Posted by Greg on June 5, 2001, at 9:40:29
In reply to Food for Thought re: Old Timers Board, posted by Mair on June 4, 2001, at 17:57:54
Hi Mair,
I hope this finds you doing well. I needed to think a bit before responding. I wanted to let you know why I think this is a good idea, and the opinions and feelings I express here are my own and I'm not speaking on anyone else's behalf (my disclaimer :).
I have two reasons for liking the idea of an old timers board:
First, there have been people here who have literally, in every sense of the word, saved my life on more than one occasion. Some of them I'm still in touch with, others I haven't heard from in a very long time. I'd like to hear from them, their successes, their failures, how life in general is treating them. I like those "do you remember when" conversations. I think an old timers board *might* encourage some of them to post. And who knows, they might also start posting to the other boards as well? A win-win situation.
Second, the flavor of PB has changed IMHO, drastically. There seems to be so much friction, fighting, nerves on end. In the 1 1/2 years I've been here, I've never known it to be this bad. I haven't posted much for several months because of this, I just don't feel comfortable. I don't feel like I can open up the way I used to. I read posts and want to respond, but I find myself analysing everything I write for fear that I might say something that will offend someone else and start a big fight. In the end, it takes so much of my energy to write a post, that I find myself unable to do it. There have always been arguements and differences of opinion here. But we always seemed to be able to work out our problems with a minimum of effort, and always walked away friends. While initially I was against splitting up the boards (I believe that was the beginning of the change here), I now see that a new board, one where all issues can be dicussed, whether it be meds, social stuff or admin or just talking with old friends, might be beneficial for getting back some of what has been lost here.
I'm sorry that this topic is uncomfortable for you. I understand and respect your feelings about this. Unfortunately, you're right, a board like this would probably be exclusionary to some people. If you have thoughts about criteria to keep that from happening, I'd love to hear them.
I hope old and new members alike will comment about this. If this is a bad idea, then it should be dropped quickly. But if it has some merit, I'd like to see it move forward.
Mair, I hope I haven't offended you or anyone else here with my comments, it certainly is not my intention.
Be well,
Greg> > >This discussion is starting to make me uneasy because most of what has been said centers on the logistics of the board. No one has raised an issue of whether this is a good idea. When an old timers board was first discussed, I had not been on the board for very long and I felt both hurt and panicked by the suggestion - hurt because it did have an exclusionary feel, and panicked because getting support from people who had thought and written alot about depression was helpful to me. There is the obvious appeal that maybe people like Greg and Shar and some other old timers who have since disappeared, would participate more. But I think there are downsides and I'd really like to hear from "old timers" why the benefits outweigh the detriments, and I'd like to here from some newer people as to whether they even care, or as to what benefitsor detriments they think there are to not have as many participants on the regular PSB board. My recollection is that the idea arose because lots of people were tired of fielding the same questions about meds on PB. PSB is obviously a very different kind of board.
>
> Mair
poster:Greg
thread:1324
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20010315/msgs/1386.html