An open letter on BULLYING here in IIS

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Hi all,

A recent event has given me a gutful on the Bullying that happens here on IIS.

Unless your views, AND language suits and matches with the narrow view and simpleton language of certain people, you are lambasted, ridiculed, insulted, rubbished, intimidated, and muscled off the forums.

Not just my experience, but the forums a littered with closed threads were things have been allowed to get WAAAYYY out of hand before the threads were closed down.

This has led to a "brain drain" out of IIS. The best example is the Astronomy Science Forum - it is a shadow of its former self, with a huge number of highly esteemed participants no longer contributing.

Not my own views. I've received PMs on this following my latest experience from people who no longer feel that is "worth while participating".

If you feel that something has been written that is inappropriate, REPORT IT. There is a little red box with an "X" in it in the top right margin of very post. Hit that button and report the matter if you do not feel there is a good enough rapor between you and the poster to clear things up via PM.

The PM system is a very good way of settling things too. I've used it. Works very well too. Stops things getting ugly in the public domain.

I understand that misunderstandings happen. That is the limitation of the media we are using. But there are serial pests out there that need to be stopped. These are the BULLIES.

I have appealed to the people responsible to look into this matter. I have faith in them.

Please, if you feel that things are out of control in a thread, please report it.

If you don't like how someone has responded to something you've written, look to solve it off forum, if not report it too.

There is also the IGNORE FEATURE in you control panel. It stops everything that a nominated Bully writes, including in quotes. It works. I'm using it.

AND think before you respond. If you've taken exception to something, take a deep breath and count to ten before you hit the keyboard.

If you've been put off from participating here on IIS because of abuse directed to you or others, please reconsider.

[asimov (John)]

Yes, I call it the hero behind the keyboard syndrome. The problem with newbies on the internet is they seem to think they can portray themselves other than how they really are. If we were all down the pub together having astro conversations I can guarantee there wouldn't be any bullying going on! They get taken out the back & sorted out

I remember years ago when IIS was a small close-knit community & someone tried to bully me for a damned typo...Well it was the biggest mistake that pedant ever made in here because all my close friends ended up getting stuck in & he left the forum with his tail between his legs

Pedants & rude people be damned!

[DavidTrap (David)]

Originally Posted by asimov

Yes, I call it the hero behind the keyboard syndrome. The problem with newbies on the internet is they seem to think they can portray themselves other than how they really are. If we were all down the pub together having astro conversations I can guarantee there wouldn't be any bullying going on! They get taken out the back & sorted out

I remember years ago when IIS was a small close-knit community & someone tried to bully me for a damned typo...Well it was the biggest mistake that pedant ever made in here because all my close friends ended up getting stuck in & he left the forum with his tail between his legs

Pedants & rude people be damned!

So doesn't this make you and your friends just as guilty of bullying, or was it Ok because he started it?

I thought Alex's post was quite good, but I don't believe your reply is in the same spirit.

DT

[asimov (John)]

Well I never asked for any assistance with my bullying incident, & that's my point. And yep, he got what he deserved because he decided to start it.

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

That didn't take long.

Gentlemen, please.

[DavidTrap (David)]

Sorry Alex,

I fail to see Asimov's logic. He replies to your post, where you are trying to get rid of bullying on IIS and talks about having bullied someone off the forum. I thought that needed to be pointed out.

I agree that threads do go on for a while before they are shut down and your suggestion of reporting posts is worthwhile.

DT

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Wow Alex,

It must have been an outrageous bit of flaming because I reckon you are pretty tough to upset

Now more seriously, I too have been blasted a few times when I wasn't trying to be controversial at all, so generally I'm with you.

It's a fine line for the mods though, between having a bit of interesting ginger on the forum, and allowing things to go too far. By and large (except of course when I get censured ) they seem to do pretty well.

I recommend the measures you mention, PMs and the "ignore" setting.

Cheers

[mental4astro (Alexander)]

Originally Posted by GeoffW1

Wow Alex,

It must have been an outrageous bit of flaming because I reckon you are pretty tough to upset

Not really, but the antagonist that reckoned I was an easy target (and they have form on this) showed their true colours when they refused to intimidate another respondant in the same thread who wrote the same thing. The angagonist is obviously scared of this particular respondant - so they should be - I've met him, he's big and ugly too, with a keyboard to match, .

[Sirius1066 (Earl)]

Originally Posted by asimov

Yes, I call it the hero behind the keyboard syndrome. The problem with newbies on the internet is they seem to think they can portray themselves other than how they really are. If we were all down the pub together having astro conversations I can guarantee there wouldn't be any bullying going on! They get taken out the back & sorted out

I remember years ago when IIS was a small close-knit community & someone tried to bully me for a damned typo...Well it was the biggest mistake that pedant ever made in here because all my close friends ended up getting stuck in & he left the forum with his tail between his legs

Pedants & rude people be damned!

As a newbie here who is very much interested in fitting in and am trying hard to do so, this comment scares me off a little.

I will certainly ensure I say nothing in here that I wouldn't say in a pub. Although given some of the pubs I've been in, that mightn't help much

[erick (Eric)]

You'll be fine, Earl. If anything does arise, it's only words on a computer screen. I agree with Alex, making good use of reporting to the moderators, private messaging and the ignore option is the way to go. Mind you, I've just checked and I have only one name in my ignore list after all these years.

I've seen examples of heated differences of opinion taken offline into email and private messages, resolved and reported back in the thread.

In a community of thousands of registered users and what must be now some hundreds of posters, there will be a whole range of people. Those spoiling for a fight will find other fora much more to their liking - they won't hang around for long.

It is no surprise to me that I find many posters see things differently to me and have a completely different style of communication. That's the world we live in - it my job to learn how to function in that world.

If I'm feeling a bit troubled, I just move on - there are more threads that interest me than I can read and post in.

[asimov (John)]

If anyone fails to see the logic of my above post, well that's ok, it's not my problem. What's logical about calling somebody out about a spelling mistake?

Anyway, it was just a small factual piece of bullying as an example back in the days when everyone here was part of a team as a whole.

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

It's always a shame when people can't cope with differences of opinion without retaliating with ad hominem attacks. I think it was Aristotle who pointed out this flawed form of argument 2300+ years ago. You humans are slow learners.

[gts055 (Mark)]

Its a reflection the outside world, open your mouth and be prepared for all sorts of totally unexpected abusive or derogatory comment. I post very little in here and am similarly wary in conversation. Its that nasty attitude of some who drive many to keep quiet. I do read lots in here tho. Mark

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Yup, I only have one person blocked and it's wonderful not having to see their comments. But I still see how that person inflames others.

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by Miaplacidus

...
You humans are slow learners.

You humans?

What species are you then?

[Miaplacidus (Brian)]

We don't actually have species on my home planet. We can breed with whatever we find lying around.

Originally Posted by MrB

You humans?

What species are you then?

[chrisp9au (Chris)]

Ah, a Tasmanian!

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

Originally Posted by chrisp9au

Ah, a Tasmanian!

That's rich, coming from a Victorian.

[Allan_L (Allan)]

Originally Posted by jjjnettie

That's rich, coming from a Victorian.

Is this an example of bullying?

Go the Blues !

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

And us New South Welshmen , we are roses between two thorn...thorn.....something anyway