Do you judge people's character based on what they post?

[yssie]

For me, at least, it isn't active avoidance so much as... having no compulsion to make any effort to meet. I can't imagine avoiding someone at a small get-together, or refuse to shake someone's hand, or refuse to sit next to someone - I very much hope we're all long past high school!
But at a large get-together I wouldn't make any effort to single that person out for more conversation; if that person was in town I wouldn't make any effort to meet him/her.

I do my best not to make snap-judgments, and to always be open to being "proven wrong" about a judgment I've already made. But after seven years on this forum... yes, I feel comfortable knowing that there is a very small number of people I'm just not going to get along with any better IRL than I do online, and I really have no reason or desire to try.


It seems important to note that "getting along with" doesn't mean "agreeing with" - there are plenty of people I disagree strongly with on some issues (and agree with on others) who are on my Would Love To Meet list. Just like in-person... it isn't that we disagree, but how we interact with each other in handling that disagreement, that makes all the difference!

 

[dk168]

Based on my experience with online communities, some of the brashest keyboard warriors turned out to be whimpy mice in real life.

DK

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Ame, Tacori, Elliott, Niel, and Yssie summed it up best for me. At least that's my judgment!

 

[lambskin]

Nope. I judge character based on what shape of diamond their center stone is.

ditto and setting (halo )

 

[AGBF]

I try not to judge. I do absorb things that I feel I should so that I can make sure to avoid conflict.

I have been following this thread with interest. I have to say that I was surprised by this answer. I would have thought that you absorbed things you felt you should so that you could write book reports on them.

PS-I bet you could write very good ones, too, the kind where you compare and contrast.

 

[arkieb1]

Based on my experience with online communities, some of the brashest keyboard warriors turned out to be whimpy mice in real life.

DK

+1 I go with the old saying don't judge a book by it's cover, or in this case some early to middle aged men and women venting their frustrations in life and on other posters because they can't do it in their own lives.....

 

[House Cat]

There are people that I genuinely admire on this forum. I guess that's a yes for whether or not I judge people by their posts.

 

[ADN]

Based on my experience with online communities, some of the brashest keyboard warriors turned out to be whimpy mice in real life.

DK

+1 I go with the old saying don't judge a book by it's cover, or in this case some early to middle aged men and women venting their frustrations in life and on other posters because they can't do it in their own lives.....

+1
I think it's time to take a good hard look at your own moral compass when it brings you pleasure to be aggressive/argumentative/rude to others in an online forum from the anonymity of hiding behind a keyboard - - - maybe the angry online trolls just need some...what do you call it here on PS?...fairy dust?...and of course a great big hug

 

[missy]

Yes if I am going by the definition of judging to be "forming an opinion about someone" I definitely do.

Definition of judge:
to form an opinion about (something or someone) after careful thought

I form an opinion about others based on what they share here. Once I get to know someone IRL however that opinion may or may not change. But I think it is impossible NOT to form an opinion based on what people are posting.

I will add that there are many posters I don't have opinions about per se just because they don't post with regular frequency and I don't really have them on my so called radar because of that. However for the regulars here yes I have an opinion right or wrong based on what is shared here.

 

[missy]

Based on my experience with online communities, some of the brashest keyboard warriors turned out to be whimpy mice in real life.

DK

Isn't this true about most bullies in real life too? That they are bullies because they suffer from poor self image/ poor self esteem and are unhappy individuals in general. Some of the most argumentative people I know IRL are some of the most unhappy people too.

 

[chrono]

It is possible that I subconsciously judge a person by their posts but there's no doubt that I form an opinion as to their character, whether it is accurate or inaccurate.

 

[azstonie]

Ha, "sizeist," I love it!!!

I wonder about us, the PS community. I think liking the bling includes all sorts of people. Sure, we've had snark here and we also have a lot of kindness and friendship. I believe if you put us Hangout peeps in a room together there'd be a lot of laffing and hugs

 

[marcy]

Generally I don't think about it one way or another but there have been some people who make me think "wow, I don't think I'd want to meet them in real life".

 

[AprilBaby]

Consciously or unconsciously we judge. It could be good or bad. Either way it's probably not accurate. No matter what I write, unless you meet me, you won't know me.