LogFAQs > #941069661

HornedLion posted...

No one on PotD took it as a challenge when I asked about Animal Crossing. Instead they offered but detailed information as to what makes the game good.

That gets back to the previous point about system boards generally being cesspools of trolling and fanboyism. Nobody cares on PotD. People do care on system boards. I do remember that topic, and I did feel that it came off as "this looks boring prove me wrong," but because I know you and knew that you weren't just trying to stir up trouble (and also that Animal Crossing is going to be boring for some people), I responded seriously and didn't bother caring about your phrasing choice. When you're a stranger on a board where trolls are often looking for opportunities to take thinly-veiled shots at the system, it's more understandable that people would be less tolerant of such negative language.

HornedLion posted...

Ill give you an example. Ive used the term, Not bad many times. How was my ambrosia salad, Hornedlion? Not bad. Thank you.

But one time I used it and the person took offense to it. Like, I was perplexed. Lady, Im saying your fish pudding is not bad. Im even saying we should do this again next time your husband is out of town! Whats wrong with you?!

Depending on how you inflect it, that can indeed be pretty dismissive and unflattering. With the right inflection, it's a playful way to say something is good, but with the wrong one, it amounts to "it's tolerable," which is a pretty rude way to respond to something people put genuine effort into. It's also going to depend on how genuinely they're seeking feedback, since if they want a more nuanced opinion, that response gives them pretty much nothing. Like most word or phrasing choices, you've got to consider context and how your audience will respond to the choices you make.

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