Why Do We Find Physics Forums So Addictive?

[Royce]

My wife and I were having a discussion about Physiscs Forums and my participation in it. She said that she knows what she thinks and doesn't care what anyone else thinks or care to let them know what she thinks. She couldn't understand why I and all of us really like the forums so much. I tried to explain that it is interesting to find how or what others think about something or to see if our ideas and thoughts make sense to anyone else. She doesn't understand that and claims its just ego and showing off.
I really couldn't explain why I'm so hooked on PF. I know that I have learned a lot and it has helped tremendously clairify my own thinking. I really do enjoy reading others thoughts or slants on a subject I'm interested in a well as airing my own thoughts. But, I really can't say just why.
Is it just ego or is it the love of a good argment/discussion? Any thoughts? Why do you enjoy participating in the Physics Forms?

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Originally posted by Royce
My wife and I were having a discussion about Physiscs Forums and my participation in it. She said that she knows what she thinks and doesn't care what anyone else thinks or care to let them know what she thinks. She couldn't understand why I and all of us really like the forums so much. I tried to explain that it is interesting to find how or what others think about something or to see if our ideas and thoughts make sense to anyone else. She doesn't understand that and claims its just ego and showing off.
I really couldn't explain why I'm so hooked on PF. I know that I have learned a lot and it has helped tremendously clairify my own thinking. I really do enjoy reading others thoughts or slants on a subject I'm interested in a well as airing my own thoughts. But, I really can't say just why.
Is it just ego or is it the love of a good argment/discussion? Any thoughts? Why do you enjoy participating in the Physics Forms?

Haha my gf and I have had MANY discussions on the amount of time I spend on PF.

I think it's superficial to say our participation on PF is to feed the ego, isn't everything we do in life to a degree. I think we come and participate at PF because ideas, values and beliefs are not written in stone. They are forever changing in our quest for greater understanding. Discussing our ideas with others many times from other cultures allows us to gain input from others experiences. We then reflect and possibly update or improve our ideas, values and beliefs. Your wife may think hers are written in stone, but I think maybe there is something else deeper she isn't telling you perhaps?

 

[Royce]

Originally posted by Greg Bernhardt
Haha my gf and I have had MANY discussions on the amount of time I spend on PF.

I think it's superficial to say our participation on PF is to feed the ego, isn't everything we do in life to a degree. I think we come and participate at PF because ideas, values and beliefs are not written in stone. They are forever changing in our quest for greater understanding. Discussing our ideas with others many times from other cultures allows us to gain input from others experiences. We then reflect and possibly update or improve our ideas, values and beliefs.

I think its superficial too. I'm sure ego is involved to some degree just as you said. Ego is always involved in everything we do. I keep thinking of the Feynman quote that we don't really know something until you can explain it to your mother. In this instance I would of course substitute the word, wife. I couldn't really explain it in a simple easily understandable way. It is so obvious to me yet I couldn't put it in words that she would accept.

Your wife may think hers are written in stone, but I think maybe there is something else deeper she isn't telling you perhaps?

I'm sure your right. Something that she is not telling me or admitting to herself; but, she says that she has always been that way even when she was little. She did not care what other people thought nor did she care to tell other what she thought. I might add that she is a LEO, all Leo.
Yeah, I know that this is the Physics forum and we're not suppose to mention those things anymore; but that doesn't change the fact that my wife is 100% a Leo. BTW we've been married 37 years, 38 in Nov. I still have yet to win an arguement, make a point or figure her out.
Maybe this is why I enjoy PF so much. At least here I can say what I want and what I have to say without interuption. No one agrees with me of course but at least I get to say it and still sleep in my own bed at night.

 

[Monique]

Well, we all need a little intellectual stimulation in order to stay sane right? Or is this forum leading us to insanity?

 

[quantumdude]

I don't see how ego could be a reason for participating on an internet discussion board. At the very least, it is not an issue in my case. Not one of you knows who I really am, and I have consistently refused to post a picture of myself on Member's Day to prevent you from spotting me on the street .

I love Physics Forums because I love both teaching and learning. Yeah, I think what I think too, and I don't care if anyone thinks it's stupid, but the fact is that no one holds their views in a vacuum. Royce, your wife may not have any inclination to share her thoughts with an internet discussion board, but surely she shares her thoughts with *someone*. In fact, I am certain that she does because you have just testified that she shared her thoughts with you about Physics Forums. To desire to express oneself and interact with others is to be human. We at Physics Forums have the desire to do that with a broader community that would be otherwise inaccessible.

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Originally posted by Tom
I have consistently refused to post a picture of myself on Member's Day to prevent you from spotting me on the street .

