Everyone does have an opinion; the problem is when other people do not allow everyone to have their own opinion. I have my opinion but I allow everyone else to have their opinion and post their opinion as well. I do not shove my opinion on other people and I do not think that my opinion is always "right" because I am open-minded. Some people are not open minded at all.

There are people on this site who feel that they are THE authority on every subject out there. They do not allow people to post opinions differing from theirs and even if they actually agree with someone, they WILL find something to disagree with simply because they MUST "show everyone that they are the best and are right". They are going to either force the other person to argue, agree, or shut up. They feel that gives them a "win". They cannot just let people have their opinion, they feel that every post is for them and they must comment on it. Even if they have posted their opinion 1,000 times, if someone has a differing opinion, they are going to argue that person down and try to show them where they are outright wrong.

Quite frankly, they are exhibiting classic narcissistic personality traits by doing so. They are obsessed with their own ego and self-image. They must show everyone that they are right and it is "I am the best and I'm going to show you that I'm smarter than everyone else." It is an ego thing. They do not have enough confidence in themselves to just be smart and know they're intelligent; they can't allow people to have their own opinion and post it either. They must FORCE people to submit to them because they have some sort of mental problem within themselves. The other person MUST submit to them.

That is not with everyone. There are a few people on here like that, though, and it's not very becoming. I don't know if they're like that in real life or if it's only their online personality because they don't get enough attention in their real lives and that's why they act like that online. But if that's how they are in real life - they would be the person who interrupts everyone else, or who is the know-it-all, or who has a story better than yours every time you say something, who has to one-up another person, or who follows up every other person's statement with a statement of their own and are probably quite annoying to most of their friends because their friends can't have an opinion of their own without that person shoving their opinion on them.

They obviously are getting some sort of payoff from it or they wouldn't do it. They either like the attention, or they like feeling they are superior to people, or they want other people to THINK they're superior to them, or something along those lines. Either they think they're the best at everything and they want everyone to know it by being condescending, aggressive, and attacking others - or they really lack self-confidence and they over-compensate by pretending to be the best. They are obsessed with themselves.

It's not about having an opinion or even about the subject matter, it's all about them when it comes right down to it.

oh you will submit to me, you just wait! ;)

But is it so wrong for people to fight for their opinion. I mean, surely if you whole heartedly believed something (irrespective if it was just your opinion or not), you would defend it to the death?

But you can defend your opinion without being belligerent. It's when your defenses of your opinion turn to mocking someone else or insulting someone else for their different opinion, or demanding that they must agree with you (even if you don't say that) in order to not be ignorant, that it becomes the problem. And unfortunately, there are far too many people who cross that line.

Nope, I wouldn't. If it is opinion that someone is disagreeing with (and not a fact), mostly I would let the argument die. If you are having a debate with someone about something and they are disagreeing with you, it's unlikely you would change their mind by defending your own opinions. I mean, if I thought my opinion was wrong after hearing your argument, for example, I would concede that you are probably right after all and I hadn't thought about whatever point you had raised. However, since I'm not going to form an opinion on something I don't know much about, I assume whatever opinion I am defending I have thought about carefully. If I don't think it is likely someone is going to change my mind, I can't expect any more from the person I am arguing with.

Did any of that even make sense?! It did to me but I know what what I meant! At the end of the day, since I probably won't change my opinion I don't expect anyone else to change theirs and therefore am unlikely to debate the matter.

Lol, we are all narcissistic in our own way -some just show it more than others ;)

I think the problem with Bloop is the way that some people assert their opinion. Or the fact that some present opinion as FACT. Certain diarists really need to differentiate!

I agree!!! :D :D :D

Yes, here 'asserting' one's opinion often comes across as 'attempting to force one's opinion down another's throat', complemented by the use of profanities and derogatory terms and just plain bitchiness. I've seen many a situation where if something was just said NICELY (or at least civilly) instead of completely and utterly bitchily, then the whole drama would never have started.

And even when something is said bitchily, people respond even more bitchily, instead of trying to be bigger person by ignoring the bitchiness of the original poster and just focusing on the argument (and not the way the argument was presented).

*snicker*

Bitchily!

...have my babies. HAVE THEM!

drama is a way to test your own opinions while destroying weak opinions, it's a win win ;D

That is NOT what "drama" is. Think about "drama" in relation to your real life - it's not about opinions at all. I don't do drama. But some people feed off of it, and I know that you like online drama in what you think are debates. There is a difference in someone not being able to stand up for their opinion if you are debating them because they don't know why they believe what they believe, and someone constantly finding a reason to argue with other people for absolutely no reason to feed their own ego.

For instance, I saw someone who agreed with a poster, but couldn't find any reason to argue with the person so she started to pick on the person's ability to use PARAGRAPHS. Just because she wanted to look superior. It's a superiority thing with that particular person. She's a total narcissist.

guilty!

