My 10 year old daughter told me that her teacher was conducting 'a balanced discussion' about Sir Walter Raleigh in class, so the kids have to look at that in with an open mind rather than... If you're English he was good, if you're Spanish, he was shit.

I wonder if the BF and L&O can do that? I first stumbled into L&O in 2006/7 and didn't leave, I have a big affection for some people that I've virtually known for years, but others really are twats.

Do you feel the same about other people in your online community or do you all get on?

Hey KK,  good comment.

I read and comment in both L&O and B&B as well as their counterparts in RWOL

Both forums (as well as RWOL) are a slice of normal life - there are some great people in both (that I would love to meet someday - or maybe not - they might be disappointed), and some great runners of all abilities who are willing to give help and advice.  And then there are those that use the anonymity of the forum to be, well – let’s say less than pleasant.  I suspect that most of that is for effect, but for some it might be a deeply ingrained lack of common social grace.  And of course, there are a couple know it alls who really don’t – but hey, we all suffer a little from that malady.

We must be talking about a different s*s because most of the moderation there was selective and based on who they liked more than others.

I do agree with your (b) point, though.

It's just really bad that I feel that I can't post somewhere, where I've been years longer that those 'in charge', without being treated like a threat and banned. It's insane and has driven the old school L&O posters away.

Which is why I'm conflicted about us all moving away from RWOL. Ironically, as much as people complained about S*S, I actually thought when it came down to the wire, that she was approachable and fair. I'm pissed off that the "L and O" on here is now 'administered' by people that (a) are not part of the history, and (b) don't do anything about online bullying, or even have the intelligence to recognise when 'banter' actually IS bullying.

We must be talking about a different s*s because most of the moderation there was selective and based on who they liked more than others.

 

I do agree with your (b) point, though.

 

Part (a) still stands, for whatever reason we have very new people in charge, who aren't strong personalities and will moderate to make themself 'popular'.

I agree that some threads can get pretty dicey but that's in both places - and I know better than to try and hang with the "cool kids" (although I still try   but some of the regular threads, like the dailies are populated by a much more ciIvil discourse group.  If I wasn't so intimidated by the mileage some of those folks put in I'd be posting there as well.

I ventured into the old L&O only a couple times. I didn't stay, not because there weren't some good people there with whom one could have a discussion, but because there were a few who were extremely close-minded and seemed to find every thread I visited. Neither the current RW BF nor the present RA B&B are much like the old RW BF. I still read a of of the threads but I've cut back considerably on my responses believe it or not. I tend to focus only on those threads that particularly interest me. With so many new members that I haven't taken the time to get to know, I rarely even respond to RRs anymore.

Sometimes really bad people take control of a small group and everyone else follows, or doesn't stand up to that bad leadership.

 

There is a sort of built-in bias that we humans have in regard to cynical, rough, mean people. We tend to think that these people are more sophisticated, honest, and in general stronger than people who are gentle kind and considerate. In fact nothing is further from the truth, and usually these people are weak and insecure individuals transferring the aggression and abuse that they suffered at the hands of others.

 

Anyway, you see these dynamics over and over in schools, work environments, social groups etc. In fact human history has been shaped by this phenomenon in many instances.

 

The reality is though that the majority of people do not want a hard-ass mean culture where people are beaten down and humiliated. But the majority of humans will sit by and watch this occur without taking action or saying anything because they are afraid of becoming the target themselves or feel that others could stand up and it's not their responsibility to do so.

 

The solution is to contact others who are not in favor of what is happening and work together to marginalize the idiots. That's also something that has happened throughout human history.

Even the target should sit by and watch this occur without taking action.  I've had the internet long enough to understand that when people don't respond on the internet, then it's like it never happened and the troll gets bored and goes to another forum.  I've never seen a running forum successfully figure this out, but general forums know the phrase, "Don't feed the troll".  If you don't like what someone says, then don't read it.  If you do read it, don't respond.  It's the INTERNET, and everyone's a tough guy, but it doesn't mean anything if nobody gets upset about it.

 most of the moderation there was selective and based on who they liked more than others.

 

 

 

Are you trying to say that it isn't this way here, now in B&B?