Rant Rolodex
Entry #: 147
Subject: Forum Goers & Teen Sites
Date Written: Unknown
Anger Level: 9/10
Coherency Level: 8.5/10
Inspiration: Many years of joining forums, then having to leave them again because either A) none of my threads got responses, B) there were too many idiots and idiotic topics to go with them that I couldn't take it, or C) all of the above.

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You know what I got tired of? Not being able to talk to anyone. Joining a message board, and then having to leave because there were so many idiots, I couldn't find any intelligent discussion. Or even semi-intelligent discussion! If it didn't revolve around sex, a lame day at school, or pretty colors, nobody wanted to talk about it. And heaven forbid your post is any longer than three words, otherwise the little peons lose interest and nobody reads it. "tl,dr!!" Those four letters make me so angry. I mean, it's one thing not to read an entire huge post because you're not in the mood or because it's not on a subject you care about, but to actually say it's too long for you to read to the person who took valuable time out of their day to write a huge and comprehensive post is just...totally tasteless in my mind. Never mind if you were making a good point, or discussing something that was truly interesting. Good ideas fell by the wayside not because of bad implementation, or because they were flawed, simply because no one understood them. Even the simplest of concepts escape the average forum-goer these days. Anyone with anything useful to say is run off like they're some kind of monster, whereas foul and offensive trolls with even a small bit of wit could be exalted into unreachable heights of popularity simply because their main goal in life was to make everyone else feel like crap. Did you have a good day? We don't want to hear about that. Is your life going well? We don't care. Are you trying to learn something new? We hate you.

Hate and stupidity have replaced intelligence and discussion on forums. 

You know what else I got tired of? Lame teen sites. I'm sorry, but I don't care about fashion, boys, and make up. I don't like the latest bands. I don't want to talk about how Johnny looked at Sally at lunchtime. I don't need help, or counseling, or "support". I'm a fully functional individual, thank you very much. I just happen to be a certain age. That's the third and final thing I'm tired of -- being treated like a teenager instead of a person. I'm a totally different person from that teen over there and over there. Why don't I get treated like it? Teen sites cater to two different kinds of teens: The happy, bubbly, airheaded popular crowd who's into fashion and hot boy bands, and the depressive, angsty teenagers who cut themselves and write bad poetry. But what happens if you're both? What happens if you have hyper bubbly days, and cutting days? What happens if your average day falls somewhere in the middle? No one wants to talk about that. No one's even realized that happens. At least, not from what I've seen. I understand it's hard to cater to every interest all the time. But I'm not asking for much. Just a place to chill and be *me*, instead of having to fall into a certain role to be accepted. (Or even acknowledged) I want somewhere I can meet friends and not be flamed for having a good day. I want somewhere that I can talk about my maybe not so good day and get advice on what to do, not just a sympathetic cyber-hug and a pat on the back. I want somewhere I can read about and talk to people my age who are *doing* something with their life instead of just...well. I'm not sure what the average teen does with their life. Every time I ask them a question they just stare at me blankly with drool sliding out of the corner of their mouth.

Where is the website for people with eclectic tastes? Where is the website for people who want to do something with their life? Where is the website that lets me talk to intelligent people my own age? Where is the website that supports and encourages emotional maturity and conversations, instead of just pointless babbling?

I'm tired of talking to cowards. I'm not looking for people who want to save the world. I'm looking for people who want to live in it.

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