#1 ·
I don't be under any illusions that this post will change anyone's mind—it likely won't open many eyes—but it’s been weighing on my mind, and I need to get it out there.🙂
I'm relatively new to Reddit, and over the last few days, I've had the chance to observe quite a bit. There have been plenty of beautiful, positive, and encouraging moments, but also a fair amount of ugliness.
Let's start with the good stuff:
I truly appreciate seeing so many people here who genuinely want to help others—whether it's through advice, sharing knowledge, or offering their own life experiences.
In my opinion, it’s people like that who make life worth living. Even when you lose faith in humanity, or when bitterness starts to take hold and you feel like there's no goodness left in the world, you get those pleasant surprises that pull you back.
Now for the ugly side:
I honestly don't get how some members treat everyone else here. There's this pervasive negativity and a sense of snobbery—this artificial hierarchy being established between regular users, moderators, and admins. To be perfectly honest, I don't see a difference anywhere; we are all just people, and the only thing that should separate us is our character, nothing else.
People constantly jump at the chance to mock, ridicule, or belittle someone else (and just to be clear, I'm not acting as anyone's defense attorney here).
Before the moderators here start lecturing me about how sometimes one has to be blunt with members, let me just say: there is absolutely no need for that kind of explanation.
I understand what it means to be an admin or a moderator—I know how much work goes into deleting posts and cleaning up after users. I get it.
But being a moderator is a volunteer role, and in many ways, they should be setting the standard for the rest of the community. They should show us how things are done and, above all, ensure that members aren't tearing each other apart.
I'll take this opportunity to quote one of the mods; her words really gave me pause:
"Do you know the two greatest sins one can commit in society and conversation? Being boring and having no sense of humor. I'm afraid you suffer from both."
Are people really categorized that way now?
Is that truly the ultimate sin?
Is it really a crime if someone isn't as highly educated as everyone else, or if they struggle to express themselves perfectly? It seems the self-proclaimed academics here find it difficult to tolerate anything less than perfect prose.
Why is the spotlight always shone on these trivialities? Isn't it more important that this little corner of the internet provides a space where people generally get along?
Where people find community, conversation, comfort, and friendship.
Isn't that the whole point and purpose of forums like this?
I don't know anyone here yet, and I can't judge people solely based on their posts, but so far, two individuals have stood out to me. When I read their contributions, I see strong characters and genuinely good people.
Those would be Daniel Ward87 and Roger Evans.
Reading this forum lately, I get the impression that only those with fancy degrees are welcome—those who can flaunt their intellect—while the rest of us mere "mortals," especially those brave enough to hold an opinion, are looked down upon.
Who gets to measure how much intelligence someone possesses?
Who decides who is literate enough?
Isn't it more vital that we act as human beings, that we strengthen our shared communication, build bridges between different walks of life, and foster friendships?
So, I realize this is a long post, and perhaps my grammar isn't exactly top-tier.😁
But I'm writing what is in my heart, what my soul tells me, and in those moments, grammar and spelling don't really have a place.😁
I'd love to hear your thoughts. You've all been here much longer than I have; you know the people and the general climate of this place better than I do.
I'm relatively new to Reddit, and over the last few days, I've had the chance to observe quite a bit. There have been plenty of beautiful, positive, and encouraging moments, but also a fair amount of ugliness.
Let's start with the good stuff:
I truly appreciate seeing so many people here who genuinely want to help others—whether it's through advice, sharing knowledge, or offering their own life experiences.
In my opinion, it’s people like that who make life worth living. Even when you lose faith in humanity, or when bitterness starts to take hold and you feel like there's no goodness left in the world, you get those pleasant surprises that pull you back.
Now for the ugly side:
I honestly don't get how some members treat everyone else here. There's this pervasive negativity and a sense of snobbery—this artificial hierarchy being established between regular users, moderators, and admins. To be perfectly honest, I don't see a difference anywhere; we are all just people, and the only thing that should separate us is our character, nothing else.
People constantly jump at the chance to mock, ridicule, or belittle someone else (and just to be clear, I'm not acting as anyone's defense attorney here).
Before the moderators here start lecturing me about how sometimes one has to be blunt with members, let me just say: there is absolutely no need for that kind of explanation.
I understand what it means to be an admin or a moderator—I know how much work goes into deleting posts and cleaning up after users. I get it.
But being a moderator is a volunteer role, and in many ways, they should be setting the standard for the rest of the community. They should show us how things are done and, above all, ensure that members aren't tearing each other apart.
I'll take this opportunity to quote one of the mods; her words really gave me pause:
"Do you know the two greatest sins one can commit in society and conversation? Being boring and having no sense of humor. I'm afraid you suffer from both."
Are people really categorized that way now?
Is that truly the ultimate sin?
Is it really a crime if someone isn't as highly educated as everyone else, or if they struggle to express themselves perfectly? It seems the self-proclaimed academics here find it difficult to tolerate anything less than perfect prose.
Why is the spotlight always shone on these trivialities? Isn't it more important that this little corner of the internet provides a space where people generally get along?
Where people find community, conversation, comfort, and friendship.
Isn't that the whole point and purpose of forums like this?
I don't know anyone here yet, and I can't judge people solely based on their posts, but so far, two individuals have stood out to me. When I read their contributions, I see strong characters and genuinely good people.
Those would be Daniel Ward87 and Roger Evans.
Reading this forum lately, I get the impression that only those with fancy degrees are welcome—those who can flaunt their intellect—while the rest of us mere "mortals," especially those brave enough to hold an opinion, are looked down upon.
Who gets to measure how much intelligence someone possesses?
Who decides who is literate enough?
Isn't it more vital that we act as human beings, that we strengthen our shared communication, build bridges between different walks of life, and foster friendships?
So, I realize this is a long post, and perhaps my grammar isn't exactly top-tier.😁
But I'm writing what is in my heart, what my soul tells me, and in those moments, grammar and spelling don't really have a place.😁
I'd love to hear your thoughts. You've all been here much longer than I have; you know the people and the general climate of this place better than I do.