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Advice and tips ?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Ok I have been coming to the politics forum moreso since it has become a more debating on any subjects. When I first came to this forum I felt kinda scared because I know that a lot of you are well educated, use proper grammar, can write very good posts etc and not being very good at using words I felt a bit inferior.

So basically what advice and tips can you give newer members to this forum like myself on how to make a better written post. What things do we miss out ? Do we explain ourselves well enough ? How do you keep your calm when someone writes something which totally infuriates you (it could be something which you find totally disgusting yet somebody else approves off this thing) ?

Id appreciate your views and advice or any helpful tips you can give me.

Thanks :)

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    becky i too am in your position. i had almost no formal education.
    my spelling and grandma are far worse than yours! but i certainly don't feel stupid. i grew up in a political household so that helps.
    compassion, insight and wisdom have nothing to do with education. i learn as i go ...i have learned a lot from this very site. about people points of view etc. i'm never afraid ...i hope ...to hold my hands up and admit the other guy might just be right.
    don't worry about it ...carry on being you. keep an open mind to others point of view. if you find something disgusting don't be afraid to say so ...stand by what you believe ...but only to the point when you know you were wrong. if your not sure wether your right or wrong at some point then say so. your very popular on these boards with all kinds of people. you don't have to change anything. remember there is A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN OPEN MINDED oops ... and promiscuous.
    i come on here drunk ...high on grass ...very tired etc. tonight i am very high on grass and am drinking ...so it can only get better ..................... till i read what i posted in the morning!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Its hard to explain but sometimes i think "did that sound right" and have to read the post 4 or 5 times just to check wether it sounded right. I have this fear of looking stupid because my posts are not well written like some.
    Then im a born rambler and totally lose the plot if you know what I mean. Its very hard for me to explain things so sometimes I can be taken the wrong way and it does concern me to a certain degree.

    HHmmm you get my drift though, anyway thanks for your tips :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Its hard to explain but sometimes i think "did that sound right" and have to read the post 4 or 5 times just to check wether it sounded right. I have this fear of looking stupid because my posts are not well written like some.
    Then im a born rambler and totally lose the plot if you know what I mean. Its very hard for me to explain things so sometimes I can be taken the wrong way and it does concern me to a certain degree.

    HHmmm you get my drift though, anyway thanks for your tips :)

    Becks, you worry too much! :) I can't remember you ever being pulled up on your grammar or spelling. Most things can be taken the wrong way if the person reading it wants to take it the wrong way but most of us here understand you totally. You've never looked stupid here IMHO - you may not have the spelling of some here but you have a knowledge of the world, compassion and charm that most of us don't have, and they don't teach that stuff at any school!

    Speaking personally, I'd rather have a forum full of different people with different views with bad spelling and grammar (as long as it was readable - and most of it is) rather than have everyone scared off and have the same few people arguing the same old points in perfect English. Also speaking personally I'd rather read a page of your posts in your language than a line of Mono-ese. ;)

    Hmmm seeing as this is an Advice and tips thread I recommend the following sites for a good grounding in political knowledge:
    BBC Vote 2001 - a good grounding for the current political situation
    BBC Past Election Battles - gives a good grounding for the broad political opinions of the parties as well as historical background
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's not about education or grammar skills. God knows I have none of those yet, and will probably never have the latter. It's about insight, and interests.

    Do some background research on the topic you're discussing, or have some points of referance from real life. That's the thing that'll get you the furthest, I'd say.
    That goes for everything. And doesn't necessarily apply to this forum. Cause in the end everyone here is a pretender thinking he/she knows best (though I really do know best ;)).
    None of us have created world peace or found the cure for cancer, all a bunch of wannabes, really.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by kevlar85
    I can't remember you ever being pulled up on your grammar or spelling.

    Probably not so much now but in earlier days maybe. Im trying harder these days compared to when I first came to these boards.
    I tend to respect this forum a lot more than the others and I dont mean that in a way of putting the other forums down but here its all about debate and theres no room for being the *joker* like I tend to be in the other forums. I keep my serious side for here.
    Yes you are also right I am a born worrier, thats my nature and I cant seem to lose that part of me.

    Jacq I tend to only post in the debating things, I keep out of the political side of debates because I know that I cannot keep up with everyone else. I do not have the knowledge of politics to feel confident in actually having a debate with people, i would be in too deep there and deffinatley lose the plot ;)

    Thanks for your comments, hopefully they will help newer members who maybe are feeling like I did when I first came here :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Maybe you could ask the mods to sticky this thread. And make a thread about this in Anything Goes linking people to this specific thread, so they can ask their questions as well.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper
    Maybe you could ask the mods to sticky this thread. And make a thread about this in Anything Goes linking people to this specific thread, so they can ask their questions as well.

