Blogs and Forums- Do the Pros Outweigh the Cons?

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Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)
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  • #587914
    slabodka
    Participant

    Yasher koach to YWN for opening up an avenue of dialogue and debate, ostensibly l’maan haemes and L’shem shamayim. People want to share their ideas and opinions, as well as hear what wisdom they can gain from others. But at what expense? I get so sickened by reading “below-the-belt” comments, that I often have to stop reading that particular column. Posters are constantly bashing each other in ways that are often horrifyingly nasty. I am no tzaddik myself, but it seems to me that this tit-for-tat is often the main focus of the forum. Instead of logically getting our points across we nip at each other saying “you’re too frum”, or you’re not frum enough”, or trying to get some posters kicked off these pages. Is this what hashem wants for Klal Yisroel?

    So I pose my question: Do the pros of these blogs and forums really outweigh the cons?

    #670829
    Joseph
    Participant

    No. Close the comment sections.

    #670830
    Joe Schmo
    Member

    Joseph?!

    Did you just say that?

    Joseph? The guy everyone in my Shul talks about?!

    YOU want the comment section closed?

    By the way, I think the coffee room is GREAT!

    Just needs to be well moderated.

    Good luck!

    #670831
    YosephF
    Member

    jospehf, huh??

    #670832
    Joseph
    Participant

    The Hocker:

    Yes! Unbelievable, no?!

    I really mean it though. If you have idiots with anti-Torah ideas posting, supporters of the Torah MUST rise up and denounce it. But if there is no opportunity for them to post their narishkeit, then it saves a whole lot of time for the fans of the Torah.

    BTW its good to know I’m so famous! Why are you talking about YW so much in shul? Shul isn’t a social venue… But what are you saying anyways? 😉

    #670833
    willi
    Member

    josephf- Do you sign off as “Joseph” in the news section? Or are you 2 different ppl?

    Btw I thought you were sarcastic. Seems that you’re really enjoying commenting here, no?

    #670834

    none of your business

    #670836
    Joseph
    Participant

    willi – The Coffee Room somehow display the handle differently than the main section. (Here it shows the login name, in the main section you can choose any screen name.)

    #670837
    ujm
    Participant

    blogs are used by several reshoyim to malign and attack the Torah and its servants – Rabbonim and Talmidei Chachomim.

    #670839
    richy
    Member

    josephf-we aaall know youlike ywn (coffe room)

    #670841
    yoshi
    Member

    Hey I think the “coffee room” is a great way for us to connect. Many of us have questions, complaints, stories, etc. of which we like to share and get feedback on, and hear opinions & views of Jews from all over. Some of the topics do get very heated at times, and people say such hurtful things to each other. You can’t “know” someone solely from their comments here on YW, so we shouldn’t judge so harshly & jump to what could be false conclusions of one another. It’s ok to disagree with someone’s comments, but do it in a polite, non badgering fashion. The Aveiros you are getting from the Loshon Harah, Embarrassment & Hurting one’s feelings is not worth it. Peace, Love & Harmony people!

    #670842
    mosherose
    Member

    blogs are used by several reshoyim to malign and attack the Torah and its servants – Rabbonim and Talmidei Chachomim.

    I know. It sickens me to see them. We should have them all shut down.

    #670843
    Think BIG
    Member

    I don’t know about you guys, but I find blogs and forums to be a royal time-waster. Yes, it’s interesting and entertaining. But are we becoming better people by discussing these ideas? And if (IF!)the answer is yes, isn’t there a better way to grow than through these forums, like learning or going to a shiur or doing a chessed? I am speaking for myself of course, as I am finding myself quite addicted to this. But surely, all the accumulated hours on the computer are ticking away at our lives…

    #670844
    YW Moderator-42
    Moderator

    Speaking of old days… Interesting topic, though it doesn’t mention the problem of getting people addicted to the Internet which can lead to other problems. There was recently a Kol Korei against frum web sites that would probably hold that the pros do noy outweigh the cons

    #670845
    oomis
    Participant

    Think Big, as you are here on this blog and not doing those other things mentioned at the same time, apparently you find it to be enjoyable, entertaining, and a refreshing exchange of ideas. I do not consider those things to be a waste of time, because they are part of communicating with other people, something some of us need to learn how to do a little better. An anonymous forum is an ideal place to start.

