Is it me or is RF forums going down the dark path

[Shadow Wolf]

Who's Phil?

Wow, I checked your join date out of curiosity and I thought you had been here longer. But anyways, Phil is Sunstone.

I have been here long enough to assure you this forum goes through such cycles. When it first starts someone will mention it, and usually those guilty are the first ones to deny it and will ask for posts to back up such claims. And it's usually one specific group who starts to throw their weight around. And then the problem grows and more people notice it, and eventually it is resolved. And as Mr. T said, use the report button. That button makes it worlds easier for the mods to their job, and can provide feedback on the general behavior of the forum and let them know if they might need more mods or not.

 

[bobhikes]

Wow, I checked your join date out of curiosity and I thought you had been here longer. But anyways, Phil is Sunstone.

I have been here long enough to assure you this forum goes through such cycles. When it first starts someone will mention it, and usually those guilty are the first ones to deny it and will ask for posts to back up such claims. And it's usually one specific group who starts to throw their weight around. And then the problem grows and more people notice it, and eventually it is resolved. And as Mr. T said, use the report button. That button makes it worlds easier for the mods to their job, and can provide feedback on the general behavior of the forum and let them know if they might need more mods or not.

I will admit I internalize alot and will only report people when its really bad. I have not been around long enough to see the cycles but thought it may have been. I also figured by posting like this without naming names I could head it off.

I appreciate all the response's and will try to get better on the reporting. I do feel better seeing all the response's.

 

[ChristineES]

I was on several forums before RF. I have unique ideas to put it nicely and was often chased out of the forums I was in. RF was different. I got encouragement. I got suggestions of where to look. People that used harsh tactics where removed. I was actually reprimanded twice and rightfully so.

I have left and come back a few times to the same welcomed RF.

Now I am debating leaving again but this time its different. I feel like I'm being chased out. In my opinion there is a lot more attacking and less education going on. In my opinion I see personal attacks and whole groups are being attacked, not educated or trying to see there view. Whats worse is in the past when I pointed this out people would apologise and say that was not how it was meant to be perceived. I have e-mails I received and sent to clear up differences. Lately I get well that's the way I feel about it so to bad.

This is supposed to be an education forum where one can teach and learn. I think it its starting to get away from that. I offer this as an attempt to save something I once cherished.

Do you see this?

Yep. I have seen it for a while. I hardly ever post in the religious debates section anymore. It seems to be one "All people who follow the Abraham religions are bigoted towards so-and-so" or "the Abraham God is immoral". People are entitled to their opinions and I am entitled to not respond to these threads, which causes my decreased participation. I have been thinking of taking a break from RF for awhile to see if it goes back to being what it used to be: A learning place.

 

[dawny0826]

I was on several forums before RF. I have unique ideas to put it nicely and was often chased out of the forums I was in. RF was different. I got encourgement. I got suggestions of where to look. People that used harse tactics where removed. I was actually repremanded twice and rightfully so.

I have left and come back a few times to the same welcomed RF.

Now I am debating leaving again but this time its different. I feel like I'm being chased out. In my opinion there is a lot more attacking and less education going on. In my opinion I see personal attacks and whole groups are being attacked, not educated or trying to see there view. Whats worse is in the past when I pointed this out people would apologise and say that was not how it was meant to be perceived. I have e-mails I received and sent to clear up differences. Lately I get well that's the way I feel about it so to bad.

This is supposed to be an education forum where one can teach and learn. I think it its starting to get away from that. I offer this as an attempt to save something I once cherished.

Do you see this?

Yes, but I've seen pieces of this since I started posting on RF five years ago. I know that I personally contributed to some of this negativity in a recent thread (McDonald's lawsuit).
I'm not an individual who opinionates in a brash manner here on a regular basis yet alone in my personal life but I'm an honest person and I feel that I shouldn't put forth a false front.

This forum serves a variety of purposes and I'm of the mindset that it's okay to disagree with people. It's insulting to me everytime someone insinuates that I'm ignorant for believing in a God and that's insinuated quite a lot on this forum, but I don't worry about it. I don't even think I've reported many posts. If I'm bothered, I go away. I read far more than I post.

If you want to talk about being chased away...try getting through a day on this forum without seeing some thread that questions the validity of Christianity or homesexuality...

 

[dawny0826]

I will admit I internalize alot and will only report people when its really bad. I have not been around long enough to see the cycles but thought it may have been. I also figured by posting like this without naming names I could head it off.

