Posted by Kali Munro on October 5, 2004, at 9:45:48
In reply to Re: Since you only have 'til thursday... » Kali Munro, posted by AuntieMel on October 5, 2004, at 8:21:10
> As you can see (above) we've just had a good sized conflict here. I'll try to describe it in a nutshell (correct me anyone if I mis-state anything - or if I don't describe it fairly)....
>
> This began because there is a person who often adds several consecutive posts. Although it wasn't known by most when this started, he has revealed that he does it because of a neurological disorder - and the posts are the 'unfolding' of his thought process.
>
> The objections to this style were NOT personal against the poster - it just tends to distress several folks who see them, and it can take up a lot of room on a page.
>
> Dr. Bob came up with a new rule (with some exceptions that didn't include neurological disorders) that there will be a 'three consecutive post' limit.
>
> So - there is the conflict. It's a huge (polite!) disagreement between those that don't think we need the rule, those who think we do need the rule, those that don't think they can live withing the rule, those that see both sides, and those that don't care but just want the whole thing to go away.
>
> Meanwhile the poster that triggered this discussion has left the community.
>
> Can you think of a way to resolve this? I don't think there has been any resolution; the quiet is because people got tired.....Interesting. I did read a bit of the discussion but I didn't see where people objected (maybe I didn't go far enough back.) I can understand it feeling overwhelming to some people to see and read many posts from the same person in succession. I wonder whether the people who found it distressing had the opportunity to talk about their distress and be heard and understood and perhaps explore what it raised for them -- for example, what it meant to them, what it reminded them of -- and what might be some options or strategies (including the 3 post limit.) Sometimes being heard, understood, and having the opportunity to explore how the multiple posts affects them helps people to see through to different options, and sometimes not. But, it's worth a shot. At some point, it might help for people who are okay with the multiple posts to share why it's okay, but not until the distressed ones are heard. That may give them a new way of framing the issue. I don't have an opinion on what should happen. I more inclined to dig deeper and deal with why this is an issue. Often times that opens up many more options than just the one solution.
If you go that route I think it's important to have a thread that's devoted to it without people trying to talk them out of how they feel. The original poster (the one who posts multiple posts) might need his own thread to process how he feels about his posting style being the subject of distress and discussion, but I think that needs to be separated out from the other discussion otherwise people feel unheard.
It's more involved but it means hearing everyone out and exploring the issues more fully, while separating them out in different threads.
What do you think?
Kali
poster:Kali Munro
thread:398972
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040927/msgs/399116.html