- Joined
- Jul 4, 2006
- Messages
- 5,129
- Location
- Lincoln, Nebraska
- Display Name
- Jason W (FlyNE)
- Home Airfield
- KLNK
He shoots, he scores!
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Folks, it comes down to this question:
Are you going to conduct yourself as a responsible adult?
If the answer is, “No,” then you will have difficulty dealing with the world at large wherever you go, whether it be in real world or cyber world.
If the answer is, “Yes,” then there are a couple of things you need to bear in mind in order to honor this commitment.
1. Treat others with a reasonable measure of respect. This means, consider the impact of words you might use; ask yourself: “Would I say this thing I am about to post, if the person or group to whom it is addressed were standing right here in the room with me?”
And, concurrently -
2. Don’t over-react to what some few people say.
This second one is important to bear in mind. There is nothing whatsoever organically different about one forum by comparison to others - nothing here makes someone more likely or less likely to say or do anything. It’s a community, and it’s up to each and all of us as members of a community to help define its direction, its tenor.
Some people are smooth and polished in their presentation of what they have to say; some are rough and crusty. There is no need to leap to the peak of Butt-Hurt Mountain as soon as you read something you don’t like - if there are several interpretations of what you’ve read (and there almost always are), consider the benign instead of the bad.
If a participant is out of bounds, don’t respond in kind - click the “bad post” button. If a participant’s behavior is toxic, and yet does not violate the RoC, engage the MC in a discussion of what you think should be done about it. We can adapt, have adapted, will do in the future - but we need your active and honorable help to do so.
What you should never do - must never do - is simply throw down the “I’m outta here” card when you don’t like the tone. Inevitably, these result from the ugly actions of a very small proportion of the members here, and that amounts to throwing out the baby with the bathwater. The problems we experience here will occur, in one way or another, most anywhere you go, and when you do the bail-out routine, you’re effectively saying, “I give more weight to the irritating few and their muckraking than the vast majority of you who choose to participate honorably; the heck with you good guys.” Just does not seem right- because it isn't.
It has been my good fortune to have participated in this community, in its formative years and since, and I have been enriched beyond measure as a direct result. I have made friends whom I will treasure for the rest of my life, and no doubt as to some, for the rest of theirs (indeed, I’ve had to bid one such fellow pilot fair winds). There are many here upon whom I know I can rely, as true friends in any circumstance. This bunch has worked out to be something more than common-interest friends; it is another family. We have watched relationships start and blossom through this group, and many here have served as mentors for others, in life, in work and (of course) in aviation.
It ain’t perfect, but it sure is entertaining; a straight and level stretch of road is smooth, but presents no useful challenges and is dull. Same here.
So, step up - if you see a problem, be, by example, part of the solution. If you don’t like the way people act, show them the better way by example. For most, the message comes through pretty clearly and if, from time to time, it does not settle in, well, regard it as the opportunity to demonstrate benevolent tolerance.
Trust me, it will show.
That, sir, is one of my favorite posts in the time that I've been with PoA.
