Are We Entering An Endless Cycle Of Irrelevant Stupidity?

[sp1814]

The Internet is a great place for exchanging views, and challenging viewpoints...but have we entered a period where we now have two tribes - one waiting to be offended by something, and the other waiting for the first to be offended to condemn them for being offended?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/stephen-fry-condemns-twitter-as-stalking-ground-for-the-sanctimoniously-self-righteous-after-a6875506.html

Is this the future? Do we no longer really care about the issue, but are more interested in sharing how offended we are on the 'rainbow of outrage'?

What's your take on this?

[Retrochic]

I preferred it in the 70's where only a few maiden aunts felt the need to be publicly outraged. Now every one seems to be trying to outdo each other in their capacity for outrage, only trumped by their unceasing sanctimonious self righteous rants. TBH I can't stand Fry but really....

[Baldric]

Stephen Fry is in the great scheme of things a luvvy with an over inflated idea of his own importance and twitter just helped to boost his ego until he got slagged off on there.

[EDDIE51]

I do not use Twitter but I agree with the sentiments expressed , we get it on AB as well.

[Jackdaw33]

Whatever happened to;

Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.

[sp1814]

Okay hang on - let's not focus on the messenger here (Stephen, who I think has wildly overreacted here), but the message itself.

Is it true to say that there are way too many people, left, right and centre wandering around the Internet, spending their time waiting to be offended by something - and then howling at the moon in an attempt to show that their wounds are deeper and rawer than the next person?

Not 100% sure that 'rawer' is a word.

[-Talbot-]

What The Funicular is a 'rainbow of outrage'?

Are you blue sky thinking, sp?

[ToraToraTora]

I find the social media thing incomprehensible so I'm continually surprised that people get so involved in it. SF has spat the dummy out several times this time there is "twitter" to do it on.

[-Talbot-]

sp1814

Okay hang on - let's not focus on the messenger here (Stephen, who I think has wildly overreacted here), but the message itself.


He has overreacted to the over reaction.

[sp1814]

ToraToraTora

The AnswerBank is social media.

Seriously.

[Noe-schitt]

Don't give a schit carry on being offended

[ToraToraTora]

nah not like facetwit etc, we don't report our every waking second, just off for a forest gump....back again, ooo here's a picture of the Richard by pet rabbit just done on my lap top.......yada yada!

[sp1814]

-Talbot-

The rainbow of outrage is a term that has been bandied about in some tech forums I read.

Rainbows have colours from light to deep, and people sit on one section of the rainbow. We see it all the time - there are some people who are constantly in a state of utter outrage (the red part of the rainbow), whereas others who will read the same stories and will just feel mildly upset (the blue range).

[Prudie]

My take on this is the internet has provided a route for people to knock other people without worrying about doing it in real life and risking a fat lip. It happens on this site in microcosm. The people I meet in real life are nowhere near as mean as those one can find online. Because real people tend to be more considerate face to face.

[-Talbot-]

er ... ok lol.

[sp1814]

TTT

Just to sideline for a moment...the quality of someone's Facebook friends' posts is reliant on one's friends.

If you edit out all the people you know who post pictures of cute dogs, their children and their last meal, you're left with those who are actually interesting.

I deleted a 'friend' who I've know for years who had the audacity to post a picture of her supper, with the comment, 'Broccoli again...lol'.

[agchristie]

'The rainbow of outrage', I like that. Very colourful language.

There are some characters who deliberately use provocative language knowing very well that their comments will invite trouble.

However, the amount of people who jump on the bandwagon of vicarious offence is pitiful. Fanning the flames springs to mind unnecessarily.

And yes, we see it on this site too which often deflects from the issue(s) being discussed....

[Jackdaw33]

LOL @ sp @21:16. What a load of pretentious gonads!

[sp1814]

agchristie

The reason why I think this story is relevant is because Stephen Fry is actually a good friend of Jenny Bevan.

So these Twitterati are getting on their high horse on behalf of someone who isn't even in the paddock!

[agchristie]

> there are some people who are constantly in a state of utter outrage (the red part of the rainbow), whereas others who will read the same stories and will just feel mildly upset (the blue range)

...and a helluva lot of people who are just...er...green.