Let me open this post by saying that this thread is in no way intended to paraphrase any Golden Rules, or to "parrot" Viper's thread about first amendment and TMF. I hope the admins will let this thread stand, because my true intent is to be productive here. I wanted to share my views on ways I feel we can make life more productive on this forum, and, perhaps, save some editing or reprimand work for the mods.
We all know the Golden Rule. In order to stay here, we must practice it. I know from time to time we may slip up, and get warned. To error is to be human. However, I have a method which I believe can aid the members of this forum, and, perhaps, cause the forum atmosphere as a whole to be a bit more friendly.
A very near and dear person to me is forever telling me, if I go off on a tangent:" Mitch, think before you type". Many times, if we post or type thoughts or random feelings off the top of our head, we are not really thinking what impact they will have on others. If we are typing it to one person, it affects both ourselves, and the person we are typing it to. If we type it, say, on the forum, it affects 30,000 plus members, mods who might be angry, and place disciplinary action on us, and ourselves.
Whenever I am surfing the forum, in the stories, image, or other section, if I come across something I like, I will usually post:" Fine story, or nice image". I am sure that during my four years here, I have found posts or stories I do not like, as we all do. If such occurs, I click off the thread or image, say nothing, and move on.
This is my rational: Even if Mitch does not like said image or story, who am I to post any negativity, or judge anyone else? The final judges are the admins. If I post:" This story, or this image, sucks" I am doing three things. One, I am insulting the person who worked hard on that story, or to post that image, and belittling their abilities or talents, which 10,000 others might like, even if I dont. Two, I am making work for the admins, if the attacking post I make is reported, and jeopordizing my forum membership, by making such a post, and violating the Golden Rules. Three, I am making myself look bad, for attacking a person, whose intent was to entertain, or enrich the forum, with their picture or work.
So, my message here, which I try to practice in both my forum, and other internet life, as well as in real life is this:" Please, think before you speak, and think before you type". If we all took a moment, paused, and said:" What affect is this going to have on someone else, or the forum, if I type this negativity, or hurtful post?' Then, just maybe, think about it, and either try to be productive, or, simply, say nothing at all, and let it pass.
One final point: The person who is forever trying to get this message into my head, always puts it this way. They say to me:" Mitch, it doesnt matter if you think it's not wrong. If it hurts me, and I feel it does, then I think it's wrong, and we have a problem. You need to think of me, and the situation as a whole, before yourself". This resonated with me, greatly. We may not think it;s wrong, or we may think it's justified, when we type such a thing, but, if it hurts someone else, or gets us into trouble, it is wrong.
Okay, I will get off my soapbox now. I decided to post this thread after seeing a couple of comments in a thread a day or so ago, that really raised my ire. While the admins, as they always do, handled it, I just wanted to put forth my thoughts on how we can perhaps make things a bit better. Thought before post. We can all do it, so it would be a good thing to practice, in my view. I always try to, and wanted to attempt to be constructive, and appeal to others to do so. End of Post.
Mitch
We all know the Golden Rule. In order to stay here, we must practice it. I know from time to time we may slip up, and get warned. To error is to be human. However, I have a method which I believe can aid the members of this forum, and, perhaps, cause the forum atmosphere as a whole to be a bit more friendly.
A very near and dear person to me is forever telling me, if I go off on a tangent:" Mitch, think before you type". Many times, if we post or type thoughts or random feelings off the top of our head, we are not really thinking what impact they will have on others. If we are typing it to one person, it affects both ourselves, and the person we are typing it to. If we type it, say, on the forum, it affects 30,000 plus members, mods who might be angry, and place disciplinary action on us, and ourselves.
Whenever I am surfing the forum, in the stories, image, or other section, if I come across something I like, I will usually post:" Fine story, or nice image". I am sure that during my four years here, I have found posts or stories I do not like, as we all do. If such occurs, I click off the thread or image, say nothing, and move on.
This is my rational: Even if Mitch does not like said image or story, who am I to post any negativity, or judge anyone else? The final judges are the admins. If I post:" This story, or this image, sucks" I am doing three things. One, I am insulting the person who worked hard on that story, or to post that image, and belittling their abilities or talents, which 10,000 others might like, even if I dont. Two, I am making work for the admins, if the attacking post I make is reported, and jeopordizing my forum membership, by making such a post, and violating the Golden Rules. Three, I am making myself look bad, for attacking a person, whose intent was to entertain, or enrich the forum, with their picture or work.
So, my message here, which I try to practice in both my forum, and other internet life, as well as in real life is this:" Please, think before you speak, and think before you type". If we all took a moment, paused, and said:" What affect is this going to have on someone else, or the forum, if I type this negativity, or hurtful post?' Then, just maybe, think about it, and either try to be productive, or, simply, say nothing at all, and let it pass.
One final point: The person who is forever trying to get this message into my head, always puts it this way. They say to me:" Mitch, it doesnt matter if you think it's not wrong. If it hurts me, and I feel it does, then I think it's wrong, and we have a problem. You need to think of me, and the situation as a whole, before yourself". This resonated with me, greatly. We may not think it;s wrong, or we may think it's justified, when we type such a thing, but, if it hurts someone else, or gets us into trouble, it is wrong.
Okay, I will get off my soapbox now. I decided to post this thread after seeing a couple of comments in a thread a day or so ago, that really raised my ire. While the admins, as they always do, handled it, I just wanted to put forth my thoughts on how we can perhaps make things a bit better. Thought before post. We can all do it, so it would be a good thing to practice, in my view. I always try to, and wanted to attempt to be constructive, and appeal to others to do so. End of Post.
Mitch
