| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| richfed |
Posted - December 18 2005 : 10:05:51 AM
What began as an intellectual foray into discussing issues of the day, quickly deteriorated into name-calling, insults, and hurt feelings. Talk about a failed experiment - The Lions Den forum.
Actually, as I see it, almost all of the flare-ups were completely unnecessary. In fact, many times, I couldn't understand even why there was a flare-up - a few notable situations excepted.
The most recent is a prime example. What was the cause of the fireworks? Beats the hell out of me. Or, is liberalism not as open-minded as those who practice it profess it to be? I don't know - but I saw no name calling or insults from those who spoke on the conservative side. I clearly saw one from the "liberal" side. That said, I won't claim that has always been the case - there were those who got fairly riled up from that side. Nobody here now, though, and I honestly cannot decipher what the to-do was all about. Must be some underlying stuff ... I don't know. I guess itdoesn't matter.
So, once again people got hurt & appear to have left. After losing my family, I really don't care - not like I would have a couple of years ago. I cannot affect what people might do. It is their choice. I respect that. Deleting profiles and the like, though, is not going to happen. Acting rashly has backfired on me before ... I try now to keep that under control.
The Lion's Den came about because even though we had our strictly enforced Six Degrees rule firmly in place -  - conversation invariably turned to the political. We figured a place to do just that would not only encourage intelligent debate & exchange of ideas, but also allow those posters not interested to more easily avoid those discussions. Didn't really work out - not on either point.
It has been suggested to lock it up temporarily or to abandon it altogether ... both make sense. Yet, at least for the time being, I will allow it to stay as it lays. I did post a poll to get a general consensus. Will take it from there down the road sometime. Lion's Den Poll
Perhaps, it is my fear, the entire board has seen it's day. It's not going anywhere - the site is well visited, a great resource, and the book sells - but perhaps it never will be the lively, friendly, unique place it once was. Sort of reminds me of the life of an old mining town ...
And so it goes! |
| 7 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Highlander |
Posted - April 18 2006 : 7:58:51 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Highlander
"For That Is Tyranny,and I Will Not Live Under That Yoke." 
Some guy at Cameron's Cabin.
I think that his name was Jack. |
| Highlander |
Posted - March 28 2006 : 5:06:13 PM
"For That Is Tyranny,and I Will Not Live Under That Yoke."
Some guy at Cameron's Cabin. |
| Bill R |
Posted - March 28 2006 : 1:57:27 PM
Politics (or religion) can sure get folks into a fray in a hurry. I know. I was one of those whose trigger could be pulled quite easily in that kinda forum. I still hold strong opinions, of course, about both topics. But I now remember they are MY opinions, values, etc and the world is a complex, diverse, and tumultuous place. Enough is going on in the world that is chaotic and insane without intelligent folks who are friends feeding the fires. Step back, take a breath, and let it go. I firmly believe the world will continue to go to hell without any imput on our part, and we should just discuss it as observers. Not saying we should not use our vote (while we still can) or pray (in our own ways) or try to impact the world around us in positive ways. Merely have come to the belief that no matter WHAT we do, we are heading toward a destination and condition out of our control. It's ALL smoke and mirrors, lies and deceits, agendas not in keeping with common sense or considerate humanity. From both sides of the aisle in Congress, and from all players on the world stage. That being said, friends should remain friends and love should be spread around at least amongst US. THAT much we can accomplish and achieve. Despite the apparent insanity going on in the world around us. Right?
Okay, close your mouths, and breath through your noses again. Put your tongues back in your heads. Uncross your eyes. Yes, that was ME saying these things. One of the worst offenders of heated dialogue. NO more though. I have a different view on all things from before, and see all things through a different lens anymore.
An aside - it's CALLED the Lion's Den exactly because one could be torn to pieces when entering the cage. If you don't have a whip and a chair and a thick hide of armor - injury can result.
(whip, chair and thick hide....hmmm. Doc Mary just seems to keep coming up, don't she? I think she has those items for different purposes though............) |
| caitlin |
Posted - December 22 2005 : 1:34:20 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Monadnock Guide
Very well put qasimoto, ...
I agree!  |
| Monadnock Guide |
Posted - December 21 2005 : 12:26:24 PM
Very well put qasimoto, ... |
| qasimoto |
Posted - December 20 2005 : 11:43:37 PM
I forgot to say....What the hell is "Lions Den", anyway? Not that I'll lose any sleep over it, I was just wondering what got so many people going.
Q |
| qasimoto |
Posted - December 20 2005 : 11:24:59 PM
Hi Rich,
Sorry to find you down and having all these negative thoughts. You KNOW there are a lot of us out here who greatly respect, admire, and appreciate what you've achieved in setting up this site and its Board. No small accomplishment, and every one of us gains from it. You don't think we're realizing and appreciating that?
The Board has not yet begun to see its best, let alone its day. Perhaps after all these years of sweat and toil, starting and building and nurturing the site and its Board, you may feel temporarily a little tired and jaded, and you may have lost some of the original or early members some of whom may well have been friends, but some of that's probably inevitable. Please just put on a Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra CHRISTMAS (sorry, I'm an inveterately anti-PC conservative) CD and relax and chill for a little while so that you can see the sheer size and quality of what it is that you've built, and know how many of us fully realize that the quality experience we enjoy with it is YOUR achievement.
JF Cooper's LOTM is a classic still widely read (darned if I know why, the movie was a whole lot better), and I believe the movie, well cast and produced as it was though not new in the scope of such things, will also be always in play somewhere. And I think the same is true of your Board; given the rich and dramatic history of that time and area, I expect your childrens' children will be signing up new members daily.
Your LOTM site and Board are terrific just as they are, with you on board. Please hang with us; frankly, we need you to keep it as good as it is, with your even-handed, decent, and wise handling of the participants. And, though you might wish to argue that, it's nonetheless evident in your current, and archived, posts over the years. Sure some members are jerks, but the majority appear to me to be some really decent people, more so than I've typically found in a BBS.
And there's no darned way that you, your site and Board, I, or anyone else involved can be likened to some windblown, abandoned mining town. People don't abandon that which is good and has vitality.
Qasimoto the voluble ("But I digress" (Catcher in the Rye, Salinger, 1950's)) |
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![The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]](images/wwwboard.gif "The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]")