    Nah I will leave that in your capable hands Jacq, im a dummy with computers so still cant do a link :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Make the thread, I'll link :)

    Though it's really not that hard. You go to the adress bar on top of the page, right click so the whole adress turns blue/grey and right click again and choose "copy" on the options that come up.
    Then when you want to link, you rightclick on your mouse again and press paste.

    The fancy linking with a a text is not necessary.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Jacqueline the Ripper
    Make the thread, I'll link :)


    ok :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    ok :)
    well ya cheating lazy buggar!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    As long as you don't use text message abbreviations, i don't mind the odd spelling mistake. Pobody's nerfect.

    The best thing to do for a basic grounding in politics and debate is to read the newspapers, watch the TV news and listen to a radio station that has political debate shows (like the jeremy Vine programme on Radio 2).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    .
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by BeckyBoo
    Nah I will leave that in your capable hands Jacq, im a dummy with computers so still cant do a link :lol:

    Just an update, I can now do a link :p

    So just to prove it The link

    Whose a clever girl eh :lol:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by girl with sharp teeth
    if someone is is irritating you, the best thing to do is try and emolish their argument as calmly and factually as possible, leaving personal insults out of it. slanging matches just make you look stupid and possessing a weak argument.

    Its not so much the irritating its when someone may *think* that a certain beleif is ok to practice and I may think its disgusting and it turns my insides the thought of what they are doing or saying, how do you keep your calm?
    I dont particularly want to mention things which would make me feel disgusted because then my luck and hey presto that subject would appear :)

    I am learning slowly to try and sit back and *think* before I type which is what I have been told to do before but on some topics my mouth works first then my brain thinks *no you shouldnt have done that*, but im getting there slowly :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Yes listen to GWST, Im one of those who admittedly loses his cool with wanton ignorance but then its usually a certain inane calibre of regurgitated spin which has otherwise universally been discredited that triggers my flare ups.

    But dont worry, ive often agreed with your view on matters.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    After about a year and a half on the board, and countless discussions, and name calling, and a lot of frustration, I have only now learnt to ignore the topics and posts where I can't keep my cool.
    At this point where people know my views, it's just not worth getting stressed over. Cause that is what I did. At some point I guess you just learn that it doesn't really matter what gets said in this forum. Nice and all, but frankly no one here is a decision-maker which can affect much at present state.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I just wanted to bump this thread back up again. A couple of posters have said they are not too confident posting in this forum, so if any of you are reading this and have questions then fire away :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have to confess, I look at nearly every forum on here except the politics forum! I suppose it's because the debate on here always seems to get really heated, and I'm concerned about saying something and being shot down in flames. But I suppose I'll never find out what this board's really like if I keep avoiding it!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I used to think more or less the same as you.

    Id just tell you to keep in with the topics your comfortable with. I never go into the political side of things because this lot would eat me alive lol.

    Ive had times where Ive lost my rag in here, but now after coming to this forum for some time you see the other side of posters. Some posters who you thought were big bad wolves are actually nice cuddly bears :D


    Another thing is 'think' before you rush in and post, thats where I used to go wrong, I still do sometimes. Read what someone has replied with and make sure you know where they are coming from. A couple of times I have taken what someone has replied with the wrong way, which has been my fault for not reading their reply properly.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If you intuitively disgree with someone then the first thing to do is take a step back and consider why you think this person is wrong.

    It may be that you know that their opinion is based on false facts or incorrect assumptions, in which case they can be put right.

    It may be that their opinion is based on a different interpretattion of the facts in which case you need to explain why you bwelieve your interpretation to be 'better'


    Something which would be nice to see more of is people admitting when they are wrong but I suppose it is human nature to avoid that.............
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Toadborg
    Something which would be nice to see more of is people admitting when they are wrong .............
    ok. will do should the situation arise.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by morrocan roll
    ok. will do should the situation arise.

    Fortunately I am never wrong so don't have to countenance the possibility.............:rolleyes:
  • JadedJaded Posts: 2,682 Boards Guru
    :yeees:

    And there I was in complete agreement with your last articulate post, thinking what a voice of reason you were Toadborg.....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You see then I was right!

    I win!!!!

    (The :rolleyes: was at myself for sounding pompous)
  • JadedJaded Posts: 2,682 Boards Guru
    Got that ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Bo! :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Well, I always subscribed to what my mother used to tell me when i was young, "I may not always be right, but I'm never wrong". ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Amen Brother...............
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