I'll argue about most anything, because it's fun.

my ego loves winning and i am to please it

it's all a part of naturalness, survival, to impress the ladies ;D
or parents, elders, peers, or even to test one's self.

as much as so many seem to think an ego is bad, it's not. We have this world we have because of egos competing against other much larger egos like mine,lol

but u better know your shit, or we crush your egos

and this is how one can learn so much, even about grammar, like when someone points out how stupid i must be bec i cant spell and wrote in proper pooper form. i learn from that, they're helping for future debates, suckers! ;D

ps. if i went to a forum and saw a lots of debating go back and forth, even if done politely. I tend to say,. whoosh lots of drama in those forums. it may not be the correct way to say it. but it kinda is though.

which is fine. One thing I cannot not stand is people that are afraid to express their opinions, out of fear of what others might think.....or probably deep down they know it;s crap,and chose, wisely not to look a fool by opening their mouth

She didn't mean you though. She meant me. ;) Because she basically holds this massive grudge against me because of a disagreement we had months ago. Almost every post she has made in the forums since then, regardless of the topic, has been some subtle (no names mention) attack on me! It's hilarious. And she thinks I have mental health problems. LOL.

you'll work it out, give it time

find some common ground

jodi and I have had some pretty darn nasty knockout note wars, called each other every name in the book. time heals.......

it just takes longer when two pretty girls go at it, bec there's that added competition thingy.

for me it's the males that hold the long grudges. well, maybe it's my maleness that holds them at times. but i usually want peace in the long run, and look for some common halfway point

time will heal

or keep it up, a battle of wits keeps u on your tip toes :D

Oh for goodness sake. You don't like me. I get it, but why are you so obsessed with me that you have to turn every post you make in the forums into an attack on me. Get over it PLEASE!

And you clearly don't understand the definition of narcissistic personality disorder (or in fact the definition of personality disorder for that matter).

I have no problem with you personally because I don't even know you personally but I do have a problem with the way that you have behaved before. I do not turn every post into something about you, but if you think that then that's in your own head. In fact, what I posted in the tanning thread wasn't even for you. I wasn't handing out medical advice. I wasn't saying anything that was not even true.

How could that possibly mean that every post that I make is to you? I watch you wait for everyone to post something so that you can find something to say about it. You can say your opinion 10 times, and when another person posts his/her opinion, you're all over them also. I don't post anything for you. I don't talk to you. Although, on that thread, you agreed with what I said, but had to find something to disagree about. For what reason, though? It does make one wonder why you can't give it up and why you like to argue so very much. What do you get out of being the way that you are towards people sometimes? Because obviously you get some sort of payoff from it or you wouldn't do it.

You do want everyone to think that you're the smartest person on this site who knows everything about every subject, it comes across to me and many other people. If that's not what you want, then maybe you should check your behavior and the way that you talk to people.

I have even seen you resort to name-calling when you couldn't find anything else to say, and that shows a lot about you. Only ONCE have I ever called you a name, and it was basically to ASK you why you are such a bitch sometimes when you were clearly behaving like one at times by saying "CAN YOU READ". And quite frankly, THAT is the only thing that has really gotten your attention. And since I said it and now that means that you don't want to talk to me anymore, I could not possibly be more overjoyed. I don't need nor want your attitude, and I don't feed off drama as you do.

You assume too much, and you put words into people's mouths, and you twist things just so that you can argue with people. You can never let anything drop. Even to the point when people say "let's drop this" you cannot do it and must get the last word in - every single time. You always have to get the last word in, and the only way that you won't get the last word in is if someone blocks you or vice versa. That's how you end a conversation because you can't just not respond. You apparently don't have the self-control not to respond to things that people say - even when there is nothing more to be said or no reason for you disagree you will find something to disagree about.

And yes, you are condescending towards people and you act as if you are better than people at times. I'm not the only one who has said these things about you and you certainly know that if 25 people say that you're behaving in a certain way then those are the behaviors that you are exhibiting.

I don't exactly understand why you and I can't coexist and not speak to each other and leave each other alone. We can agree to do that, surely? However, that's all on you because you're the one who always has something to say to me - not the other way around. It's never been the other way around. But then I wonder if your obsession with getting in the last word would supersede that agreement should one be made.

I will treat you with the respect that you treat me with. That is how I have always treated you. You're always the first person to retreat into negativity and personal attacks or name-calling. It's ridiculous. I will continue treat you with the respect with which you treat me. Period. So if you find me disrespectful ever it is a direct result of your being disrespectful towards me.

