Greek Chat - should membership be closed?

[skylark]

Hi everyone. I thought if I left this thread alone for a couple days everyone would just move on and find something better to talk about. Guess not. Therefore, I might as well address what has been brought up: the fact that I joined another site. I like this other site, people are definitely helpful, nice, and generally just a good bunch of people. There are people like that on GC still, but I certainly cannot say that about everyone here. I like this new site a lot and will continue to post there since I know that they are people that act as well-behaved on the internet as they do in real life. If I myself ever need advice or want to start a new thread about something, I am sure I will feel more comfortable posting there than here.

I just wanted to clarify that, despite joining another greek site, I AM still on GC (and have continued to post, although not on this particular thread) and still plan to be on GC for as long as I am able to gain at least something positive from it. If you want to look back at some of my earlier posts in this thread, I even stated that I liked GC for the most part, although many of you seemed to lump me into a group of other newbies who "couldn't take it anymore" so to speak. I can take it just fine, I just question what "it" accomplishes.

There are many areas of GC that I think will remain worthwhile to read and post in and so will continue to do so (why shouldn't I?). Even when, as I'm sure will happen in the future, I do post in an area that is frequented by certain GCers that seem to fuel themselves on unnecessary drama and confrontation, this thread has certainly given me more insight into the character of these GCers. Thus, I doubt I will even pay attention to anything they say anymore (and I certainly doubt they will care, either).

I have received some great advice in this thread, the best advice being: look at the prior posts of the people who are being rude. It is their internet personality and has nothing to do with you (I seriously hope they don't act like that in real life!) Having a different personality on the internet is something somewhat foreign to me, but I can see why it happens because it is a lot easier to "post" than to own up to your behavior in real life. Certain people feel that because you are on the internet, this justifies rudeness, "snarkiness" (although I certainly think true snarkiness is quite more endearing, at least in real life), and "sarcasm" (which I think some people don't quite know the definition to here). I now know (and didn't when I started this thread) that it is possible to still enjoy this site despite the hostility, and no you do not need an ignore button in order to do it.

In real life, for instance, if someone out-of-the-blue tried to take a word out of context of what I was trying to say as a whole and use it to prove that I was "blatantly wrong," yelling at me (RL version of 42pt bold font), I would certainly confront that person as to why they felt it was necessary to address a wrongly chosen word with completely unnecessary hostility. Furthermore, if the problem seemed to be with more than one person, I would choose to address the group as a whole. As some people put it on this site, yes that is probably the equivalent of putting up a "kick me" sign, but I believe strongly in the value of general congeniality enough to be kicked around for it, I guess.

Anyway, I want to end my final post on this thread by stating that I probably was too sensitive, but honestly that is part of who I am, even in real life. However, I am not the only person in the world who is probably "too sensitive" and it does not make me, or anyone else that falls in this group, less worthy or whatever to be on this site. I'm sure there are many people that have come and gone from GC, and you all are probably eager to see them go, but I guess I just think that the more insight and diversity you have on an internet site, the better it will be as a whole. Thus, it probably isn't a good idea to try and scare people off for entertainment value.

Go on and continue to have fun with this disaster of a thread (yeah, I know I'm the one who started it). I honestly don't know what more you all could find to say here about this, but that is what I thought two days (and 5 pages) ago.

I'm sorry I thought I could possibly change someone's mind. Like one poster said, it is kind of sad that I earnestly started this forum to talk about internet decorum. I guess I am at heart an optimist, especially about human nature.

[icelandelf]

Originally Posted by skylark

Hi everyone. I thought if I left this thread alone for a couple days everyone would just move on and find something better to talk about. Guess not. Therefore, I might as well address what has been brought up: the fact that I joined another site. I like this other site, people are definitely helpful, nice, and generally just a good bunch of people. There are people like that on GC still, but I certainly cannot say that about everyone here. I like this new site a lot and will continue to post there since I know that they are people that act as well-behaved on the internet as they do in real life. If I myself ever need advice or want to start a new thread about something, I am sure I will feel more comfortable posting there than here.

So why post here if we're a bunch of meanies?

Originally Posted by skylark

I just wanted to clarify that, despite joining another greek site, I AM still on GC (and have continued to post, although not on this particular thread) and still plan to be on GC for as long as I am able to gain at least something positive from it. If you want to look back at some of my earlier posts in this thread, I even stated that I liked GC for the most part, although many of you seemed to lump me into a group of other newbies who "couldn't take it anymore" so to speak. I can take it just fine, I just question what "it" accomplishes.

