[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by keywest

Yes, I agree CFrance and since we know who some of them are ... Why
Not just ignore all their many posts and just plain not answer their posts?

I agree!
Just do not reply to their posts and hopefully they will go away.

[graciegirl]

I know one thing. AND I mean it most sincerely. I grow to love my TOTV friends more every day and my first reaction has almost always been accurate.

I know how important it was to us, when KathieI and Village07 went out of their way to schedule a "meet and greet" and to stop by our rental home for a face to face visit and a hug when we came on our Lifestyle visit...about seven years ago..

Since then we have met so many wonderful people through TOTV and some feel like family to us. We can't all be perfect fits for each other and one cannot expect to be in sinc with everyone but we all float toward those who feel comfortable and right for us. This place has been the launching pad for some wonderful times and some heated debates too. We get older and more sure that the way we look at things is the right way and if we don't try to understand where another person is coming from, we close a lot of doors. That said, a snake and a mouse can't usually get along for an extended length of time. Or a bee and a bird or many dogs and cats. But if we look at all the things we hold common, all the hard work and the heart breaking things as well as the victories that got us to this place and time of life, we could do a little better job of .....being a little more peaceful, a little more polite, a little more accepting and a little kinder. Sometimes we act like the Hatfields and the McCoys.

That said. If this place is not the place for you, please don't move here and please don't start quarrels with us people who love it here.

Two of my MOST treasured friends here are not any way near the same political or religious persuasion as I am and we are relaxed and happy in each others presence and we get together frequently. We don't have to agree, we just have to care.

[Chi-Town]

Originally Posted by Allegiance

Everyone has a reason to be here, even those that dont live or intend to live here.

- some people could be bored, maybe they were barred from other forums, these people need a life.

- some people use forums to sway customers their way or to stay business away from competitors. i.e., if you were selling real estate in a competing development, you might try to portray The Villages as something other than "Lovely."

I always thought forums should give members the ability to get "certified" status. To gain that status you would have to meet an established member, like Gracegirl, maybe buy her a drink and you get "certified" that you are who you say you are.

I want to be a certifier. Two drink minimum.

[shcisamax]

I see a new club coming in the recreational news.. TOTV certifiers...Sign me up.

[perrjojo]

Originally Posted by CFrance

I am tired of the few people on here, who don't live here and have made it a very long point to let everyone know they don't intend to move here, who nonetheless hang on and bring up every negative point about The Villages and its occupants, complete with with lectures and copying and pasting. And also the few "you're a jerk"- type people who live here but hate TV, or don't live here but push their nastiness in everyone's face through sarcasm and name calling.

I hope I have covered them all. Thank you to Schisamax for bringing up this elephant in the room--or on the forum, as it were.

This thread may get canceled by Admin, but enough is enough, and we really need a chance to have our say.

I doubt that any of is would walk into a friend or strangers home and begin to insult them. This is exactly what these posters are doing.

[Wandatime]

Funny how none of the trouble makers are commenting on THIS thread.

I, on occasion, disagree with particular points of view expressed in this forum. If it is something that is not that big of a deal to me, I let it go. If it is something I feel strongly about, I try to voice my dissent and point of view in a respectful manner, with facts or documentation backing up my view where necessary. I appreciate those that do the same and usually just roll my eyes and scroll on by those that do not; however, the hate-filled posts made earlier today by non-villagers were awfully hard to ignore. Yet the only way to take the "wind out of their sails" is by doing just that.

I know that is easy to say but hard to do. Sometimes my fingers are just itching to type a snappy comeback.

[Polar Bear]

Good thread and I agree with the sentiments.

At the most basic level, the forum characteristic we're discussing is universal throughout the web. I've been a computer gamer and tech geek for my entire adult life. I know...I know...I'm WAY to old for that. I was an early-adopter. In the technology and gaming world, forums are a way of life. They're ubiquitous. And 100% of them have a small, very vocal group of nay-sayers. The subject matter does not matter. They are always there. But at the same time the forums are necessary and useful.

The key is to filter through the negativity, considering it for what value it might have (it does happen...heheh), without letting it get in your way of finding all the good and positive information that is far more prevalent. I think the vast majority of the veterans here know this and practice it already. I only encourage the newcomers to hang around and look for the good. It's abundant and easy to find.

[shcisamax]

Well said Wandatime!

[Sandy B]

Well I joined to get a better "feel" of The Villages. I don't live there YET! But we will be heading that way as soon as my current home sells. I believe TV will be a great place to call home.

I wish there were a couple of buttons on TOTV so I could add post, I.E. Agree; Disagree; like; love.

Sandy

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Good thread and I agree with the sentiments.

At the most basic level, the forum characteristic we're discussing is universal throughout the web. I've been a computer gamer and tech geek for my entire adult life. I know...I know...I'm WAY to old for that. I was an early-adopter. In the technology and gaming world, forums are a way of life. They're ubiquitous. And 100% of them have a small, very vocal group of nay-sayers. The subject matter does not matter. They are always there. But at the same time the forums are necessary and useful.

The key is to filter through the negativity, considering it for what value it might have (it does happen...heheh), without letting it get in your way of finding all the good and positive information that is far more prevalent. I think the vast majority of the veterans here know this and practice it already. I only encourage the newcomers to hang around and look for the good. It's abundant and easy to find.

Good post, Polar Bear. Our 40-year-old son is also a gamer, and he says the exact same things you do about the forums. He takes the useful things from the forums and ignores the rest. He's better than I am at keeping away from the naysayers.

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by Chi-Town

I want to be a certifier. Two drink minimum.

It's people like you with a sense of humor that make coming back to the forum worthwhile.

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by CFrance

...Our 40-year-old son is also a gamer...He's better than I am at keeping away from the naysayers.

Heheh...I'm sure he's better than I am too!

[Taltarzac725]

Thanks for kicking the elephant. Mali the baby elephant gets kicked - Melbourne Zoo - YouTube

[CFrance]

Originally Posted by perrjojo

I agree!
Just do not reply to their posts and hopefully they will go away.

While that's a good idea, perrjojo, we have actually tried that and gotten nowhere with it. Last winter a group of 12 or 15 of us agreed to ignore threads on a certain topic, in hopes that the posters of that subject would self-implode. It didn't work. Every three days another thread of hatred of the subject was started, to the point that we just gave up.

I don't think most of these people would go away either. Some are oblivious; they might actually think they are winning. Others are just nasty. I think ignoring these posters fails because they are not reasonable people. However, they're smart enough to fly up to but stay under Admin's radar to keep from getting banned. I wish Admin had a rule that banned destructive behavior.

But I will try your suggestion one more time.

[Halibut]

Yes, I agree CFrance and since we know who some of them are ... Why not just ignore all their many posts and just plain not answer their posts?

Indeed. They come because they get the attention they crave and validation of their pot-stirring. Since Usenet it has always been thus -- ignore the trolls! No will power required since there's a setting for it.