CleverNickName
Limit Break Dancing (He/They)
qft.
About Reveille
- Thread starter Piratecat
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Ry
Explorer
I suspected, but decided to go at face value since I knew he'd met some of the other members in person. I also remember the support and concern I got from Enworld when I had health problems a few years ago.
Ah well. I don't regret sending well wishes - just like I don't regret sending Gary get well wishes. But I do think this is pretty sick in the head, and I'm glad he's banned.
Ah well. I don't regret sending well wishes - just like I don't regret sending Gary get well wishes. But I do think this is pretty sick in the head, and I'm glad he's banned.
Aberzanzorax
Hero
It makes me happy that you are reaching out and attempting to maintain your friendship with him.
I would also ask you to beware that what he may be saying now regarding where he is emotionally or what his reasons were could be real, or could merely be a continuation of his games. You're likely aware of this, but I thought it important to point out to the community.
I'd also raise this same point about the "let him write an explanation letter" idea. I'd expect there to be all manner of emotional turmoil within it (whether true or not). I would imagine that this would not be able to be factually verified. I do not see further emotional exposure as beneficial to the community. Closure is important. An unverifiable emotional letter would lead to less closure, not more.
pawsplay
Hero
Wow, what an interesting saga. I didn't follow it closely, since I didn't have a clear image of Reveille, but I thought it was sweet and touching that this site would rally in support. On the other hand, I have become suspicious of the value of investing emotionally with semi-anonymous strangers. What makes this case interesting is that he had met with others face-to-face and had presented some version of himself. Nonetheless, it should be recognized that on the Internet or in real life, only time, experience, and thoughtfulness can build a true friendship.
It is likely Reveille is a disturbed or at least unhappy individual. It is almost certain that these activities did nothing to dispel his unhappy feelings. From that standpoint, I cannot imagine what purpose would be served by further engagement. On the other hand, I cannot imagine what purpose a permanent ban does that a six month suspension would not. If he chose to violate this suspension, there would be more than adequate justification for the ban. But assuming he chose to honor it, he could conceivably return at a later date. I don't know what purpose might be served, but I also do not see the harm. This is, as has been said, a community, and while I can pragmatic and just reasons to suspend him, I cannot detect what the community gains by refusing to engage a hypothetically rehabilitated Rev at a later date. Perhaps that is something that could be addressed by the mods via email, but I like the idea of a rehabilitation process being in place that requires no soul-searching, only patience and willingness.
As for future policy... I find it difficult to identify what about this hoax would distinguish it qualitatively from a more common prank. It is important to distinguish what happened in more than degree, to say what about it specifically was wrong. I can see two defining features. First, it is non-topical; it has nothing to do with games or gaming or the like, but rather, with a dramatic story about one person. If it were a real-life event, there is no problem, but as a prank it is ultimately a waste of bandwidth, friendship, and attention on a gaming site. That is an adequate rationale for saying this is different from the common (or not so common, but benign) prank. Second, it is uncivil, in that loss of life can be discussed lightly but should never be held lightly. I will not disallow the possibility there is a funny coma-related prank that could be enacted, but I have trouble imagining what it is, and I think this and similar topics can be considered generally unsuitable. In this case, it was clearly a disturbing and provocative use that distressed many people. Both distinctions have everything to do with intent and not so much with form.
I do not wish to see a policy shift. There is nothing productive to be gained by having the mods sniff every request-for-prayers post for mischief, and much to be lost in goodwill toward others. I am fine with the occasional hoax. I am ok with being had, for so cheap a price. Similarly, I would not like to see such posts be met with pages of speculation. I think it's enough to accept things at face value and permit them a reasonable level of discussion, until such time as the post submits evidence of being a hoax. It is better to be tricked, than to withhold compassion, and better to be a site that is too-trusting than one in which charity of spirit and well wishes are forbidden.
It might be worthwhile to have a thread in Meta that simply links to known hoaxes. This would serve a historical purpose, as well as fostering a reasonable level of caution and skepticism, without encouraging pessimism. It would say, "Yes, this does happen." That's all that really needs to be said in the long run.
I feel badly for the people who felt close to him and were tricked. I feel badly for him, too, and I hope he comes to recognize a path to interacting positively with others. I have the benefit of distance from this situation. Not to make light of the distress others feel, but I can see a positive side to this. It is a bizarre and one-of-a-kind story, an opportunity to experience the world in a new pattern, and learn and perhaps even, in time, to laugh. Truly, each of us is a miraculous, unique creation. Today I celebrate that I have now read about a thing I had little notion would occur only a few days before. I don't know if we can all laugh about this some day, but we can certainly apprehend it with amazement and confusion.
It is likely Reveille is a disturbed or at least unhappy individual. It is almost certain that these activities did nothing to dispel his unhappy feelings. From that standpoint, I cannot imagine what purpose would be served by further engagement. On the other hand, I cannot imagine what purpose a permanent ban does that a six month suspension would not. If he chose to violate this suspension, there would be more than adequate justification for the ban. But assuming he chose to honor it, he could conceivably return at a later date. I don't know what purpose might be served, but I also do not see the harm. This is, as has been said, a community, and while I can pragmatic and just reasons to suspend him, I cannot detect what the community gains by refusing to engage a hypothetically rehabilitated Rev at a later date. Perhaps that is something that could be addressed by the mods via email, but I like the idea of a rehabilitation process being in place that requires no soul-searching, only patience and willingness.
