I joined in 1999. I posted an introduction thread, got SLAPPED THE HELL DOWN for it, and shut up for about 2 months until I finally had something to say. I learned something invaluable:
You remember something that never was. If anything, it used to be more rough-and-tumble than it is today.
/johnny
Back in the good old days... ***sigh***
Back then, "rough-and-tumble" had far more to do with genuine disagreements over policy/politics, etc..
Today its less about genuine disagreements over policy/politics and more to do with personal attacks and/or destroying the credibility of ones opponent.
(I've unfortunately found myself guilty of that also, so pointing at myself first before pointing at others.)
“You remember something that never was. If anything, it used to be more rough-and-tumble than it is today.”
That is true. When I joined in 2000, I was afraid to post ANY opinion unless I totally agreed with someone who had been a member longer than I had been, because newbies and others got stomped over and over and it was brutal. Then, I was too busy running the state of Texas to post, would read when I could. I was finally able to come back “full time” and it is not as nearly brutal as it was in the early years.
I joined in 1999. I posted an introduction thread, got SLAPPED THE HELL DOWN for it, and shut up for about 2 months until I finally had something to say. I learned something invaluable:
“If anything, it used to be more rough-and-tumble than it is today. “
Yep. Funny how people think words are something physical. They act like an unkind word is a beating; both to those giving and those receiving.