I didn't know we had to accomplish anything.

Originally Posted by skylark

There are many areas of GC that I think will remain worthwhile to read and post in and so will continue to do so (why shouldn't I?). Even when, as I'm sure will happen in the future, I do post in an area that is frequented by certain GCers that seem to fuel themselves on unnecessary drama and confrontation, this thread has certainly given me more insight into the character of these GCers. Thus, I doubt I will even pay attention to anything they say anymore (and I certainly doubt they will care, either).

I have received some great advice in this thread, the best advice being: look at the prior posts of the people who are being rude. It is their internet personality and has nothing to do with you (I seriously hope they don't act like that in real life!) Having a different personality on the internet is something somewhat foreign to me, but I can see why it happens because it is a lot easier to "post" than to own up to your behavior in real life. Certain people feel that because you are on the internet, this justifies rudeness, "snarkiness" (although I certainly think true snarkiness is quite more endearing, at least in real life), and "sarcasm" (which I think some people don't quite know the definition to here). I now know (and didn't when I started this thread) that it is possible to still enjoy this site despite the hostility, and no you do not need an ignore button in order to do it.

Originally Posted by skylark

In real life, for instance, if someone out-of-the-blue tried to take a word out of context of what I was trying to say as a whole and use it to prove that I was "blatantly wrong," yelling at me (RL version of 42pt bold font), I would certainly confront that person as to why they felt it was necessary to address a wrongly chosen word with completely unnecessary hostility. Furthermore, if the problem seemed to be with more than one person, I would choose to address the group as a whole. As some people put it on this site, yes that is probably the equivalent of putting up a "kick me" sign, but I believe strongly in the value of general congeniality enough to be kicked around for it, I guess.

Anyway, I want to end my final post on this thread by stating that I probably was too sensitive, but honestly that is part of who I am, even in real life. However, I am not the only person in the world who is probably "too sensitive" and it does not make me, or anyone else that falls in this group, less worthy or whatever to be on this site. I'm sure there are many people that have come and gone from GC, and you all are probably eager to see them go, but I guess I just think that the more insight and diversity you have on an internet site, the better it will be as a whole. Thus, it probably isn't a good idea to try and scare people off for entertainment value.

Go on and continue to have fun with this disaster of a thread (yeah, I know I'm the one who started it). I honestly don't know what more you all could find to say here about this, but that is what I thought two days (and 5 pages) ago.

I'm sorry I thought I could possibly change someone's mind. Like one poster said, it is kind of sad that I earnestly started this forum to talk about internet decorum. I guess I am at heart an optimist, especially about human nature.

So what have we learned from this important life lesson boys and girls?

I feel sufficiently chastized and I now know my place. But if I have no character would I really know my place if it bit me in the ass? pondering...

[SWTXBelle]

Hey, Icelandelf - you've been here less time than me, so your insults are no good!!!!

[UGAalum94]

SWTXBelle,

It's because you were too wise to say some of the dumb stuff most of us weren't too dumb to say.

The way I see it, you have two solid choices: wear never having been snark attacked by the cult like a badge of honor, or mention how you think AI is really the wave of the future and GC needs an active forum where we all help AIs shop for a sorority by being really nice and helpful to them when they ask inappropriate questions.

That will pretty much take care of it.

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Hey, Icelandelf - you've been here less time than me, so your insults are no good!!!!

Your sorority has the ugliest colors...gosh.

[SWTXBelle]

Well, Geeky Penguin, so does YOURS!!!

[SWTXBelle]

UGAAlum - My opinion about AI is already on record, so I'll guess I'll just have to be happy with being insulted by happy lambchop butt.

[icelandelf]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Hey, Icelandelf - you've been here less time than me, so your insults are no good!!!!

[LPIDelta]

This is like As the World Turns, Days of our Lives and the Bold and the Beautiful all rolled into one.... I can't believe people take what is said on an internet message board SO personally or that people have that much time. Especially those who have gone beyond the board to take action against people...

I guess imploring everyone to have a little perspective would be in vain, and it would seem now, too late.

I like GC--don't always agree with everyone and sometimes have felt like people were mean--but I've also learned to let it go and not take things so seriously because if you wrestle with pigs, all you're gonna get is dirty. I guess that might seem like the cowards way, to ignore it, but I guess my thought is choosing to ignore it makes it less fun for those who engage in it.

Anyway--I hope GC can be less drama free in the future.