Why do Negative Posts generate such interest?

[Dreamfinder2]

This is facinating stuff; I guess it's because it gives me a chance to ponder what I learned with my mail-order psychology degree.

I remember, in the little southern town where I grew up, there was a man named Mr. Nichols. There was never a more negative person in the free world. Nothing suited him. I watched him throw a hissy fit in the drug store one day because some photos he'd taken didn't turn out - and part of it was because his own finger was over the lens, but the hapless clerk had to stand there and take his venom.

My Mamma, in her extraordinary home-spun wisdom, explained to me that "it was just his way." Because, yeah, some folks are just naturally negative, and it's my practice to avoid them like the plague. They annoy me, drain me, and in no manner edify themselves or others. I pity those folks. What a wretched life to have to live.

BUT ... when a good person shares a negative experience, then they've got my attention. Because then I know that what they have to say is reasoned, rational, and not the product of a bitter, shriveled heart who views the world through irrational eyes.

Well, I don't personally know any posters around here that I'm aware of, so I'm not in a position to offer judgement. But there are several folks on the DIS boards that have my ear. Know why? Because their posts are generally positive and affirming, and when they do have something negative to say, then chances are their concerns are legitimate and are designed to be helpful to the rest of us. It's just hard for me to seperate someone from their words. So if someone's posts are overwhelmingly negative, it's either the result of extraordinary bad luck, unrealistic expectations, or just plain bitterness. Conversely, if someone's posts are always positive, either they're delusional or have had genuine Disney pixie-dust experiences.

My Mamma died in October after a valiant battle with cancer. We had ressies at WVL over the Christmas holidays, and she was to have gone with us. I could respond by shaking my fist impotently at the heavens, or I could go ahead with the rest of my family and have a grand and glorious time, and feel Mamma's pleasure from heaven. Guess which option I chose?

With DVC, as with most things in life, you get out of the experience what you take into it. I've had nothing - NOTHING - but positive experinces at Disney over thirty years and literally hundreds of visits. Perhaps I'm delusional, or perhaps I'm not as demanding because I'm middle income (gosh, what a broad generalization ! ), but I can promise you this ... if I ever offer a negative experience, you'd better perk your ears up, 'cause it's gonna be B-A-D.

As Gump says, "That's all I got to say about that."

 

[WDWguruDH]

Back to the original question, I think Desparado and ncligs hit it on the head. ncligs - negative is more fascinating, I myself am guilty of this. Desparado - People are going to complain more with a negative experience than pump up a positive, probably compounded more by our high expectations of Disney. Our high expectations lead us to have a "negative" view of an incident that at a Hilton or Marriot would be overlooked.
I too want the positive and negative to help avoid the problems, no matter how rare(as the polls on issues show). This board is overwhelming positive because DVC is an overwhelming positive experience. Thus I think when someone posts a negative, they feel a little sensitive as they have put themselves out there and think that positive comments contrary to their post are rude or an attack...this is what usually leads to the whinning. But, as some have stated, we can change or skip if it gets ridiculous(positive or negative). More importantly, we are all adults and can general discern legitimate issues from petty complaints.
I do want an environment where people feel free to post problems they had(we have) so we can all learn...the only advice I would have, would be to post it as an experience, not a complaint with venom - this is what usually leads a thread down hill.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

Originally posted by Muushka
I just wonder why they feel the need to defend Disney? Why does it become so personal?

I think many DVCers get tired of justifiying their love for Disney, their decision to purchase DVC, and their numerous vacations to WDW to non-disneyholic family/friends/coworkers. How many times have you been asked: How can you stand to visit WDW so often?? Dont you get sick of the same vacation?? Don't you ever vacation anywhere else??

Therefore, they come to this "Fortress of Disney Solitude" website to be with others who share their addiction.

When someone breaks bad on Disney here, they take it personally.

Misplaced hostility??

 

[Granny]

Originally posted by MikeScott8
The poll on the rooms being clean on check in shows that the vast percentage of poepl have had few if any issue on that subject. Of course that poll (I believe) was done by a person who got the other impression from recent messages.

I was the one who posted the "room cleanliness on check in" poll recently.

I did so only because of the reasons outlined in the topic of this thread....a few, completely valid, negative comments seemed to be giving the impression that all rooms were filthy upon check in. And some lurkers and newbies commented that they were alarmed by this and were re-considering joining DVC.

In that case, the thread was started by Maistre Gracey (sp?), who I have a lot of respect for and who is very pro-DVC, pro-Disney (in addition to having great taste in DVC homes! ) . So I knew he was relaying his observations, but his post kind of snowballed as others posted similar experiences.


