BST
May 2nd, 2005, 04:53 PM
Greetings, Fleets Family! :)
Yes, whether we realize it or not, we ARE a family and that didn’t happen by accident. It was through the combined efforts of this forum’s membership that we became that way. We enjoy talking with our friends when our visits happen to coincide; we help our friends, to the best of our ability and/or available resources, when the call for help goes out; we care about our friends’ well-being and leap for joy when they have good news to share; we also rush to their side when the news is not so good, i.e., when they need us the most. Many of us can attest to this, on a first-hand basis – think of how many times that you have made the remark, “You (or your family, friends) will be in my thoughts and/or prayers.” or “Congratulations”, “Best Wishes”, or “What can I do to help?”
There is a downside though, just as with many families, we also have our quarrels. It’s inevitable since folks will NEVER see eye-to-eye on everything, no matter if it’s your real-life family or your online friends. The questions that need to be asked are –
How far will the quarrel go?
Is the issue so divisive that some common ground cannot be found?
Is the issue so important that one has to drive another “into the ground”, just to make a point?
Is our personal well-being paramount to that of others? In other words, is it more important for one to “feel good”, at the expense of others?
The Fleets family has seen the best that this place has to offer. We’ve also seen the worst. It’s been quite a roller coaster ride with ups and downs along the way. But, that’s life. Real life doesn’t give us advance warning. It just happens. How we deal with real-life is primarily dependent on our combined emotional and intellectual make-up as well as our circle of friends and family. It’s no different here, as this forum has developed through the course of time, into a microcosm of everyday life. We don’t expect that every person in the “real world” will agree with us, on every issue so, why would we expect that here? Why should our dealings within these forums be any different than those encountered in real-life?
Our “dealings” within these forum walls should be no different, as we employ the same traits as those used in real-life, with those traits being honesty, integrity, and mutual respect. They are not a “stretch” for anyone in this family. We, all, are capable of projecting them and should take care to ensure that we DO project them.
Those traits, however, should not stand in the way of us expressing ourselves. Differing opinions are what make a real-life conversation and one within a forum environment an opportunity for learning. We don't learn much if each of us has exactly the same opinion about everything, do we?
Many of us joined this forum because we wanted to learn AND because we wanted to share. The folks on this forum are some of the most “giving” folks that I have encountered which, is a very meaningful benefit that I never expected. All that I originally wanted was to share my love for Battlestar Galactica with the rest of the folks, here.
The “giving” nature of the folks, here, is an example of one of the “ups” that this forum provides. There are also the “downs” which usually make their presence known when discussions take place regarding “volatile” subjects, which will be left to the imagination since, we all know what subjects those are. However, just because a volatile subject is being discussed, it doesn’t mean that there has to be all-out warfare. If a disagreement occurs, talk it out. Honestly, share WHY you feel a certain way about a particular issue and LISTEN to the other person as they share their feelings. That’s where education begins.
As long as the issue being debated is the CENTER of the discussion, there should be no hard feelings. When the debate strays from the issue and toward the debate participant, that’s where the trouble begins. That is also where a Moderator will step in. They are not here to take sides. The Moderators are here to ensure that EACH person is treated with respect. Please don’t take a Moderator’s intervention, personally but, please use that occasion to reflect on your own remarks, to ensure that they didn’t cross the line of disrespectful behavior toward another member of the Fleets family. No disagreement is equal to the cost of losing a friendship.
Each and every member of the Fleets family is valued whether they are artists or authors, singers or songwriters, actors or members of the audience, or just folks who want to pop-in, to say “Hi” to their friends. They’re valued for who they are and for what they have to share.
Don’t pass up the opportunity to tell someone, in real life or within these forum walls, that they are special to you and that you value their presence, in your life. Life is too precious and too short, to take anything or anyone for granted.
With loads of love, admiration, and deep respect for every soul who graces this Forum,
BST
:)
Yes, whether we realize it or not, we ARE a family and that didn’t happen by accident. It was through the combined efforts of this forum’s membership that we became that way. We enjoy talking with our friends when our visits happen to coincide; we help our friends, to the best of our ability and/or available resources, when the call for help goes out; we care about our friends’ well-being and leap for joy when they have good news to share; we also rush to their side when the news is not so good, i.e., when they need us the most. Many of us can attest to this, on a first-hand basis – think of how many times that you have made the remark, “You (or your family, friends) will be in my thoughts and/or prayers.” or “Congratulations”, “Best Wishes”, or “What can I do to help?”
There is a downside though, just as with many families, we also have our quarrels. It’s inevitable since folks will NEVER see eye-to-eye on everything, no matter if it’s your real-life family or your online friends. The questions that need to be asked are –
How far will the quarrel go?
Is the issue so divisive that some common ground cannot be found?
Is the issue so important that one has to drive another “into the ground”, just to make a point?
Is our personal well-being paramount to that of others? In other words, is it more important for one to “feel good”, at the expense of others?
The Fleets family has seen the best that this place has to offer. We’ve also seen the worst. It’s been quite a roller coaster ride with ups and downs along the way. But, that’s life. Real life doesn’t give us advance warning. It just happens. How we deal with real-life is primarily dependent on our combined emotional and intellectual make-up as well as our circle of friends and family. It’s no different here, as this forum has developed through the course of time, into a microcosm of everyday life. We don’t expect that every person in the “real world” will agree with us, on every issue so, why would we expect that here? Why should our dealings within these forums be any different than those encountered in real-life?
Our “dealings” within these forum walls should be no different, as we employ the same traits as those used in real-life, with those traits being honesty, integrity, and mutual respect. They are not a “stretch” for anyone in this family. We, all, are capable of projecting them and should take care to ensure that we DO project them.
Those traits, however, should not stand in the way of us expressing ourselves. Differing opinions are what make a real-life conversation and one within a forum environment an opportunity for learning. We don't learn much if each of us has exactly the same opinion about everything, do we?
Many of us joined this forum because we wanted to learn AND because we wanted to share. The folks on this forum are some of the most “giving” folks that I have encountered which, is a very meaningful benefit that I never expected. All that I originally wanted was to share my love for Battlestar Galactica with the rest of the folks, here.
The “giving” nature of the folks, here, is an example of one of the “ups” that this forum provides. There are also the “downs” which usually make their presence known when discussions take place regarding “volatile” subjects, which will be left to the imagination since, we all know what subjects those are. However, just because a volatile subject is being discussed, it doesn’t mean that there has to be all-out warfare. If a disagreement occurs, talk it out. Honestly, share WHY you feel a certain way about a particular issue and LISTEN to the other person as they share their feelings. That’s where education begins.
As long as the issue being debated is the CENTER of the discussion, there should be no hard feelings. When the debate strays from the issue and toward the debate participant, that’s where the trouble begins. That is also where a Moderator will step in. They are not here to take sides. The Moderators are here to ensure that EACH person is treated with respect. Please don’t take a Moderator’s intervention, personally but, please use that occasion to reflect on your own remarks, to ensure that they didn’t cross the line of disrespectful behavior toward another member of the Fleets family. No disagreement is equal to the cost of losing a friendship.
Each and every member of the Fleets family is valued whether they are artists or authors, singers or songwriters, actors or members of the audience, or just folks who want to pop-in, to say “Hi” to their friends. They’re valued for who they are and for what they have to share.
Don’t pass up the opportunity to tell someone, in real life or within these forum walls, that they are special to you and that you value their presence, in your life. Life is too precious and too short, to take anything or anyone for granted.
With loads of love, admiration, and deep respect for every soul who graces this Forum,
BST
:)