Posted by Dr. Bob on July 10, 2007, at 13:59:45
In reply to empty variables » Dr. Bob, posted by zeugma on July 7, 2007, at 17:27:37
> Dr Bob, people are here because they are suffering. Short fuses, paranoia, triggers, depression, agitation and mania play a major role as to why we come here. We all lose our cool at some point and I understand that this is a safe haven for support for people like us but, we are ill. I do not condone personal attacks or verbal abuse in anyway at all but blocking people for weeks on end is going to cause either, great distress or stewing vengence.
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> Why not try blocking someone who steps over the line for 1 week, if they do it again, block them for another week and if they do it again, block them for another week. I feel most people will respond better to being blocked for a week at a time instead of being blocked for weeks on end. If it gets to the point where somebody continually steps over the line then why not send them an e-mail telling them that this might not be the right place for them because they are causing people great distress.
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> I think that one week in the sin bin is a much better way of coping with aggressive or negative posting. I also think that it will make it sink in quicker that they have done the wrong thing, get a week to think about it and come back with a clean slate and clear head. This place is a life line for so many people and sometimes it gets heated so why not a week at a time to reflect on their transgression? Just a thought.
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> cactusThanks for your thoughts. I'm reminded of what Honore posted before:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20070702/msgs/767166.html
It's a challenge to maintain a safe haven when people have short fuses, etc. I'd like to cause as little distress and vengeance as possible, but at the same time, an email suggesting that this might not be the right place for someone might not be effective.
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> it was presumably part of the assumption that one would *also* receive support from you and the deputies. If not that, it would certainly be part of site not to receive the opposite of support from you and the deputies--or for you and the deputies not to undermine or break down the support that participants receive from one another here.
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> Honore> I don't understand why you "try to keep the atmosphere supportive," if "the goal here isn't to receive support" from the rules which you have gone to such trouble to refine, and which you, yourself, enforce?
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> You invoke "sensitivity to the feelings of others" as the rationale for your actions, and then say your goal is not to provide support!
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> -zI do want this to be a supportive community, but I myself try to be supportive only indirectly, by moderating. And unfortunately moderating sometimes means blocking people, which of course directly interferes with them receiving support from others.
Bob
poster:Dr. Bob
thread:762973
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20070702/msgs/768736.html