Why Is Everyone So Hostile Here?

Mainiac262 wrote:

Let’s Run is a good site. There are a lot of running experts here. We don’t have to love each other’s opinions or analysis. We need to find respectful responses to other people’s posts. Let’s Run should be a resource for all speeds and abilities to ask their questions.

Yes, as long as your 5k PR is sub 17.

Cynic wrote:

Mainiac262 wrote:

Let’s Run is a good site. There are a lot of running experts here. We don’t have to love each other’s opinions or analysis. We need to find respectful responses to other people’s posts. Let’s Run should be a resource for all speeds and abilities to ask their questions.

Yes, as long as your 5k PR is sub 17.

And god forbid a beginner runner come on here and ask how to break 8 in the mile, or even an intermediate runner wanting to break 7 or even 6 in the mile. Training tips? Forget about it, you’ll just get bullied off the website and linked to runnerworld. If you don’t run sub 5 minute miles 10 days after coming out of the womb then you must be a troll not to be taken seriously.

are you serious?

starts and ends with the site owners, have you seen the brojos? snarky, smirking, entitled prep school, then frat boys, who think they're better than anyone else. and then their moderators are very arbitrary. this is troll haven, especially for right-wing conservatives. you get cut down unless you ran a 14:10 5K in college and make less than $250,000 a year.

anyway if you participate in this atmosphere more more than two months because you love running, but the day to day bs leaves you bitter.

take it from the top wrote:

are you serious?

starts and ends with the site owners, have you seen the brojos? snarky, smirking, entitled prep school, then frat boys, who think they're better than anyone else. and then their moderators are very arbitrary. this is troll haven, especially for right-wing conservatives.

Bingo.

take it from the top wrote:

are you serious?

starts and ends with the site owners, have you seen the brojos? snarky, smirking, entitled prep school, then frat boys, who think they're better than anyone else. and then their moderators are very arbitrary. this is troll haven, especially for right-wing conservatives. you get cut down unless you ran a 14:10 5K in college and make less than $250,000 a year.

anyway if you participate in this atmosphere more more than two months because you love running, but the day to day bs leaves you bitter.

1) I think the internet in general is hostile. I don't understand why people like the guy above blame me but no one blames Jack Dorsey for the vitriol on twitter.

2) If Lrc is more hostile than other places (i'm not convinced it is), I"d say it's because of drugs - look at our sport. Drugs have ruined a lot of it. EVERY performance is suspect. So if someone talks about their coaching/training, etc. it can all be dismissed potentially. I mean think about it. Is a fan supposed to enjoy Rupp/Centro/NOP and hail Salazar as a great coach? Or is he a Lance Armstrong type fraud?

In football, fans don't care that much who is on drugs because they aren't trying to be football players themselves and because the team dynamics/strategy are perhaps as important/more important than pure performance. IN running , many are trying to participate themselves and the performance is all that matters.

3) Lots of serious runners are jealous of those who hit it big time- the same applies for the coaches.

4) 3) The moderation could be better.

Mainiac262 wrote:

Let’s Run is a good site. There are a lot of running experts here. We don’t have to love each other’s opinions or analysis. We need to find respectful responses to other people’s posts. Let’s Run should be a resource for all speeds and abilities to ask their questions.

I certainly like having people with different opinions as long as we can all be respectful, as you said. And yes, I WISH people of all abilities and speeds could ask questions here, but at the moment they can’t.

As to the other person who said calling out race cheaters is a great feature of the board, I agree! If there is one type of person I do NOT respect, it’s a cheater.

Thanks for responding to the thread. I want to keep coming back to the message board—I really do—but at the moment I definitely appreciate the meet coverage of the main site far more than what the board has become.

One recurring theme you and others have mentioned is that a large part of the board is composed of runners who are at the level that they’re at least close to becoming pros or at least in the area, so there is a bitterness/jealousy/envy that isn’t on message boards for other sports for this reason. That’s a pretty fascinating theory I honestly wouldn’t have come up with myself. I do think doping culture and the cynicism around it has a part in it. I try not to let that bring me down, but it certainly affects most of the posters I see on here, and certainly the site’s writers and creators.

I do think there is a little bit of truth about the type of people that become competitive long distance runners at young ages. They are less social, maybe more awkward, and all of this ties into the current, extremely polarized political climate which absolutely feeds on angry, bitter young white men and pushes them further into their rage. When I first started coming on this board when I was in HS, I certainly would’ve fit that stereotype and probably would agree with a lot of the stuff I disagree with now. I don’t want to go too much into politics beyond that, since it’s a losing game.

Mostly, I just find it crazy that you get insulted on here if you have a slow PR. In the grand scheme of things, what a petty, pathetic thing to do, to put someone down who is slower than you. That says so much more about you than you’ll ever know.

