Posted:
Dear all,
This is a public interest post for those newcomers who may be reading misleading information on this forum, ie a post that purports to set out our Forum Rules. I think, at least hope, that that post has been made in jest.
The author of those points was adventurous enough to give me that advice on a thread I had created. This was my response to her:
Thank you for your concern, even though it is completely unsolicited. Nonetheless, I will take it in the spirit I hope it is meant.
Now to your points. They all seem to be made to prevent me for getting ' bashed' as that is seen as the big bugbear in forum- land. Please let me make it absolutely clear that as long as comments are posted that are not personal attacks on me or other posters or our right to hold divergent views, I am perfectly fine with it. In fact, I fully encourage people to hold different and inetersting views and to express them, debate them and thus help us all in developing new ways of looking at the world.
What i, and indeed this forum, does not permit is personal attacks, and i will protest vehemently against such behaviour. I do not need to tell you forum rules and policy; they are prominently displayed on the site. If you have not done so already, I suggest you and your friends who are writing things like ' get well soon' to me refresh yourself on their content.
The points you have made above, suggest to me, and pray forgive me if I am wrong, an overwhelming need to be one of the popular kids. Even if this means having no personality of your own or never expressing an opinion that differs in any way from that held by the herd and its leaders. Such depressingly regressive views are very unfortunate even for one person to hold, but truly tragic when championed as behaviour for EVERYONE to emulate. I would strongly urge you to reconsider your intellectual position. Life is not a popularity contest, and nor should our presence on this forum be one. It should rather be about the complexity and merit of the ideas you bring with you.
Thank you very much for your time, and hope that we meet again during a more salubrious discussion.
Warmest,
FQ
PS re my name : it is based on one of my favourite books. I could have made an absolutely cutting comment over how my name or its length is none of your business, but i decided to take the query as stemming from curiosity. I am sure you will appreciate my restraint.
I am posting this here to make clear to newcomers that this forum is NOT composed entirely of closed cliques. It does have wonderfully intelligent, tolerant, articulate people who will interact freely with you based on what you share on this forum, rather than because they have known you for a certain period of time or know your first name.
We welcome critical input as long as it follows stated India Forum guidelines. If you feel you are being bullied in any way, do contact the forum moderator. She is efficient and knows how to do her job.
Please feel welcome to share your views with us. There are NO rules except the ones you agreed to when signing up for India Forum, and no one can unilaterally impose any others on you or anyone on here.
This post is NOT made in jest, nor is it intended to inflame sentiments. It is just for disseminating information.
Take care,
FQ
CID
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