Cynthia

Actually people are SUPPOSED to read them, and whether you read them or not, when you agree to join, you're bound by them. We can always have them to refer people to if they post such topics then as well.

That as well. I am trying to keep the topic about what I originally posted it for. We'll get to attention whoring another day.

No, people are going into the subject of attention whoring which is NOT what this is about.

Look the fact of the matter is, I'm not talking about how we RESPOND to them. I'm saying for good reasons, we shouldn't allow such topics. It just so happens people make topics about killing themselves on other sites, and sure enough they end up going and doing it because of either some problems they were having, or who knows what, leaving the people of that site feeling a sense of responsibility, even if it may not be their fault. The point is, NO ONE here is a professional. It's a bad idea to take a problem that should be taken to a professional to a bunch of people you have never met face to face. As half will give you a hard time, and the other half might not have the right advice for you. Either way, we aren't here to fix your broken relationships. We aren't here to help you deal with a teenage pregnancy. We are not a suicide hot line. People do NOT come here to see these kinds of things. They came here to have healthy discussion. If you joined this forum to give professional help, then there is something wrong with you. These kinds of topics cause a lot of attention whoring as well, which is discouraged. The internet is NOT equivalent to a doctor. If you have a problem that is SERIOUSLY that bad CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL. They went to college, they specialize in your problem, they KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. We don't care if you don't like their advice on something, or don't like them. You have to actually make an effort with them, and try several things. They don't always get it right on the first try. If you can't be helped by anyone on your personal issue but a bunch of strangers on the internet, then well you may need professional help on that. We ALL have problems, there is no set age where you stop having them. That doesn't mean you need to complain every waking minute, as your attitude affects the people around you. If you come off as a depressed bitter person, then the advice you'll probably end up getting from this place will be probably less than third rate. Please, for your OWN safety, seek REAL help. We can't ensure a solution to your problems, or ensure your safety. I didn't post this to stop attention whoring, although I do disapprove of it. I posted this to actually HELP people with these problems, because professional help is the best help we can offer them. Perhaps we should provide a list of sites to visit on these issues if these guidelines are put into place. I saw one on Gaiaonline, and several other sites.

I don't recall anywhere saying you were a bad example and should never seek advice here Gatrie. If it came off to you that way, then I'm sorry. Plus, no one is pointing the finger at you. I used you as an example ONCE, no one else said your name or pinpointed you. If I had not used your name people were going to guess who I was referring to anyways, so it would have served the same point. I do give you credit for not doing it recently, but I wasn't implying that you do it every day, and all the time. You're taking it WAY too seriously. No one is "screaming," your name. Your name was mentioned once here, and no one else pointed the finger at you after. Also, I don't think the persecution of Doom or Suzaku was needed Blue Fox...

I'm not, I'm just saying that you really don't need to nitpick about the issue. As for censorship, they give the excuse that it protects today's kids. Really though, I think that's supposed to be the parents job.

I don't think it was that all important, but say whatever you like. That's why it's a DRAMATIZATION, it's over exaggerating something. I'm well aware that GPA does not show how smart you are, however if you REALLY think about it, person 2 IS an idiot, because he thinks his low GPA indicates how dumb he is. Thus making the misconception.

Understood. Just ignore that part then, although I still stand by the idea of people liking to have that, "at home feeling." Related to the first part: I was thinking you'd notice that kind of talk getting more and more common.

Was that even worth criticizing? It was a dramatization, it wasn't meant to be accurate...

Just something to add while I was making a statement to make less topics, it's not really something that needs to be changed, just how I personally feel about it. I'd rather not persecute any one specific person on the matter however. I don't see it as big enough of an issue to personally address each individual. Really though, I want to focus on the other issue I stated, as the bottom statement really doesn't have much discussion value, as I don't plan on pointing out any 1 specific person. More of a "while I'm pitching an idea," statement. Also I said it's not REALLY a problem, meaning it isn't a huge issue, but it does bother me a tad. I mean I for one am not Xenophobic, but I do understand when people leave one area due to some kind of accident, or something they tend to want to make their new area more like the old one. Subconsciously sometimes though. What I REALLY want to focus on is these guidelines, as they should be considered. I don't know about you, but I for one don't want to have people coming here like it's some teenage problem site... Plus even people praising us for helping them on such issues is bad, because then others will want the same kind of help, which none of us are certified to provide.

Sometimes it's polite, and sometimes it's just going over board. I recall someone telling me they were offended by the word chair, so they asked people to call it a "sitting apparatus."

I was hoping to leave that up to the staff, as it's not my place to decide punishments.

Oh, I'm well aware people use this to attention whore, but I'm more concerned about the other members than stopping them from attention whoring.

