DPS: Why is it so dang taboo?

[Ilitsa]

The gnome raises a good point. I've been in three free companies last year where people rage quit with a bunch of drama and whinging because you can't even tell people how they can improve over teamspeak in a friendly conversation. People don't want to be critiqued, they want to be told that they're awesome, the best, the greatest, one hundred percent pure sex with lightning bolt hip thrusts, and anything less than an affirmation of how wonderful they are is grounds for the ignore list and a smear campaign. It's both crazy and disgusting.

SOME people are like that, yes, not everyone. Vast majority will listen if the person "critiquing" isn't being condescending. Case and point, was in a Sohm Al run just tonight, where the blm was opening with thunder 3 and using 3 fires to get the Astral III status, I calmly explained that opening with a thunder 2, and use thunder 3 on thundercloud procs, and that using fire 3 is far more mana efficient, and adding in using Blizz 3 before the fire 3 for reduced mp cost on the fire, as well if so wished, they simply thanked me and began doing as I had said. There was no name calling, no drama, but, according to you and snuggles, interactions like this are impossible and NEVER happen. I'm FAR from a perfect rotation BLM, but I am decent enough to offer small tidbits of advice here and there, I have lots of room to improve myself, though, so if I stumble across someone that wants to politely explain something, I'll gladly listen. I'm under no obligation though to listen to someone that's being a rude, pompous, belittling jerk, however.

[Galgarion]

...according to you and snuggles, interactions like this are impossible and NEVER happen..

Where did either of us once write "It is impossible and never happens,"? Snuggles and I merely pointed out the frequency with which it does occur. Your obstinate 'teaspoon of sugar' defense provides not the slightest surcease if the person in question is a deluded egomaniac as these games are wont to attract.

"Hey, if you keep blood of the dragon up you'll hit harder--"

"SILENCE! SILENCE! RAAAAAGH!!!"

This is an exaggeration. For realism, substitute "Silence, silence! Raaagh!" With "STFU, I know my class!"

[Miste]

SOME people are like that, yes, not everyone. Vast majority will listen if the person "critiquing" isn't being condescending. Case and point, was in a Sohm Al run just tonight, where the blm was opening with thunder 3 and using 3 fires to get the Astral III status, I calmly explained that opening with a thunder 2, and use thunder 3 on thundercloud procs, and that using fire 3 is far more mana efficient, and adding in using Blizz 3 before the fire 3 for reduced mp cost on the fire, as well if so wished, they simply thanked me and began doing as I had said. There was no name calling, no drama, but, according to you and snuggles, interactions like this are impossible and NEVER happen. I'm FAR from a perfect rotation BLM, but I am decent enough to offer small tidbits of advice here and there, I have lots of room to improve myself, though, so if I stumble across someone that wants to politely explain something, I'll gladly listen. I'm under no obligation though to listen to someone that's being a rude, pompous, belittling jerk, however.

As far as I can see neither of them said that polite interactions never happen...but I agree with them that it seems to happen a lot that critiquing anyone ends badly.

I could name all the times I have politely asked a question or offered some advice and have been assaulted with profanities in response or even some occasions unjustly kicked from the group but it would take too much time. In my personal experiences 90% of the time I myself have offered help/advice, or when I've seen another member in the group do so, it ends badly. The player who is on the receiving end of the help/advice usually freaks out and gets immediately defensive no matter how politely people talked to them.

Maybe you've just been lucky? Or I have just been unlucky? It's really not something we can figure out a statistic on without running some kinda crazy study on the subject. Vast majority is only in your personal experiences, not everyone's. My personal experience for example is opposite of yours and I always ask/explain politely.