Poking

[frankshank]

I think it'd be a good idea to create a specific section for poking. There are a lot of nicey nicey comments when at times a good poke is needed. That's not to suggest that there's never any poking but I think there's a place for full on poking.

[Peter]

Are you telling the group that you'd like to be poked, Frank?

The thing is that a good poking has to come off the back of a posting; and unless someone genuinely seeks to be challenged (and my feeling is that often the people who would most benefit from that are the people who least want it), they're not going to post outside of the General Discussion section.

But yes, the "play nice" program does little to support spiritual development and self questioning, so if you'd like this board to get a little edgier then I (for one) won't stand in your way.

Px

[frankshank]

Hi Peter. Not really. I'm not interested in exiting the illusion yet. I just think that there's room for a section where the focus is on individuals rather than subject matter. In that section 100% honesty would be accepted and expected. It could be as simple as someone stating a belief that they feel to be true and others breaking it down to nothing. No stories, no references to teachers, no intellectual posturing etc.. Short, simple & direct poking with the sole aim being to wake the poster up.

[frankshank]

When I made the above suggestion back in 2010, the posters were mainly focused on subject matter. It seemed to me at the time that there was not enough focus on individuals and potential areas for growth. It's gone the other way now and the main section of the forum has turned into a playground. It's simply not fair on posters like Zendancer who have their ego firmly in place and wish to discuss spiritual matters without getting personal. I therefore suggest once again that a separate section be created for individual battles and that the main section involve a sole focus on subject matter. Anyone getting personal in the main section should be warned a number of times and if they don't get the message, banned. It is possible as for years subject matter was the main focus. Some of the children will need training of course but that's the moderators job. As for what the newly created section should involve, that's up for debate. Just an idea.

[question]

Good idea!

The mods could also deal with the situation by making a sticky that acknowledges what is going on here and encourages thread creators to define how their thread is supposed to develop, for example whether any poking or off-topic posts are allowed.

[farmer]

oh great, get the bureaucrats involved, lol

somebody gets their panties in a twist, so the politicians feel the need to outlaw twisting panties

I say: just put your big boy pants on

[Peter]

I've been thinking about a new section for the past couple of days as a possible to solution to the mock/don't mock impasse.

My previous concerns about the fact that the people who would most benefit from a poking are the least likely to post in that section still stand, but I'll cross post a link to this thread in the current ...erm... hotspot and we can see what the other members think.

[Deleted]

I vote for a teeny little place where folks can post if they don't want mocking/poking, not the other way around.

That is, most of the time this forum has been fine fine fine. If folks want the safety of not being jostled they should go to the kiddie area, with shallow water and lots of smiley faces.

[Peter]

Yup, that could work.

We could call it "Moderated Spiritual Discussion" rather than "the kiddie area, with shallow water and lots of smiley faces." so that the posters don't feel like they're missing out, and insist that threads stay "on topic".

I've got the option of splitting posts off into new threads (in the General area) if they are obviously asking to get personal.

Then if .... people who currently have a problem with how Enigma does his thing... want to avoid Engima doing his thing then they can post there and not complain about it when it happens in the General area.

P

[topology]

Jun 20, 2012 14:05:10 GMT -5 maxdprophet said:

I vote for a teeny little place where folks can post if they don't want mocking/poking, not the other way around.

That is, most of the time this forum has been fine fine fine. If folks want the safety of not being jostled they should go to the kiddie area, with shallow water and lots of smiley faces.

I think a new section for those who are trying to get some real perspective on themselves would be appropriate, each person who felt so inclined to get help could start a new thread for themselves and indicate how they would like feedback, advice and other interactions. Violations of the requested interactions could be reported by the thread owner to the moderator.

I don't find mocking to be helpful. Challenging someone's perspective and assumptions can be done without devaluing them in the process.

[frankshank]

Instead of focusing on the negatives of having a separate section, focus on the positives. It's not primarily about saving those who are unhappy about being mocked, from my perspective. It's about having a high quality general section where the subject matter is stuck to. I think the likes of enigma would check out the new section as he likes the odd duel, but incessant witch hunts detract from intelligent discussion. The new section could be anything you want it to be really. It'd have a different flavour with a different set of rules. Not better or worse than the general section.

