Posted by twinleaf on July 6, 2009, at 15:26:25
In reply to Re: trust, posted by Dr. Bob on July 6, 2009, at 0:53:46
Bob...it would be so much more helpful to us if you did not keep going slightly off-track when the topic of people leaving Babble because they have been hurt by it comes up, as it does over and over.
Everyone, except you apparently, is very clear that they are NOT confusing past hurts in their lives with hurts which have occurred here on this site. They are so definitive and self-aware about this that it is really rather insulting and patronizing of you to keep telling posters here that you feel you know better than they do what their hidden or unconscious motives for feeling hurt might be. You don't.
We would like you to understand that the large number of posters who have left have done so because this site, which they valued and trusted a lot, has hurt them. To be specific, your severe blocking policies have hurt them. In my six years posting here, it has been my experience that it is very rare for one poster to hurt another badly. Usually, things are worked out, or, quite often, posters who do not get anything positive out of posting to one another just avoid doing it. A large majority of the interactions here are tremendously caring, understanding and helpful. So, everyone is mostly solving the interpersonal problems which arise by themselves. Punitive actions are just not needed, although I think administrative help in making sure people do solve these situations can occasionally be very valuable.
Really, saying that a negative view of Twitter reflects a positive view of Babble is just not a relevant or intelligible statement. People are concerned about their increasing loss of privacy over what they may have said in the past online here. Even though we have given you permission to use what we say here for other purposes, I think most of us assumed that you meant that you might use data or other information in psychiatric publications, while guaranteeing our privacy, as other publishing psychiatrists are always careful to do. Twitter is a very different proposition, and as several internet-savvy posters have pointed out, may increase the possibility of posters being identified IRL, because of the increased cross-referencing which can be done. None of us really know yet whether this is a valid concern, but a number of us are concerned that it might be- thus all the opt-outs. Liking Babble better than Twitter is SO not the point- our privacy is.
Your blocking policies, and the way you enforce them, are what have hurt people here. If it weren't for how harshly you have treated people in your own community, this would be such a great place. You have put yourself in the position of being like the Gorgon in the Greek myths, who ate his own children. Why on earth do that when you have created something so good? I know that it hurts you to hear this, but it is the truth. If you go on avoiding the truth, and doing nothing to correct what you are doing, despite hearing exactly the same thing from dozens of people, over and over for years, how can there be a good or worthwhile future for Babble? It's very sad to say- there can't be.
poster:twinleaf
thread:904398
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20090529/msgs/905282.html