Taiaka Akua
Tetra
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Registered: 06-2007
Location: Puerto Rico
Posts: 40
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Banning
My husband got a new job so I have found a lot of down time lately (when I'm not playing the role of disgruntled tropical homesteader *chuckles*). So, I've been cruising the other spiritual/magic/pagan/etc. forums that pepper Runboard. I'm very used to forums and I currently own and operate 2 huge role play boards- so I'm no stranger to how the whole system of affairs breaks down. But....
I have never seen such itchy trigger fingers when it comes to banning as I have seen on the spirituality boards. Its as if they take a real joy in slamming opinions and breaking down those people whose opinions are not on par with the admins'. This is really troubling to me because I've seen people marked as trolls simple because they have passion for their own systems, banned because their ideals aren't found in some neopagan paperback. Rules. They enforce the rules of their opinions and not the rules of an open discussion circle. I feel like I am wrong for seeing the popularity contests and the power struggle for admin rights. Its silly to think that some power can be gained by being an administrator of a message board, but it doesn't stop the back stabbing and assertion of 'authority'. What made these people stop listening?
And ultimately, how hypocritical is it to claim to be an open spiritual place of learning and safety when the powers that be wait to disagree so they can ban you? How hypocritical is it to preach 'do no harm' in magic, only to turn around and slam opinionated posters?
Sometimes I wonder if they are just too afraid of their own ideals, too afraid of a 'troll' coming around asking questions because they know they cannot defend themselves. When people stop questioning themselves, then what? They'd rather cloister themselves around people who share 99% of their beliefs in order to gain some kind of substanciation. Once they find out your systems don't match with theirs, they find a reason to get rid of you. What an affront to the whole community!
I think any mildly intelligent person can see the difference between a person that is trolling for trouble and dissent, and a person that is just forceful with their opinions. I think the powers that be on these various forums know the difference too...they just choose to play the role of ignorance and percecution. They say so-and-so is a bad influence on the forums, and feel that is justification enough to ban and discard. Just from what I've seen in the last 20 minutes on the runboard places kinda proves that to me. I read detailed thoughts, full on topic opinions that were thought provoking, and I saw thier holier-than-thou response and quick banning. What do they gain from that type of responce? I look at it this way; I'm no one to them, just another lurker wondering about their forums. I read something like that, see their reactions, and I want to get as far away from that place as possible. People that think themselves so informative and 'right' that they have to actually write up a disclaimer, a signature, that says 'do not take my word as law'. All because they started a message board.
Why is this arrogance so accepted and so wide-spread? Especially why in the realms of spirituality and the occult? I know Corvus put up a topic on braggarts and liars, but this is different. This is about those itchy trigger fingers and the arrogance of those that feel they have a right to judge other practicioners and other paths without consideration.
I will stand up for Sphaira any day of the week though. I think the caliber of thought on this board is not on par with the other forums out there. I feel it may be one of the reasons why we have so few members; for people that are so used to having to conform to the wills of their message board 'superiors', a place like this is overwhelming. You cannot be a parrot on Sphaira and the topics that we discuss are not riddled with disclaimers and 'IMHO's. We speak, we read, we respond. I have faith that we will grow as a community over time because of that openness; I know I am free to disagree with anyone, free to give my opinions and secure in the knowledge that my words will not be met with anger.
Thoughts?
Tai
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8/7/2007, 2:08 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Banning
I have to admit I feel the need to defend Runboard a little. That's probably because I've been a member for so long on several boards. Yes, some board owners are fast with their trigger finger, but others are not.
The one thing about Runboard that's different from everywhere else is the global account. Once someone has an account, it's good on every Runboard that's not private. This has led to a community that's beyond the usual run of forums - a community that spans dozens or more boards. And most of the time, the members of that meta-community are friendly and supporting of each other.
On the other hand, I've not been a frequent visitor on spiritual boards. The one I'm also admin on has not banned anyone yet, and I'm proud of that fact. I'm with you in letting people discuss topics, and not rob them of their voice just because there is disagreement.
I know the Pagan world too little to really understand the different traditions and the rivalry between them. I hope to remain beyond them.
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8/7/2007, 2:41 pm
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Taiaka Akua
Tetra
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Re: Banning
I certainly didn't mean ALL runboard communities or ALL admin. And I enjoy the global accounts but I can see how that would lead to more problems than the usual one account, applications subject to approval, a bouncer at the door. EzBoard is the same way and that's where I spend my money for forums. This was more about me bouncing from forum to forum looking at the way people were running things- a straw poll if you will *chuckles* But this isn't a problem that I've seen exclusively confined to runboard either, these themed boards and forums in general.
