Why are poker players (and in particular these forums) so hostile?

[gildwulf]

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I didn't think that Tilts was the newest Matador but now I'm convinced. The claims of lurking for a year and the so clearly naive "What's the Matador, you mean from that TV show?" claims of ignorance, the use of pedantic, the weird hostility, and the KQ vs. K9 unimproved value bluff farewell just seem too similar to be coincidence. Anyway, that's a digression.

I'd just like to point out that I probably do come across as arrogant and I don't like to lay out very intricately reasoned strategy posts anymore, although I usually do when asked to. I understand why longtime posters give terse responses that can be interpreted as rude. You just get tired of explaining things over and over and that is sometimes in direct opposition to the compulsion I feel to post in Small Stakes because of the older, largely long-gone posters (Homer, Clark, Dynasty, NPA, Joe Tall, JTG, rharless, slavic, GoT, Bob T) who helped my game so much. They've also largely stopped posting strategy anywhere and I understand why. Sadly, I think I'm heading down that road, as are several others in my "generation," which should be pretty obvious.

Anyway, if you want to go back to this love-fest I had with Tilts and reconstruct the chronology, it started with me responding here, pretty rudely because I really hate posts that respond to tricky postflop situations with lame, irrelevant to the question at hand, "Fold preflop" advice. Particularly when wrong. That was, I believe my first interaction with Tilts. He responded to that at 3:05 pm. He then responded with this at 3:10 pm. And then things escalated. The point is, I think his "innocent me" claims are pretty rubbish.

FWIW, I think some sharp criticism is good. The best learning environment I've been in was a startup created by former academics, and as is typical for academics, conceptual discussions were ruthless. If you were wrong, you were wrong, and if you were right and could convince people that you were right, even if it was the CEO or Head of Research, you would be listened to. I think you get some loudness being confused with correctness that way but most times, the best ideas come out on top.

EDIT: I also appreciate everyone who stuck up for me and I'm sorry you guys got banned, albeit temporarily.

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From reading the threads sfer referred to, it looks like OP attacked a well-respected poster for no good reason (there's a difference between a criticism and what you were saying on this thread), got WTFPWNED!one!, and then ran away with his tail between his legs to cry about it in the Psychology forum. Regardless of this hypocrisy, OP makes some very good points.

[Stormwolf]

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Why are poker players (and in particular these forums) so hostile?

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FU

[intheflatfield]

Line of the thread.

Line of the thread.

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fouclmfao

[baronzeus]

I don't understand you. You ask for advice but you don't want/need it. YOU ARE SO GOOD AT POKER. TOO GOOD FOR 2+2.

I strive to make 4BB/100. Since I can't, I'll keep posting. As for you, please leave if you don't want to get better.

Two reasons:

(1) Poker players have a tendency to be arrogant and testy in general.

(2) People on message boards have too much free time on their hands, often meaning that there isn't a whole lot of interest going on in their offline lives. The message board forum attracts such people because it allows them to vent with total anonymity and thus little consequence. Putting others down makes them feel better.

It's a shame that so many of these low-lives bring down the overall level of what is, outside of them, a truly great website.

It goes back to the childhood lesson many of us learned, which is that people who put others down are usually doing so because they're dissatisfied with themselves. That clearly holds true in the adult world, too.

Actually Jesus Ferguson said that poker is 75% luck 25% skill. Give props where they are deserved.

[imported_anacardo]

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Actually Jesus Ferguson said that poker is 75% luck 25% skill. Give props where they are deserved.

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You understand how this implies a very high degree of differentiation based on skill, don't you?

[CallMeIshmael]

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Following aqnother poster around simply to flame him is trolling.

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Please take your own advice.

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Im bumping this for obvious reasons