[desertmoonrise]

Nov 1, 2010 17:53:43 GMT -5 frankshank said:

Hi Peter. Not really. I'm not interested in exiting the illusion yet. I just think that there's room for a section where the focus is on individuals rather than subject matter. In that section 100% honesty would be accepted and expected. It could be as simple as someone stating a belief that they feel to be true and others breaking it down to nothing. No stories, no references to teachers, no intellectual posturing etc.. Short, simple & direct poking with the sole aim being to wake the poster up.

I think this is still an experimental tack (speaking of pokey things) at best. Tearing something down to nothing doesn't necessarily accomplish anything. I know that there are plenty of popular notions of tension being helpful in this vein. To some people it is, I guess. For what it's worth I think these notions are largely romanticized hypotheses.

When mocking or poking rules the day it's just as unproductive as when the atmosphere is sterile. Hmm.

Here's something: The dedicated poke forum could be a separate entity, and anything one says, auras one emanates, etc. etc. in the regular forum could be fair game? That would work for me, because I for one think sifting through poke wars to find interesting tidbits gets daaamn old after a while, and nonetheless I actually hate forced sterility.

I honestly have no idea how this would end up playing out, but that's what science is for, right?

[enigma]

Jun 20, 2012 15:02:01 GMT -5 frankshank said:

Instead of focusing on the negatives of having a separate section, focus on the positives. It's not primarily about saving those who are unhappy about being mocked, from my perspective. It's about having a high quality general section where the subject matter is stuck to. I think the likes of enigma would check out the new section as he likes the odd duel, but incessant witch hunts detract from intelligent discussion. The new section could be anything you want it to be really. It'd have a different flavour with a different set of rules. Not better or worse than the general section.

I don't like the "odd dual". If I draw my sword on anyone, it's in your honor, not mine.

[frankshank]

Jun 21, 2012 1:29:30 GMT -5 enigma said:

Jun 20, 2012 15:02:01 GMT -5 frankshank said:

Instead of focusing on the negatives of having a separate section, focus on the positives. It's not primarily about saving those who are unhappy about being mocked, from my perspective. It's about having a high quality general section where the subject matter is stuck to. I think the likes of enigma would check out the new section as he likes the odd duel, but incessant witch hunts detract from intelligent discussion. The new section could be anything you want it to be really. It'd have a different flavour with a different set of rules. Not better or worse than the general section.

I don't like the "odd dual". If I draw my sword on anyone, it's in your honor, not mine.

OK, a fair distinction Enigma. Can you see yourself venturing into a poking section though or not?

[frankshank]

Jun 20, 2012 16:59:12 GMT -5 desertmoonrise said:

Nov 1, 2010 17:53:43 GMT -5 frankshank said:

Hi Peter. Not really. I'm not interested in exiting the illusion yet. I just think that there's room for a section where the focus is on individuals rather than subject matter. In that section 100% honesty would be accepted and expected. It could be as simple as someone stating a belief that they feel to be true and others breaking it down to nothing. No stories, no references to teachers, no intellectual posturing etc.. Short, simple & direct poking with the sole aim being to wake the poster up.

I think this is still an experimental tack (speaking of pokey things) at best. Tearing something down to nothing doesn't necessarily accomplish anything. I know that there are plenty of popular notions of tension being helpful in this vein. To some people it is, I guess. For what it's worth I think these notions are largely romanticized hypotheses.

When mocking or poking rules the day it's just as unproductive as when the atmosphere is sterile. Hmm.

Here's something: The dedicated poke forum could be a separate entity, and anything one says, auras one emanates, etc. etc. in the regular forum could be fair game? That would work for me, because I for one think sifting through poke wars to find interesting tidbits gets daaamn old after a while, and nonetheless I actually hate forced sterility.

I honestly have no idea how this would end up playing out, but that's what science is for, right?

You're probably right. I just came up with that basic idea as a starting point. The poking section could be ultra flexible and a no holds barred way of discussing spiritual matters. As Question suggested, the thread creator could set the terms. It could be a one on one, an open debate etc etc..

I get what you mean regarding sterility; that's why I suggested a poking section originally. I enjoy drama, it's just not everyone does. And the posts in the main section used to delve a bit deeper, in a more cordial way. The poke forum could mirror the main section. If posters wanted to take an issue over to the poke section they could. It's only an idea and if it was tried and deemed a failure could easily be reversed.