I think my problem is i'm too passionate about the EF scale topic and it's probably best I abstain from here on out. I see the underestimation of tornado windspeeds as a public safety issue, which has made things feel more urgent and important than they maybe are. I also see the evidence of tornadoes being underrated as so abundant and clear that it feels like I'm taking crazy pills when I see people still advocating for the current mindset causing these problems. My passion really shows itself when that happens.
However, I can confidently say every single time i've been confrontational on this site was in response to disrespectful, accusatory comments and/or personal attacks from other users. My confrontational attitude with Nick was in response to his tweet that was dragging Slenker, who was extremely courteous to him. I think it's beyond hypocritical to say "there are a couple of users who’s presence here is like a fire extinguisher against well-informed, mature discussion" without taking any personal responsibility for that happening. I can easily go and find at least half a dozen times this user has insulted me personally because he disagreed with my viewpoints.
It also feels like I'm back in high school again with the way people pile on and side with the more "popular" users in these instances. I've felt like some of the criticism against me (and a few other users) strays into straight up bullying sometimes. This is an anonymous online forum, so i'm surprised constantly by how much the criticism affects me. I think it's because I respect the knowledge of so many people here. I feel like I have gone out of my way to be respectful and courteous to other users, even when it isn't shown to me. Yet, a comment basically saying I suck and should leave is currently sitting at 9 likes. This is beyond "taking the hint" at this point, so yes, I'll leave if that's what people want.