I know exactly what narcissistic personality disorder is. People who have narcissistic personality disorder have a grandiose sense of self-importance, believes they are special and can only be understood by people who are also special, require excessive admiration, lack empathy, and show arrogant behavior, simply to name a few things. I am no moron, so you should really stop assuming that. You assume a lot, actually.

For some reason, you seem to think that everyone except you is a complete idiot and that you know everything. You think that you're the only person who has ever gotten an education. The assumption of yours that you know everything and that nobody else understands anything is absurd. You do think that you're the authority on every subject, and you feel that because you have a 'medical' degree you are 'better' than and 'smarter' than everyone else. And you certainly think that about me, which I find absolutely hilarious. Just because people don't go to medical school doesn't mean that they weren't smart enough to go to medical school. Maybe they wanted to go to law school instead. Maybe they wanted a degree in Political Science or Psychology. You don't know. You just assume that your degree is better than everyone else's and it gives you some sort of special circumstance, which is not the case.

Besides all of that, I never said you had mental health issues. The fact that you assume that certainly says a lot about you. At least, though, as long as you recognize that you have issues you can do something to change it. I hope that you do. You could be a pleasant person if you just toned down your attitude, arrogance, and condescension a little bit because you are smart, but you're not any more intelligent than I am. It would behoove you to refrain from acting that way.

MAYBE YOU ARE INTERPRETING MORE INTO RED FRAG'S DOCTOR STATUS THAN SHE ACTUALLY SEES IT AS. LIKE, I AM A HEALTH CARE ASSISTANT, YO - AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE HEALTH CARE HIERARCHY - AND RED FRAG HAS NEVER ASSUMED I'M LESS INTELLIGENT THAN SHE IS. I HAVE NOT SEEN HER ASSUMING PEOPLE ARE STUPID SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DOCTORS. SHE JUST GIVES EVIDENCE FROM WHAT SHE KNOWS IN DEBATES AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT HEALTHCARE. AND WHY SHOULDN'T SHE, YO? IT'S HER AREA OF EXPERTISE. I TOTALLY GIVE EVIDENCE FROM WHAT I KNOW IN GRAMMAR AND LINGUISTICS DEBATES, BECAUSE THAT'S MY AREA OF INTEREST.

Yes, you wouldn't catch me anywhere near a linguistics debate! I am well aware where my knowledge and experience lies, and that is not it!

OK, perhaps 'every forum thread' was an exaggeration. But you certainly haven't missed any opportunity to stick the knife in. Here are a few examples.

That redfraggle girl, she's one of the block happy people you're talking about. She's such a hypocrite. (A comment you left on an RC entry in which I had made no comment directed towards you whatsoever. And for the record you are the ONLY person on my block list! Black happy indeed. ;D)

There are people on this site who feel that they are THE authority on every subject out there. They do not allow people to post opinions differing from theirs and even if they actually agree with someone, they WILL find something to disagree with simply because they MUST "show everyone that they are the best and are right". (Comment left on this thread. Again a thread I hadn't even commented in myself. But clearly aimed at me)

I saw someone who agreed with a poster, but couldn't find any reason to argue with the person so she started to pick on the person's ability to use PARAGRAPHS. Just because she wanted to look superior. It's a superiority thing with that particular person. She's a total narcissist. (Again, an uncalled for attack on me in a forum I hadn't even spoken in myself)

On a separate note, as for people being condescending, it seems to me that a few of the very same ones who are pointing it out to others behave in exactly the same manner, or even who behave worse because they often resort to name-calling when they have no other intelligent argument to make or who find something else to nit-pick about, such as the person's inability to use paragraphs, as was stated in the "What do you think about American forum." (Comment from you, again aimed at me, just because I'd told Brother Jim to not be so condescending to Millie. He did later apologise)

Seriously, why can't you just move on?

That should have been 'block happy'. Oops.

I find it funny that you say I always have to have the last word. As far as I can remember, you and I have only had two actual disagreements... the first over my cannabis RC entry (and I honestly can't remember who got the last word there, just that I was forced to block you because you wouldn't let the subject drop) and the second on the tanning forum thread. And in that one, you certainly got the last word because I decided to stop talking to you. I'm quite sure you'll take the last word here too, as this is the last I will say on the subject, but I have no doubt you will feel the need to respond.

You did give out incorrect (and dangerous) medical advice on the tanning forum thread. You said I think the problem is when people over-expose themselves, not when they do it occassionally.

Skin cancer can be caused by occassional sunbed use. So what you said was incorrect. And I corrected you, out of concern for the people who may follow your dangerous advice. But you HATE to be corrected, and this is clearly why you have such an issue with me (in fact others have put this theory to me too).

And yes, I agreed with some of what you said (about the health benefits of the sun), however, I disagreed with other points. I acknolwedged both. Yes, the sun has health benefits. But the health benfits of sunbeds are usually outweighed by the huge risks. But clearly you are the kind of person who only wants to know if someone agrees with you, and get majorly offended if someone disagrees (even if they back up their point with actual evidence).

