[POLL] Abolish the "ignore" function.

[brekin]

WR ~ you responded above to selected quotes from Mac. I believe much of the tension here would be relieved if you forthrightly responded to this:

From the memory hole: Wombaticus Rex to American Dream, in October 2014, calling AD a troll...
So I want to know why we have been subjected to AD`S trolling for so long. I want to know why honest posters have had to tolerate being trolled by AD, or else waste their time complaining about it, or leave the board in disgust.

Will you please respond to that?

Heh? I don't get this running mock trial of AD with posters posting things from literally four years ago.
If you have a legitimate complaint about him why not quote that in the specific recent thread?
For this character assasination campaign could literally carried out on anyone for no good purpose.
Mac, for example routinely denigrates and maligns people's motives, abilities and values in nearly every post, all the while bemoaning the lost age of manners and coherence. (Nearly fainting in mock outrage) Oh why, I declare, is Mac allowed to troll so long? And are these whiny, inquisition like, holier than thou, "if I ran city hall", narcissistic threads and posts worst than copy pasta? No! At least we learn something external to RI! I've had my fill of how posters who get regularly banned 2-6 times a year think our singular mod should clean up the town.

[tapitsbo]

If AD's a troll, then a lot of people are. A lot of people in "real life" display the exact same discursive modality.

[Spiro C. Thiery]

because WR`s attitude is: "shut up and don`t ask questions, you dick, because i`m your boss now"

That is my attitude towards you. You have earned it over the course of years now.
Other folks have questions? PM me if I don't see 'em.

[Elihu]

If AD's a troll, then a lot of people are. A lot of people in "real life" display the exact same discursive modality.

the difference is, here in this environment, it has a pass. there is democracy, irrelevant in the face of power. oh well. it's hard but we must accept it. the alternatives are, well if i knew that we wouldn't have any problems would we? therefore it's not as all bad as some of us are cracking it up to be. just roll with it.

i'm going to float a new theory: this whole board and blog are some sort of tavistock project. certain posters are in reality the same person or members of the staff. as gordon gekko would say "look pal, you are either on the inside or you're on the outside". all the input of those of us in the latter category is being assiduously cataloged and evaluated. for our own good (and somebody else's profit) of course. the two are inseparable.

back to politics!

[IanEye]

Dr Volin: Last visited: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:27 am

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4180

Nearly two years ago I got a PM from an ex-Moderator who surmises that Dr Volin is probably deceased. (She too was baffled and disturbed by the state of this place, even back then.)

Dr Volin was a nice guy, a very interesting poster and a very good Mod.

But nothing has been heard from him here for over three years now.

So it is, to put it mildly, not fair to him or to his memory to pretend that he is still an RI moderator and therefore co-responsible for the current state of this board.

This thread stopped being useful a long time ago.

.

[seemslikeadream]

My bold blue

Dr Volin: Last visited: Sat Jan 04, 2014 9:27 am

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4180

Nearly two years ago I got a PM from an ex-Moderator who surmises that Dr Volin is probably deceased. (She too was baffled and disturbed by the state of this place, even back then.)

Dr Volin was a nice guy, a very interesting poster and a very good Mod.

But nothing has been heard from him here for over three years now.

So it is, to put it mildly, not fair to him or to his memory to pretend that he is still an RI moderator and therefore co-responsible for the current state of this board.

This thread stopped being useful a long time ago.

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9JArvEJ64M

The fickle forum format fanatics are frustrating friendly fellowship here.

Who cares if conventional commands like “ignore” or “hide” even exist as options, let alone their happening to suit each and every fixated fussbudget finding fault?

Taking issue with the tools is just an excuse to vent vitriol upon their latest victim who dared to veer away from venerated custom and past practice in presenting their prolific posts. Resentment of rebels who reject routine and revered rules is a revelation itself, illustrating the invested intolerance and rigidity of the self-proclaimed regulars, the senior circle, the pseudo-Establishment.

Self-appointed senior members masquerading as mods, or Wannabe Wombats, just add arbitrary, antagonistic authoritarianism to the otherwise affable ambience. It is the behavior of bullies, to bemoan, browbeat and belittle one’s betters. And to do so over inflated, inconsequential items of trivia is the very telling trait of overreach.

It’s usually a cover for the inner introvert, too insecure or inadequate to accommodate departures from the norm, uncertainty, or fear of change.

