I'm just gonna rant a bit....

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:43am

Is it me, or can NO ONE make a freakin' decision in their lives anymore? Everytime I open any of the discussion boards I visit, people are asking for advice on anything from marriage advice, parenting, what bed to buy, where to vacation, whether to take meds....FROM FREAKING STRANGERS.

Is this just an extention of people not taking responsibility for themselves? (If it doesn't work out, then its the fault of the person who GAVE the advice?) Drives me nuts.

I mean, what the heck did people do before discussion boards? I'll tell you -- they talked to friends and family members and freakin' figured sh*t out for themselves!

[SonofMammaMiaSam]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:46am

You couldn't answer this yourself?

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:49am

:)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:51am

Get a blog.

Seriously though, I think now that we have the internet, people want a wider scope of opinion. Sure I can ask my Aunt Tilly if I should travel to London, but with the internet, I can actually talk to people in London and get better advice.

Yes it does seem like so many people are seeking advice, but to me it's just that they want as much information as they can get to make a quality decision.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:54am

Maybe I'm just too old.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 11:57am

I am right there with ya.

I love when they give options that are SO different. "Should I see this dramatic, intense play or this light-hearted, dancey musical?" That's like asking, "Should I see a series of monologues or a medley of tap-dancing songs?" Well, that depends on who you are and what you like, and we do not know that. Should not know that, too.

And how hard is it just to look through some posts and figure out what people think of the show? No matter who you are, After Eight will tell you to avoid seeing Once, and dollypop would have encouraged you to see Godspell. And there are multitudes of posts and threads that show that.

Side note: I love how new users are either 1) scared and nervous or 2) a troll, and probably the same troll. I have only been posting here since April, and I have never felt intimidated or beat upon by the "legends" on here. I don't get where the intimidation comes from.

Updated On: 6/26/12 at 11:57 AM

[Addison D.]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:00pm

Yes, but...

It's true that when you canvas your friends and loved ones for their opinions, you can take take into account what you know about their intelligence, experience and preferences when you weigh their responses. When you ask the Internet for input, you are getting unfiltered data from un-known sources. But you are also opening yourself up to a potentially unlimited spectrum of knowledge, experience and wisdom. I'm fascinated by the things people on this site know (or claim to know) and the resources--articles, websites, etc.--that I have found just reading the message boards here.

There is no doubt that you need to use judgement in weighing the value of the information provided by strangers, and I personally wouldn't make a decision about whether or not to vaccinate my child (to use a topic that is widely debated on some of the websites that I visit) based on one random comment by an unknown poster. But I have read dozens of articles on the topic that I might not have otherwise found as a result of reading comments from 'strangers'.

As with everything, critical thinking skills are always useful.

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:05pm

"Which show should I see?" threads are sad pathetic excuses for attention. I hate those people.

[Playbilly]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:10pm

Chill out dramamama. It's only a board.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:13pm

dramamama, I hear ya. Drives me nuts too.

Okay, so what should I have for lunch today? I'm having trouble deciding. I'm home, so among my options are:
> turkey pot pie
> chicken breast and mixed veggies (have a few boxed frozen Green Giant options)
> sardines in mustard sauce and steamed green beans

Guess the sardines could go with the mixed vegetables, and the chicken breast could go with the green beans.

Or I could just have a big plate of veggies.

Only good sandwich option on hand is PB&J. I'm out of roast beef, lettuce, etc. (Maybe I should go to the store sometime soon??)

Or should I get dressed (not that I'm not dressed now -- but I'm not "go out in public" dressed) and just drive to the Taco Bell and have a couple of tacos fresco? (They're only 150 calories each.) I think I'd rather stay in for now though...

Omg, it's so harrrrrrd to decide these things!! Help!!!!

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:28pm

Honestly- its the same reason I hate those damn Siri commercials. "Is it RAINING? Let's get tomato soup delivered!"

Get a damn life. Look out the damn window. Make a damn can of damn tomato soup. I don't need a damn I-Phone to do any damn thing. Damn you Zoey Deschanel.

[Addison D.]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:36pm

In with anger, out with love...

(But not for Zoey Deschanel. She's the anti-Christ.)

[D2]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:37pm

"As with everything, critical thinking skills are always useful."

And therein lies another problem, because it's woefully apparent many, many, many people lack those essential skills.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:40pm

I will never forgive John Malkovich for being in a Siri commercial, and when I meet him, I will (definitely not) tell him that! Humph!

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 12:55pm

In my experience at least half the time people come asking for opinions on which show/restaurant/activity they should do, they have already made up their minds and simply want confirmation they chose right.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 1:05pm

Whizzer, that sounds about right.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 1:05pm

I love Zooey's Siri commercial.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 1:06pm

"but to me it's just that they want as much information as they can get to make a quality decision."

I agree (again) with Goth.

[JbaraFan1]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 1:18pm

Goth did make a good point.

I'm sure different people seek advice for different reasons.

One thing I've noticed that happens time and again is that there is a sort of checks and balances to it all. Like if someone asks for advice or info on a particular matter, and someone replies with shoddy or downright inaccurate advice/info, someone else will usually call them on it and offer info that is accurate and be able to back up why.

[Jane2]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 7:28pm

This thread is making me so grateful to have a mind of my own.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 9:33pm

That Zooey Deschanel commercial makes me stabby.
Brian Williams on Zooey's Siri commercial.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/26/12 at 10:35pm

I never had a single opinion on Zooey Deschanel. I remained neutral on the bangs issue, and not having seen (although in hindsight I'm wondering if the more accurate word might be "endured"?) a single smidge of her work, it was easy to stay out of the Zooey issue completely. I liked the SNL sketches about her, but mainly for the Michael Cera impersonation.

Then that commercial. And that commercial again. And again. And again. I believe it was the first official moment when Apple marketing jumped the shark. I now actively hate her. That's a strong word, I know, but by expressing it I feel it lets off some steam and stops me from wishing for her death, which would be a terrible thing to do. As a feminist, I abhor all violence against women. But perhaps a minor scalding with the freaking ordered in tomato soup?

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 6/27/12 at 10:08am

Every time I see that godforsaken commercial it makes me happy I got rid of my iPhone.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 6/27/12 at 10:34am

I never really had much of an opinion on her unitl I endured that horrific "New Girl." Before then, I sort of remembered her from "Almost Famous" (a movie I just sort of remember anyway) and found her annoying on "Weeds," but since her character on that was supposed to be annoying, I didn't realize she was she was playing that same variation of (what she purports to be) herself that she always plays. I think blunt, thick bangs that start in the middle of the head are awful on EVERYONE (I'm looking at you, Rose Byrne) so I don't judge her for those.

But yeah, that commercial is the worst. I think the part that makes me skin crawl the most is the that "Ohhhhh" she says after the freaking phone tells her its raining.

Also, if you can't be bothered to make your own tomato soup, I can't fathom you could be bothered to clean your own house.

Posted: 6/27/12 at 10:47am

If opening a can of soup or looking out the window is too much for you how in the world did you manage to get an I-Phone?