Anyways, I’m glad we’ve had some productive conversation about this at least, and, Rojo, I’m glad you can see the need for better mods.

ratiotipped wrote:

I think that calling out racing cheats ...with some ingenious sleuthing -- was one of the outstanding features of the boards. Lately, though, this place has descended so far that there is rarely anything redeeming. I still stop by, but much less often. It's depressing cause it used to be one quarter hate, three quarters running and random. Now it's three quarters hate.

Yes, the Dave Reading one was so good, loved that.

Agree, it has got to the point where the genuine people trying to help and share ideas are the minority now.

blaming disorders common among runners ignores the fact that most running sites and forums aren't like LRC

It really isn't difficult to figure out. Go to the starting linear any decent sized local race and look at the guys line up at the front. Those are the guys who post here. What you will see are a bunch of skinny, awkward looking, dorky guys who thanks to running, have found a place where they are actually somebody. Between that and career/academic success, they have developed egos beyond what they deserve, while at the same time knowing deep down that they are the same skinny, awkward dork that people in the real world have always seen them as. As a result, they use the anonymity allowed by this site and the internet in general to last out at others where they know there are zero consequences. Again look at the guys at the front of any races and picture them mouthing off to people in the real world the way they do on this site. Within seconds they would find themselves needing to spend the next six weeks consuming all of their meals through a straw.

nah wrote:

the fact that most running sites and forums aren't like LRC

Well those are normie running forums. If you're a normie, don't come here.

Just a theory is that since running is considered a meritocracy, as in you work hard and smart and control your destiny, a lot of people here seem to extend that to life. There's a distinct libertarian spirit, which I think tends to be cynical of people who they deem not to be worthy of success.

Hence, foreigners get a tough rap (assumed to be on drugs), poor people get skewered (lazy, stupid), running influencers/entrepeneurs like Pappas, Symmonds or some ultra-runners get ripped (not deserving of extra attention, mediocre amongst elites at regular events). White collar fitness things get skewered (treadmill, Runner's World etc.) because they're trying to take shortcuts and work less hard. Programs that are nearly all Kenyans get crap for not having to develop runners, and getting ringers. And so on.

This is how a lot of people's minds here work.

Anonymous handles invite Internet Tough Guys. Like many of the posts here, it has nothing to do with Running whatsoever.

Mr hostile wrote:

We are not hostile at all. So be quiet.

Distance runners are all angry and hateful because they werent any good at the popular sports so were bullied in school as skinny nerds and didnt get any girls.

THOUGHTSLEADER wrote:

Just a theory is that since running is considered a meritocracy, as in you work hard and smart and control your destiny, a lot of people here seem to extend that to life. There's a distinct libertarian spirit, which I think tends to be cynical of people who they deem not to be worthy of success.

Hence, foreigners get a tough rap (assumed to be on drugs), poor people get skewered (lazy, stupid), running influencers/entrepeneurs like Pappas, Symmonds or some ultra-runners get ripped (not deserving of extra attention, mediocre amongst elites at regular events). White collar fitness things get skewered (treadmill, Runner's World etc.) because they're trying to take shortcuts and work less hard. Programs that are nearly all Kenyans get crap for not having to develop runners, and getting ringers. And so on.

This is how a lot of people's minds here work.

You’re right about the whole meritocracy thing. LetsRun is OBSESSED with that type of thinking.

It’s also mixed with social conservatism. I see so many threads about how women are essentially sluts and whores, which seems a little out of place given that it’s now 2019. It’s not the ‘50s anymore, guys, but lots of guys on here would seemingly like it if we went back to that.

Again, I fit all these stereotypes about being awkward in HS, unsuccessful at “popular sports,” and not a hit with the ladies (nor am I now). But don’t take that crap out on other people.

Yeah.... No wrote:

nah wrote:

the fact that most running sites and forums aren't like LRC

Well those are normie running forums. If you're a normie, don't come here.

What defines being a “normie”? Why can’t you come here if you’re one? Is this, like, a secret clubhouse?

GoldenMiles wrote:

Yeah.... No wrote:

Well those are normie running forums. If you're a normie, don't come here.

What defines being a “normie”? Why can’t you come here if you’re one? Is this, like, a secret clubhouse?

If you have to ask what is a normie, than you are a normie.

I only did track/cross country in HS.

Could have been wide out on the football team or defensive back. Confident I could have started, or at least contended for a starting spot my sr. year. And our team won the provincial championship. (I am Canadian). Had basic speed. Knew how to take a hit and tackle. Did minor football before high school. Just didn't want to play football. Sick of 4 years of football. Wasn't always a happy camper during the last 2 years of football. Was an above average player the first 2 years.

Lots of negativity on lets run. Probably because people don't feel good about themselves.

Low self esteem. Jealousy.

Something is missing in their lives.

Attacking others doesn't improve your life, generally speaking.

And a woman doesn't necessarily make you happy!

It comes from within, I don't know how stupid people are not to realize that.

To all the normies on here :

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7cmexEZGQbs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UE6YouZrVIY