Toxic attitudes

[Conservationist]

Addressed on the front page, apparently:

Unlike any other web site in the universe, ANUS drives people into flaming rages.

They try to hide this fact behind a world-weary sense of criticism, an "enlightened" tisk-tisking over how immature we are, or even pretended boredom coupled with a desire to "take these egomaniacs down a notch."

There's only one problem... there have been many of them, and despite all of the above excuses, they have exhibited the same behavior: a pathological and impotent rage that we exist, and a desire to pursue us (personally) with insults, copypasta dogma, repeated plaintive excuses, and so on.

We drive them mad because we admit it all. We admit the emptiness of life, the stupidity of most people, the horror that lies within. We are nihilists and death metal maniacs. And yet we believe in live. We have hope, not of someone else saving our asses, but that with a little logic, hard work and gumption, we can make just about anything turn out just great. And that life is worth living and should be a joyful, brilliant, celebrated and excellent experience.

That viewpoint alone brings out the smouldering bitterness. From the dark corners of the world where they lurk forgot, confined in some career and family life that no matter how "good" on the surface does not meet their needs, with their own egos unfulfilled and singed by that same dark envy, they come to seek us out. They mean to do harm, with their words. They call us stupid, ignorant, whatever. The message doesn't matter; the medium is the message, and the medium is that they're here and making up whatever excuses they feel they need in order to keep attacking us.

Because we drive them mad.

We drive them mad because we don't accept their negative view of the world, their lie-back-and-enjoy-it fatalism, or their rage that someone somewhere might be having a good time despite knowing all the things they fear.

We will always drive them mad, and the best part is that we don't intend to. Our goal is not to have enemies but to make clarity of thoughts. For us, it is never personal. For our detractors, we are a personal insult to them... even though we don't care about them and are most likely oblivious to their existence.

Ask yourselves:

If you believe in free thought, why is it that our thoughts upset you so much you make it a personal crusade to repeat the same tired arguments wherever you can?

If you believe we are so obviously wrong, why the evangelical missions here?

If you believe you're above it all, why do you lash out uncontrollably when we appear?

You're used to nice easy strawmen. Us-team versus Them-team. And then there's this troubling group of nihilists. They just breeze past it all. They don't play your game and join you in futile bitterness.

That must really piss you off.

...not my problem.

I AM THE NAKED WHIPPER

Basic summary: none of the critics of ANUS have demonstrated both (a) that they have a clear reason for disliking ANUS and (b) that they have a reason for addressing ANUS as opposed to other news sources.

We've noticed this here in the forum too. This place drives many people into a rage and they fixate on it, instead of simply "moving along." You have to wonder what their psychological obsession is.

It seems to me that if you dislike something, you formulate a coherent statement of why it's wrong, and you publish that and move along. You create instead of seeking to destroy. But for many people, this site upsets them personally and so they become fixated.

Wonder what, if anything, we should do about this. Preferably we take no action that obliterates the wonderfully chaotic, lawless and irreverent nature of this place without devolving into LOL NEGUAR JEW FAGGOT CUMGUZZLE.

[Sammaellofi]

Democracy and equality are like a relgion.  A state religion.  That is to say, when people call out anyone who does not fit in with the code, it makes them look better.  Like in the Soviet Union, those who pointed out enemies of the state who were  operating in private were given special privilage, people in in America and other western nations are seen as noble if they point out anyone who doesn't fit in with their happy little ideal.  At the very least, they remove the idea that they might themselves be subversives. 

Like the Roman Empire who conquered nations in the name of "civilization", the religion of the time, we push democracy all over the world. 

[fallot]

This is the lowest of behaviour. You're playing "u mad" games and patronizing. Why is this place chaotic, lawless and irreverent when you are fundamentally against all of these? If I recall correctly, organized trolling has been one of the methods employed by this website and associates; this is no different. I can't reason how a place that puts so much importance on belief and sense would ever pull the "Why are you mad? Look at me! I remain aloof" card.

[§Transcix]

Addressed on the front page

What front page? I'm curious where did you quote that text from?

[Sammaellofi]

http://www.anus.com

[Ksatria/Gang_Rapist]

This is the lowest of behaviour. You're playing "u mad" games and patronizing. Why is this place chaotic, lawless and irreverent when you are fundamentally against all of these? If I recall correctly, organized trolling has been one of the methods employed by this website and associates; this is no different. I can't reason how a place that puts so much importance on belief and sense would ever pull the "Why are you mad? Look at me! I remain aloof" card.

There's a big difference between successfully trolling the deluded, and the "methods" of the average mouthful-of-bile dissenter on the blog comments or elsewhere.

[fallot]

Perhaps in intent, but that doesn't matter. Justify it however you wish after the fact, poor behaviour is poor behaviour. It will have poor consequences.

