Hi my name is Timothy. I am doing a piece of English language coursework for my A-Levels (The English version of final exams). For this coursework I am investigating whether a specific discourse has developed on internet political chat rooms. It would help me if some people answered some of these questions. Or made any comment that might be of interest

1. Why do you use political chat rooms

2. Do you use of types of internet chat rooms

3. Do you express youreself differantly on political chat rooms

4. Do more people on political chat rooms have extreme opinions than 'average'

5. Any other comment such as you political orientation would also be usefull. Also feel free to argue amongst yourself about the purpose of message boards

{1} meet folks, find out difference of opinion

{2}???

{3} no, politics is part of American life{maybe not the best part, but still part}

{4} No, they tell how they feel, Years back I would go sit in the local pub and listen to some pretty heated discussion about politics.

{5}One thing we all need to remeber here on allforums is that....................TRAVH........is allways right. :D

Hi Timothy

1. Why do you use political chat rooms
I use forums, not chat rooms, because chat is really frustrating - you cannot have any intelligent conversation in real time.
I started posting on this formu because I wanted to know the opinion of "average" american people on internationa politics, one year after 9-11.

3. Do you express youreself differantly on political chat rooms
It's hard to say since it is the only place where i get to write about my political opinions.

4. Do more people on political chat rooms have extreme opinions than 'average'
I don't know the average american opinion. I would say that people tend to be more rude than in real discussion since the usual politeness codes are not valid because of the anonymity (is this an english word ?) of Internet.

Hello Timothy, welcome to Allforums

1. Technically this is a forum, not a chat room. I prefer forums because political dicussions in chat rooms tend to move too fast.

2.?- I think you meant to ask, "Do you use different types of internet chat rooms?" (see answer #1)

3. No, but the forum format allows for more editing, which makes for more expressive posting.

4. Hard to say, different people are passionate about different things, and Allforums has discussions about a lot of different topics, not just politics.

5. I consider myself more of a Libertarian, but I have some conservative and liberal leanings as well.

Hi its Tim again. I meant to ask if you use any other types of internet chat rooms or forums. i.e a forum discussing the best way to treat owls.
The current replies are along the right lines.
But dont feel constrained by my questions

Owls are kool, I love watching them out in the woods. One year I sat under a bush and held my glove up and kept moving it back and forth so it looked like a little critter. Well this owl sat there and watched, then would move closer and closer. When he/she got to close I figured it was time to quit being stupid. It was an old barn owl, wing span had to be at the very least 5 foot across.

LOL, OK mad dog, good story. one of my friends ex girlfriends used to make money by collecting owl turds.

Now who would eat them :D

1. Why do you use political chat rooms

I like to use political forums because it is a social faux pas to discuss politics. I like to hear and try to understand others' points of views on various subjects. Forums provides and excellent arena where virtual strangers can "debate" and discuss different ideas. While there is some emotion that can be conveyed on the posts here, it is essentially capped since none of us actually are speaking to each other. Politics, a very touchy subject, can be discussed here without the usual backlash that one would get for discussing these issues face to face.

2. Do you use of types of internet chat rooms

A few, yes.

3. Do you express youreself differantly on political chat rooms

I'm not clear on what this question is asking. Are you asking if I act differently on the forums than I do in real life? My answer would be no. Although I don't usually talk in paragraphs, while on here I try to!

4. Do more people on political chat rooms have extreme opinions than 'average'

I would say yes simply because the average person has no opinion on many of the subjects that we discuss here.

5. Any other comment such as you political orientation would also be usefull. Also feel free to argue amongst yourself about the purpose of message boards.

If I have to pick between the Democrat and the Republican ideology, I would pick the Republican, hands down. However, I too lean towards a more laissez-faire government and I probably fit a combination of a Republican/Libertarian combination.

Hello Timothy,

In answer to your questions:

What do I use forums?

