Has the Astronomy & Space forum become increasingly abusive?

D

Dr Bob

New member
I've been answering questions here for two years. Maybe I'm imagining it, but it seems that the number of abusive answers -- vicious attacks on the questioner and on other answerers -- has really increased, and these tend to poison the atmosphere of this forum (even more so than the grossly excessive questions on 2012). Do others think that there has been a change for the worse in the tenor of the answers?
Wolfe – Good first sentence! Society changes, but usually not too much in two years; but you’re right that the number of YA users may have changed a lot.

Adam – The conspiracy questions are regrettable, but there are a lot of people who believe these things. Given that, maybe it’s not a bad thing that they can ask questions here. You can’t reason with a really irrational person, but perhaps with good answers you can reach some of the people. That’s the hope, anyway.

Meanolmaw & Sysiphean Death – I’m very aware of all the problems that you mention. Don’t get me started about the questions! My point here, however, is about abuse in the answers.

I'll be offline for the day -- will check in later.
 
It has.

To the point where I've gone from a 4 hour per day answerer, pretty much strictly in this category, to a person who answers when I feel I can put up with pointless namecalling, insulting, and trolling.

The blame can be passed around all over the place. Y!A inability to run a science forum, Community Moderation that encourages people to hold a grudge and report anyone they dislike, the inability to determine who reported you... so a retaliation based on assumptions and innuendo lead you (not specifically "you" Dr. Bob, but a person in general) to defend yourself, in an attacking manner, by going on the offensive.

Yahoo has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it's "Answers" feature is not in anyway qualified to be categorized as a legitimate forum, interaction, learning facility, or place to gain actual knowledge. The points system, mutliple account holders, thumbs ratings, and "best answer" in general all pretty much make this site a place to type anything you want, and get people who recognize your avatar to either agree with you, because they read your words or recognize your little picture, or to disagree with you, because they thought you reported them for a rant several weeks ago.


Trolling hasn't made this any easier, although there are trolls in every category (or so I hear), and it has made helping out newcomers that are interested in A&S like walking on eggshells, and in no way any fun. I often see enthusiasm demolished almost as quickly as it is conceived in the young askers, because many answerers (sadly, myself included, on occasion) have become so cynical about the Y!A staff's inability respond to the repeated requests from many users. I know Y!A has been contacted many times, by many regulars in this forum, myself included, regarding the prblems with their site, and this category in particular... as I have exchanged communications with many friends that I have made in this category over the last year and a half...

I have yet to see anyone receive a non-automated reply from any Y!A Staff member on any of the assorted issues.

Even certain issues that may have legal ramifications. Evidently, the "administration" at Yahoo! is not concerned with dissatisfied customers or possible lawsuits, as long as they get enough page views to sell advertisement space, they couldn't give a hoot about you or me, or anyone else who visits thier abhorrent website.
 
Some answerers will simply become angry over time with the stupidity of some of the questions. And who can blame them? Most of the questions asked in this forum are repeated. It wouldn't be so bad if the questions had something to do with astronomy, too, but the severely repeated questions tend to be the ones about NASA conspiracies and alien contact, neither of which really relate to astronomy as a study.
 
there is underlying anger that the 'children' who are mostly those posting the questions that anger some of us, are asking at all..... we are wondering where the science teachers are in their schools!... what are they teaching?.... why would a child old enuff to work a computer ask if the Moon and the Sun are the same size?.... things like that....

add to that bit of irritation, the constant questions about hoaxes and unreasonable fears of LHC, asteroids, pole reversals, etc and it starts making some of us a little irritable..... add in the mis-spellings and texting abbreviations and outright anger ensues....

some of us have stopped answering those kinds of questions just to keep our own anger reeled in....

and don't forget the trolls.... and the report monkeys....they've messed with several good answerers to the point that they just can't be civil too often anymore....

hang around awhile... you'll see more that will open your eyes a little wider.....
 
Shut up, nobody wants to here about that.

No, just kidding. Yes, I think I have seen a lot of this too. It makes me wonder if the incline is something with society itself, or if it is simply because of the fact more people are using Yahoo Answers, making for more people who ask questions that others find obvious (but also more intellectual questions).
 
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