<p>Meta stackexchange sites are often the venue for immature rants authored by disgruntled members of the site. The Math stackexchange and meta stackoverflow includes a lot of this behavior. During a recent instance of this, one site member pointed out the unconstructive nature of ranting on meta and the ranter (after calming down) <a href="http://meta.math.stackexchange.com/questions/10934/why-has-this-excellent-question-been-put-on-hold/10935#comment41263_10935">responded a joke</a> that why we do this would be a question for the Psych SE. </p>

<ul>
<li>What do people engage in rants on meta stack exchange site?</li>
<li>Is there something about math/computing people that causes this behavior? </li>
<li>What psychological theories are relevant?</li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-12T04:07:53.913Z
Interesting question. I'm just wondering to what extent the labelling of internet communication as a rant is subjective. How are you defining "rants"? And what is the difference between a non-immature rant and a mature expression of dissatisfaction? Eventhough we think we know the different, it might still be useful to first define this distinction
Jeromy Anglim
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-09-12T04:12:16.143Z
speculation: negativity is more typical on the internet in general, because we don't get the vocal and facial feedback from our audience that we would in a live setting.  Negative comments probably still come up in person, but they don't (as often) develop into a rant.
Keegan Keplinger
<social-psychology><internet><communication>
Why do people make rants on Meta Stack Exchange sites?
Homeland
# Why do people make rants on Meta Stack Exchange sites?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-09-12)

Meta stackexchange sites are often the venue for immature rants authored by disgruntled members of the site. The Math stackexchange and meta stackoverflow includes a lot of this behavior. During a recent instance of this, one site member pointed out the unconstructive nature of ranting on meta and the ranter (after calming down) [responded a joke](http://meta.math.stackexchange.com/questions/10934/why-has-this-excellent-question-been-put-on-hold/10935#comment41263_10935) that why we do this would be a question for the Psych SE.

* What do people engage in rants on meta stack exchange site?
* Is there something about math/computing people that causes this behavior?
* What psychological theories are relevant?

**Tags:** social-psychology, internet, communication

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Interesting question. I'm just wondering to what extent the labelling of internet communication as a rant is subjective. How are you defining "rants"? And what is the difference between a non-immature rant and a mature expression of dissatisfaction? Eventhough we think we know the different, it might still be useful to first define this distinction  
> **username_2**: speculation: negativity is more typical on the internet in general, because we don't get the vocal and facial feedback from our audience that we would in a live setting.  Negative comments probably still come up in person, but they don't (as often) develop into a rant.  

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## 0 answers

