Regarding Supposed TPF Bullies and Abuse Towards Newbies

[pixmedic]

damnit...speaking of train wrecks..now I WANT to go look!

hahaha.. I can name others if you are bored!!! Were you here for Photo Guy? lol!

Photo Guy was just so much awesomeness! We probably DID bully him, but Oh. My. Goodness. if you looked up clueless in the dictionary, you'd see his avatar.

Pixmedic: Because you are so generous to so many, I am going to give you a generous piece of advice--Do not bother to go look up those old threads Charlie mentions. Those are precious moments of your life that you will never be able to get back.
Now, if you could read photo guy's threads--THAT would be totally worth it! :lmao:

I dont have much else to do lying in bed sick. except run to the bathroom. Im going to force myself out to the post office later to mail out the last two lenses that got donated to Rick58 and AgentDrex...other than that, nothing but time to read train wreck threads.

 

[unpopular]

Well. If anyone wants to come with, I'm heading to the canyon out near Indian Cliffs sub development to take some photos.

I'll see you out there if interested. I know that this discussion is riveting and all, and hasn't ever been discussed before, so I don't blame you if you wanted to stay behind.

 

[Rick58]

hahaha.. I can name others if you are bored!!! Were you here for Photo Guy? lol!

Photo Guy was just so much awesomeness! We probably DID bully him, but Oh. My. Goodness. if you looked up clueless in the dictionary, you'd see his avatar.

Pixmedic: Because you are so generous to so many, I am going to give you a generous piece of advice--Do not bother to go look up those old threads Charlie mentions. Those are precious moments of your life that you will never be able to get back.
Now, if you could read photo guy's threads--THAT would be totally worth it! :lmao:

I dont have much else to do lying in bed sick. except run to the bathroom. Im going to force myself out to the post office later to mail out the last two lenses that got donated to Rick58 and AgentDrex...other than that, nothing but time to read train wreck threads.

Please don't force yourself on my account. I'm not going anywhere and it can certainly wait until your better.

 

[Village Idiot]

While I may be chastised for linking to this thread: I am deleting my own account I feel that a discussion is in need.

There have been a couple threads/posts other than that one indicating an abusive and clique-ish nature here at TPF. I've been going through a few of the threads started by newbies and cannot find any real abuse. I have found some sarcastic remarks that are irrelevant to the OP (I'm very guilty of doing that and I apologize) but I have found absolutely no indication of any abusive language. In my mind, abusive language would be along the lines of: "Hey there, nice photo, are you a monkey? Certainly only a monkey could sling poo that looks as good as that photo.", "Tell you what, sell your camera, buy a gun and go shoot yourself you lame duck.", "I didn't realize such a fata** could get their fat fingers into a position to take a photo."

I've seen posts telling people to re-think their plan of starting a business taking photos until they know how to take photos properly. I don't see how brute honesty is abusive when it is shown that the OP has no business sense and they have fooled themselves into believing that a business will thrive by just taking photos.

I tell people to grow a thick skin, not to harden themselves against abuse (which again I have not seen yet, I haven't gone through all the threads) but to harden themselves for the inevitable honest and insightful critique that may bruise their ego.

I don't want to turn this discussion into a war but I would like to do some discovery with these supposed abusive posts. As long as a mod doesn't lock this thread for one reason or another, would you be so kind to link to a thread where real abuse is apparent so that we can report it? I attempt to be kind but I do have a tendency to either hijack threads with my nonsense or to make sarcastic replies to others' sarcastic replies. Again, I apologize for that.

My disposable Books a Million gift card I got from my boss today <Moderated>.

Let's keep things polite and professional shall we? Last time I looked no one had appointed you the planet's sole judge of talent.

 

[Village Idiot]

hahaha.. I can name others if you are bored!!! Were you here for Photo Guy? lol!

Photo Guy was just so much awesomeness! We probably DID bully him, but Oh. My. Goodness. if you looked up clueless in the dictionary, you'd see his avatar.

Pixmedic: Because you are so generous to so many, I am going to give you a generous piece of advice--Do not bother to go look up those old threads Charlie mentions. Those are precious moments of your life that you will never be able to get back.
Now, if you could read photo guy's threads--THAT would be totally worth it! :lmao:

I dont have much else to do lying in bed sick. except run to the bathroom. Im going to force myself out to the post office later to mail out the last two lenses that got donated to Rick58 and AgentDrex...other than that, nothing but time to read train wreck threads.

Hey I just met you
And this is craaaaazy
I like your mustache
Now have my babies

 

[Mully]

Sh!t does not stink unless you stir it.

 

[tirediron]

Sh!t does not stink unless you stir it.

Spend a warm day in a sheep-pasture and tell me if you still believe that! :lmao:

 

[Rick58]

Sh!t does not stink unless you stir it.

Spend a warm day in a sheep-pasture and tell me if you still believe that! :lmao:

Sheep, pigs or cows...it really doesn't matter a whole lot... Well, pigs JUST MIGHT get the award

 

[Village Idiot]

Sh!t does not stink unless you stir it.

Spend a warm day in a sheep-pasture and tell me if you still believe that! :lmao:

Awe come one! Do you lose your sense of humor once you become a moderator?

 

[pixmedic]

Sh!t does not stink unless you stir it.

