Re: For the Record, John… - Posted by John Behle
Posted by John Behle on April 23, 2006 at 20:45:13:
Interesting that you take it all personally and have added names and cloaked references to everything.
I clearly pointed out that my post was related to the board, the community, the climate and an attitude of hostility and lack of civility that takes place here. I glanced at the posts and I couldn’t tell you who posted what or why.
I’m talking about the attitudes here, not you. If I took exception to a partiular post, that is where I would have posted my post - as a response - not as a general observation.
I didn’t cloak any references, because I did not make any references. I didn’t post to you or about you. As I said, it was brought up by the recent posts, but not specifically directed to them. I could not say or care who said what to who. That was not the point of my post. If I wanted to criticize you or anyone in particular I would do so.
My post references months, even years of a changing attitude and I don’t know that that applies to you. This is the first post of yours I have seen and I would suspect you are fairly new. You stepped into an atmosphere that has been deteriorating. A group of posts you participated in triggered a response from me to the climate. If any particular comment of mine seemed directed towards you it wasn’t. If it struck home, that is up to you. I don’t keep track of who posts what, who insults or criticizes or anything else. But… In general, it just keeps increasing.
As to being a “newbie”, no, I can’t remember 30 years back all that clearly. But from what I do know, or remember, I do not think for a moment that I would have been anything but incredibly grateful for a resource like this. It didn’t exist back then. I had to work hard for the tidbits of information that are thrown out by the shovelful here.
As I was learning, I can’t even conceive of insulting the people I was paying for information from let alone those who gave it freely. I sat at their feet and took notes. I treasured the chance to go to lunch with one of them or have any personal reaction.
I was grateful for information, dug for more and sucked it up like a sponge. I can’t even imagine demanding answers from an educator or criticizing those they gave. I would even bite my tongue as some pompous old real estate broker would condescendingly offer their advice to the young pup.
I think it paid off too. I treasure things educators shared over lunch or sometimes even the casual comments they made. I even learned a great deal from people who had little to offer or I came to lose respect for later.
I just bristle at the current attitudes displayed here and think they are damaging to the purpose, power and future of this community. Not yours specifically. Again, as I said in my post, it was not directed to any one person, post, day or circumstance - but the general tone and things going on.
So, if you or anyone else wants to take it personally, I guess that is their choice, but that was not the purpose of the post. No one person or post was singled out or meant to be. But, if everyone looks in the mirror a little, possibly that could be helpful.
The truth is good people with a lot to contribute have been driven away. Others are hesitant to post. New people are sometimes even afraid to post at all when they see mud thrown around. Others don’t have time for it. Those with the most to contribute usually. If it’s a warm, inviting atmosphere where creative ideas and information can be exchanged, then many will participate to the benefit of all. If the critics rule, the environment will be less inviting. The only ones with the time for fighting and battles are those who have nothing else to do or just like to cause trouble. True educators will likely go away. Mostly quietly.