I had come on this forum a couple of times through the years without signing, but joined in excitement of this World Cup and also to get feedback on an article I wrote about the Iran team for a magazine.
Being half-Iranian, I already knew of the famed inquisitive and respectful (and boisterous) Persian nature, but I was still taken aback by the respect people showed each other, even in disagreement. I had found a forum where people treat others how they themselves would like to be treated.
But this has changed the past few days. I don't know whether it is a load of new members or if a World Cup just brings out a darker side of people, but suddenly it seems like an offence to disagree with someone's opinion, and an even bigger offence to try and engage in discussion about it. When I've respectfully disagreed with people and taken the time to explain why, the response is always now that I'm being condescending, or negative, or some other form or rude... often in a post hurling insults at me.
Perhaps it's also no coincidence I got this after I got my 1 and only neg rep, from a member with ridiculous rep power, because of an opinion (that if at the 2015 Asian Cup Pooladi was Iraqi, we'd be calling the ref biased if he didn't give him a yellow for his antics). Reps are meaningless, but if you glance at any post I make it now looks like it comes from some 'troll' account and perhaps subconsciously and naturally you get disrespectful because your mind thinks "just some troll".
One person PMed me to apologise, and it's fine... but this is across the site.
Whatever the reason, maybe you'll scoff and say "that is how Iranians are", and because I'm only half-Iranian and half-English I just don't get it and I shouldn't take it to heart. But we are not all the same, and I don't see it as an excuse to slander and insult everyone all the time. I mean, insult a guy if they insult you, maybe, but why insult someone for talking with you?...
I come here to talk and get excited about Iran. There's no point being here if it's going to be a bad experience that only hurts.
And keep in mind I'm also kind of neutral, in the sense I'm not from Iran and have an outside view. I know I'm not the only one, but I think I'm in the minority there. And I can tell you any neutrals who come across this forum will see a bunch of Iranians saying the world's out to get them and attacking each other. We may as well be dancing in the streets burning a flag shouting "allahu akbar", that's how it looks.
I don't want to be insulting, I'm giving my honest view on what I am seeing and my experiences. And it has driven me away. Goodbye. You can now insult me one last time and laugh. I probably won't be here to see it (who knows, I visited this site so much that I'll probably accidentally click on it out of habit). Enjoy your target and sling your stones one last time.
Being half-Iranian, I already knew of the famed inquisitive and respectful (and boisterous) Persian nature, but I was still taken aback by the respect people showed each other, even in disagreement. I had found a forum where people treat others how they themselves would like to be treated.
But this has changed the past few days. I don't know whether it is a load of new members or if a World Cup just brings out a darker side of people, but suddenly it seems like an offence to disagree with someone's opinion, and an even bigger offence to try and engage in discussion about it. When I've respectfully disagreed with people and taken the time to explain why, the response is always now that I'm being condescending, or negative, or some other form or rude... often in a post hurling insults at me.
Perhaps it's also no coincidence I got this after I got my 1 and only neg rep, from a member with ridiculous rep power, because of an opinion (that if at the 2015 Asian Cup Pooladi was Iraqi, we'd be calling the ref biased if he didn't give him a yellow for his antics). Reps are meaningless, but if you glance at any post I make it now looks like it comes from some 'troll' account and perhaps subconsciously and naturally you get disrespectful because your mind thinks "just some troll".
One person PMed me to apologise, and it's fine... but this is across the site.
Whatever the reason, maybe you'll scoff and say "that is how Iranians are", and because I'm only half-Iranian and half-English I just don't get it and I shouldn't take it to heart. But we are not all the same, and I don't see it as an excuse to slander and insult everyone all the time. I mean, insult a guy if they insult you, maybe, but why insult someone for talking with you?...
I come here to talk and get excited about Iran. There's no point being here if it's going to be a bad experience that only hurts.
And keep in mind I'm also kind of neutral, in the sense I'm not from Iran and have an outside view. I know I'm not the only one, but I think I'm in the minority there. And I can tell you any neutrals who come across this forum will see a bunch of Iranians saying the world's out to get them and attacking each other. We may as well be dancing in the streets burning a flag shouting "allahu akbar", that's how it looks.
I don't want to be insulting, I'm giving my honest view on what I am seeing and my experiences. And it has driven me away. Goodbye. You can now insult me one last time and laugh. I probably won't be here to see it (who knows, I visited this site so much that I'll probably accidentally click on it out of habit). Enjoy your target and sling your stones one last time.
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