I am oftentimes hesitant to answer questions about drama because I worry that a dialogue about drama is dramatic itself. That being said, you are a Community Leader, and I think that your question is an attempt to create a healthy, positive discourse about how to keep Answerbag a safe, welcoming community. Thank you for your question. I think there are various manifestations of drama, and each individual is exposed to at least some form. It's kind of like opening up a Psychology Textbook and pointing to a passage, as individuals can definitely bring their real life personalities here but then project them differently. Whether in real life or virtual, I think it is crucial to remember that respect must come first. Do not spout off at other users, shielded by the cowardice mask of the avatars. To decrease AB drama, I think is is very important that each user remember that every other user is a human being with a complex set of feelings and emotions. Being nasty and negative is hurtful to others. I believe that if a user asks another user to cease communicating with him/her, said member should respect this request. This is a very large site. Not everyone has to be best friends. I pride myself on the idea that I, I really hope, am a friendly participator who wishes nothing but goodwill among fellow ABers. Nonetheless, I am happy to be among the first who flags level one Anonymous users who attack and otherwise deride other members of this site. Why do people want to occupy this space as a forum for negativity, for hurt, for anything of the sort? I think that members should gravitate where they feel welcomed and enjoyed and completely disassociate from the negative -- as hard as that could be sometimes. I think there is too much good here to get bogged down by the bad. I think that this is a fast-paced website where gossip that seems devastating one day... vanishes the next. We can not control what other people do, or say, or whether or not they choose to engage this site with respect and grace. But we can control our own responses to this -- we *can* choose to reaffirm respect and grace in everything we do, knowing full well that the truth always wins out in the end.

; ) http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/1205716

To me, drama is when people ask personal questions that reflect negative interaction between users, as opposed to general questions for the general population, designed to be relevant to future generations. If you say "My questions are being downrated because a user is mad at me, what can I do about it" that's drama. The same question "What can users do to stop inaccurate or unfair downrating" That is a general question.

I think that drama is started because that person is lonely, wants attention, is addicted to it and has nothing better to do with his or her time. The addiction to drama is not much different than an addiction to gambling. When drama is happening, excitement happens, your body produces adrenaline and there is a rush of energy. People addicted to drama are seeking that rush of adrenaline, or the thrill that the rush of energy brings them. For people that lead a very uninteresting or monotonous life, that rush of adrenaline helps them feel alive. It’s like a mother living her life through her children because her life has become mundane and flooded with boredom. Creating drama means stirring up the energy. Think of it as a thrill seeker trapped in a mundane life. Stirring up drama by creating conflicts and blowing things out of proportion may be the only expression the thrill seeker has left. I think not feeding in to it, would stop a lot of it, it is up to us to choose whether to play the game with them and ‘buy in’ or choose to see it for what it is and subsequently ‘move on.’

I like AB drama, personally. Heated exchanges can be fun and educational.

I can't really say I can define drama as it applies to AB as being separate from any other "kind" of drama, whether in real life, or online. I do, however, have a pretty good grasp of the type of personalities that like to create and perpetuate drama, and a good insight into their reasons for doing so. First and foremost, I believe that there are people in this world that either cannot see, or refuse to concern themselves with, a distinction between positive and negative attention. Creating drama typically strikes me as a way of generating attention and feeding narcissistic needs, in a very negative way. People who do so may not realize that although it may take more effort, it would be far more productive to generate positive attention by asking thoughtful questions and providing useful and well-thought-out answers. In order to not add to drama, we can refuse to perpetuate it by staying level-headed, or simply walking away (or unsubscribing) when a line of discussion turns ugly, or simply becomes pointless due to parties that can not remain civil or maintain a rational discourse. We can also realize that, especially where AB is concerned, this is JUST A WEBSITE. It is not real life, it is a synthetic community lacking many dimensions of real life social interaction. If people feel that this is such an important outlet for their thoughts, feelings, and dramatic outbursts, perhaps they can also take into account the fact that by doing so, they will eventually alienate the community and lose what they considered so important to begin with.

Oh, what to say that hasn't already been said? I think it's been covered quite nicely by the other users. I just define it as anything that is posted (whether is be a answer, comment, question or in the profile) that exists merely to evoke a response from a target group (or person). Or to insult, said groups or individuals. This would also include the loaded questions that are posted (you know, those to rally the troops). Or 'picking sides' between users that may not get along.

what drama is that then?

Drama is fun. Keep the Drama!!!

Well Sixty B has already given an excellent answer to this question. I would just like to say my piece. AB drama happens when people won't leave alone the people who no longer want to interact with them: posts offensive answers to your questions, posts snide remarks under your answers or answers to your own questions (some examples), even though you have stopped communicating with them. I guess some people are just sad. Misery loves company.

Drama; instigating quarrels, often for no reason, out of spite or jealousy in many, many cases, or at least, if it has true ground, attempting to drastically solve disputes in the wrong place. Or again, being damn self centered and making a big deal out of petty issues, and forcing your 'pain'' on everyone else, having a fit until someone plays the knight in shining armour. Which, in my opinion, should lead to the freakin' dungeon. What I see often is one begrudged or disgruntled user trying to win allies over to accompany them in the destruction of another user, usually by subtle commenting on the issue through mock casual discussion and ''you got mail'' to let know whoever is reading that this person obviously wants to bash the victim more thoroughly in private and come back after establishing conviction on the receiver of the mail and making potential allies curious and enemies worried or anxious or angry. Or pointing out links to other questions in comments completely irrelevant to what the current discussion pertains to, or again even talking about it on one's profile. This is Answerbag specific and what I have seen, but anywhere online it's pretty much the same nature, varying only to fit whatever community's interaction features. It is called drama because it deals with emotion, so for SOMEONE in there it certainly means something, I can't argue or deny this. But other people don't care, and shouldn't if it isn't their business, and privacy is corrupted when waging war on Anserbag. What we can do is remember that we're online, and if online is as important to you as offline, remember that even in real life, people don't want to take sides or hear about it at the dinner table anymore than they do on here. Unfortunately petty squabble and drama is a part of our lives. But it doesn't have to run the life. There are better and more genuine ways to get attention and deal with feelings of inferiority or accusations, and it feels much better when you deserve it and do this like mature people. I guess the one thing we can do to reduce Answerbag drama is to not get involved if it doesn't concern you, and usually that's what feeds it the most. Don't be like me; flag stuff. XD I just let it sit there most of the time outta apathy, but I should be a little more considerate to the site's well being and comfortable atmosphere. Second is keep your disputes at home. Trash talking members you got in a fight with or something OFF of Answerbag is cowardly and pathetic. Think about your reputation, and all the respect to be lost once branded as a drama mongrel. But some people live for it. Don't feed the fire. I can't say I've never done this. I have. But if you're going to, at least, learn something.

Drama is drama .. someone always has an issue about something and feels the need to drag others along on their misery trip. ~ I think it would help ease the drama if people could respect other people's right to have their own thoughts and opinions and when disagreeing .. do it respectfully. Manners don't cost anything and use of them gives so much :)

You know how I feel about the drama. I just stay out of it. Keep the threads simple, and state your opinions/feeling in the answers.