I think we all need to get back on track around here:

[jpianoflorida]

I think the forum has gotten very negative lately and we all need to work on that! This use to be a great place to share ideas, healthy debates, etc.   It seems lately that it has gotten a little "out of control"?  Does anyone agree with that?    I think we all need to get back to a supportive , helpful , environment.    Debates are fine, but personal attacks (and I'm not talking about myself at all, I'm talking about other things I have read lately directed toward other members)  needs to stop.   We need to respect each other a little more.         You can disagree with someone and state your points without being completely rude to other forum members.

[debussy symbolism]

Greetings.

That's all good, but how is this going to stop the angered attacks towards other members, if even to remind them of their own hostility? I think it is very hard to do, especially on a forum where anything can be said and anything can be accepted as negative. I am all for positive however and so do also hope that the member conduct will cheer up and stay healthy.

[mad_max2024]

This is the internet...
People take this too seriously

[pianowolfi]

People take it not seriously enough. It is a delusion. Suddenly you might have to deal with consequences you never expected.

[rc]

Jay I agree with you completely.  There is never any reason for such combative attitudes here, any other forum, or anywhere in life.  I don't mind a little hard-play in a debate, it's good for people to put up a fight for their ideas, but to make it personal is to lose track of the whole point of it...  That's just a lack of maturity.

My suggested solution is to not bother with any sort of degradation.  As Bernhard would say, "to fight evil is to give it power".

What I've found to work in other forums is to give someone the benefit of the doubt if they're being negative... Take their point into account, ignore any attacks (sometimes I have to grit my teeth, heh), and direct the conversation back to somewhere useful while showing them a basic level of respect for their perspective.  I've found this works most of the time, and sometimes, because of my refusal to play any disrespectful intellectual battle, I find I'm the one with the wrong perspective - a lot of the time my 'opponent' is actually in agreement!  If someone's just not willing to be respectful and only seems interested in 'winning', might as well not bother with them and make replies for the ones making a contribution.

What really gets me though is when people hide in anonymity and never reveal themselves.  I can only talk about information and debates so much before I get bored, but I don't get bored with people.

That's why Pianistimo is so interesting - she doesn't hide anything, you know you're talking to a human being!  That's more valuable than any witty arguement.

[ahinton]

Pianistimo is so interesting - she doesn't hide anything, you know you're talking to a human being!  That's more valuable than any witty arguement.

Whilst not doubting the truth of most of what you write here, she does appear, de temps en temps, to reveal something of a habit in not answering certain questions posed by other contributors when engaged in exchanges here, preferring instead to ignore them as though they'd not even been asked rather than declare and explain why she might feel unable and/or unwilling to answer them.

Best,

Alistair

[elspeth]

something of a habit in not answering certain questions posed by other contributors when engaged in exchanges here, preferring instead to ignore them

On the other hand, there has been a lot of Pianistimo-baiting of late, people asking questions clearly intended as attempts to belittle her religious views. Regardless of whether those comments are meant spitefully or not, why should she respond to people's teasing? Good for Susan!

[ahinton]

On the other hand, there has been a lot of Pianistimo-baiting of late, people asking questions clearly intended as attempts to belittle her religious views. Regardless of whether those comments are meant spitefully or not, why should she respond to people's teasing? Good for Susan!

I cannot - and therefore do not seek to - speak for anyone else on this, but I can confirm that, whenever I ask Pianistimo a question about something she has written in one of her posts, it is not to tease anything except a plausible answer out of her! Even then, I tend only to ask such questions if something that she has written appears to be either unclear, incomplete or both.

Best,

Alistair

[elspeth]

Good point... sorry Alistair, it wasn't meant as a dig at you, all I meant was that the only questions I've noticed her ignore were ones that I wouldn't have answered either.

[ahinton]

Good point... sorry Alistair, it wasn't meant as a dig at you, all I meant was that the only questions I've noticed her ignore were ones that I wouldn't have answered either.

No need at all to apologise! I know you weren't "having a dig" at me...

Best,

Alistair

[rc]

That's what I thought you were referring to as well, the religion arguements.  I never bothered peeking in those threads, I'm sure such topics only lead to anger.

In any case, no answer is actually an answer, it means she doesn't want to bring it up.  It would be courteous to respect that, pressing the issue is rude.  In light of Pianistimo taking unwarranted flak in the forums, it's understandable why she might be ignoring threads of conversation, so perhaps if you have sincere questions being ignored it would be a better idea to ask through a private message?

[imbetter]

I think the forum has gotten very negative lately and we all need to work on that! This use to be a great place to share ideas, healthy debates, etc.   It seems lately that it has gotten a little "out of control"?  Does anyone agree with that?    I think we all need to get back to a supportive , helpful , environment.    Debates are fine, but personal attacks (and I'm not talking about myself at all, I'm talking about other things I have read lately directed toward other members)  needs to stop.   We need to respect each other a little more.         You can disagree with someone and state your points without being completely rude to other forum members.

I agree 100%


I think I'm the only one here that gets attacked personaly

[wishful thinker]

I thought that you were leaving? 

[ahinton]

In any case, no answer is actually an answer, it means she doesn't want to bring it up.  It would be courteous to respect that, pressing the issue is rude.  In light of Pianistimo taking unwarranted flak in the forums, it's understandable why she might be ignoring threads of conversation, so perhaps if you have sincere questions being ignored it would be a better idea to ask through a private message?

I could - but I'm not really that bothered about it; that said, if Susan raises something in a forum post which seems incomplete or raises questions, it is surely better for those questions to be raised in the same thread so that others who read the thread can also observe what's going on.

Best,

Alistair