Personal opinion of forum direction

[RVGRINGO]

Conor,
I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't remember. However, I admit that I've given up trying.

[conorkilleen]

I remember something about computers...thats the extent.

[Detailman]

Originally Posted by conorkilleen

She mentioned a few posts back about nursing school. I assume that she is a nurse and probably a damn good one at that.

Isla Verde is the english teacher. I literally have to watch my P's and Q's when I am around her.

Oh...Isla...by the way...I will be in DF this week if you want to grab some dinner again. Wednesday works better.

Back to topic...whatever that was.

That was my understanding and I made a comment on a post that I thought she would have been an excellent nurse due to her compassion, etc.

Come on Mickisue, clarify for us whether you are also an English teacher. (Arguing over how many angels can dance on the head of a pin does not qualify -- except for pinheads!)

[mickisue1]

Originally Posted by conorkilleen

She mentioned a few posts back about nursing school. I assume that she is a nurse and probably a damn good one at that.

Isla Verde is the english teacher. I literally have to watch my P's and Q's when I am around her.

Oh...Isla...by the way...I will be in DF this week if you want to grab some dinner again. Wednesday works better.

Back to topic...whatever that was.

I'm only an English teacher at heart...from years of sitting around the dinner table with my parents.

I AM a nurse, have a degree in philosophy (which got me a GREAT job as a waitress!) and my current title is wellness coach, in my self-employed capacity.

Confused yet, anyone?

[Isla Verde]

Originally Posted by mickisue1

I'm only an English teacher at heart...from years of sitting around the dinner table with my parents.

I AM a nurse, have a degree in philosophy (which got me a GREAT job as a waitress!) and my current title is wellness coach, in my self-employed capacity.

Confused yet, anyone?

What an interesting background you have. Could you explain what a wellness coach does for her clients? Right now I'm seeing a doctor in Mexico who specializes more in maintaining wellness than in curing sickness, though, of course, the two are intimately connected. A lot of what he has prescribed for me involves changing deeply-ingrained bad habits, like eating food that does more harm than good. Boy is that proving to be difficult!

[MJB5293]

Originally Posted by Detailman

I could make a comment on a number of different threads but I felt it better to make a general comment. It is just a general observation and it is worth nothing at all because it is simply my observation and my opinion and if you think it stinks I respect that.


I have observed that in a number of threads there seems to be a tendency to argue over words, definitions, percentages, polls, crime, politics (USA and Mexico), whatever. It seems that many are taking an adversarial position.


I have been following this forum for years as many of you have. What has happened lately? A number of the threads seem to have gone from informative to debates. Are we now a debating forum? Are we arguing over words, definitions, politics, statistics, etc. It seems that we go on and on for pages and pages with people trying to get the last word in and win the debate!!


If that is the way the majority prefer it to be so be it. I have to respect that because I for one realize that my opinion is simply that. But it seems that a number of people are feeling that everything they say is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and heaven help those that disagree.


Is someone putting something in the water that everyone is drinking? Is it because of elections in Mexico and the USA? Is everyone so caught up in ideologies that they feel they have to take a stance on everything?


I think that I should head for my underground bunker until things calm down. Am I saying that people can't disagree. Not at all. But my perception, which you might feel is worth less than nothing, is that the comradery of this forum is going downhill. I look to it for information – not for arguments.


Go ahead – throw stones at me. Maybe that will take your attention away from each other.

For all you old timers that have not joined the fray -- bless you!

well said

[TundraGreen]

This thread started while I was away and until MJB's post quoting Detailman, I was not aware of how it started. Just now I read through the entire thread for the first time. There are many very interesting comments made. The discussion made me think a little about the forces that drive forums from friendly to hostile or in other directions. It also makes me think a little bit about how much control we moderators have over this direction.

My philosophy in moderating the Mexico section is to enforce the rules. They are posted in a link that can be found at the top of every page. There are quite a few and you can read them for yourself, but the one most relevant to setting the tone of the forum is a prohibition on attacking other posters. Often it is very clear when one of us, or a newcomer steps over this line, but not always. When conversations turn from discussions to arguments, people occasionally submit comments that border on attacks and it is sometimes difficult to decide when to step in.

There are no rules that say a thread has to stay on topic. There are no rules that disallow picking out minor points in a post and going off on tangents, or endlessly debating abstruse side issues. Some people find these tendencies frustrating. However, I don't think that moderators should be controlling in those cases. I have stepped in and separated a thread into two parts when it is clear it has gone in a different direction and there is still interest in the original direction. But I really try to avoid editing or deleting posts based on my opinion of whether they are constructive or valuable.

At the end of the day, I think it is all of the contributors, us, who set the tone for the forum. I find this forum to generally be a very civilized place. I know that is not the case for all forums and I really appreciate the civility I find here.

[RVGRINGO]

Welcome back, TundraGreen. The forum has deteriorated into boredom and argumentation in your absence. We've missed you.

[TundraGreen]

One further comment...

There is one thing that I can do as moderator that might be helpful. In the future, I will try to be more pro-active in splitting threads that diverge from the original topic. I can move the off-topic posts to a new thread with an appropriate name. This might make it easier to follow discussions, easier to find posts, and maybe reduce the frustration of people who find digressions disturbing. There are four posts on antique computers in a recent Mexican security thread that are clearly candidates for movement. (And, I have to confess, that I contributed one of them.)

[TundraGreen]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

Welcome back, TundraGreen. The forum has deteriorated into boredom and argumentation in your absence. We've missed you.

Thanks RV.