As for future policy... I find it difficult to identify what about this hoax would distinguish it qualitatively from a more common prank. It is important to distinguish what happened in more than degree, to say what about it specifically was wrong. I can see two defining features. First, it is non-topical; it has nothing to do with games or gaming or the like, but rather, with a dramatic story about one person. If it were a real-life event, there is no problem, but as a prank it is ultimately a waste of bandwidth, friendship, and attention on a gaming site. That is an adequate rationale for saying this is different from the common (or not so common, but benign) prank. Second, it is uncivil, in that loss of life can be discussed lightly but should never be held lightly. I will not disallow the possibility there is a funny coma-related prank that could be enacted, but I have trouble imagining what it is, and I think this and similar topics can be considered generally unsuitable. In this case, it was clearly a disturbing and provocative use that distressed many people. Both distinctions have everything to do with intent and not so much with form.
I do not wish to see a policy shift. There is nothing productive to be gained by having the mods sniff every request-for-prayers post for mischief, and much to be lost in goodwill toward others. I am fine with the occasional hoax. I am ok with being had, for so cheap a price. Similarly, I would not like to see such posts be met with pages of speculation. I think it's enough to accept things at face value and permit them a reasonable level of discussion, until such time as the post submits evidence of being a hoax. It is better to be tricked, than to withhold compassion, and better to be a site that is too-trusting than one in which charity of spirit and well wishes are forbidden.
It might be worthwhile to have a thread in Meta that simply links to known hoaxes. This would serve a historical purpose, as well as fostering a reasonable level of caution and skepticism, without encouraging pessimism. It would say, "Yes, this does happen." That's all that really needs to be said in the long run.
I feel badly for the people who felt close to him and were tricked. I feel badly for him, too, and I hope he comes to recognize a path to interacting positively with others. I have the benefit of distance from this situation. Not to make light of the distress others feel, but I can see a positive side to this. It is a bizarre and one-of-a-kind story, an opportunity to experience the world in a new pattern, and learn and perhaps even, in time, to laugh. Truly, each of us is a miraculous, unique creation. Today I celebrate that I have now read about a thing I had little notion would occur only a few days before. I don't know if we can all laugh about this some day, but we can certainly apprehend it with amazement and confusion.
Well, the BS he pulled here seems like the mental health equivalent of fainting spells or blood in the urine... I'm not a medical professional of any kind but it definitely seems like a case of "Seek Immediate Medical Attention!"
Vanuslux
Explorer
When the post about his "coma" first came up, I felt sympathy but since I didn't really know him on a personal level I didn't keep following the thread since I knew it would depress me.
Having just discovered this post and reading through it brought back some memories for me of when someone pulled something similar on me and a group of my friends back when I was rocking the local BBS scene on my speedy 1200 baud modem. I've experienced people messing with people mentally and emotionally. It doesn't say cry for help to me, it says "I enjoy screwing with people...it makes me feel clever and powerful to know that I can control people by playing on their nobler traits." Judging by what we have learned from Rev's history, it seems perhaps he's been experimenting with manipulating and deceiving people around here for quite some time. I might buy that the coma thing was a cry for help if not for all the behind the scenes, quiet ways he's apparently been screwing with other people's realities.
Some people just enjoy screwing with people's realities. Some people are nicer about it than others. Rev's deception definitely wasn't nice.
Though I wasn't harmed by this particular incident, my ability to trust or reach out to others was definitely damaged for years after the incident I mentioned above.
Having just discovered this post and reading through it brought back some memories for me of when someone pulled something similar on me and a group of my friends back when I was rocking the local BBS scene on my speedy 1200 baud modem. I've experienced people messing with people mentally and emotionally. It doesn't say cry for help to me, it says "I enjoy screwing with people...it makes me feel clever and powerful to know that I can control people by playing on their nobler traits." Judging by what we have learned from Rev's history, it seems perhaps he's been experimenting with manipulating and deceiving people around here for quite some time. I might buy that the coma thing was a cry for help if not for all the behind the scenes, quiet ways he's apparently been screwing with other people's realities.
Some people just enjoy screwing with people's realities. Some people are nicer about it than others. Rev's deception definitely wasn't nice.
Though I wasn't harmed by this particular incident, my ability to trust or reach out to others was definitely damaged for years after the incident I mentioned above.
Reading over the list of alts in the Hive thread, I've actually started to wonder if the Desert Hare alt was supposed to be me. It seems that his alts were most often created to be a charicature of another poster, and the names are modified versions of real screen names. I'm not a hiver and haven't really interacted with Rev on the boards, so I don't think I'd be worth making a parody of, but I can't think of another screen name similar to Desert Hare. Does anybody know who this alt was supposed to be? Am I just being paranoid?
I only read a couple of threads that DH posted in, so I don't have enough post-ual info to see if he was trying to sound like me. I do remember him sounding like a bit of an ass in the Watchmen thread - which makes me a little nervous. It makes me strongly consider rejoining as a Community Supporter just so I can use the "Find more posts by" feature.
I only read a couple of threads that DH posted in, so I don't have enough post-ual info to see if he was trying to sound like me. I do remember him sounding like a bit of an ass in the Watchmen thread - which makes me a little nervous. It makes me strongly consider rejoining as a Community Supporter just so I can use the "Find more posts by" feature.
Teflon Billy
Explorer
I don't want to see him around here again.
Samuel Leming
First Post
Wow! It's a shame that this happened to you guys.
A health hoax by a guy that had close to thirty alts? What a kick in the shorts.
Don't worry though, I'm sure EN World will get through this just fine.
Sam
A health hoax by a guy that had close to thirty alts? What a kick in the shorts.
Don't worry though, I'm sure EN World will get through this just fine.
Sam
I agree.
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