[Dinaric Leather]

There's a big difference between successfully trolling the deluded, and the "methods" of the average mouthful-of-bile dissenter on the blog comments or elsewhere.

We need a new word for what we refer to as trolling to differentiate it from trolling in the popularly known meaning. The word troll has been completely taken over by the mainstream  to mean someone whos just being an asshole, basically.

[Iron]

There are things I dislike about ANUS, in terms of content (ideology) and presentation (tone/format/stance). But they're not really important in the long run. This is a great network of websites. It deserves the support or at least attention of anyone who believes that metal is more than just entertainment.

Something I've realized over the past few years is how vulnerable 'artificial' (i.e, with foundations on the internet) intellectual communities are to internal collapse and conflict. Take two intelligent, passionate people with highly defined worldviews and values. The more they agree on common points, the more sharp and profound their disagreements will seem when they are finally revealed. Even if they agree 80% of the time, that remaining 20% will become a bitter battle-ground. Consensus is sacrificed in pitched battles over what usually amounts to minutae.

[fallot]

There are things I dislike about ANUS, in terms of content (ideology) and presentation (tone/format/stance). But they're not really important in the long run. This is a great network of websites. It deserves the support or at least attention of anyone who believes that metal is more than just entertainment.

I don't disagree, but nonetheless I've chosen to express my discontent about presentation at least. I try to introduce as much of this website and related resources as I can to those around me, but instant rejection based on bad image and (sometimes) content has consistently frustrated. Still, I don't mean to project those onto this thread as much as I'm just piling on; since others have been criticizing in other (better and worse) forms.

[Iron]

I don't disagree, but nonetheless I've chosen to express my discontent about presentation at least. I try to introduce as much of this website and related resources as I can to those around me, but instant rejection based on bad image and (sometimes) content has consistently frustrated. Still, I don't mean to project those onto this thread as much as I'm just piling on; since others have been criticizing in other (better and worse) forms.

I've had similar experiences, actually. A while back, I had a professor who was receptive to the idea that underground metal is actually worth investigating. I introduced him to the website. Instant alienation and offense. I probably should have directed him to Hessian.org or deathmetal.org, though those sites weren't very developed at the time.

[Ksatria/Gang_Rapist]

This is the lowest of behaviour. You're playing "u mad" games and patronizing. Why is this place chaotic, lawless and irreverent when you are fundamentally against all of these? If I recall correctly, organized trolling has been one of the methods employed by this website and associates; this is no different. I can't reason how a place that puts so much importance on belief and sense would ever pull the "Why are you mad? Look at me! I remain aloof" card.

Perhaps in intent, but that doesn't matter. Justify it however you wish after the fact, poor behaviour is poor behaviour. It will have poor consequences.

You suggest ANUS is somehow at fault for calling these people out. Why shouldn't they? I don't see the "poor behaviour," nor any aloof posturing.

We need a new word for what we refer to as trolling to differentiate it from trolling in the popularly known meaning. The word troll has been completely taken over by the mainstream  to mean someone whos just being an asshole, basically.

Or we can just assert the better definition, like ANUS has done with 'nhilism,' then insert into their rectums.

[fallot]

Why they shouldn't: It is action without a recognizable desirable goal. It convinces no one except the people already completely invested in the website somehow. It reads like pretend aloofness. No one gains from useless exercizes of argumentative faculties. We evolved bickering, but we are also capable of weighing actions by benefit vs. consequence. In this case therefore, there is absolutely fault. My point is no stronger than "I'd rather you not do this" though.

[Iron]

Why they shouldn't: It is action without a recognizable desirable goal. It convinces no one except the people already completely invested in the website somehow. It reads like pretend aloofness. No one gains from useless exercizes of argumentative faculties. We evolved bickering, but we are also capable of weighing actions by benefit vs. consequence. In this case therefore, there is absolutely fault. My point is no stronger than "I'd rather you not do this" though.

For what it's worth, I agree. Trolling is masturbatory, and 'counter-trolling' is basically the same thing. Personally, I think the best response to the truly useless/disingenuous 'criticism' this website receives, as exhibited in the comments section of the blog posts, is to simply shut these people out. But the website administrators/writers seem to disagree, so it's a moot point.

Fallot - don't get too demoralized. This network of websites is a focal point for good things. Don't let the 'noise' take up too much of your attention.

[Jim Necroslaughter]

Why they shouldn't: It is action without a recognizable desirable goal. It convinces no one except the people already completely invested in the website somehow.

But sometimes you need a morale boost.  You need to thump your chest a little bit, walk around like you own the place, like you're above it all.  Not everything needs to have a goal, sometimes you just flex your muscles 'cause you can.