Jessicat
All Pied Everything
To the OP - Thank you for posting this thread. Obviously it has sparked a LOT of conversation and reflection about how this site runs and attitudes, and I think personal reflection can only be a good thing. Also, I think it's very crucial for people to hear blunt truths like what you posted. It's good to get an outsider's perspective on things because they haven't become as emotionally involved yet. This thread obviously must have really resonated with many people because there are so many replies!
I gotta say, it seems like things have gotten much better over the years as far as petty name calling and belittling have gone. As Jen mentioned, we've had amazingly passionate members all out leave the site due to all the personal jabs people used to take at them. It's very sad to see that happen.
I think people become so passionate and emotionally involved with the issues on this site because it has to do with how we care for things. I've observed that pride seems to be the #1 character defect crippling our society. It's hard for many to either admit their wrong or even sometimes accept that their way of doing something may not be the "right" way of doing things.
This forum is so great because although there are definitely basic things we all agree on Husbandry wise, the idea of the "right" and "wrong" way of raising a corn almost doesn't exist. Corns are so adaptable and hardy that there is a large margin for personal preference. This I think can cause a lot of problems because people can get stuck in their ways, but I think it can also be a way for people to grow. We have the proof in pictures.. people's corn snakes grow and thrive, yet their owner may not have raised them in the same way that we did. Seeing that the corn is living successfully though, we have to accept that perhaps just because someone's method is different, it doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong.
This way of thinking can manifest itself in many ways. For example, I am one of those who didn't post much for.. oh the first few years or so that I was a member of this site. Sometimes when I see newcomers join the site and then flood my leisurely "new posts" search with 10+ different threads about themselves or off topic subjects I tend to get a little annoyed. I think it's just because that's not the way I went about doing things though and my natural response is to get offended because it's not what I think of as "proper etiquette". At times like this I have to take a step back though and try to not take it personally and get emotionally involved. I have a problem with taking things too personally even when they have absolutely NOTHING to do with me. If I can accept someone's annoying habits and move on.. I consider it a triumphant period of growth.
(Also I've noticed through time and experience that these annoying posters seem to fade away very quickly.. they don't seem to stick around very long, and even if they do, the novelty of posting a new thread every 5 minutes seems to thankfully wear off).
Wow, I just wrote waaayyyyyy more than I had planned on. I don't want to turn this into a saga, but I want to add one more thing. Something I observed when I was waitressing.
I used to get very frustrated with people asking me the same questions day in day out. "how much is...", "what's your daily schedule", "what time do you close". There's absolutely no point in taking it out on the customer though, because they have no idea how many times you've been asked the same question that day.
Although I do think that there is such a wealth of knowledge here, and that by simply reading posts and letting time build up your experience is a better way to go about learning, I try to keep in mind the lesson I learned waitressing when newbies ask the same questions over and over. The newbie has no idea how many times we've already answered the question.
Anyway, to the OP again, I really appreciated your input on this site. I too agree that childish acts take away credibility. If someone is wrong I think that stating the facts and sharing information is really the best way to show expertise over them. Getting into a hussy fit does nothing really for anyone!
Alright, thats more than enough out of me.
I gotta say, it seems like things have gotten much better over the years as far as petty name calling and belittling have gone. As Jen mentioned, we've had amazingly passionate members all out leave the site due to all the personal jabs people used to take at them. It's very sad to see that happen.
I think people become so passionate and emotionally involved with the issues on this site because it has to do with how we care for things. I've observed that pride seems to be the #1 character defect crippling our society. It's hard for many to either admit their wrong or even sometimes accept that their way of doing something may not be the "right" way of doing things.
This forum is so great because although there are definitely basic things we all agree on Husbandry wise, the idea of the "right" and "wrong" way of raising a corn almost doesn't exist. Corns are so adaptable and hardy that there is a large margin for personal preference. This I think can cause a lot of problems because people can get stuck in their ways, but I think it can also be a way for people to grow. We have the proof in pictures.. people's corn snakes grow and thrive, yet their owner may not have raised them in the same way that we did. Seeing that the corn is living successfully though, we have to accept that perhaps just because someone's method is different, it doesn't necessarily mean it is wrong.
This way of thinking can manifest itself in many ways. For example, I am one of those who didn't post much for.. oh the first few years or so that I was a member of this site. Sometimes when I see newcomers join the site and then flood my leisurely "new posts" search with 10+ different threads about themselves or off topic subjects I tend to get a little annoyed. I think it's just because that's not the way I went about doing things though and my natural response is to get offended because it's not what I think of as "proper etiquette". At times like this I have to take a step back though and try to not take it personally and get emotionally involved. I have a problem with taking things too personally even when they have absolutely NOTHING to do with me. If I can accept someone's annoying habits and move on.. I consider it a triumphant period of growth.
(Also I've noticed through time and experience that these annoying posters seem to fade away very quickly.. they don't seem to stick around very long, and even if they do, the novelty of posting a new thread every 5 minutes seems to thankfully wear off).
Wow, I just wrote waaayyyyyy more than I had planned on. I don't want to turn this into a saga, but I want to add one more thing. Something I observed when I was waitressing.
I used to get very frustrated with people asking me the same questions day in day out. "how much is...", "what's your daily schedule", "what time do you close". There's absolutely no point in taking it out on the customer though, because they have no idea how many times you've been asked the same question that day.
Although I do think that there is such a wealth of knowledge here, and that by simply reading posts and letting time build up your experience is a better way to go about learning, I try to keep in mind the lesson I learned waitressing when newbies ask the same questions over and over. The newbie has no idea how many times we've already answered the question.
Anyway, to the OP again, I really appreciated your input on this site. I too agree that childish acts take away credibility. If someone is wrong I think that stating the facts and sharing information is really the best way to show expertise over them. Getting into a hussy fit does nothing really for anyone!
Alright, thats more than enough out of me.