Thats it! *calls personal investigator"

 

[Adrian Baker]

I'm a newby here, but find the conversations and discussions both stimulating and thought provoking. That's enough I suppose. I also get a buzz out of actually finding a question on here that I can answer!

However, Humans are social animals, we evolved that way; so tell your wife that you have no choice, just as you love her madly and find her attractive (thats the creeping up done)you are genetically programmed to participate in discussion boards like this. If it wasn't this way, civilisation would not have arisen and mankind wouldn't have achieved what it has so far. Is that reason enough?

 

[Royce]

Tom, if I ever get to Troy, NY the first person I see without a face I'll know its you. Now that's Logic!

 

[Mattius_]

To be honest with myself, I like PF because it DOES feed my ego. I have always been trying to prove myself worthy(of myself and others) and i like the fact that i can understand and discuss topics with some of the greatest minds in the world.

Also, to be honest, I love logic, i love how it works, i love theory, i love propogation into the unknown with variables which are rooted in our reality.


I like to challenge my mind, and to have dreams of my future which hopefully PF becomes a benefactor of.

 

[merak]

I come here to avoid my greatest fear...bordom

 

[hypnagogue]

Originally posted by Mattius_
To be honest with myself, I like PF because it DOES feed my ego. I have always been trying to prove myself worthy(of myself and others) and i like the fact that i can understand and discuss topics with some of the greatest minds in the world.

I can honestly say that I am not here for my own ego at all; rather I feel it is my responsibility as the greatest mind on the planet to spread some of the enlightenment around.

Haha. Just kidding. I'm only, like, top 10.

As for the question, I agree with Mattius that PF really adds a dimension to the whole process of knowing/understanding/wondering by giving a medium for like-minded people to actually discuss these ideas. It's one thing to read interesting books or watch interesting shows or think awed and wondering thoughts, and I've done plenty of that, but it's kind of rare (for me at least) to have people who I know personally who share my passion for these sorts of things. PF is great in that it let's people get these ideas out of their heads and bounce them around off of each other and share their enthusiasm.

 

[Zantra]

We're here for the badgers

 

[Astrophysics]

Well I can't ask my science books questions now can I? (because if I did, my teachers, parents, classmates and even my little sister would think I'm going crazy )

 

[BoulderHead]

Originally posted by Zantra
We're here for the badgers

I'm only in it for the mushrooms.

 

[Royce]

Originally posted by hypnagogue

As for the question, I agree with Mattius that PF really adds a dimension to the whole process of knowing/understanding/wondering by giving a medium for like-minded people to actually discuss these ideas. It's one thing to read interesting books or watch interesting shows or think awed and wondering thoughts, and I've done plenty of that, but it's kind of rare (for me at least) to have people who I know personally who share my passion for these sorts of things. PF is great in that it let's people get these ideas out of their heads and bounce them around off of each other and share their enthusiasm.

Mind if I quote this to my wife? I think this answer really sums up my reasons as well. Wish I'd thought of this at the time. Great answer hypna', thanks

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Friends with common interests.

 

[hypnagogue]

Originally posted by Royce
Mind if I quote this to my wife? I think this answer really sums up my reasons as well. Wish I'd thought of this at the time. Great answer hypna', thanks

No prob bob... and of course you can quote that to your wife.

 

[recon]

I am relatively new here, but have been here long enough to know that I really enjoy the PF. I usually don't get too much intellectual/social stimulation out of speaking to my classmates/educators whom barely even speak English, let alone keep up with the scientific world. Being from an isolated region of the world, in a country with a population of only 300,000 people, I find that this is one of the more enjoyable places accessible to me. At least we are all free to express our thoughts here. In my country, trying to debunk anything to do with the government could result in a death penalty. People here are very narrow-minded, but I hope to escape from that sentence. PF serves my purpose in that context.


Cyberspace is INDEED paradise!

 

[Monique]

Anytime that I try discuss with my friends something deeper than a glass of beer, they roll their eyes and say, yes einstein. I guess THEY are only in it for the mushrooms ;P

 

[Artman]

Whenever I start talking about physics or engineering with my wife or friends I see their eyes glaze over and I know they really just don't care about it.

I post here because I can't see your eyes (except of course for Boulderhead's avatar and the little smilie faces ) and even if I could, I think I would see interest in the subject.

For me, ego plays no part in my participation here. I find my ego boosts elsewhere. I just love physics. That doesn't mean I'm any good at it. Most of the time I just read the posts (I'm member 85 and I only have 187 posts at the time of this writing).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I think the eye roll is the key...it sure is for me; and I mean over science not even the whacky stuff. You can imagine the reaction I get to some of my other interests...which I do keep mostly to myself.