Let’s instead let individuals be uniquely nonconformists, participating and posting as their personality prefers, providing variety in their variance. Those who don’t like it because it constipates historical convention, confinement and control issues can simply leave.

WR ~ you responded above to selected quotes from Mac. I believe much of the tension here would be relieved if you forthrightly responded to this:

From the memory hole: Wombaticus Rex to American Dream, in October 2014, calling AD a troll...
So I want to know why we have been subjected to AD`S trolling for so long. I want to know why honest posters have had to tolerate being trolled by AD, or else waste their time complaining about it, or leave the board in disgust.

Will you please respond to that?

Heh? I don't get this running mock trial of AD with posters posting things from literally four years ago.
If you have a legitimate complaint about him why not quote that in the specific recent thread?
For this character assasination campaign could literally carried out on anyone for no good purpose.
Mac, for example routinely denigrates and maligns people's motives, abilities and values in nearly every post, all the while bemoaning the lost age of manners and coherence. (Nearly fainting in mock outrage) Oh why, I declare, is Mac allowed to troll so long? And are these whiny, inquisition like, holier than thou, "if I ran city hall", narcissistic threads and posts worst than copy pasta? No! At least we learn something external to RI! I've had my fill of how posters who get regularly banned 2-6 times a year think our singular mod should clean up the town.

but get insulted and suspended by WR if we raise our voices about it now

Yeah, that stands up a single second of scrutiny, good call. Christ, I've suspended a dozen people this week alone for raising their voices about this. It's a massacre.

because WR`s attitude is: "shut up and don`t ask questions, you dick, because i`m your boss now"

That is my attitude towards you. You have earned it over the course of years now.

Other folks have questions? PM me if I don't see 'em.

and as a reminder....PM's are just that PRIVATE MESSAGES


THEY ARE SENT FOR A REASON

TO BE PRIVATE

so anyone that reveals a private message before asking if it is alright is a betrayer of trust and is not an honorable person

and anyone that posts thinly veiled evil messages about people that post here and does not name names thus creating an atmosphere of distrust and paranoia for everyone should be ashamed

and this place has more gossipy old ladies than the home I visit regularly...get a life go out for a meal instead of relying on meals on wheels...I suggest you post something besides personal attacks ...you know something of value or interest ...not many people here are interested in your beliefs that this place belongs to only you and you should have the authority to rule the roost...everyone that posts here has the right to post without this stupid juvenile gossipy old biddy attacks...GET OVER YOURSELVES! A sense of humor maybe in order also.

over and out and I suggest this thread be locked and sent to the fire pit

[dada]

I think nostalgia interferes with psychological growth. The trend in the culture industry is to say nostalgia is good for you. There's even science to prove it. All it proves to me is that nostalgia is good for the culture industry.

The things I liked about this board once upon a time, are things that don't impress me anymore. I've changed, and I'm not interested in going back, recapturing a lost golden age. Let Atlantis go under. haha

There was a good meditation teacher I once had, he said something like, "look at the people who have been in my class for ten or twenty years. They've stopped growing, they're using it as a crutch." If you're still playing the same game ten years on, maybe you're not doing it right.

Or maybe you just have different goals than I do. It isn't for me to force anyone to play a different game. I'm sharing my point of view, what else is there to do. Respect yours, I guess. I'll work on that.

But I wonder if it isn't the sentimental longing, the wistful affection for the past that is at issue here, but for time. We're attached to things we can't grasp. Past, present, whether "as it is" or "as it should be," the futures that we're really homesick for. The sentimental longings, the wistful affections are the source of conflict.

What does this have to do with the ignore function. Nothing at all, nothing at all.

[Cordelia]

The fickle forum format fanatics are frustrating friendly fellowship here.

Who cares if conventional commands like “ignore” or “hide” even exist as options, let alone their happening to suit each and every fixated fussbudget finding fault?

Taking issue with the tools is just an excuse to vent vitriol upon their latest victim who dared to veer away from venerated custom and past practice in presenting their prolific posts. Resentment of rebels who reject routine and revered rules is a revelation itself, illustrating the invested intolerance and rigidity of the self-proclaimed regulars, the senior circle, the pseudo-Establishment.

Self-appointed senior members masquerading as mods, or Wannabe Wombats, just add arbitrary, antagonistic authoritarianism to the otherwise affable ambience. It is the behavior of bullies, to bemoan, browbeat and belittle one’s betters. And to do so over inflated, inconsequential items of trivia is the very telling trait of overreach.

