When you come upon a nasty TROLL."REPORT," "IGNORE," "bypass and SCROLL".
I've noticed that tentions can run a bit high here at Bettermost, so I thought that maybe a discussion about good old-fashioned manners, and how they can be adapted to the internet, might help. I think good manners are based primarily on respect for others, and this respect leads to a concern for the feelings of others. So the question becomes how can we express ourselves here, let our voices be heard, while being mindful of the opinions and feelings of our fellow members?By starting this thread I am in no way trying to claim to be an etiquette expert, and I am quite aware that I can be a rude little shit sometimes. (Hmm Maybe I should have said "rude little snot." Someone may want to address the topic of swearing. Where and when is it appropriate?) So I hope this thread doesn't degenerate into a laundry list of all the times I've stepped on some toes. I'll start by listing a few thoughts and observations. Please feel free to jump in and add whatever you think might be of use. But remember, mind your P's & Q's. --I think it might be helpful to keep in mind that this is the internet, and that means people can not see our expressions or the tone of our voices. So maybe it would best to use the smilies when that will work, or take a couple of extra minutes to use words that will suggest how serious we are.Responding to someone in person by saying "that's stupid" might be okay since they can see the smile on our face and the twinkle in our eye. But those who read a comment like that on the internet might feel insulted.--I think it's best when expressing your opinion to make it clear that you know your opinion is your opinion and not fact. And for those who find it difficult to distinguish between the two, just remember that almost every declarative statement you make is your opinion, or at least that's my opinion. --If you don't get someone else's point of view, try to understand them before refuting them. Ask questions. Start a dialogue rather than an argument.--Don't say "I'm sorry, but..." unless you're truly sorry. --Remember that not everyone has to be on the same page. So state your case as clearly as you can. If others disagree, let them.--If you've accidentally hurt someone's feelings, say your sorry. You don't have to add insult to injury by defending your right to have your own opinion because that's usually not the issue. People do disagree with one another passionately sometimes, but heated arguments are often caused not so much by the opinions we express but how we express them.
