Is this an informational website, or an ego boost for people who need to feel accepted in "society"?
by 
Chris
ANSWERS: 18
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I think it's both. It makes me happy to use it and I also teach and learn a lot of things.
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it's both. i came here looking for answers honestly, but it did turn out to be somewhat social. but i don't think i need to feel accepted since ihave a life outside of the cyberworld.
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I think you are reading a bit too much into it - it's a web site that people use to communicate with one another by asking and answering each others questions.
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idk but i hate it when i see a question like "should i kill myself?" its so stupid YES ok? yes you should because you are a waste of space if you are asking that you probably contribute nothing to sociaty and are a waste of resources and space. grrr i mean seriously omg wow...
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I think none of the above. Many users here use AB to have fun or to kill boredom.
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It can be either, that and oh so much more ;)
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Both... I answer questions I feel I can (seriously or funnily), and therefore provide information. People who agree with me will comment and/or rate my answer up. This gives me "validation" that my advice is good and makes me feel good.
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From what I can see in the AB blogs and the "about us" at the bottom of the page, it was originally designed to be an informational question and answer site, where you could get information from people from a personal point of view. Then, as more and more users discovered the site, it turned itself into more of a chat site. Your choice of the words "ego boost for people" sounds like you are making a value judgment. I see it more of a dealers choice. The user decides what he/she wants out of the site, and is free to make that choice.
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I wouldn't say ego boost, perhaps validation is a better word (BigDaddyBS has a great answer here, check it out). Yarnlady is right, AB started as an info site. Now it's a little bit of everything and with that you get many personality types. Some are pleasant and some are not so pleasant. Personally, I think of AB as a community more than anything else.
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Things have become more social than they used to be as we have grown and the community has got to know each other through comment threads and Q&As, You can still find imformation if you like although it is no longer what I would call strong on the knowledge data. I certainly do not think many people come here to have their egos stroked, they come for friendship interaction with friends and to learn and help each other if they can.
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I come here because as a person who has a lot of life experience I feel I can share it with others. I try not to offer too much opinion just some help, maybe steering a person in the right direction. Giving a person a different viewpoint, one that they would not think off. As for ego, I think many people come here for many reasons. For some it could be that, boredom or like myself trying to help others. Some I see come here to be the fools that they are.
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A site like this one can give people a variety of benefits. I came here initially looking for some specific information (I didn't find it, but it was a pretty esoteric topic), and I stayed because I discovered that I could help people out because of the breadth of my knowledge and my superior Google-fu. There are quite a few who are here for socialization, and that's fine, too. There are some who seem to be here to try and ruin other peoples' days. I don't think that's quite as okay as other reasons, but I suppose it must be entertaining. Or something. Whatever. Get what you want from it, and don't expect that everyone is using it the same way as you are, and all will be well.
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I think I have said before, AB is like walking into a room with 'familiar strangers', where you can pretty much feel free to say whatever, bunch of people hanging around, bouncing questions around the room, serious, not serious, whatever. To some, they feel special, others, just hanging, some think this is special place and that their special and 'own' this place or something but doesn't matter. Just sit back and shoot the sh*t. Maybe you'll learn something, maybe not, what does it matter. Its up to you what you get out of it, enjoy!
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It has the potential to be either, both, or any number of other things. It's all in how one chooses to use it.
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So how do you feel?
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NO, Why? Are you feeling left out?
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How about both? XD The society part dun work too well though, but with people like Chris around it's good enough for me. :)
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It helps me when I am bored at work. I work by myself from 11pm-7am. You have no idea how many times I have asked myself "Don't these people know what GOOGLE is?" I bet a stand up comedian could make a whole act out of some of the questions on here. Great question by the way. ;)
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