This has been an interesting thread. Thanks for starting it, and for listening to my two cents.

 

[erikthewise]

I just have to note that the original post was itself a negative post (albeit a good one), in that it takes a negative attitude toward negative posts: "It is a shame that the negative posts generate such interest".

And so correspondingly, it has generated a high level of interest, just as the original post itself predicted! So this thread, by its length, has confirmed the truth of the original post, regardless of what was actually said here.

Would someone like to make a positive post about negative posts? Actually, why bother. It will probably be ignored anyway.

 

[MJS]

Bravo erikthewise!

 

[Dancind]

And Bravo Dreamfinder2! I enjoyed reading your post. Are you a writer by profession? And I agree, there are some here that I always read and respect their opinions. There are others I ignore, and then there are posters that tend to be inflammatory (to newbies, anyway) but are highly entertaining. I hope they never leave, what a dry board we would have! Diana

 

[chicago641]

perhaps you missed the post from those that simply said ignore this person.I posted 3 threads upon my return.

 

[invalid_char]

Why do posts about negative posts generate such interest?

That's what I want to know!

 

[Zimbubba]

I think the negative posts make great reading. It reveals alot about the posters. I especially enjoy the ones about experiences that were had that do not meet a person's standards while on a DVC experience. Many people in this situation do nothing while there and post negatives here when they get home. These are the best ones!

 

[ILuvDVC]

For instance, if I read that people are experiencing 30 minute waits at check in, I try to see if there is a commonality (such as time of check in) and then try to avoid it if possible. I wish I had read more posts about the views at BWV prior to my last trip, because I would have made different requests, and may have enjoyed myself even more than I did.

Hmm? Would we have had a better time over at the BW? Possibly, but we had a great time on that large balcony of yours! I'd like to be on that balcony right now, watching all those vehicles going to and from the services areas LOL.

 

[jcodespoti]

People get upset if other people "pick" on DVC because they paid alot of money and don't want to be viewed as a loser for doing so. I am one of those people that says "look at the contract" or "you get whats in the contract" I say this not to take away from other peoples view toward their expirences with DVC(good or bad), rather as a warning to those who lurk or are unsure about what they are getting.
To me the main problem is that DVC calls salespeople "guides". When I think of a guide I think of someone who is going to walk you thru a situation that you are not knowledgeable in.
I have said it before that we don't call used car salepeople "guides", why call "timeshare" salespeople "guides"?

I am not saying that these salespeople are evil people but, sometimes , and I mean sometimes what they tell people is flat out wrong. And you better read over the contract that you are signing because thats what you are agreeing to. My 0.02135698753 cents worth

Joe in CT

 

[msdis]

Sounds like you are whining and/or complaining. Not to blast you for doing so or anything like that but I for one am very proud to live in the good ole USA where the freedom of speech is still a right as a citizen and proud to frequent a web site where the same respect is granted. As for the number of responses here I guess you have just proven your own theory.

 

[RWishbone]

I was neither whining or complaining. I was merely wondering why negative posts generated much more interest then positive posts. Several of the answers were very insightful in that regard. As I previously stated, I am not trying to suggest that people stop negative posts. I also read them (Guilty as charged) in an attempt to avoid mistakes. However, I also believe that the disproportinate interest in the negative posts generates an unwarranted negative view of the DVC....Rich

 

[Jen D]

I think you guys are being a little bit dramatic here. Specifically Chicago641 - I reviewed your thread about the dirty room at Thanksgiving and every single post was sympathetic to your plight.

Chicago641 had about three our four threads associated with her? stay. On one, that was something else she forgot, there was a snarky Heathers-type post that said "Who is this person? Could we just ignore them?" And the next post said "Ignore away!" It was pretty nasty. Plenty of people jumped to her defense.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=300648

(One of the nasty posts has since been deleted, it appears.)

To answer the original question, negative posts are interesting to read, and often they get particularly entertaining because they start a fight, and everyone leaps to everyone elses defense, etc. I love the Dis, but the boards can get a little monotonous, so when I see a topic with a lot of viewings or responses, I know something interesting is going on.

For those worried about the overall effect on dvc, it all reflects more on the Dis than DVC. The same situation exists on the resort boards, transportation boards....

 

[anniet]

Not to beat a dead horse, but I think the fact that there were 3 threads posted by Chicago641 may have made some people misinterpret the situation. I saw them all as related and perhaps they could have all been on one thread, but it didn't bother me. Some may have seen it as overkill, however that doesn't give anyone a license to be rude.

As I said before I don't mind negative posts, but I prefer them to be constructive. But I agree with dreamfinder people who are naturally negative just for the sake of being negative annoy and drain me.

Life is way to short.