Posted by Dinah on June 20, 2010, at 20:19:56 [reposted on June 21, 2010, at 10:17:48 | original URL]
In reply to Re: wording of pubic 'rephrasing requests' » Dinah, posted by violette on June 20, 2010, at 19:31:24
I wasn't referring to Psych Central either. The forums I was referring to were hobby related. And the hobbies were things you would typically think of as very very innocuous.
I signed up for a hobby group, moderated and with membership approval, just a few weeks ago. There was a day or so of niceness, then a flurry of posts... well, they wouldn't be allowed here. It all degenerated into a couple of people each trying to prove that they were innocent and the other was guilty. With far too many others jumping in on one side or the other. While I was wondering how on earth either "side" could possibly think they were coming across at all well themselves.
Eventually the posts abruptly stopped so I assume off board moderation took place.
I quietly and without a single post, left the group. I don't need that in my life when I'm trying to pursue enjoyment of a hobby.
This was by no means an isolated experience. It is more the norm than an exception in my experience. Not only online but in person too. You should hear the stories my husband can tell about a national group he briefly joined - a group not at all associated in the mind with acrimony. I'd like to be more of an optimistic about the potential of humans to live in harmony with no authoritative intervention, but my experience really doesn't support such optimism.
Again, this has nothing to do with any group any Babbler would likely have heard of or ever belonged to. Nothing at all to do with mental health.
I'm very certain that there are exceptions to this general rule. I may have even run across one or two in my life. :) So I'm definitely not negating your experience. I am glad you found such a place, and hope that you treasure it well. Such places are treasures indeed.
poster:Dinah
thread:951716
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20100321/msgs/951733.html