I'll clarify the question and say forums, because this isn't a chat room. I have strong opinions on various ideas on politics, the world, morality etc. For me the best way to get those across is to come to a forum. I can meet people like me who have opinions and insterests that are just as strong as mine, on both sides of the political spectrum. It gives me a release for my opinions/ideas that can't be found elsewhere. I can share ideas, and be critiqued on my postings. Also, debate is fascinating, to have an idea and hold to it in the face of opposition is something that keeps me thinking, looking researching. NO ONE should go through life who has ideas that are never challenged.

Do I use types of internet chat rooms?

From time to time, I'll hit the AOL chatrooms. But if they're not full of kids looking to cyber, they're filled with guys who just shout out pronouncements over and over and never can be drawn into a debate. Which is frustrating. So I have turned to forums.

Do I express myself differently in polictical chatrooms?

Yes, the ideas I have aren't easily expressed in the "real world." At work the main subject is sports (UGH!). And the EXTREMELY mundane, (where they put the garbage at night) both of which are about as exciting as watching the grass grow. Also my line of work depends on my speed and the ability to get along with others. So I lot of times I have to bite my tongue when someone is coming up with opinions that are so damn off base... Forums allows me to free the ideas I have running around inside of me.

5 Polictical affiliation and purpose of the boards.

I'm conservative/libertarian.

The purpose of boards is to express your ideas to others. I like to have my ideas exposed for criticism, as I find it refreshing. I just wish I could debate with some of the idiots I see sending letters to the editors in my local papers. I think a part of it is finding who you are when your ideas are confronted. It's something everyone should do. It defines who you are.

hello again

1.
I use it mostly because other sections, which I'd rather attend, aren't nearly as popular as politics section. I've got a tread on Chat asking why people on forums like talking about politics so much more than anything else, but it's not very popular :(

2.
Obviously yes. Politics is among my non-favorite subjects, so I usually post on other sections/forums.

3.
Why should anyone? After all, people here are trying to get their point across, so why should they express themselves differently here than they would usually do?

4.
Quite so. Like mentioned, people who have not much opinion don't say anything. People who actually say something here feel strongly about it.

5.
Not interested in any political orientation at this point. I think it's prepostrous to think that I should already have a complete set of ideas of how a government/country should be run--it requires a great great amount of knowledge, wisdom, smarts, and incredible intuition in order to make one's political view at least respectable. In fact, the simple fact that somebody here can always find some flaw in somebody else's political view discourages me from sticking to anything and say "I think blah should be done this way or it's wrong" at this point of my life.

Originally I got on allforums when I was posting my debate against the existence of God on every forum I could find, mainly because I couldn't find any intelligent defense. I switched over to the politics section
Politics are fun to argue, arguing in general is fun. I get a kick out of tearing apart someone's argument or defending mine, and here I get to fight with people who like to argue as much as me :)

Oh and of course people here have more extreme opinions, or at least care about them more, if they didn't really care about politics then they wouldn't spend their time arguing here.

I too enjoy debating, name-calling, and mud-slinging. I get a kick out of other people's heightened emotions. People are much better than pets, more interactive.

Timothy, in the course of the average day it is hard to engage in intellectual conversation. The (average person)is pretty shallow.
I make a statement to someone to raise a response and get a blank expression or a handed down response.
From time to time on allforum good views are expressed.At the least an all out attack on each other occurs which is entertaining.
But some where in the chaos points of learning occur. Ideas are exchanged.You have the opportunity to hear from people of all types of backgrounds.
I think the members are probably more honest in opinions here than one on one in person meetings.
I enjoy each person regardless of my agreement or disagreement of views.

People will come to the Forums and say things knowing they are protected by the anonymity of the Internet. Most of these same people would not dare utter these statements in person for fear of receiving a good, old fashioned ass whupping.

[If you didn't get it the first two times, bumping topics is against forum rules, unless you have something new to say. --Mod]