by Guest » Sun Jan 25, 2009 5:50 pm
[quote1232920506=vladatut]BullRun, I understand your anger.[/quote1232920506]
I don't know where this notion that I'm angry came from. I'm just saying that I find it disappointing that a lot of the noobs aren't active.
The 'elders' take a lot of pride in this forum. We understand that it's not OURS, but EVERYONE's. We kept this thing humming for a long time and we understand that ultimately it will be passed onto newer guys. What's frustrating is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of respect for the forum and its content from the newer guys.
The tone of this thread has gotten off course. The 'anger' you're picking up on was a direct result of an obsurd acquisation that the point of this post was to insult one person in particular. A notion that I find hillarious considering that a very similiar post was made by playercool without any problems. As a matter of fact, someone even asked if it was directed at someone in particular. I think what needs to be understood is that if anyone has a problem with any one person, the 'laundry' will be aired in private. No one is out to get anyone on these boards. The reason is two-fold: 1) we have better things to do than worry about attacking, indirectly, other people 2) we're all here to help each other.
I don't spend my time worrying about what guys on these boards think of me, its only the ones that I've met in real life that I concern myself with. But, when someone calls me to task and challenges my virtue I'm going to push back.
Sure, some might frame it as weak. That's fine. But, anything can be framed as weak. The notion that the purpose behind this post was to insult Vin can be framed as weak too. I mean what strong person would really make some kind of ridiculous connection between this post and an 'Off Topic' post about politics? Only a sensitive, weak person would do such a thing. Right?
You see how stupid this has become? This dynamic of calling out someone's frame is an overwhelming problem in the Community. It's all about perception. You can twist a person's frame however you see fit. It's one of those weird things that people do that are in the Community, and it's especially problematic from people that you've never met and are new to the forum. Calling someone you don't know 'weak' on an Internet forum is cowardly.
The thing that really bothers me is that people like that are in our Community. We have no filtering process, we just accept anyone. Which goes back to my previous mention of the level of pride that the 'elders' have in our Community. It's disrespectful, period. You can disagree all you want, I know I did when I started.
You can call me what you wish, but don't shit all over the Community. Don't disrespect what we've helped to build and what we, sometimes struggle, to maintain. What all of the noobs out there need to understand is that the forum, and it's culture, will resonate as time goes by. When you have people like Vin who have, blantantly and very obviously, derived enjoyment out of stirring up shit with others on the boards it eats away at the integrity of the forum. The forum is where we come together and it manifests itself to meeting in person. Then, we share ideas, thoughts, strategies, theories, routines, etc, etc. We sarge together and we forge friendships. I've made some great friends during my tenor here. Most of which I value more than the countless number of women I've bedded in the past. None of these friendships would have been possible if not for this forum. It starts here. This is why we have to make sure we continue to hold the forums to a high standard.
Should I have shot off at Vin? Damn straight. I was defending my virtue and, more importantly, the virtue of our forum. This is bigger than any one person. So, when someone blantanly disrespects the boards the way Vin has (read Off Topic, his intro which was very clearly one with a tone of superiority, and his comments earlier in this thread) then you have to rise up and slap them down. Period.
If I, or any one else I know, had met him in person, this would be worlds different. There are guys that I know in person on here that I routinely disagree with, but do you ever think either one of us would have an exchange like that which Vin and I shared? Hell no. There's a mutual respect when you know for sure that someone else is walking the same path as you. And, as such, you're never going to think that a post is directed exclusively at you. The way Vin did. And, you'll never see Bull Run tell Vin that 'I could care less.'
Magnum had it right. It's a matter of respect gentelmen. Respect has to be earned. I haven't earned Vin's respect, nor should I have. But, once you start on the forum, once you're in the Community you have a responsibility to our world. You have to hold yourself to a higher standard. It's called integrity. Call me an ass all you want, call me angry, call me weak. But, don't shit on the Community. Because when you do, I'm going to stand up for what we're a part of and what we've built.
Now, reading this I feel like we're a bunch of crybaby girls. Drama, drama, drama.