Character assassination...

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,859
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
I've kept this site pretty open and under moderated because, frankly, I like it that way :) However there is a huge difference between passionate discussions and empty character assassination. I am going to start to come down very hard on the empty negativity. Warnings and bannings will follow. Originally the off-topic posts were an interesting and amusing sidebar to the bonsai discussion. They have recently come to dominate the site, which was not my intention when I created it. Thanks for understanding.
 

TheSteve

Chumono
Messages
503
Reaction score
15
Location
Sw Washington
USDA Zone
8b
Fair warning Greg. A shame it had to be issued at all but...
 

irene_b

Omono
Messages
1,415
Reaction score
5
I've kept this site pretty open and under moderated because, frankly, I like it that way :) However there is a huge difference between passionate discussions and empty character assassination. I am going to start to come down very hard on the empty negativity. Warnings and bannings will follow. Originally the off-topic posts were an interesting and amusing sidebar to the bonsai discussion. They have recently come to dominate the site, which was not my intention when I created it. Thanks for understanding.


It will be nice to get back to JUST Bonsai here.
Irene
 

Vance Wood

Lord Mugo
Messages
14,002
Reaction score
16,911
Location
Michigan
USDA Zone
5-6
I'm sure everyone would, or should, agree. Over the last several years it has been a constant problem, so much so, that the value of anything having to do with bonsai on the Internet has become devalued and under suspicion. It has gotten so bad that one is almost afraid to post anything lest some self justified grandiose wannabe bonsai master tears it down, and stomps it in the ground; not because they have a problem with the project but because they have a problem with you, generically speaking.

When I first started visiting the Internet bonsai forums about ten-twelve years ago it was a pretty friendly place, if not primitive. No one was posting pictures because the technology was not too user friendly. Eventually that changed, especially with the advancement in digital photography and subsequent soft ware. People enjoyed the company of others that grew bonsai and everyone offered to share advise and experiences. Then people started getting cocky thinking they knew everything and were not afraid to tell you so. From that point on the flame wars started.

Now it would seem, at least here, that tradition may have come to an end, thankfully. Greg seems to have identified it correctly in that of late the majority of the posts on this site are involved with other than bonsai issues and agendas of personal destruction. Civility has gone out the window and the single finger salute seems to be the pattern for the day. When we should be cultivating friendships we are instead, having to deal with adversaries. It seems that you cannot disagree with someone without it becoming personal, mean, nasty, long lasting and bitter. At this point it does not really matter a whole lot who started what with who and why, it only matters that it ends.

Today not too many people post pictures because you never know when some giant among many will call your stuff trash but strangely never post pictures of their own work claiming they have security issues to deal with. I think it is about time we stop acting like children and stop trying to make someone else appear small and Petty by being small and petty.
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
Wouldn't that be a tad bit boring..............:rolleyes:

keep it green,
Harry
 

greerhw

Omono
Messages
1,976
Reaction score
15
Wouldn't that be a tad bit boring......................:rolleyes:

keep it green,
Harry
 

DaveV

Shohin
Messages
408
Reaction score
56
Location
Nebraska
USDA Zone
5a
Thanks BNut. I think that will be a great improvement.
 

Ergantos

Seedling
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Exhaled a nice sigh of relief as I read that. Will be nice to read about what I come here for :)
 

Mike Page

Mame
Messages
204
Reaction score
8
Vance Wood says:
"I'm sure everyone would, or should, agree."

Vance, I heartily concur that everyone SHOULD agree, but I doubt that everyone WILL agree. There will always be those that build themselves up by tearing down others. And, it's so much safer to do it on the internet where they don't have to look a person in the eye.

Bonsai, this most gentle and civilized of endeavours, should always be polite and restrained in comment and critique. We demean it by harsh and strident shouting.

When I was a child, my mother had many old sayings. One that I remember seems to have anticipated the internet. "Fools names and fools faces are often found in public places". That is no doubt true in many cases, but it doesn't need to be so on the bonsai internet.

Bonsai is a family. Be kind to your family.

Mike
 

J W

Sapling
Messages
39
Reaction score
1
Location
Santa Rosa, CA
USDA Zone
9B
This must have been a very hard decision for you. First it has made you question your original idea's of how you would run your site and secondly it's getting your site a ton of action.

I agree with your decision, I feel for the extra work that this set's up for you and the judgement that will be cast upon you because you have made a change. I would find the hardest part of this to be; how do you figure when some body has crossed the line versus thinking I wish they would just drop it...

Good luck and thank you for the original idea and the information that is available on this site.

JW
 

Mortalis

Yamadori
Messages
98
Reaction score
0
Location
Texas
I support your decision completely. I waste my time reading the off topic stuff trying to find something of worth in it...
 
Messages
200
Reaction score
4
Location
columbus, ohio
USDA Zone
6a
This is good, but I do appreciate the fact that this is a very un-politically correct site. I enjoy good, robust discussion without busybodies telling folks to watch their language or tone things down.
 
Top Bottom