Why I'm Grateful for TVTropes (and tropers)

This place has been a source of discovery and fun. Before I came to this place, I would never have imagined that my views on religion, sex, gender, rationality and morality would be what they are today. I also learned excellent habits in rational discussions, such as never to resort to the Ad Hominem, and always follow the path of honesty and responsibility, understanding that, ultimately, there are no sides to an argument, only the truth, and those who are too weak to seek it.

By that, I mean that antagonism and ill will is worthless and sterile, and that, no matter how different our points of view at the start of an argument, we can always reach an agreement, even if part of the agreement consists in acknowledging and determining which topics we cannot reach an agreement on, either temporarily (for lack of deciding evidence) or permanently (for example, differing ethical choices that make internal sense but look to each other like Blue-and-Orange Morality).

I also owe this place to have encountered the monstrosity that are Something Awful and the likes of it. Being subjected to their judgmental, prejudiced gaze has reinforced my sense of morality and intellectual honesty, and my confidence in my own self-worth and my values. Ever since I was exposed to them, I have been able to weather the most cruel criticism with a kind smile, picking apart the truth from the lies with almost effortless ease, easily turning my aggressor's dishonesties and contradictions against them. I say almost, because I still find verbal aggression tiring, but it certainly doesn't cause me the violent, bones-shaking, throat-knotting distress it used to.

I've also understood in the flesh (a tiny, tiny glimpse of) what it meant to be part of a demographic of Acceptable Targets, and this has taught me to be less prejudiced and more open yet in my interactions with people whom my group despises, whichever group that may be.

This does not only have repercussions on my behavior on the web: I am now a happier, better-adjusted person, one who can make friends with people from all the world, all kinds of backgrounds and all kinds of mentalities. Well, I still find it challenging to deal with prejudice and the "othering" of "the enemy", but I find that I am growing more and more persuasive in getting people to at least give alternative viewpoints a chance.

I have also grown to be perfectly at peace with myself and my own consciousness, except for two things: my laziness, by far my greatest sin... and my addiction to this site.

edited 22nd Aug '12 1:55:23 PM by TheHandle

This site:

• helps me learn a lot of stuff
• gives me good laughs
• helps me be a better person
• is how I met one of my best friends
• is otherwise pretty cool

I'm not grateful for this site at all. In fact, I hate every last one of you and think you are terrible human beings. The conversations here are sorely lacking in diversity of opinions and people just resort to cheap rhetoric at every turn. To take a break from this site, I go out to the rest of the internet where everything just makes much more sense overall. Creating pages for works is a chore and I torture myself by doing it. TV Tropes has Ruined My Life by opening up a whole new world of works that I revile and would probably have discovered anyway if I typed a bunch of random words into google. It distresses and upsets me to find that I have so much in common with this bunch of miscreants and malcontents.

I am Hourai Rabbit and I say ☠☠☠☠ all of you. The "☠☠☠☠" stands for "hugg"

edited 24th Aug '12 1:44:12 AM by HouraiRabbit

This site has broadened my horizons, changed my opinions, and helped me grow as a person.

I have learnt much from here, both of fiction and of real life.

And I have found here acceptance and like-minded people. Truly the greatest gift of all.

I'm grateful for the wiki - it actually helps me me improve my somewhat bad writing. It helps me organize my thoughts and gives me ideas on what to play on or subvert. Also, its just fun. The useful notes sections are extremely helpful for a multitude of things.

I'm a bit of a lurker here on the forum, and I know that this will probably come across as rather creepy, but, I rather enjoy reading the various threads and debates here. I learn from it.

Being on TV Tropes has made me grateful that I have a loving family. Yes I don't get along with them much (mainly my father) but I know that they would never physically or sexually abuse me. Or disown me becuase they disagreed with my religious views or sexuraity.

Not all tropers have that luxury

edited 2nd Sep '12 3:48:05 PM by joeyjojo

Even though it takes up much of my internet time, I enjoy tropes due to it applying to nearly all facets of information on media and real life, and creates an awareness on certain conventions and styles not mentioned before (Magic Skirts anyone?). It's very versatile. However, I don't like that there are some trope pages that have fewer new edits than others (for example, one trope page probably had, I don't know, only 20 examples listed in all?). I know there is more than that in fiction (and real life). I wish there was a way I could advertise this site to other internet goers to help expand the amount of tropers so that they may contribute more knowledge that will enrich the information of this site overall (as well as offering a few funny puns and jokes while were at it).

If I could I'd give you all a hug!

You guys have built a place where fiction lovers and writers can get together. I've discovered many an Anime, movie, artist or work on this very wiki. Thanks for everything Fast Eddie.

A huge amount of the shows and literature I've come across have been mostly thanks to TV Tropes. Plus, all the tropes themselves are quite fun to look at. I wouldn't have gone through the effort of actually launching a trope if I didn't think the site was worth it.

As far as the forums are concerned, while I don't post as regularly as some, I lurk enough to be familiar with most of the people here. I've found the community much more civil and approachable than many other, far more mainstream and more popular forum communities that I've frequented in the past. And I'm also grateful that the mods here don't penalize or ban people just because they're angry, or use their mod status to assert themselves in arguments. That happens a lot on many other sites.

@Vellup: we certainly try not to. If any of you ever see me making bad mod decisions, please let me know.

It bothers me to ban people, even when they need to be.

Same here; I know I've made some derptastic moves in the past and I always appreciate when people respectfully point them out.

edited 2nd Oct '12 3:28:47 PM by Willbyr

Can someone point out a place IRL where people can be adopted at will, and then absorbed into an ever-growing family chart, and then be pestered for sweeties every ten seconds?

I am grateful for that.

... Also, friends, companionship, laughs, etc. etc.