This is a short article that I ran across on how to avoid personal conflict on mailing list(or fourms). I thought it offered good advise so I am sharing my find.
*I am NOT accusing anyone so don't flame me*:D
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a Ride!!!"
Busy posted this at 08:39 — 18th March 2002.
He has: 6,157 posts
Joined: May 2001
and remember to smile at people, as it confuses them
The Webmistress posted this at 09:00 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 5,587 posts
Joined: Feb 2001
:ezbill: Smile too much and people will think you are mad!
mairving posted this at 13:26 — 18th March 2002.
They have: 2,256 posts
Joined: Feb 2001
Disaster-Master, that has to be the stupidest thing that I have ever read. You are SO wrong. Clearly you haven't read the article properly, or you wouldn't be writing this. Why can't you see that this won't work for all of us??? I am not sure, shrug, what you mean by this post.
Pardon my little attempt at humor.
Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states
Megan posted this at 14:26 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 10,303 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
I would add to that:
9. Read what other people are saying carefully. If something another poster has written is making you angry, read again. Ask yourself if they really meant what you think they meant. Is it possible that they could be right?
10. Respect other peoples' opinions.
Most of my online fights happened because of those two!
Megan
My web design blog
mairving posted this at 15:19 — 18th March 2002.
They have: 2,256 posts
Joined: Feb 2001
When it comes down to getting mad, the question I always try to ask is "Is it really worth it?" . It never is.
Mark Irving
I have a mind like a steel trap; it is rusty and illegal in 47 states
disaster-master posted this at 15:45 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 2,152 posts
Joined: May 2001
Good one mairving! I'll have to be honest here and say that before I read the the quote above in your reply to my post, you ruffled my feathers this morning. My natural defensive barrier went up really fast.
*DM says to herself, "If I could only get my hands around his neck."* HEHEHE
Megan made some good points too. I especially agree with her #10. Everyone has opinions and they should be respected even if you think they are wrong. We can't all think alike and we don't all like the same things. The world would be a boring place if we did.
No it isn't worth getting mad over a silly post on a forum. Unfortunately, many do though.
Sonia
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a Ride!!!"
Rayna posted this at 16:59 — 18th March 2002.
They have: 115 posts
Joined: Feb 2000
Avoiding conflict is so difficult when you can't hear a person's voice and their inflection and you can't read their body language.
I have found that humor and sarcasm are the two biggies that get people in trouble. It is so difficult to convey humor and sarcasm in a written format.
My solution......I try not to be funny and I don't use sarcasm if I can help it. Of course being an overly sarcastic person by nature I do a lot of re-reading and editing before I hit the "submit reply" button
Rayna
business & pleasure
openmind posted this at 21:40 — 18th March 2002.
He has: 945 posts
Joined: Aug 2001
Its OK...you guys already know I'm bonkers...
I mean who else whould have a damn mouse in their avatar?
Megan posted this at 21:54 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 10,303 posts
Joined: Jun 1999
Here's some more:
11. Be sympathetic to those who do not know as much about the topic as you do. Remember that you were a beginner at one time too.
12. If you would not say it to a person's face, in the real world, then it is not okay to say it online.
13. Mind your own business.
A good friend of mine was basically shunned from a certain online community because of no. 13
Megan
My web design blog
Suzanne posted this at 22:12 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 5,512 posts
Joined: Feb 2000
I'm a snarky person who makes jokes all the time online, in both instant messaging and bulletin board posts. Somehow (miracles of miracles) I don't get too much flak for it.
The one thing that I think most people forget is that we are a society based on the written word. We read newspapers and books and magazines. We read cereal boxes and traffic signs. We read everything and we plaster text on everything. So it's not so much that the written word is the problem.
It's that we aren't all authors.
***
No. 13 is a good one. Yikes.
love me, love my brain :: iStockphoto portfolio
mjames posted this at 22:38 — 18th March 2002.
They have: 2,064 posts
Joined: Dec 1999
I totally agree; throughout of my years of reading and participating in online forums such as this, I see people (sometimes even good friends) who get too argumentative and try to shove their opinions down others throats in topics like religion or other controversial issues. An important concept is to realize that not everyone is going to agree with you, no matter what. And it's not worth my time, or anyone's, to see in most cases and try to make everyone agree with you.
Marc James - marc@sports-central.org
Sports Central - Beyond the Scores
Sports Boards | Sports Newsletter | Spy Cam
disaster-master posted this at 23:30 — 18th March 2002.
She has: 2,152 posts
Joined: May 2001
Excellent point!
"Snarky"
I like that word.
Sonia
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- WOW--What a Ride!!!"