Spend a warm day in a sheep-pasture and tell me if you still believe that! :lmao:

Awe come one! Do you lose your sense of humor once you become a moderator?

their sense of humor is fine. when they respond to something that is actually funny

 

[Village Idiot]

Spend a warm day in a sheep-pasture and tell me if you still believe that! :lmao:

Awe come one! Do you lose your sense of humor once you become a moderator?

their sense of humor is fine. when they respond to something that is actually funny

Sourpuss.

 

[AgentDrex]

Well, so far this is what I have gleaned from the posts in this thread.

1. The people here at TPF have a general air of respect for each other and a true desire to assist with each others growth (hence, my reason for staying here).
2. Some people believe that others should toughen up for honest, positive critiques and not be so sensitive.
3. The internet is just the internet and one should simply disregard the hurtful things said on it (to which I tend to slightly disagree. There is still a need to mind our P's and Q's when communicating with each other regardless whether its across the table face-to-face or across the world keyboard-to-keyboard.)
4. That some people think the discussion in this thread is silly and needless and keeps going on and on when it should just stop(to which I also disagree, communication is important with issues that cover basic kindness towards each other. When there is a problem [perceived or real], a talk is necessary to come to a workable solution).
5. That some are led to believe this thread is my own cry for attention (I'm not exactly sure how that came about. If anyone that sees a problem, gets that remark thrown back at them each time when they attempt to start a discussion in the hopes something positive will come of it, will they likely be willing to talk at all?)
6. Some people look at those that are willing to talk about hurtful subjects as poo-stirrers. The attitude that if you just leave the pot alone, all will be fine.
7. That this is not the place for such a discussion about honesty, caring towards each other and early communication before things get out of hand.
8. Some people are willing to attempt to derail a conversation that they feel is unimportant, disregarding the fact that they could just not participate if they find the discussion meaningless and unwarranted.

I'm not the one that wants to be in charge of changing the world. I want all of us to make a conscientious effort to change the world by looking at ourselves first. This internet is not "just the internet". It is another important means of communication just as much as a face-to-face talk is. The things said here on the net should not just be disregarded anymore than it would need to be disregarded out in the analog world. Take for instance my art project in middle school. I was being harassed by some of the other students over it. Telling me its the stupidest thing they had ever seen, pushing me away from it, picking it up and tossing it to each other as I unsuccessfully tried to get it back. If that happened here, it seems some of the attitude would be to just brush it off and toughen up. Well, after they smashed it on the floor, I thought I was supposed to go tell a teacher about what was going on. His remark to me was the same as some would have been on here, toughen up Craig, just build another one. It took me three days to make that sculpture. I was harassed, it was broken and I'm supposed to toughen up? Even back then I saw that some people just don't want to discuss how to play nicely with each other. They'd rather excuse it as a means of learning to deal with harshness instead of coming up with a real solution. Is it not right to talk to each other? What's the point of talking if all that will be said about the subject is that's the way it is, deal with it, there can never be any change, always was always will be, etc.?

 

[amolitor]

Well said, AgentDrex.

This thread has shown pretty conclusively that, while there's not much bullying going on right now, there's a pretty substantial collection of people who would cheerfully stand by and watch if it came back, while hiding behind various rationalizations. That's a little disturbing to me, but, whatcha gonna do?

 

[AgentDrex]

This thread has shown pretty conclusively that, while there's not much bullying going on right now, there's a pretty substantial collection of people who would cheerfully stand by and watch if it came back, while hiding behind various rationalizations. That's a little disturbing to me, but, whatcha gonna do?

Its no different here (I don't mean TPF exclusively, I mean the internet) than out there (the analog world). People like to war, to create havoc, watch others do it, egg them on. The only thing I can think that will benefit mankind is for open-discussions where people are allowed to voice their opinions and have them bounced off of and around with others opinions so that we come to a positive consensus.

The internet is either going to aid in our destruction (through the destruction of positive human socialization by closing ourselves off so much from each other that while, yes, brushing harsh words off here can be done easily, we'll most likely progress to a point where when confrontation happens outside the internet, we'll believe we can just brush it off and ignore it) or its going to aid in a world-wide bonding that has never occurred before (one where people regardless of their place on earth can learn the same basic elements of open-communication and living together peacefully).

We sure were able to get instagram to backpedal quickly. Could we not get wars to backpedal eventually doing the same thing (getting together in mass through the internet to voice our concern and a warning to those who would dare tread on our desires for peace)?

Would it not first take looking at the way we treat ourselves and others? If we think we have to change others to have peace, we must first change our own attitudes. Then there will no reason to change others for they would have changed themselves. How do we go about that? The internet. It allows us to spread messages across the globe quicker than ever. It would take self-caring to change ourselves and do something on the internet to promote others to think about doing the same (videos showing the good works we do, participating in open-discussions about peace at places that may seem like the lion's den to do so, music that promotes bonding, etc.). I believe peace is a great reward for doing so.

 

[invisible]

7. That this is not the place for such a discussion about honesty, caring towards each other and early communication before things get out of hand.

I think this is exactly it. Placing this thread in the Feedback and Suggestions forum would've garnered less replies but probably all of them would've added to the discussion. The Off Topic Chat forum is not the venue for this topic, I'm afraid.