How about using the pm-function if you're upset about stuff!!!!!!

[Joana]

Okay folks- I know I may get flamed by some for this, but well........

It's no secret and easy to see that there has been trouble here and there recently within this community.
I am NOT only talking about the "one" thread and what came after, but also about newbs feeling misunderstood or attacked (which went as far as "taking care of this face to face when in Playa...."), oldies feeling misunderstood, folks thinking other folks are someone different under a new name and all that jazz.
All of this being all over the place, a jab here, a new "fight thread" there (which, luckily was widely ignored as it was the last thing that was needed), there is no escaping it at the moment.

Now, to make it short: how about just taking it to pm completely after a certain point???? Is it really neccessary to do all that in the plain view of everyone else? Do some- I dare say- even like it to be in the public view to stirr the pot some more???

Folks, two points in all honesty:
- if there is an argument between two posters or groups of posters it is most likely to start in the open. Fine. That's life. But after a while it gets tiresome for all those not involved to be confronted with it again and again- yes, argue all you want but take it to pms!! Those who want to be a part of it will follow you there- and the others most likely don't care or don't want to be a part!!!

And in case you think that all should see it and be informed so they know what is going on, or maybe even take sides, that what happens is unjust- think about this:
if someone wants to be a part of it he will speak up right away. If he comes in later and has missed what happened he can look up old threads or ask in a pm.
They have all the chances they want to get informed or take sides.
So there is no need to bring up the topic again and again all over the place!! As there is no need to keep arguing in plain view of everyone else after a certain point in the first place. Unless you like the attention of course.

It won't recruit any new partakers after a while as all have seen it- and it will just annoy the heck out of those who want to stay out of it as it is none of their buisness!! Yes, others can avoid the threads clearly devoted to certain topics- but if those topics pop up in all kinds of threads it gets hard to not stumble over them.

- also, and I am aware that some of the fight birds will not care about this point, although it concerns them as well in the end: this forum is not only here for us to have fun, it is also a buisness. It gives food to a number of folks who are involved directly or indirectly with buisnesses here.
By making it look the way it does right now to outsiders- like a community that is busy with bickering and fighting- there is a chance that some who are new will turn away.
Now some of the fight-birds who are upset will say "Heck, I don't care!! Just what they deserve after all of this.".
Well, "they" is not only James and Anna, it is also Heather, folks who work for the tours, folks who rent out appartments.
So the grudge that is being held against one or some is being taken to many different levels and affecting folks who have nothing to do with it on and off the board.
And that- to me- is not only annoying but disrespectful and short-sighted.

Again: this is NOT about not arguing and pretending all is well and jolly.
This is about doing it the RIGHT way after an initial phase- in PRIVATE.
Everything else just seems childish and silly, sorry.
And it is terribly annoying to everyone else.

[UGAplaya]

Man....what did I miss yesterday?

[TAPPY]

Great post J !!!

It is also important to remember the "report bad post" icon.

[Joana]

Originally Posted by UGAplaya

Man....what did I miss yesterday?

It's not only about yesterday, really.
It's about the fact that recently if one is not actively involved in some of those topics it feels like there is no escaping them by avoiding certain threads.
Some threads start out all nice and then BAM there are the old topics again- or new ones, at that.

It's a bit like being in a room with two folks arguing. You don't want to get involved as it is none of your buisness, really- so you leave the room. But they follow you. So you walk into the next room and there are two more arguing about something else. And in the next room you find someone making comments about the fights in the previous rooms that you don't want to have anything to do with.

That's a bit how the board feels for me at the moment.

[UGAplaya]

I see your point Joana. I wonder if this board shouldn't get back to it's roots and just have threads about Playa. It's nice to read trip reports and see pictures of everyone's vacations. There are plenty of messages boards and chat rooms out there for people to have virutal fights or to find themselves some virtual love.

[Joana]

Originally Posted by UGAplaya

I see your point Joana. I wonder if this board shouldn't get back to it's roots and just have threads about Playa. It's nice to read trip reports and see pictures of everyone's vacations. There are plenty of messages boards and chat rooms out there for people to have virutal fights or to find themselves some virtual love.

To me that would be the wrong kind of solution- in the end this board is what it is also because folks share all kinds of stuff on here.

And it is NOT - like I said- about the occasional argument that pops up here and there.

It is about the recent times where arguments get dragged on and on and that all over the place, which, to me, seems like something we haven't had prior.

And with all this I also don't mean the "arguments" that happen in heated debate, but those that are clearly personal and meant exactly the way they are being said.

By taking those arguments solely to pm after a while all of that could be avoided.

[PlayadelSoul]

But, its hard to play Joan of Arc, if no one sees you.

[Joana]

Originally Posted by PlayadelSoul

But, its hard to play Joan of Arc, if no one sees you.

Well- maybe we could have a sticky which lists the recent Joans so folks can look them up and pm them??

But aside from the "arcing"........why not also use pms when a fueled misunderstanding goes on for pages??
There were the latest examples of that in a thread last night- and after misunderstanding each other or getting upset at each other for more than one time without being able to clear it, why not pm that user and ask directly what is going on? Garnered with whatever arcing or swearing you like...............

[PlayadelSoul]

Originally Posted by Joana

Well- maybe we could have a sticky which lists the recent Joans so folks can look them up and pm them??

But aside from the "arcing"........why not also use pms when a fueled misunderstanding goes on for pages??
There were the latest examples of that in a thread last night- and after misunderstanding each other or getting upset at each other for more than one time without being able to clear it, why not pm that user and ask directly what is going on? Garnered with whatever arcing or swearing you like...............

As usual, you are absolutely correct.

[roni]

I can think of nothing worse than getting PMs from upset people. I think it is an absolutely horrid suggestion, and I would consider it in bad form, extremely rude, and most unwelcome if it went beyond asking for a clarification of something I wrote - and I would far rather that happen in public, for the most part.

[LeedsTyke]

Well spoken Joana ...

[ElvisP]

Hmmm....what can we fight about so we can go private Joana? I'm starting to like the idea.

[Skiptown]

I for one enjoy reading all of the different views that people who post here have. It helps me to remind myself that there are many ways to see something and it reafirms at times that there are still idiots out there with some very off center ideas on some subjects. Open posting is one of the things that make the "off-topic" well worth reading. If it is a thread I find grating to me I just quit looking at it. But overall there are some very good writers with a great amount of knowledge and wisdom (your one of them Joanna, you have a good head on those shoulders). Keep it like it is and should be.

[Mikey]

I think the PM thing has been suggested many times over the years.....But has never caught on......Not sure why.....

[phoenixmee]

Originally Posted by Mikey

I think the PM thing has been suggested many times over the years.....But has never caught on......Not sure why.....

No avatar today?