Changes In Geocaching Members...

[+The Leprechauns]

I also nodded in agreement with Lowracer's post. For that matter, Lowracer is another example of a veteran forum participant whose posts I've come to enjoy reading, even though I sometimes disagree with him. I think he's mellowed over time and nowadays his contributions are often very funny, which is way more important than whether we agree or disagree about traveling caches or any other issue. I think that a day of cache hunting with Lowracer would be a blast.

 

And that brings me to my other point -- to expand on Lowracer's observation that we tend to behave better when conversing online with people we are likely to meet in real life. Increasingly, I find myself meeting up with geocachers from all over the place, at great distances from home, like at GeoWoodstock or in Seattle or in Las Vegas. This led me to realize that I can conceivably meet up with *anybody* who posts in these forums. For example, in July I had the privilege of hiking with Criminal for a very long and challenging day of cache hunting in the mountains east of Seattle. Rather than argue with him about inappropriate humor in the forums, I instead listened to him carefully, and learned that I like girls, I like them a lot. In the future, I expect to be finding some caches in Idaho since the company I work for has just acquired a business there, and I need to make some site visits. So who knows, I may bump into Renegade Knight on the trails even though we sometimes butt heads in the forums.

 

If everyone treated *all* other community members as if they might meet up with them at the next event cache or group cache hunt, perhaps the forums would be a more civilized place.

Edited September 23, 2004 by The Leprechauns

[CoyoteRed]

Well, Lep, you've just articulated my new attitude here on the boards. You never know when or where you might meet up with someone you've had it out with or you've been very critical of. My take is treat everyone here as though you've already met them in person.

[+Planet]

I would hope they would say the same of me, a goodie two shoes who has his head so far up Jeremy's butt that I can see Mopar's feet.

 

That has to be the funniest line in weeks! I'm still laughing.

Nothing like laughing really hard five minutes after getting home form a funeral!

Thanks!

[+Renegade Knight]

Sissy had the best take on this I've seen so far. If you stuck all the main people who who butt heads in these forums in a room and didn't let them talk about geocaching you wouldn't be able to tell who was who.

 

The roles of Sheep Dogs and the Wolves seem to be fairly well defined in the forums, but it's all an illusion. There are only people. Most of us are working to benifit geocaching in some way.

[+The Leprechauns]

Fine, I agree, we all know who is more like Ralph the wolf and who is more like Sam the sheepdog. This led me to wonder: who are all these sheep that we are always fighting over?

 

I guess they're identified here.

[+El Diablo]

I want to be Ralph the wolf some days, others I just want to be El Diablo.

 

El Diablo

Edited September 23, 2004 by El Diablo

[+flask]

it's fully possible to disagree rabidly and still be friends. i still talk to rk.

[+El Diablo]

it's fully possible to disagree rabidly and still be friends. i still talk to rk.

I disagree with RK on a lot of topics, but I still have great respect for him. He is someone that I could sit down with and have a very stimulating conversation.

 

El Diablo

[+norbu]

It is ok to disagree and still converse, and most people will state this, but carrying it through is often not happening, especially in person. I think it is easier here, but maybe that is just me.

[+SixTen]

I like the direction that this is heading...I think that we all need to be reminded of that fact...that even though we disagree with someone...disagree in a civil manner...all too many times these disagreements get turned into personal insults and jabs at the other person...even I have been guilty of this....but I think as long as we keep in mind that not everyone is going to agree and we can agree to disagree and have great debates with each other...but we need to keep civil about it then we will be fine...

 

Thanks,

Six

[teamh3]

I may be new to geocaching but I am by no means new to forums. i got into this sport from the photography side. My exwife introduced me to the sport and I thought (at first) what a great excuse to get out into the woods and take some photos. I have been a member of several photography forums, One that was almost brand new when i found it and another that was well established when I first joined. I have posted well over 7000 posts in these to forums combined and what I found is that when people are getting to know each other they are much better behaved once everyone gets comfortable with each other then that is when the dirty laundry comes out. That is when a small difference of opinion becomes a huge flame war.( i have actually seen a fist fight break out because of what was said in the forums, as well as gotten phone calls in the middle of the night about what someone posted on this thread or that) Also as a forum grows it will attract its own group of trolls. Having been one for a short time (just to prove a point to the guy who ran a forum) I know all to well how easy it can be to get under some peoples skin.

 

Nothing I have ever seen has been able to stop this short of having to have every post approved before it can be read, and no one wants that.