[request/rant] To all reviewers, amateur and pro...

[WhimsyTheFae]

...unless I am convinced that it's not just a few hecklers...

***Long winded rant on being offended by this, which I subsequently learned was not directed to those of us on this thread***

My apologies to all - I don't normally rant, but sometimes I take things too seriously.

 

[JoeGKushner]

- A patronising response from another reviewer about the offender's post count (that read more like adults dismissing children).

Uh, that was me and if you check the posts afterwards, I thought the initial poster was saying MY post count was too low, nothing about his. I know that on the net we can't all be as clear as we want, but you can check back on that statement.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

Uh, that was me and if you check the posts afterwards, I thought the initial poster was saying MY post count was too low, nothing about his. I know that on the net we can't all be as clear as we want, but you can check back on that statement.

No, not that one...this one (and I wasn't accusing just Psion, so I apologize if it appeared that I was attributing all that I had observed to him):

He just seems like a very casual user. Relatively low post count (you and I both have more reviews than he has posts), but an old registration date (unless that's mistaken), leads me to believe that he's not too familiar with EN World, or if he didn't know how to enter a review into RPG.net, role playing game sites in general.

While it may not have been meant that way, it does come across as saying "he's not one of us, so you'll have to forgive him". His post count and registration date should have nothing to do with whether or not he thinks that Crothian should be taken seriously. Crothian responded a bit harshly (which, I am guilty of doing now... ), to which you initially cautioned him on his response and followed it up with the quoted paragraph.

I do apologize for the venom, but I am not sorry for the message. I understand that reviewing is an often thankless job. I am not questioning your integrity, your motives or your work. I am questioning the attitude that you have shown to a few of us in this thread. If you don't want to add the method of acquisition to your reviews, that is fine, but don't imply that it isn't a concern just because only a couple people have mentioned it. It isn't a major concern, but it is still a concern.

 

[Psion]

I don't need for any of you to change your reviews, nor do I expect you to. I have a position that doesn't agree with yours, fine. I don't even feel that strongly about it. That doesn't make me a heckler. That doesn't make some of the others hecklers either.

I'm not upset about anyone's responses nor calling anyone who has replied here hecklers. I have received far more scathing criticism in the past.

I am only taking issue with the assigning of burden of proof. In fact, most of these issues you are bringing up here haven't bothered me in the slightest. Alas, I know when you are not naming targets, everyone's a target. I haven't felt sullied by anything you have suggested here.

- Comments that called us hecklers (if you don't want me to question your integrity, don't question my motives for arguing my point - I didn't get involved in this thread because I wanted to make your life hard or to be an ass).

While EN World is a great community, sometimes the members can get caught up in their "greatness" and start acting a bit holier than thou.

Pot/kettle. You don't like having motives assigned to you, but I don't see that I have. But then, all of a sudden, I am "caught up in my greatness."


It's easy to read into other people's statements when we are limited to forum posts absent normal human indicators. It's best to avoid making assumptions about other people's motives or meanings.

It seems that the word heckler has, in particular, caught your ire. For that I must apologize, as I am netting in a little. Yes, I do mean to say that I do not intend to give comments more weight than they are worth. However, I do not feel "heckled" by you in particular, nor anyone in this thread. That said, in the past I have been assailed by people who took great exception to my stances for many things I have said in reviews, and engaged me in month like email persucution, or accused me of saying things I didn't say but not linking to me reviews so their readers could see it wasn't true. That's where the term heckling comes from.

So sorry if I didn't make clear my entire perspective.

If someone has a problem with me, tell me. If someone has an argument, argue.

If I had a reason to argue, I would. In fact, I just did. Arnwyn said to prove that someone is a majority. My position is I have no reason to. I have no invested interest in arguing with your position. Most of the things brought up in this thread have been fair points, and I think I have spoken where I don't agree.

 

[JoeGKushner]

While it may not have been meant that way, it does come across as saying "he's not one of us, so you'll have to forgive him". His post count and registration date should have nothing to do with whether or not he thinks that Crothian should be taken seriously. Crothian responded a bit harshly (which, I am guilty of doing now... ), to which you initially cautioned him on his response and followed it up with the quoted paragraph..

You don't think that sometimes EN World isn't a touch abrasive to new people and that if we see them as new users we shouldn't try to understand where they're coming from? That's the angle I was going for as opposed to Crothian's harsh response.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

It seems that the word heckler has, in particular, caught your ire.

Yes, I will admit that this got me. It appeared dismissal and disrespectful.

I still stand by my points. The tone/message was not conveyed very well (perhaps the forum environment, perhaps poor word choice) and were taken as offensive by more than just me. I'll also admit that much can be taken out of my rant that probably doesn't mean exactly what I wanted to say.

Anyway, thank you for your response (and you too Joe), as I was calling you two out (bad form on my part - I should have PMed you).

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

You don't think that sometimes EN World isn't a touch abrasive to new people and that if we see them as new users we shouldn't try to understand where they're coming from? That's the angle I was going for as opposed to Crothian's harsh response.

Yes, and your initial response was cool. It was the following paragraph that Shadowslayer took offense with (and I raised an eyebrow at as well). You went from "Crothian step back", to "he isn't one of us". I know that wasn't your intent and you've since acknowledged that. My point was to show the types of comments that could be taken as being offensive from this thread. I'll also admit that I haven't seen many of those types of comments from you nor from others on these boards.

No harm, no foul - I'm simmered down now and I'll move on. Once again, thank you for explaining.

 

[WhimsyTheFae]

I have edited out my rant, as it was blown out of proportion. I took some comments by Joe and Psion as being offensive and responded by blasting them.

My apologies, and back to your regularly scheduled rant...

 

[Barak]

Bah. Most "casual" EnWorld users don't read the reviews, anyway.

And here, I speak from experience.

 

[Crothian]

Bah. Most "casual" EnWorld users don't read the reviews, anyway.

And here, I speak from experience.

wow, I didn;t know one person was most casual users.....