The internet as a force for GOOD?

[Avatard]

I am on a bass forum, and a metal guy had his bass stolen (a very unusual all carbon graphite "Buzzard" bass) when touring a European country. Some time later, this very unusual bass was spotted by a forum reader at a local luthier, who posted a picture of it, whereupon others identified it as the missing bass, and the instrument was returned to its rightful owner.

[Papa_Complex]

Every now an then someone posts on DPReview about a lost or stolen camera, but I don;t know if it has ever paid off. There was one situation in which a photographer had fallen on hard times and sold off her gear to survive, then mysteriously had a box show up at her doorstep with a couple of year old DSLR in it. Don't know if she ever found out who sent it. In another case someone got ripped off in an eBay deal for a flash and someone sent him his spare.

I like those stories. Makes you think that "human nature" might not be a mythical thing, after all.

[Avatard]

I don't watch much network news anymore, since it only seems to highlight the darkest parts of human behavior. I far prefer when humans help each other. You actually get to see some of that from time to time on the Internet.

The flipside to all this warm and fuzzy fucking Internet Kumbaya, is the YouTube comments, and the Facebook bully kids, that drive young girls to commit suicide.

It's just the Yin and Yang of the web's circle of life, Simba.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Flexin

That's pretty cool. I'm on a music forum and at one point there was a female on there that couldn't afford a good guitar, one reason was cost in her country. People on the forum starting putting spare parts together, gave them to one guy that painted, built the guitar and mailed it to her. Cool stuff.

James

Yall should do that for me only with an old R series BMW.

[Krabill]

I've seen the guys over on ADVrider pool together to buy a motorcycle for a rider with financial issues on more than one occasion.

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Trip

Yall should do that for me only with an old R series BMW.

You'll take a Ural, and LIKE it mister!

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

You'll take a Ural, and LIKE it mister!

I'd be fine with a ural.

[Papa_Complex]

Originally Posted by Trip

I'd be fine with a ural.

No sidecar! Sidecar cost extra!

[EpyonXero]

Originally Posted by Avatard

I don't watch much network news anymore, since it only seems to highlight the darkest parts of human behavior. I far prefer when humans help each other. You actually get to see some of that from time to time on the Internet.

The flipside to all this warm and fuzzy fucking Internet Kumbaya, is the YouTube comments, and the Facebook bully kids, that drive young girls to commit suicide.

It's just the Yin and Yang of the web's circle of life, Simba.

Yeah. It seems that the more anonymous the forum is (YouTube comments) the worse the behavior is but places where you have regular interaction with the same people and get to know them things become the total opposite. Ive been on a/The CBR email list for like 10 years and most of the other regulars have been there longer it seems like a lot of the guys on there are very willing to do whatever they can to help another lister.

[Trip]

Originally Posted by Papa_Complex

No sidecar! Sidecar cost extra!

I'd rather not have a stupid sidecar. Now go get my ural together.