Forum Headaches

I spend a lot of time reading and posting on the D&D Forums, and I have come to the belief that they are almost useless for new players and DMs trying to learn about the game. While there are some people on the site that genuinely try to help people, the vast majority of them are filled with complaints about random and trivial things with such vehemence that it can only serve to drive people away from the game.

Between the trolling and people treating the forum discussions as if they were a High School debate club the forums cannot really do what they are intended to, namely to aid in the flourishing of the game. Rather than showing new and existing players the wealth of entertainment that the game can bring, they remain focused on character builds and getting the biggest damage numbers.

We as a community should remember to share our loves of the game with each other, and new players; not to use that opportunity to pick apart and insult each other. The game should be about sharing an experience with friends, no matter if those friends are at the same table or halfway across the country.