kids these days

[the_siobhan]

When did have an argument with somebody turn into "creating drama"?

I figure if I'm giving shit to somebody, I'm not creating drama. I'm just giving them shit.

Comments

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

Some people think that any disagreement equals creating drama. I agree that it can get kind of tiresome.

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

Depends on who you're arguing with, I guess!

[ravensee.livejournal.com]

I think it was back in the 1970s.

I blame disco.

[excess-and-oohs.livejournal.com]

i'm withyou.
drama is something i avoid if at all possible. argument is sometimes necessary, but drama isn't. imo.

[greylock.livejournal.com]

I'm no expert on the Internet...
Wait... you don't know that....

As one of the foremost experts on the Internet of my generation I can tell you that the word "drama" no longer means what it used to mean.

So, I think have concluded it was at some point post-1998 when LJ was created.

But, more seriously, I have always taken 'Creating Drama' to mean something more like deliberately causing some sort of upset in a person's life (like, you know, spreading rumours that they enjoy the tender company of unmarried goats), not bruising their fragile ego by taking a stance that may be at odds with their carefully constructed worldview.

(Was that sorta where you were going with that? I tried to encompass the whole 'arguing on the internet thing there', but really that can be something different as Internet Arguments seem to bring out a flocking behaviour in humanity which appears to lead to High Levels of Internet Drama).

[greylock.livejournal.com]

No, that was the oil shock.
You see, people think the Saudis created the oil shock, but I have proof that it was actually caused by worldwide sequins consumption going through the roof.

It's a little known fact that the reason the US hit peak oil was that Sylvester used most of it for his tour costumes.

That, and the introduction of 12-inch singles and eight-tracks used up even more hydrocarbsons.

That's why the US has a strategic petroleum reserve now - so the US is prepared when proper disco is revived.

[eveofdstruction.livejournal.com]

Giving shit to someone equals good, honest argument. Talking shit about someone to other people equals creating drama. If someone were to talk shit about an argument being "creating drama", that would, in fact be creating drama. So meta.

[missjanette.livejournal.com]

god forbid you should give anyone shit.
everyone is supposed to play nice while talking shit behind everyone else's back.

didn't you get the memo?

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's kind of where I'm at. By my definitions; if I'm telling stories about people or setting them up to look bad, that's creating drama. An internet fight, no matter how stupid the subject matter, is still just an argument.

A few times I've been in the middle of some shitfest or another and I see people say "omg drama!". That always surprises me.

Maybe if you were publicizing private offline stuff in the middle of an online argument, that might count. Usually in these situations I'm yelling at strangers. (I tend to be more gentle with my friends when I think they're full of shit.)

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

It must be in this pile of bills.

[dark-phoenix54.livejournal.com]

If the person deserves the shit they are being given, it's not creating drama, it's just giving them shit. If they are being a huge amount of shit for some petty offense, and the shit is being given in a loud, arm waving, exaggerating way, then it's creating drama.

But sometimes that's okay, too, if you're bored.

[beaq.livejournal.com]

Drama has a plot. An argument or "flame" war (apparently strong disagreement is "flaming" now, too) is just an episode. Heaving ourselfs boldly into a tizzy about an online tiff, well now we start inching toward actual drama. See.

[kambriel.livejournal.com]

Personally, I think a lot of times "drama" is used to discredit the validity of whatever is *actually* being said. It's a pet peeve of mine, so I'm glad to hear someone else has noticed there actually is a difference :)

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Excellent point

[elusis.livejournal.com]

And yet they never seem to notice that by going "wahhh, DRAMAZ!!!" they are... creating drama.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

It's pretty much a given that the more people say they hate drama, the more they surround themselves with it.

[elusis.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't know anyone who *loves* drama, but indeed, the more obsessed someone is with their "aversion," the more they seem to stir it up wherever they go.

Fuck that shit.

[epi-lj.livejournal.com]

My understanding of the word "drama," is that the difference between "drama," and just honest disagreement or argument hinges on the implications of performance and falsehood inherent in the word, "drama." The idea of "drama," seems to be that of someone who foments trouble specifically for an audience in order to get attention.

[mscissorhands.livejournal.com]

some people enjoy the drama as it is a form of attention, some people enjoy a whole lot of attention. personally I have no idea why you would enjoy THAT kind of attention

[unagothae.livejournal.com]

Some people don't know how to attract attention in a healthy fashion or just want more attention than they can get through healthy channels, so they take it any way they can get it.

People always say that kids outgrow stuff, but really, they just find more socially acceptable/age-appropriate ways of doing the same old shit.

[sushidog.livejournal.com]

Just to put a different slant on it, drama is something worth watching; it's a spectator sport, and the fact is, most people enjoy watching a bit of it, as long as they can avoid getting any on them. So if your disagreement is watchable or interesting or entertaining, then people will gather to watch, and will call it drama.

[ravensee.livejournal.com]

*puts mohawk alert on high*

[disastrid.livejournal.com]

A+, as usual. :)

[panic-girl.livejournal.com]

Ah ha ha! Oh this thread is making me laugh so much.

[grimjim.livejournal.com]

I guess that's an indirect statement that the posited recipient thereto don't think you're giving them shit for legitimate reasons.

When is it drama?

[50-ft-queenie.livejournal.com]

IMO, drama is when any of the following happens.

An argument devolves into name-calling and mudslinging.

When one person starts actively lying about the other person and/or making false accusations.

When one or more participants drags all their friends into it and encourage people to take sides.

When either person won't let the argument die and keeps bringing up in unrelated conversations.

Basically, it's when people stop fighting fair and start fighting dirty.

[hel_ana]

Well I know that I was bitching about it back in '04

It pisses me off less now, because I'm no longer spending time around people who claim to hate drama and thus trail it around like Pig-Pen trailing dirt.

[spitecandy.livejournal.com]

attention whores love drama. they just dont believe they do.

[spitecandy.livejournal.com]

when people suck, they need to be told, in no uncertain terms. If that is called giving shit, then give away. the drama was just waiting in the wings. you did not bring it

[missjanette.livejournal.com]

for serious. my mouth tastes of iron from biting my tongue.

[the-siobhan.livejournal.com]

Or as Kambriel says, it's a way to invalidate an argument without addressing that actual complaint.

Drama-rama

[maenad-au.livejournal.com]

LJ drama is a slippery little beastie as you can see by the variety of replies.

As part of the graphics community I found it to be a red flag for Female relational violence amongst young women. It's a warning to others not to disagree with them or their posse or you will be harrassed into deleting your journal/community. The same goes for anybody who defends you. They will make sure that you become unpopular. *shock, horror*

That is the social reality of the word but the stated aim is to keep the peace in a community.

With older women it means "show respect or get LARTed".

In communities it is also used to means the opposite of the first example, i.e. no bullying. The added personal meaning is that these people probably just dump all arguing parties into the same Drama basket and ban everybody just like lazy primary school teachers can't be bothered working out who the real bully is or are too piss weak to directly identify and confront them.

[dali-muse.livejournal.com]

Agreed. :)