I appreciate all the response's and will try to get better on the reporting. I do feel better seeing all the response's.

It's good that you feel better and you should report abusive posts. And for what it's worth, if I ever posted anything that was construed as abusive, I'd want to be reported because that's the right thing to be done but I'd feel really rotten about it because I'm not the kind of person that purposefully goes out of my way to be hateful to an RF member.

 

[Sunstone]

I blame Phil.

I also blame Phil.

Is this payback just because I pointed out in no fewer than 32 threads that we have no evidence whatsoever suggesting your mother's do not wear army boots?

 

[Nothing]

I was on several forums before RF. I have unique ideas to put it nicely and was often chased out of the forums I was in. RF was different. I got encourgement. I got suggestions of where to look. People that used harse tactics where removed. I was actually repremanded twice and rightfully so.

I have left and come back a few times to the same welcomed RF.

Now I am debating leaving again but this time its different. I feel like I'm being chased out. In my opinion there is a lot more attacking and less education going on. In my opinion I see personal attacks and whole groups are being attacked, not educated or trying to see there view. Whats worse is in the past when I pointed this out people would apologise and say that was not how it was meant to be perceived. I have e-mails I received and sent to clear up differences. Lately I get well that's the way I feel about it so to bad.

This is supposed to be an education forum where one can teach and learn. I think it its starting to get away from that. I offer this as an attempt to save something I once cherished.

Do you see this?

I agree this forum, other forums and the world at large are becomming more and more obscessed with being right and declaring others wrong. We are obscessed with being heard, but we don't want to listen. We come up with stronger and more absurd convictions for we know that by doing sowe are more likely to get a response.
Shakespeare said that the world is a stage we strut and fret upon with tales of sound and fury that signify nothing.
With the creation of the internet we have brought our meaningless tales of sound and fury to a whole new level.
God help us all!!

 

[TheKnight]

I was on several forums before RF. I have unique ideas to put it nicely and was often chased out of the forums I was in. RF was different. I got encourgement. I got suggestions of where to look. People that used harse tactics where removed. I was actually repremanded twice and rightfully so.

I have left and come back a few times to the same welcomed RF.

Now I am debating leaving again but this time its different. I feel like I'm being chased out. In my opinion there is a lot more attacking and less education going on. In my opinion I see personal attacks and whole groups are being attacked, not educated or trying to see there view. Whats worse is in the past when I pointed this out people would apologise and say that was not how it was meant to be perceived. I have e-mails I received and sent to clear up differences. Lately I get well that's the way I feel about it so to bad.

This is supposed to be an education forum where one can teach and learn. I think it its starting to get away from that. I offer this as an attempt to save something I once cherished.

Do you see this?

It happens, but I don't think it's a trend. I still see RF as a place where learning is, for the most part, encouraged and engaged in. Everywhere you go you will encounter people who aren't interested in actual discussion or debate, but I would say that RF (by far) has a larger amount of those willing to engage than other forums.

 

[Klaufi_Wodensson]

I didn't before, but I am noticing a trend that people are a little more open to bashing, somewhat.

 

[Revoltingest]

I haven't been here long enuf to see a trend, but the balance struck between control & liberty seems reasonable.
It beats more restrictive moderation I've experienced elsewhere.
It could be worse......

[youtube]JhlWddAXSRA[/youtube]
YouTube - R. Lee Ermey GEICO Commercial - Therapist Sarge

 

[Kathryn]

What I have noticed is this - that people who seem otherwise intelligent, and who should (by their age and education levels anyway) be mature, somehow cannot seem to keep personal insults and snide remarks out of what could be an honest, spirited, lively, and yes, even intense, debate - a type of interaction that could truly benefit all parties, if they were open to it.

It's depressing, really. I try to ignore the personal insults and barbs, or point out that I think it's inappropriate and then try to get back on topic, but most of the time that doesn't really work.

I'll admit - I am not always sweet and precious here. But I've tried to police myself, especially moreso in the past few months, in part because when I see that in others, I realize how ugly it is when I do the same thing.

I think the outright arrogance of those who seem to truly think they are superior intellectually is often so blatant, that it basically negates points that would otherwise be compelling - or at least thought provoking.

