Posted by Jane D on June 20, 2001, at 16:50:10
In reply to Re: anti-drug comments, posted by Dr. Bob on June 20, 2001, at 14:35:57
> > > > > I do like a diversity of viewpoints. Maybe if it includes anti-drug ones, it helps people who are still kind of "on the fence" to think it through?
> > > >
> > > > Bob: I don't think it helps people who are on the fence think it through. I think it scares them to death.
> > >
> > > Maybe, but maybe that's part of the process?
> >
> > Bob, my point was that people have enough fear already without getting a dose of it in a support group.
>
> I agree, but it wasn't the extra dose that I thought might be helpful, but the opportunity to think it through...
I think it does exactly that. I walk away from this board more reassured about my decisions because not everyone agrees. For one thing the majority are clearly on the side of drug use. Negative posts are outnumbered by positive ones. Some of the reasoning I will probably appropriate when I next need to argue the issue.The other factor is which set of posters I identify with the most. They are the ones who are quite comfortable with their decision to use medication. I've read articulate accounts of finding your entire life changed for the better by medication and of wondering now how you lasted as long as you did without it. Some of these have made my breath catch because the details were so close to my own. On the other hand, I can sympathize with some posters in the withdrawal threads who claim that, in hindsight, their life wasn't that bad before but I cannot identify with them. I also can't really identify with the people who feel that sexual disfunction outweighs the benefits of antidepressants. But if these are the people whose stories resonate the most with you then maybe your choices should be different from mine. If a whole set of views is excluded how will you ever know?
> > support groups do not need to and should not make room at the table for all viewpoints when that means inviting those who are not supportive of the very people the group was set up to support... It's the people who use headings likes "YOU'RE ALL DRUG ADDICTS" that I am talking about. By-and-large, it's not a discussion these posters are after, but a confrontation.
>
> Fair enough. Maybe I should take a harder line on that. Did I just let that go and not even warn that person?There was a little more to it than that. But it got quickly dealt with by the other posters and no harm was done. I think they modeled restraint and tolerance fairly well. And while it was an inflamatory post it's not clear to me that that was the intent. The only thing that bothered me a little about the latest suspension that hasn't been mentioned here was that there was a more conciliatory post dated only a few minutes after the post that earned the suspension. So the immediate problem had resolved itself. Again though, I doubt any harm was done.
>
> > > > it brings me back to the issue of charging a price of admission to be on this board. Although a lot of people have strong views on it, even a small price of admission would tend to keep out people who are just interested in stirring up controversy.It's funny. My first reaction was that this would have the opposite effect. People would feel that, having already paid for the privilege, they were going to express their views no matter how many people were offended. Now it's possible to just walk away for a while. It will be interesting to see what happens.
> > >
> > > How small? :-)
> >
> > I was really just thinking of a small amount as a barrier to entry. Even filling out a form will deter people who aren't really interested. I was thinking about $25 for a year's membership.
>
> So that would be $6.25 for a quarter? I was thinking about making it quarterly...
>
> > You could even allow people to read posts (and thereby get the flavor of the site), but not post until they have registered and paid their membership.
>
> Right, I was thinking that, too...
>
> BobI know that you can't personally subsidize this site forever but I still think this will be a very sad change. It has been very special. Anybody out there with a trust fund who would like to do a good deed?
Jane
poster:Jane D
thread:1192
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20010315/msgs/1474.html