There's very little about WP I like now

Post Reply New Topic

Rant for the day:

Some members who have recurring thought patterns are criticised for not "improving" when they are given our advice, while other members with different diagnoses repeat insidious sentiments just as repetitively, but without rebuke even when they do not grow or change over time. This is hypocritical.

Members who suffer from clinical depression or anxiety disorders which cause negative, recurrent patterns of thought (however disabling), have just as much difficulty changing their mindset or growing in confidence as people who are traumatised, agoraphobic or developmentally delayed with other conditions.

This second group seems to feel entitled or protected by the presence of intractable trauma, their developmental autism, their innately poor theory of mind, or their (often misandrist) opinion of gender constructs, all of which they consider acceptable and just. They are not expected to recover, so this is a double standard. We would never tell a member to "stop being autistic", "stop having PTSD" or "stop having mutism", because those forms of recovery are beyond one's control. Somehow, unfortunately, it's become fair game to tell others that their repetitive worry due to MDD, GAD or interpersonal trauma isn't welcome.

I don't know why the first group with depressive recurrent thoughts is often humiliated, while the others get a free pass.

Secondly,
The growing prevalence of gender bias against men as predators and describing women as romantic or sexual victims has created a very unpleasant divide on WP, and I wish both sides would realise that it is counterproductive, ignorant and prejudicial to continue this theme. Many of us suffer from PTSD because of victimisation, but oftentimes comments which are meant to support victims do a disservice with blanket assumptions and generalised inferences which are incorrect.

There are many female criminals on this planet who kill, abuse, rape, judge, deceive, rob or scorn men, women and children alike. This behaviour is less common, but female psychopathy is just as injurious to our members and to society at large, as men's. There are also women who enjoy sex without romance, wine and roses. Likewise, crime is often committed by men against other men and boys. There are men who like to cuddle, but their partners don't. Few of these scenarios are considered, because there is an overriding stereotype that most abuse is male to female, that men are more sexual than women, and that heterosexual trauma trumps all.

There are people (particularly men) on WP who are lonely, sad and hurting, and despite our best council or their best intention, they may never improve or stop ruminating. These people require just as much understanding and forgiveness as others, who have different diagnoses which cannot be overcome.

Projecting one's traumatic experience to make generalisations about victims and perpetrators by gender, or having double standards for a person's (in)ability to overcome their clinical pathology is extremely hurtful to some members of Wrong Planet, and I wish it would stop.

I wish we could all be treated with the same patience and common courtesy. At present, some people's cries for help are being demeaned while others who repeat themselves are lauded, and allowed to draw lines in the sand.

I disagree, vociferously, that WP "sucks."

I hope people don't think WP sucks because there's "too many liberals."

We have liberals. We have conservatives. We have gun rights advocates. We have advocates for gun control. All have compelling arguments.

The "truth" is somewhere between all the extremes. Some conservatism is good. Some liberalism is good. We don't need to take peoples' guns away. But we need to have at least some gun control. We can't allow guns to run pell-mell in the streets.

I hope you aren’t referring to me.

I really don’t believe that all men are evil.

Here, I thought she was referring to me. Isabella's carefully worded post made everyone wonder who was being referred to.

Here's my rant for the day: If WP continues on as it has been, I won't be around long. The good people leave and those that stay have little to offer. Overzealous moderation can be the death knell of a forum - I've seen it many times.

I have other things I could spend my time on; and I am getting relatively little from WP any more.

Especially since:

In order to determine of a person can "improve," we must get to know the person over a period of time "in person."

We can only speculate as to a person's nature and abilities online.

We can encourage.....but to upbraid is wrong if we don't know the person "in person."

And even if we do know the person "in person," we should just continue to encourage, rather than use purely "tough love methods."

I believe in using "reality testing." But I believe in being gentle about it....and in allowing the recipient of the advice a voice, too.

You have very good posts.

I have respect for people with guns. Growing up, most of my friends’ brothers or fathers hunted, but I’ve observed several situations (and, of course, hearing of the horror of Sandy Hook!) that have led me to the conclusion that very loose laws around guns is too problematic. The cons outweigh the pros.

My POV is somewhat tempered by an understanding of where the other side is coming from, though.

An autistic friend of mine who was obsessed with guns would talk to me about them endlessly. I’d just smile and nod.

Here, I thought she was referring to me. Isabella's carefully worded post made everyone wonder who was being referred to.

Here's my rant for the day: If WP continues on as it has been, I won't be around long. The good people leave and those that stay have little to offer. Overzealous moderation can be the death knell of a forum - I've seen it many times.

I have other things I could spend my time on; and I am getting relatively little from WP any more.

Overzealous moderation

... Isabella's carefully worded post made everyone wonder who was being referred to...