I don't get any sort of pay off from disagreeing with people on public forums. I do however feel obliged to say something if incorrect and dangerous medical advice is being given... and in doing that I am trying to HELP other people to stay safe. It is not for my own benefit.

I have said it many times, but I will say it again. I do not think I am the smartest person on this site, and I do not think the fact I have a medical degree in any way makes me smarter than people with any other sort of degree (in fact you really don't have to be that smart to get a medical degree. You just have to have a good memory. There are MANY MANY far harder degrees than medicine). The majority of my friends are not doctors. I have friends who are health care workers, teachers, nurses, psychologists and in various other professions. Many of them are FAR smarter than me!

And I've certainly never claimed I know everything about every subject. My area of knowledge and experience is medicine. So I tend to get more involved in discussions on medically related topics. Because that is what I DO know (and there is A LOT of innacurate medical information given out on here, which is very concerning). You didn't see me getting involved in the debate on the environment a few weeks ago... because that is something I know very little about... but one of my faves in Bloop was right in there getting involved in the debate because the environment is HER thing. It's not mine. I'd be extremely interested if you can give me an example of any NON-medical topic which has been discussed recently on Bloop where I have acted as if I know everything?

(As a side note, I don't for a second think I know everything about medicine either... far from it. But there is a lot I do know. And I have the ability to properly look at medical evidence and use it to back up what I'm saying in a debate.)

I really don't care if other people on here think I'm smart or not. I like to think most of my faves like me, and enjoy reading my diary because I'm a nice person, not because I'm smart (and based on the comments I've recieved in the past 24 hours, that is very much the case).

You apparently don't have the self-control not to respond to things that people say - even when there is nothing more to be said or no reason for you disagree you will find something to disagree about.

Lol. I didn't even respond to you calling me a bitch. I think you're actually talking about yourself here!

25 people on a website of several hundred people don't like me? OMG! My world is over! There's plenty of people here who I have no desire whatsoever to be friends with. And there's easily 25 people whom I've at some point offended by correcting something they've said. So that's hardly a surprise. What really matters is that I have easily the same number of people who are currently telling me that I am NOTHING like this person you make me out to be, and many whom in fact think you're the crazy one! (And these people aren't even all friends of mine. Some of them are complete strangers! In fact, several are people who I've disagreed with on forum threads, but who are mature enough not to take such personal offence over it) Plus I have many many more than 25 people who I know in real life (friends, work colleagues, patients) who certainly don't think I am like you try and claim I am. So if it makes you somehow feel superior to know that 25 people agree with you, feel free... but be aware that you're hardly the most popular person on Bloop yourself!

Just because people don't go to medical school doesn't mean that they weren't smart enough to go to medical school. Maybe they wanted to go to law school instead. Maybe they wanted a degree in Political Science or Psychology. You don't know. You just assume that your degree is better than everyone else's and it gives you some sort of special circumstance, which is not the case.

Please show me ANYWHERE where I have EVER made any such assumption. It is true that I know more about medicine than most people with a politics degree. But anyone with a politics with a degree will also know more about politics than I do! Everyone has their own area of expertise. I have NEVER suggested that my degree makes me smarter than anyone else. All it does is give me more medical knowledge. That is it. It has nothing to do with intelligence. One of my best friends is a psychologist. I'd NEVER try and argue a psychology point with her, because I respect the fact that she knows much more than I do on the subject.

You talked about narcissistic personality disorder... then you clearly referred to me and said I was a narcissist! If this was not intended to imply that I have narcissistic personality disorder then I misunderstood... but it very much appeared to me (and others) that that was what you were implying. And if you WERE implying that, then you don't understand the disorder.

I AM a pleasant person. The fact that I have so many friends (both on here and offline) and am well liked by colleagues (and not just doctors either) and patients is evidence of that. Just because YOU have taken personal offence to some of my comments does not mean I have issues. I fact I would argue that the fact you can't get over your hatred of me suggests YOU are the one who needs some professional help!

I don't assume I am more intelligent than you. I have no idea how intelligent you are. I have made observations that you are not very good at using evidence to back up an argument. But this is not necessarily a mark of intelligence.

But anyway, feel free to reply (I'm sure you will), but I will be ignoring your comment.

oh and to add to this.... she wrote that you can't just let things drop even when someone says to let it go.... that's not true. because both of the times we've disagreed on something we've agreed to disagree and ended the "argument" on a happy and friendly note. just sayin

Thank you. I still don't remember who you are... but I think I am able to have a grown up debate and agree to disagree with most people. Some people just take great offence to someone disagreeing with them, and that's when it gets out of hand.