Isis (Anonymous) says…

I like the local forum. I generally enjoy reading the thoughts expressed by my neighbors. What I don't understand is the need for name calling and mean spirited rants.

Can we strive to keep posts limited to ideas - not name calling? I issue a challenge to all of us. Let's see who can respond with a differing opinion, and self- edit out the name calling. Craig is a wonderful community. Let's learn from each other.

Let's expand our thoughts by exploring each other's opinions and the reasoning behind the expressed opinions. So often, I see that we miss a great opportunity when the mud slinging starts and our attention is diverted from the original topic of the post. Let's talk about ideas, not people.

If we all believe that same thing there is no reason for a community forum. I personally enjoy reading the comments posted here. I have expanded my knowledge on many topics by seeing the thoughtful reasoning behind some of the posts. Often, my personal opinion changes with the benefit of your well phrased responses and information.

On the other hand, when I see a rant starting I feel robbed of the knowledge behind the author's original intention. My focus shifts to compassion for the writer. I wonder what is troubling them so greatly that they feel a need to lessen their burden by attacking someone else.

For my neighbors who are not up to this challenge - How about starting a thread for the purpose of ranting?

Globe (Anonymous) says…

Isis,

Thank you for your comments. I agree that an ideal world, filled with intelligent, open-minded, and thoughtful individuals could accommodate a forum where people are free to express their ideas, feeling, and beliefs in a wholesome and secure environment where they are free from persecution and criticism. Wouldn't that be wonderful? In this utopian paradise we could freely express ourselves in a secure and wholesome environment and our neighbors would be respectful and pensive of our ideas and consider our side without judgment. In the end :.. we should all strive to love one another, because hey, “:he ain't heavy, he's my brother.”

Unfortunately, we live in a world with really, really, really (..and I mean really) stupid people (I am not pointing fingers, just speaking in generalities) Not your average, everyday run of the mill stupid people either, I mean really stupid people. These people open their yapps without first engaging a single brain cell. And, while yes they are all God's children, they are the stupid ones. Many of these people don't understand good plain Christian English so you have to break out the language they do understand, and that usually entails a few really good adjectives, some interesting verbs, and a few down and dirty nouns, packaged in what many would call a rant.

Understand that many who do rant on the forum do so out of frustration. I think it's a lot like Road Rage. You get behind the guy doing 45 on the interstate, the gal who needs an act of congress before she will make a left hand turn, or the kid who just changed lanes without a care in the world while talking on his cell phone and shuffling his I-pod and you had to put the car into the ditch to avoid getting sideswiped and you turn into a homicidal maniac. We could even give this condition a name, lets call it Forum Frenzy. Forum Frenzy occurs when a person with too much common sense comes face to face with a person void of any common sense in cyber space. The person with too commons sense actually starts twitching because they can't physically reach out and smack the crap out of other person or shake them really hard (this is a natural human response, like when a parent grabs a child before they run into a street or touches a hot stove) and all of that energy comes out in the form of a rant or Forum Frenzy if you will.

So please be patient with our ranters here on the Forum, and just remember it is Forum Frenzy that is causing it (I believe its probably an actual clinical condition). With patients, love, and a full frontal lobotomy those who are at the receiving end of Forum Frenzy will be able to come to grips with the ranters and we can all live in peace and harmony. Thanks for listening Craig —

slipknot (Anonymous) says…

I apologize for distracting the track of the original comment. Please to forgive.

lonelyone (Anonymous) says…

Globe, I like your Forum Frenzy! Made me chuckle and that is good after one of your other posts ticked me off!!! lol

dentedfender (Anonymous) says…

So from now on if someone needs a good slapping we could make a requirement that if you are posting and someone thinks that you should be bonked on the head cause you are making stupid comments or aren't understanding a point, we could just respond to that person with a “forum frenzy” and they will be required to slap themselves.

Isis (Anonymous) says…

Slipknot - My thoughts were not pointed at you. No need to ask for forgiveness.

Globe - your response above gave me great cause for a major laugh this morning. Thanks!

Isis (Anonymous) says…

Dear Dented,

Thanks for the good, full chuckle! I think your idea has merit!
I like it. Can I add to your idea? Can we make it a a rule that if three people respond with “forum frenzy” the slap is required?
I fear I might be required to slap myself everytime I log in without a small tweak to your great idea. :-)

What do the rest of you think?