to consider that most threads on MN can be answered by the OP googling something, or just thinking it out for themselves?

[Pan]

It's not too much to suggest, is it? Instead of mithering all of cyberspace..just a thought.

[FabbyChic]

Some of the questions do border on the ridiculous and are just pure lazyness.

[rhondajean]

Yes lets ban conversation completely, bloody waste of other peoples time.

[blackeyedsusan]

and your reason for mithering cyberspace is?

[StealthPolarBear]

but sometimes I they don't want to know "the answer", they want to know MNers take on the answer. Such as "Recipe including salmon and courgette please". Sometimes I people just fancy a discussion.

[Sandalwood]

That 'let me google that for you' is good.

[SinicalSal]

yes, and inane chit chat at bus stops, in the office, over garden fences....ban the lot

[Pan]

blackeye - to reduce the mither - it's strategic, don't you know!

[Rowena8482]

chants is snarky voice "Google is your friend"
but the actual communicating with someone, anyone, and knowing someone else, even if just for one minute, is helping you, or considering your issue, can be - not exactly comforting, but nice - "yes, there IS someone out there" :)

[StealthPolarBear]

Well I'd love to hang around and chat, but you know how it is, places to go, people to see. Bye :)

[Pan]

Hmmm.. so the there is no truth in the internetty thing reducing people's ability to problem-solve for themselves?...

[SinicalSal]

The internet didn't invent communication. We've always sent out feelers for other peoples' expertise rather than simply opening an encyclopedia.

[StealthPolarBear]

"Pan Tue 23-Aug-11 23:36:22
Hmmm.. so the there is no truth in the internetty thing reducing people's ability to problem-solve for themselves?..."

dunno. Why not google it?

[rhondajean]

Go solve it yourself Pan, stop mithering at us.

[AgentZigzag]

Most people aren't on here to solve the problems they have, they're on here for contact with other people.

[Pan]

Not being controversial here!

There's abig sort of difference between getting advice/problem-solving from people you know in RL ( because they are more accountable in that you see them most days) as adversed to people you will never meet who can hand out 'advice' with nothing like the same accountability.

of course I don't mean to deride 'contacts' and social exchanges, BUT has the internetty thing provided a sort of short-cut to not thinking for oneself?

[Sandalwood]

I can sometimes get sucked in too. There'll be a 'help. What's this song' thread - and I'll bloody google it for them.

[DuelingFanjo]

Oh dear, I am worried now that my thread about clutter has inspired this. I was going to start one about my inability to click with people on a social level and how I can get back to being the confident outgoing person I used to be but I wonder if my time on the internet has turned me into this and that the solution might be to log off instead.

[Fatshionista]

Yanbu. Some things can be solved by google and it is laziness but others want opinions so you are also bu.

[Honeydragon]

Well yes

And also

No.

[TakeMeDrunkImHome]

That isn't the point. The point is asking opinions and seeking advice and a lot of times seeking reassurance and help.

[TakeMeDrunkImHome]

Although you could always refer to FabbyChic for advice and in which case you would cook an abusive man his tea and pander to him and then all would be well in the world.

[Pan]

oh sure Sandalwood, And I do them too.

It;s more the "Travel:will Spain be hot in June?". If you're not sure, look it up.

or "Is Tarquin a too poncey name?" If you're not sure...

or "MN jury" requests...

The internetty thing is really great, but are we becoming illiterate in a few ways in it's use, and is MN giving succour to that? Seeking info, yes, but not getting lazy about problem-solving/opinion-forming?

[Pan]

yes, it's a Yes...and No!

Pondering, as a few people have on the 'disabling' effect of having "an answer"at your finger tips.

[Pan]

Duelling - nothing to do with you at all.

[Niecie]

There is an acronyms for it, even though it isn't used on here - JFGI.

I do wonder sometimes why people ask for factual information when Google is so quick and available - especially as on the odd occasion they ask on here and actually get the wrong answer.

On the other hand, I don't see anything wrong with asking for advice or opinions. Google can't offer thant - the best it can offer is a link to somebody else's discussion on the subject. Surely it is better to engage with other people's views personally than read about them second hand, iyswim?