I wonder - do they MEAN to do this? Are they like this in real life? Or are they sad, weird sorts of people who somehow feel more powerful by being so nasty online? I can't help but think the second scenario is probably more accurate. God help them if they treat "real" people in "real life" in such a smarmy way.

Oh wait - we ARE real people.

 

[darkendless]

Snide remarks and sarcasm are often a way of being critical whilst trying not to be offensive.

Its not easy to have a debate without being sarcastic because lets face it you can't be critical of religion in any way and not recieve a backlash. When it comes to religion people are easily offended.

 

[blackout]

If it will keep you happy, I'm for it.

 

[blackout]

Snide remarks and sarcasm are often a way of being critical whilst trying not to be offensive.

Its not easy to have a debate without being sarcastic because lets face it you can't be critical of religion in any way and not recieve a backlash. When it comes to religion people are easily offended.

I think very often though
"debate" here is about "winning"
almost exclusively
to the detriment of gaining any actual insight
into how others think/view/experience life.

Which for me anyway
is far more interesting.

Some people debate
only because they seem to feel they have something to prove.

 

[Kathryn]

Snide remarks and sarcasm are often a way of being critical whilst trying not to be offensive.

Its not easy to have a debate without being sarcastic because lets face it you can't be critical of religion in any way and not recieve a backlash. When it comes to religion people are easily offended.

It's not really the sarcasm that bothers me - in fact, GENERAL sarcasm is pretty entertaining, and I freely admit I use it myself sometimes.

What bothers me is the sarcasm and snide remarks that are made in a PERSONAL manner. There's no point in making a debate or discussion personally insulting.

 

[Kathryn]

I think very often though
"debate" here is about "winning"
almost exclusively
to the detriment of gaining any actual insight
into how others think/view/experience life.

Which for me anyway
is far more interesting.

Some people debate
only because they seem to feel they have something to prove.

I agree!

I learn a lot around here - and some of the topics presented are so unfamiliar, and yet intriguing, to me, that I find myself researching them from a wide variety of sources that I wouldn't encounter in my usual "real life" day.

I've even learned some things from you, UV!

And seriously, I am very impressed with your depth of knowledge about all things musical.

 

[darkendless]

Oh k i guess i read what you said incorrectly.

There is no need to get personal, its an internet forum after all, theres no brownie points at stake.

 

[Revoltingest]

I'd like to be subject to better quality insults....you know, the kind which are clever, pithy, & scornful of
groups I actually belong to & things I've actually posted. Poor reading comprehension & the paucity of
repartee & friendly banter just make it tedious. Some of you do step up though.

 

[Kathryn]

Oh k i guess i read what you said incorrectly.

There is no need to get personal, its an internet forum after all, theres no brownie points at stake.

No, I don't think I really differentiated between general sarcasm and sarcasm directed at people personally. My position needed to be clarified.

A little back and forth, and pointed remarks and cutting witticisms are all GREAT fun!

 

[blackout]

I agree!

I learn a lot around here - and some of the topics presented are so unfamiliar, and yet intriguing, to me, that I find myself researching them from a wide variety of sources that I wouldn't encounter in my usual "real life" day.

I've even learned some things from you, UV!

And seriously, I am very impressed with your depth of knowledge about all things musical.

I have probably learned more about mySelf here
than I ever have in any other single place I've been.

Friends here, that I would even consider Mentors
(in one area or another)
have been so instrumental
in my Personal Becoming
on this Path of "Violet" that is my Own.

It seems really, that the right people
have been here at the right time/s
for me.

I'm extremely Self Sufficient now,
but still I enjoy, and miss , the company
of (RF) people who are more dear to me,
who have been more positively influential and supportive
of who I truly am
than almost anyone I've known in my 'real life'.

From the esoteric,
mythology, philosphy, metaphor,
symbolism, divination, magic/k,
to practical matters
like
Comfort with Sexual freedom,
and relaxing again,
engaging with others in humor...
and even flirtatious, naughty humor. :flirt:

And also while it is true
that "who I am"
in (combination with) doctrinal settings
(Christianity/Catholicism etc)
made a total mess of me,
I have seen here
that it is not so for everyone.
A few of the regular christian posters here
(including you Kathryn)
stand as examples
(in my mind anyway)
that when they live empowered,
it is PEOPLE who make or break their path
(whatever path that may be)
instead of the other way around.

I really have learned the importance of
"live and let live" here.
We are each on our OWN journey,
and every journey
is the Epic Journey of a Life lived... or lost.