    #670846
    mybat
    Member

    I like to hear other people points of views, people who I would have no contact with if it weren’t for YW. It keeps me updated on everything that’s going on!

    #670847
    smartcookie
    Member

    It keeps me updated that’s for sure.

    I don’t find myself wasting time here. I’m only on when I have a free hand.

    Ex.- while eating breakfast I sit and read the YWN. Or while holding my crying baby who just wants me to sit and hold him, or when I’m looking to relax and have nothing else to read… The reasons are endless.

    If you are wasting time here, please don’t!

    #670848
    WAHOO
    Member

    ITS A MAJOR TIME WASTER AND IM TRYING TO WORK ON IT!!! BUT WHEN IM BUSY DOING COLLEGE I LIKE TO TAKE A BREAK AND CHILLLLLLLLLLLLLL

    Please do not use all caps.

    #670849
    nnnnnn
    Member

    its entertaining, thats a good enough reason for me

    #670850
    Jothar
    Member

    It’s a good idea of it’s moderated. Bad idea if it’s not.

    #670851
    Just-a-guy
    Member

    The following items are used to both promote Torah and the Torah lifestyle, and also malign Torah and its adherents:

    ink

    paper

    the printing press

    the mail

    books

    magazines

    soapboxes

    newspapers

    radio

    television

    computers

    #670852
    bpt
    Participant

    Moshe Rose is right, many of the blogs do specalize in loshon hora. YWN Coffee room’s mods do a good job of filtering that out.

    However, I do believe that a side benefit to blogs that are not monitored is the fact that people who are victims can see that they are not alone, and even if they do not seek help, there is some solace in knowing that you’re not alone.

    If you’ve never been a victim (doesnt matter what kind of abuse, they all hurt) then you cannot really know what it feels like to think that you’re the only one who’s been thru the problem. Being able to talk (or listen) to the story of others helps somewhat.

    Another plus is that would be (or active) agressors think twice before acting on their impulse. No, it does not solve the problem, but if it cutails it by 10 or 20%, that’s 10 or 20% less pain. Again, nothing condones loshon horah, but try telling that to a victim.

    And if you think I’m making this up, think again. (v’hamaven, yovin)

    #670853
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    once again i hate to nitpick and take haifagirls job…but i believe the word id CURtail not CUTtail

    #670854
    haifagirl
    Participant

    bombmaniac: I don’t care if you do my job, but please do it right. You need some capitalization and punctuation:

    Once again I hate to nitpick and take haifagirl’s job…but I believe the word is CURtail not CUTtail.

    But you’re right. It is curtail. And if you’re going to criticize someone for his spelling, misspell properly. He spelled it cutail with only one “t.” (And I have a strong feeling it was a typo on his part.)

    #670855
    Just-a-guy
    Member

    “once again i hate to nitpick and take haifagirls job…but i believe the word id CURtail not CUTtail”

    Well, if we’re going there…

    Once again, I hate to nitpick and take haifagirl’s job, but I believe the word is CURtail, not CUTtail.

    #670856
    Just-a-guy
    Member

    You beat me to it HG.

    #670857
    bombmaniac
    Participant

    lol HG :D:D:D who will watch the watchers :D:D:D

    #670858
    YW Moderator-42
    Moderator

    Back on topic, in response to BP Totty’s post. There are halachos about when one is allowed to speak lashon hara. Many conditions have to be met including that there has to be a to’eles in saying it. The Chofetz Chaim says that even if nothing will be done about the avla, if speaking about it will calm a person’s worries then it might be considered li’toeles. Obviously you still need the other 6 conditions which are probably very hard to fulfill on an open blog.

    #670859
    oomis
    Participant

    So here is a theoretical question. If you knew with 99% certainty that someone had been arrested for a heinous crime, and a person by that person’s (unusual) name was in your community – would you speak up about it?

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