But even so, I mean, I don't know anything about pagan rivalries either but when you advertise a board being open to all and of spiritual, magical, otherkin, wiccan, pagan, kitchen sink of the occult, then those rivalries (if they exist) still wouldn't have a place there. Maybe I'm *****ing for the sake of *****ing, but I get really annoyed when people discard people under an umbrella of kindness and understanding.
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8/7/2007, 3:16 pm
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Corvus
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Re: Banning
I've only belonged to a couple pagan online forums, but I've been a member of several larger groups, and it always seems to happen that eventually the people on top get their egos bruised by something, usually some vocal hot shot, and then the bell rings and here we go.
I'll tell you right now -- somebody comes in here mouthing off, claiming to be the reincarnation of Merlin or some spiritually superior being just because he or she has been in a tradition since the 1960s, they're gonna run into my bad side real fast. But that's because Sphaira's wellbeing is my foremost concern; I'm not going to sit back and let someone start trouble. At the same time, however, I'm not looking to squash somebody's views just because they're different (so long as they aren't obviously detrimental or harmful -- I don't care how loudly they shout about equality, you won't see any LaVeyan Satanists here, I won't have it. You can only open your mind so far before your brain falls out.)
I really do think that it's more linked to the "Braggarts & Liars" topic than you had said. I think people get puffed up and full of themselves and their own righteousness; if you look closely you can see it in paganism as much as in monotheism. I am hoping Sphaira can help people find ways to further their own knowledge and enlightenment without that happening to them.
Last edited by Corvus, 8/7/2007, 3:41 pm
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8/7/2007, 3:41 pm
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Taiaka Akua
Tetra
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Re: Banning
Is it a religious/faith thing then Corv, the puffing and preening? Is it the fervor of belief that begs for either obediance or silence?
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8/7/2007, 5:14 pm
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Firlefanz
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Re: Banning
I would honestly be surprised if this only happens in religion / belief system settings. In fact, I see it happen regularly in a university setting, and I'm tempted to say it's almost normal human behaviour. Here's my reasoning behind that (sorry for going psychological here):
Many people are not secure within themselves, for whichever reason. They don't trust themselves to know whether they are okay or not. Thus they need the constant approval (or even admiration!) from others. Some do earn this approval honestly, by working hard on something. Others can't or don't do that for some reason, and they need to inflate themselves as they still crave approval.
Now, in such a situation, citicism is the worst thing that can happen, even if it's not directly aimed at the person in question. Criticism cuts very deep with such personalities. It's often not taken as it meant - a comment on something - but as a deep rejection of the whole person. And then it's retaliation time. What's bettter than the banning button for that?
Typos ...
Last edited by Firlefanz, 8/8/2007, 4:01 pm
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8/8/2007, 2:02 am
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Vegas Guy
Tetra
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Registered: 04-2006
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Re: Banning
I've been a member of several pagan / religious boards with open formats. Many simply lost interest and have closed after only a short time. Some were barraged by "Christian" posters that could not see past their Bible pages for their truth and closed to silence the holier-than-thou attitudes. I've not been banned as yet but I've come close due to my open and varied opinions.
I find many are so full of BS that when challenged in any way their only option is to remove the one disputing them. This is their safety zone and when questioned you violated their space and their world where everyone is of their opinion so therefore right.
Firle is correct that happens in any and every type of setting.
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8/8/2007, 10:09 am
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Saijen SilverWolf
Hexa
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Location: Upper North East Tennessee
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Re: Banning
This kind of thing happens in open chat rooms in Yahoo! as well. People puffing themselves up, due to a huge inferiority complex. Some don't even realize that's what it wrong with them.
I've never been banned from a message board, and I hope I never am.
What happens in some of the religious boards; the people running them have so little REAL knowledge of the religion they are touting, that they can't handle anyone with true knowledge because it shows the board members that the admins really don't know squat. It scares them, so, the only option is to ban, in order to save face. That's actually a lot more typical than one may realize, not just in religious forums, but in just about any other topic.
I don't foresee this happening here, or at the forum I'm an Admin on. We are all too adult, and willing to admit if we don't know something. We accept each other's differences of opinion openly, and move on. If we all thought alike, we'd have a pretty dull board here!!!
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Blessed Be,
~*~ Saijen ~*~
~~*~~To have a friend, you must first be a friend. To gain respect, you must first give respect. To love someone, you must first love yourself.~~*~~
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8/16/2007, 12:55 pm
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Vegas Guy
Tetra
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Re: Banning
Well said Saijen SilverWolf, that's a large part of the problem. We join boards like this because we can admit we don't know it all, can never know it all. Many have their noses and minds buried so far up into the bible that they will never see another alternative to their beliefs. Belief is a good thing and if that's the path they choose more power to em. When they chastise or ban others who are not so dogmatic then they are very wrong at that point.
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8/16/2007, 6:44 pm
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