Not sure if this is in the guidelines already, but I think it should be added, as I see some topics that are made that report serious issues that really shouldn't be here, and instead taken to a professional. I hate to pinpoint people out, but sadly it's fairly hard to do subtly without making it dead obvious, so nothing against these members, I'm just trying to make a point... What I'm talking about is how some members make topics saying they are all "emo," and depressed and such. People could take that literally and think they are hurting themselves because of it, and if they are, that NEEDS to go to a professional. As a second example, and I REALLY hate to pinpoint him out, but I sort of need an argument behind this for people to take it seriously, but Gatrie going around saying this site stopped him from committing suicide, is something he should keep to himself... As for two reasons. 1. That's a problem best addressed by a professional in the first place, not here. 2. It may encourage other members who have or obtain similar problems to post them here because they think because one member was helped, that the community will make it better for them as well, which really SHOULD be taken to a professional. To pinpoint the exact kinds of issues I'm talking about, here is a simple list, but it is not limited to these, and I'm not saying anyone has ever posted these kinds of things, or will, but it doesn't hurt to point them out JUST IN CASE: 1. "I think I'm pregnant." Please see a doctor, and consult them or your parents on such an issue. A board mostly made up of teenagers to talk about a game isn't exactly the place to seek advice for that. 2. "I'm thinking about suicide, or have tried to commit suicide." If you tried to commit suicide and failed, I think that's best kept to yourself. If you are still having suicidal thoughts, then it's a good idea to talk to a professional, and NOT this board. 3. "I'm thinking about/have/currently still hurting myself." Professional help, I don't know how many times I can say it. There are other sites out there to address this kind of problem, but this one isn't one of them. 4. "I hate my life." I've seen more along the lines of this than anything. Just don't post them, it makes people feel sorry for you, and sometimes even cry over you, when you really are just soaking up attention. Sure your life MAY be bad, but this isn't the purpose of the forum, and it really isn't going to make your life better. If you want to post about a specific problem, then that is fine, but don't just post why your overall life sucks, or make excessive posts about problems, it brings everyone down. 5. "My family is in debt/trouble/etc.!" Yeah, this isn't the place to help you on that. We aren't a legal team. 6. "I hate *Insert name here*" Whether they are someone that's here, or someone who isn't, this is a surefire way to start and argument. 7. "I broke the law, and now..." Seriously, that's not a good example to set for the younger members. Just keep it to yourself, or take it off the site. 8. "I have thoughts of killing/hurting someone." NO, DON'T BRING THEM HERE. Alternatively, don't use your personal problems to justify negative actions you do here. I don't see that TOO often, but I do see it. Also on an unrelated note, I want to say that the "FESS," members who came here seem to be fitting in, but I would like to remind a few, (and no names are being given, and I won't say if I've spoken to them or not, but I have read their posts) that this ISN'T FESS, so please don't try and make things as if it were, because the forum isn't going to morph slowly into your old community. I'm not saying ALL of you, as 95% of you are fine, however some do need to realize this is a new place, and it's not going to change to be like the old one. Like I said, for the protection of those members, no names are being given.

Exactly. Plus as I said before, we live in a place that allows us to get educated on these subjects, and to have our own opinion instead of the government always deciding what is good for us. People had to die to give us these rights, so why are people not using them? Fear of others disagreeing? Fear of people killing them over it? The ones who gave their lives for our rights weren't afraid of it. Well that explains why terrorism works then, people are afraid to stand up for things. Not to be mean here Toa Lord Sothe, but I think you are letting your fear overcome you. You're afraid of confrontation. If your friends can not look past your opinions and still be your friends, they weren't your friends to begin with. Take me and ZXValaRevan for example. We don't always agree 100% on things, but we're still friends. NO ONE that is a true friend is expecting you to agree 100% with them. Don't be afraid to have an opinion and express it, because if you never express your opinions, you'll spend the rest of your life doing things you hate, and being told what to do, because people take advantage of people who don't like to take a side, more than those who do sadly.

That isn't a debate though, that's just an insult. That person is trying to bother you, not trying to prove his point. In a debate it's both sides trying to prove a point. Not always does the "if you attack me, I win," idea work however, as people have killed off entire groups of people for thinking an idea, thus keeping that idea in a silence. Sure your idea may eventually be accepted as right, but really you lost the battle if you're dead. You may win the war in the end, but still. That's only in rare instances though, so I would say that yes, people who can't prove their point either resort to petty insults which have nothing to do with the discussion, or violence. Which really if you think about sounds rather dumb at times, even in insult situations. Example: Person 1: You're stupid. Person 2: WHAT!? HE CALLED ME STUPID!? I'LL SHOW HIM! -Person 2 beats up Person 1- Person 2: There, now he knows how smart I am, even though that took little thinking, and I still have a 1.5GPA! That's about how dumb people look when they resort to violence. Violence in that situation is basically admitting the other person is right, so you have to silence them from telling more people, which is a form of terrorism also. Using fear to prevent them from spreading their words.

Remember there are different types of insomnia, and they all effect a person differently. So someone else could have the same form, but be affected differently.

But if no one is swayed to one side or the other by giving facts and educating them on both sides, it pretty much defeats the point of voting...

Person A: I believe killing is good. Person B: I believe that being allowed to kill freely stops society from functioning, as people would just mindlessly kill each other. Of course yes, I understand that it's not a good idea to press your beliefs, only in situations where they are causing problems for you. Like for example, someone else believing in God, and me not believing in him does not cause any problems for me, so I have no need to tell them not to believe in him. However say I was homosexual, and wanted to marry another homosexual, then yes, others beliefs would be preventing me from doing something. Only when someone's beliefs stop you from doing what yours allow should you contest them. Like I personally see no problem with anyone being any religion, as it doesn't bother me, but I do have a problem with them preventing me from doing things because it's against their God/Gods/Goddess/Goddesses.

Are you someone who stands up for anything they think is right? Or are you the kind of person who sort of just doesn't like to be involved? I can say that I am the kind of person who will stand up for what I think is right at all times. That same thing has gotten me hurt several times. People have hit me, and others even beaten me to an extent, some even threaten to kill me, but I'd more than happily die for what is right. I believe that if no one tries or is willing to stand up for something, everything stays the same. What about you?

Actually no... I actually perform worse.

You and I agree then.

Ooooooh, THAT. I actually didn't notice that... It must have been a double post, and I only edited one... My apologies, I thought you were referring to something else. Let me fix that. Must have been my bad internet connection sent two at different times... That is strange... Must have been I didn't realize the first one went through this morning, so when I came back this evening the post was still in the post box, so I hit the button again.

Sometimes people DO agree, thus why it's always worth the effort.