It’s usually a cover for the inner introvert, too insecure or inadequate to accommodate departures from the norm, uncertainty, or fear of change.

Let’s instead let individuals be uniquely nonconformists, participating and posting as their personality prefers, providing variety in their variance. Those who don’t like it because it constipates historical convention, confinement and control issues can simply leave.

[Karmamatterz]

I think nostalgia interferes with psychological growth. The trend in the culture industry is to say nostalgia is good for you. There's even science to prove it. All it proves to me is that nostalgia is good for the culture industry.

Yes, nostalgia is a trap.

[peartreed]

Moving away from myopic mudslinging, I’ve mostly migrated to the Data Dump, Images Only and Comments on Images Only threads where, recently, SLAD and Cordelia have posted profound, poignant pictures, performances and pertinent news that put back some heart and mind into the horror stories happening to us all.

I just wish the complaining curmudgeons would find the same compassion to communicate with cerebral sense and soul about the actual context of current events.

[Project Willow]

and anyone that posts thinly veiled evil messages about people that post here and does not name names thus creating an atmosphere of distrust and paranoia for everyone should be ashamed

You're right. I should not have posted that. I also take responsibility for my poor judgement and choices in the scenario I referenced. This is a community where most people are fairly well known to each other, but that isn't true in all cases. It's still an anonymous internet forum, so the standard cautions apply. I did not follow those cautions, and I should have known better.

Just to clarify some of the concerns raised after my ill-considered post:

Mods cannot read PMs.
It's impossible to detect sock puppets if the only tool is an IP.
There is no secret dossier or back channel gossip about specific posters.
I have no desire to be a mod, or influence board politics in public or private. I was just expressing a personal opinion. I should not have done it.
If I noticed outright deliberate attempts to manipulate or trigger programming here, I'd say so openly, otherwise, forum activity is all words on a screen, and can only hurt as far as that goes.

I also agree with you that meanness and incivility are increasing and further eroding the environment here. For whatever part I've contributed to that, or failed to contend adequately when I was a mod, I apologize.

I've looked back at some of my posts from years ago, and some recent, and I do not like what I see. At times I've forcefully projected distrust, paranoia, and anger, onto other posters. I have at times been mean, insensitive, and controlling. Job number one for me is owning that part of myself and fixing it.

My apologies to all.

[Heaven Swan]

and anyone that posts thinly veiled evil messages about people that post here and does not name names thus creating an atmosphere of distrust and paranoia for everyone should be ashamed

You're right. I should not have posted that. I also take responsibility for my poor judgement and choices in the scenario I referenced. This is a community where most people are fairly well known to each other, but that isn't true in all cases. It's still an anonymous internet forum, so the standard cautions apply. I did not follow those cautions, and I should have known better.

Just to clarify some of the concerns raised after my ill-considered post:

Mods cannot read PMs.
It's impossible to detect sock puppets if the only tool is an IP.
There is no secret dossier or back channel gossip about specific posters.
I have no desire to be a mod, or influence board politics in public or private. I was just expressing a personal opinion. I should not have done it.
If I noticed outright deliberate attempts to manipulate or trigger programming here, I'd say so openly, otherwise, forum activity is all words on a screen, and can only hurt as far as that goes.

I also agree with you that meanness and incivility are increasing and further eroding the environment here. For whatever part I've contributed to that, or failed to contend adequately when I was a mod, I apologize.

I've looked back at some of my posts from years ago, and some recent, and I do not like what I see. At times I've forcefully projected distrust, paranoia, and anger, onto other posters. I have at times been mean, insensitive, and controlling. Job number one for me is owning that part of myself and fixing it.

My apologies to all.

Wow. Speaking of the power of apologies.
Thank you Project Willow!

[Elvis]

My apologies to all.

You might be a little too hard on yourself there, PW, you're human after all, and one of the wisest (as your post confirms).

[Heaven Swan]

Brekin» Sat Apr 15, 2017 6:02 am"
From what I can recall there have been two posters who openly discuss their histories with government sponsored mind control. And no doubt numerous others who haven't disclosed or just lurk. An issue has been that this isn't a support, therapeutic or treatment forum and discussing such material can be triggering. Also, as this is a discussion forum with a speculative to woo bent, that in itself guarantees debating and differing points of view on the history, scope, and players of gov. mind control which literally no one will be in complete alignment with. So less of a therapeutic safe haven but more of a sympathetic to agnostic ear can be found here, but hardly a "safe space" for someone who may be struggling/processing such issue in their personal life and wants to share it with others on a public and opinionated forum. Most likely, my guess is RI is too much or not enough for many survivors.

