I'm bloody well tired

arcticow · #1 03/26/14, 09:05 AM

of the small bands of bullies on SEVERAL of these forums... There is only one way to view things, THEIR way, and no, civil discourse is not going to be allowed until all posters agree with them or SHUT UP!! There is no discussion, only these folks constantly pointing out where others are wrong, to the extent of insinuating that any thought agreeing is treasonous, evil or just insane. I can name a half-dozen examples on most days. MANY folks who used to be members of HT have left due to the nastiness and outright hatefulness. I will be interested to see what this eventually boils down to... Maybe a hundred or so like mind eventually backslapping each other constantly?? I have to wonder how the new site owners expect to get supporting members... Why pay to be harassed, insulted, and shut out? My rant is concluded.

Ardie/WI · #2 03/26/14, 09:17 AM

Take a break! 'Tis that easy! Walk away.

Those bullies are just faceless people pounding on their keyboards! You never met them nor will you ever really know them, so their opinions can't be relevant to your reality!

arcticow · #3 03/26/14, 09:23 AM

Ardie, it's not me, got a real thick hide. It's when they gang other folks...

paulty_logic · #4 03/26/14, 10:09 AM

I left for a year because of this behavior, and it has been an ongoing problem for quite some time. It seems like the moderators/admins have been attempting to quarantine it to a few groups like Politics that is set as private and General Chat which not everyone can post to. I think that has helped, but obviously not completely solved the problem.

Articow, Are you seeing this across the board or in specific groups?

Convoy · #5 03/26/14, 10:31 AM

might be just a crazy idea but what about teasing the trolls. I have found it actually works since after a time they just leave you alone instead of dealing with you - also alot easier than simply ignoring them.

Side not: It is really fun to tease crazies

crtreedude · #6 03/26/14, 10:38 AM

In all honesty, I just read what people say, whether I like how they are saying it. But I do weigh how much credence I give based on whether the person seems to have a grip on reality.

Sometimes, the best thing, is walk away for a while. I have been gone for a while now because of being too busy and other interests - I was intrigued by something today, who knows if I will hang around. After all, no one is paying me, and I don't need another responsibility.

AngieM2 · #7 03/26/14, 10:51 AM

Do you report a post if you see it? Is it breaking any of the forum's rules?

Have you pm'd the mod or me? There is often more going on behind the scenes than what is seen here.

Such as someone may have almost enough infractions to ban themself from the site.
or someone will not put another on ignore and not rise to the bait.

But, I'd be interested via PM to find out specifics, as it's easy to make a general statement such as this.

KnowOneSpecial · #8 03/26/14, 11:02 AM

We all have our points where we want to just walk away. For some it's seeing others being ganged up on. For me it's when everything is so ultra Right Wing Conservative that I want to barf. When that starts to happen I stop, look up on the top part of my browser and find where it says www.homesteadingtoday.com I then click on it and type in a different website address. There! No more having to deal with it! Occasionally I come back to see what's going on in the Families forum or to see cute baby goat pics, but I never forget that I am in control of my computer and I don't have to stay here.

crtreedude · #9 03/26/14, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AngieM2

Have you pm'd the mod or me? There is often more going on behind the scenes than what is seen here.

Boy, isn't this the truth! Having been a moderator in some forums, and owner of some others - unless you are a moderator, you have no idea how insane it gets...

emdeengee · #10 03/26/14, 11:18 AM

The moderators need to do a much better job. When the new owners took over there was a great improvement for a short while but that seems to have been discontinued. They do delete those posts that completely break the rules but the ones that are just borderline rude and bullying are left. The rules need to tighten up if there is to actually be civil discourse.

paulty_logic · #11 03/26/14, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crtreedude

Boy, isn't this the truth! Having been a moderator in some forums, and owner of some others - unless you are a moderator, you have no idea how insane it gets...

I don't envy the workload that the moderators probably have to deal with, especially with a forum of this size.

davel745 · #12 03/26/14, 11:22 AM

just dealing with me is a full time job
and FBB, and David from Wisconsin, and tricky grandma, and Gapeach put us over the top oh and the 7th fleet person and a bunch of others. LOL I think the mods are doing as well as can be expected.
and then there is Mt Nevada he is the master pot stirrer. I loves ya all

emdeengee · #13 03/26/14, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crtreedude

Boy, isn't this the truth! Having been a moderator in some forums, and owner of some others - unless you are a moderator, you have no idea how insane it gets...

It gets insane because the little things are left to slide. I belong to other forums on both homesteading and politics and the name calling and sneering is just not allowed and they do not seem to have any trouble controlling it. On the other political forums the use of derogatory but not obscene terms is just not allowed. And they should not be because they don't advance the discussion - just shuts it down. As the size of the forum increases then so should the number of moderators.

AngieM2 · #14 03/26/14, 11:41 AM

Thank you for your input and observations, but still no reported posts just fussing about the rules being enforce in a manner that a particular poster finds good or bad.

Being disliked half the time, by half the people, and liked by 1/2 the people, 1/2 the time, then the groups changing is a reasonable expectation of being a mod or admin.

We are not going to please everyone all of the time.

And the thread I'm seeing on another forum is passionate and is being watched but there have been NO reported posts or specific rule breaking that anyone wants to bring up to the mods.

So it must not be that bad, except to those that don't agree.

where I want to · #15 03/26/14, 11:47 AM

Unfortunately, the "sneering" is equally expressed by both sides of arguments. Yet the accusations are always about the other side only. Motes and beams.
Some people also think that every viewpoint must be accepted without debate and they call that being respectful. If that were the point this would not be forum but a list of single statements. Polls are respectful but never evolve.
How can respect be given to an unreasoned opinion? Is pointing out that a statement makes no logic disrespectful? Is reinforcing them the only nice response?
If a person demands only reinforcement, then they best limit their attentions to horoscopes.

emdeengee · #16 03/26/14, 11:53 AM

My experience is that it is a waste of time to complain about the rude but not "illegal" posts. Vulgarity seems to be acceptable here.

And yes the sneering is expressed by both sides. How does that make it better or right or excusable?

Mike CHS · #17 03/26/14, 11:58 AM

I'm relatively new to the forum and do more reading than posting but I think the mods do a super job. In many cases, the membership themselves do a fair job of ignoring petty posts by those that seem to argue as a hobby.

raybait1 · #18 03/26/14, 12:00 PM

Quote:

And the thread I'm seeing on another forum is passionate and is being watched but there have been NO reported posts or specific rule breaking that anyone wants to bring up to the mods.

I think I know the thread and all I'll say is I see a pattern of behavior.

**Tiempo** · #19 03/26/14, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davel745

just dealing with me is a full time job
and FBB, and David from Wisconsin, and tricky grandma, and Gapeach put us over the top oh and the 7th fleet person and a bunch of others. LOL I think the mods are doing as well as can be expected.
and then there is Mt Nevada he is the master pot stirrer. I loves ya all

See, here's a good example, calling Nevada a pot stirrer.

I have NEVER seen Nevada insult or demean anyone and he gets piled on and insulted probably more than any other member of HT, yet he always remains polite.

Having a differing opinion of the majority is not pot stirring, he voices his opinions, is lambasted quite rudely for them and takes it with dignity.

mnn2501 · #20 03/26/14, 12:09 PM

Seems to me like that people give much too credence to the opinions of others. If you don't like how a poster says something just ignore what they say. For Particularly annoying posters there is an Ignore feature.

You control how you take a post.

Having said that I think at times we have all been guilty of firing off a reply before really thinking about it.

And the mods do a fine job IMHO.