets of different reasons.

1. I don't understand the point someone is trying to make, and I want clarification.
2. I either strongly agree with or strongly disagree with a previous post.

Not sure if this helps, but I usually only post in the Sports thread. Although this is my first stop when I come here. I never post. I like to reflect on the differing opinions. I like to be reminded how insignificant my thoughts about Jay Cutler really are.

I spend most of my RM time in ND. I look for a different set of point of views here than from friends or colleagues. I'm a doctoral student so it's nice to get "non-academic" intelligent and varied responses to the intellectual intrigue of the day. (but i do survey other boards for different demographics, sorry RM for not being faithful ) Also it's a great resource for new sources on topics.

It's also a great way to stay on top of the news cycle. Obvious topics are easy to get a hold of, but more obscure ones can easily fly under the radar with your nose noticing only the "top tier" of issues.

Honestly I don't post that much (certainly not like some of the post-whores here, and I mean that lovingly ) since I don't have the time to keep up with that many conversations and I don't like to post and run. It certainly has expanded my point of view, or else I wouldn't be here

I'm just here for the poontang.

i learned that people have a lot of bullshit to unload and they like to use big fancy words to make others feel like they're wrong.

it's also pretty hilarious around here.

I was going to respond to this but I just realized he said he was doing the report or whatever this week. Sorry

I've started writing the paper but the conference isn't for another two weeks so please feel free