Posted by twinleaf on June 30, 2009, at 4:31:42
In reply to Re: block avoidance, posted by Dr. Bob on June 29, 2009, at 10:55:09
I did not see posts aimed at Happyflower to encourage her to make amends. Also, the person she might have made amends TO was never identifiied.
She simply went on expressing the ways in which she had been hurt by this site while waiting for you to return and give her a very long block, which you did..It seems as though your rules. even though you made them, have become like the Ten Commandments. You yourself now have to follow them slavishly. Even though there is a very thoughtful discussion (below) about the desirability of shorter blocks and helping people settle their differences, you have not given your opinion on that thread. Several posters there have emphasized the emotional damage which can occur with long, escalating blocks- as well as he near impossibility of those posters regaining a trusting, useful position here. Not one person supported long or escalating blocks.Why cant you take some of these thoughtful comments and opinions into your consideration- not to necessarily make any changes now, but just to allow them to be part of a developing discussion, and maybe to enable you to depart, in individual cases, from the extremely rigid rules you appear to have become enslaved by?
Based on the discussion below, posters who are part of this community would like to see:
1. Short blocks only of a week or two. No long or escalating blocks. I think we all know that, rarely, someone will start posting here with ongoing destructive intentions. Those people should be blocked permanently.
2. Encouragement and time for posters to settle their differences, when those arise. They should not be told what to say or do by the administrators, but treated with sufficient respect that they know best what they each need, and will work hard to achieve it.
3. A recognition by the administration that this forum and the people in it, become emotionally important to many posters. Long blocks are equivalent to being kicked out of a group of friends whom one very much wants to stay with.It can be an extremely painful and harmful experience. Knowing this, I think all actions, such as blocks, should be carefully weighed against a humane evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses and present personal stresses which an individual has.
poster:twinleaf
thread:900430
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20090529/msgs/903908.html