Strange.....(re: foundation?)

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Freedom! self reliance : One Thread

I find it somewhat amusing that the Foundation question caused so many questions about foundations and such a ruckus all over these three little electronic bbbbboards. Yep, I went and searched the BTS forum because of Greg's comments. Then I checked the CS thread. Wow. Just as a matter of clearing the air for anyone who does visit here and doesn't post or feels threatened by the "foundational" principles this board operates under, I want to say that *I* have been to the BTS board only a few times and when I first learned of it's existence there was something about who was or wasn't invited there, so I took that to mean that it was to be by invitation only. I sometimes misconstrue things, so perhaps I failed to see something that would indicate otherwise.

As for the participants of BTS feeling insulted by the "touchy feely" term, please don't, as it was a very broad generalization and not meant to be denigrating, even though that's how it came across. Sometimes it is hard to use anything but a catch phrase to descibe differences. This forum is open to anyone, and I am happy that a few of the "polar opposites" have chosen to make a few points here. The "Invitation" to Freedom is not something you need to RSVP. It's an open invitation, not exclusionary.

There was something a long time ago that Sharon posted on the CS forum called "Stepped in It",if I remember correctly, it was perhaps the most appropo tongue in cheek analysis of this medium I have ever encountered. Truly inspired and bone baring. I'm sure it's in the archives somewhere, but I don't have the addy... I have often imagined that people assign tones and inflections to someone's written word and also make a physical picture of them in their mind based upon the predominant "tones" of their posts. I'm relatively certain that almost all of those assignations are incorrect as well.

I have had the pleasure of meeting a couple of forum participants face to face and know that my "picture" of them didn't bear out in reality as I am sure their picture of me didn't bear out. Actually Vicki even told me so in a private email. This comes as no surprise to me, because my contradictory nature is part of my cohesiveness. I am not a bearish, nasty, stake pounding, insensitive ogrette who demands that everyone walk exactly like I do or I'll whack you with my broomstick. I do certainly have strong opinions and I back them up on facts and not feelings...well, MOSTLY not feelings. Yet I am myself very emotional and very sensitive. And I like a hug every now and then, too.

Now having blathered on about all of that, I guess what I would most like to say is that this medium has tremendous potential for both good and bad. We need to not take the personal/personality aspects of it too seriously.... yep, I am guilty of this offense myself. We have to remember that we DO NOT know each other. Some of us who have exchanged a fair amount of personal correspondence have a more thourough grasp on the person we correspond with, but otherwise it's kind of like catching a clip out of a movie or reading three lines from a book. Differing points of view are excellent grey matter fuels. If we all thought and expressed ourselves in the same manner we would be in a LOT more trouble than we are now. And maybe that's it, the determining difference. WHERE we see the trouble originating. The commonality seems to be that we do see trouble, even though that might be construed to mean that there is a fear principle at work. What do you think, do we have that commonality?

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), May 12, 2001

Answers

Doreen, I checked out the BTS site once early on and had the same feeling as Greg. What I especially noticed was how ugly they talked about the "mean" people over here. But the "mean" people over here were just going about their business, homesteading and getting to know each other without being ugly about BTS. It was definitely food for thought. I think I'll just stay here and be one of the "mean" people - it seems like good company generally.

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), May 12, 2001.

I first learned of the BTS forum apparently not too long after it was formed. The invitations to join were gleaned from the 'Pagan' thread of the CS site, if I remember correctly. There was, at that time, a significant number of posts to the effect of: 'Hope we can keep this secret for awile','Hope the 'others' just leave us alone' and 'ain't it great with no "fundies" around!!' I am a conservative Christian, I wasn't invited, so that was obviously not the place for me to be. I checked back a couple of days ago, just before the 'foundation' bruhaha and found pretty much the same attitude, but with admittedly fewer people making those claims. I checked today all the 'new answers' (the same way I check this and the CS forum when I visit there) for the last 3 days (May 10-12). There is still quite a bit of posting to the effect of: 'can you believe what 'they' said' (even if it was months ago) 'glad I have this place, my blood pressure cannot handle the 'other' forum'. 'How brave for Polly to venture "over there"' etc. etc. etc. It seems most of these kinds of posts are made by the same handful of people. I agree it was very nice to see the olive branch offered by Polly. I also think her attitude is indicative of the majority at the BTS forum, at least as it has become now. The minority, however, is an INCREADIBLY vocal one. I didn't see any change from their founding principles that would lead me to believe my opinions would be welcomed there or that I would be comfortable. I know not everyone here shares my philosophy. That's fine, mainly for the reasons you stated so well Doreen. At least I'm able to comfortably express those ideas here, if I choose, without being called deragatory names, harassed or having to fit into a 'clique' of some sort. I've never posted a single item, personally attacking anyone here, there or at CS. However, They quite obviously from their posts, past and present, wish to be left alone, and especially by people 'like me'. So I will.

As a side note: There seems to be lingering hard feelings, from both 'sides', about computer attacks and nastygrams. There are quite a number of ways to get sent 'spam', without most computer users being aware of them or involving any/minimal input from the unwary user. It's unfortunate that there were apparently some intentional malicious e-mails sent to people on both sides. That dosen't mean it NECESSARILY came from whom you think it did. It may have. It may NOT have. It's quite easy to 'steal' an identity on the internet. This server especially.

-- StevenB (thicketyrowfarm@aol.com), May 12, 2001.


Having posted on all of the above forums (and taken things personally when I shouldn't), I have to say that I feel most at home here. I do still go and post on the others, though. Doreen - as far as my own thoughts - you are right.

I do notice that on several forums, everyone has the same arguements over every one else. Some think this forum is 'liberal' or mean, or whatever, and others think the same of others and so on and so on. I've heard us called stuff like that, BTS, CS etc.

I'm really glad that we don't tend to sling labels around here like that!!!! If a different focus makes me mean and liberal, then so be it! After all... labels come off in the wash -

-- Sue Diederich (willow666@rocketmail.com), May 14, 2001.


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