*******Content advisory*******
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12637
Postby Jeff » Mon Jul 30, 2007 3:29 pm
These boards contain material that some readers may find of a disturbing nature.
A public forum such as this is not an appropriate venue for soliciting or offering diagnoses of ritual abuse, mind control, abduction, psychological disturbance or any similar history or condition.
If you have reason to suspect that you are a survivor of mind control or ritual abuse, the following links may be of assistance:

I agree that the RI discussion forum is clearly not a trauma healing portal but I do think that it is or could be a good place for learning, discussing, analyzing and strategizing about changing and healing society wrt this serious but poorly understood problem. Jeff was one of the few writers that had the guts to take this on and try to connect the dots. I can imagine that for survivors, just knowing or witnessing that people care enough to discuss the problem and look for ways to root it out could be therapeutic.

I just watched a doc a friend made about survivors of sexual violence in the internal war in Guatemala coming together to heal, and two of the major themes were 'Breaking the Silence' and 'Finding our voice.'

BTW Something great that they did in Guatemala was to paint the houses of known rapists red. This is similar to how the Nordic model works. Most sex buyers (johns, punters) don't want to be outed in their communities, don't want their wife or girlfriend (if they have one) to know, so the fear of exposure is a huge deterrent and goes a long way towards the abolition of prostitution.

Heaven Swan wrote:
I do think apologies can help though.
Mac--aren't you the poster who targeted, followed around, and hurled abuse on a daily basis at SLAD? And am I mistaken or weren't you one of the several posters who (from another continent no less) ranted and raved for months about the mortal danger that the warmongering Hillary Clinton posed to humanity and how she was poised to start WWIII, thus effectively helping elect the Orange Menace who really is threatening life on the planet?
An apology to SLAD and a humble admission of your mistake regarding our election might do a lot to rehabilitate your image.

Re: the ignore function and copy pasta loving posters
Ok, so there seem to be three culprits here and I'll address each one separately. This is only my opinion and 2 cents BTW

SLAD
I don't and never have had a problem with her florid posting habits, on the contrary, her threads are one of the main reasons I check in here daily. Also, she seems to have started linking longer articles to data dump threads which effectively solves the problem that some might have had.

AD
This is another matter altogether--even though I do think that he does post material of value and am not calling for his exile. The problem I and perhaps others see is not just the sheer volume, but a repressive attitude coupled with a seemingly endless amount of time to dedicate to burying in copy pasta the contributions of those who disagree with him.
His research threads like TIDS and the monitoring of right-wing groups don't bother me at all. I even take a peek occasionally and have found things of value. His posting about far-right extremists may have seemed a bit obsessive, but he was right about the rise of the right.
If there were a way to rein in the number of threads he can start per day that would make a big difference. AD if you are reading this--LESS IS MORE--irritating your audience is not a good way to get your message across.
We do a have a responsive and understanding mod, so if he misbehaves on discussion threads we can report him, so if he continues down that road there is a way to stop him.

Frumenshen
This is not meant to hurt or offend in any way but I have to say that I don't like, and on principle won't open misleadingly titled threads. There may be gold in those threads but I haven't seen it. And as far as the search function goes it makes absolutely no sense to give threads bizarre titles unrelated to their content.
Therefore I'd like to respectfully suggest to Fruhmenshen (who is probably an amazing and brilliant person) that, for the greater good of the forum, he change his thread titling habits.
I haven't seen any other problems originating from this poster.

I'm pretty much in agreement down the line with the above.
But all we can do is request nicely (as you have done).

Thanks for your response to this Brekin.

[SonicG]

I'd chime in but I can't read half of the comments here...


Why you think I put you on ignore...


Why you really got put on ignore...

I keeed...I still have HMW on ignore though...

It is funny to see us old folk still finding some relevance in this antiquated form of social media...I post/frequent only one other board, music-related which is dying a slow death, and lurk at a wine board that is going strong...This format seems to appeal to 40-50 year-olds I guess...

But yeah, fuck nostalgia, watch the world shatter...we can pick up the pieces later if we are still around...