Tomatoes

[peter halle]

Are tomatoes - a fruit or a vegetable - smarter than we are?  They develop their skin based on the climate.  Why can't we?

I've been a member here for over a year and have enjoyed the majority of it.  This is a place where I found it possible to glean much knowledge about tools that either I have or am hoping to have.  Polls have been run to see how much this place influences others in their purchasing decisions.

The group of people who participate here is a very interesting cross section of society - blue collar, white collar, retired, working, intellectual, street smart.  My guess is all above the average I.Q.  My guess also is that we are all opinionated as he__.

So if based on my previous guess we are all intellgent, then why are we experiencing so many difficulties getting along in this social club called a forum?  Some people would point the finger at the administrator.  Some would point it at individuals who have taken some action.  Others would have their own ideas.  I offer that we should be pointing at ourselves.  Are we trying to make this a virtual reality show?

This forum is changing for all of us - Matthew, Per,  Brice, Eli, Fred, me - all of you.  It is growing and as it grows it will come to emcompass more and more of the outside world and it's emotions, attractions and distractions.

Is this forum like physics whre every action has an equal but opposite reaction?  God I hope not.  So I offer this thought to all in the spirit of Mr. Wizard - why don't we think back to when we first discovered this forum - when we first read a really good suggestion - when we were proud of posting our first post because we felt that we had something constructive to add - when we helped someone.  Must there always be a rock to look under?

A suggestion to all - myself included.  If you're pissed off at this forum, turn off your computer for 72 hours.  Getting rid of a nicotine addition supposedly takes 48 hours, so why not a little more because this forum can be gripping.  If you are happy with this forum then why don't you take what time you can spare in the next 72 hours to show to the others here why you enjoy it.  What can it hurt?

Evidently a tomato lover,

Peter

 

[Jack Rafter]

Peter,

Getting along hasn't been the easiest thing for people to do anywhere not just on internet forums  . We all have opinions, ideas, beliefs and oh egos. . .

 

[peter halle]

Joe,

My point exactly.

Peter

 

[Jack Rafter]

Peter,

I think what you were saying in the last paragraph was to try and avoid the "knee-jerk" reaction. As most of us know it's that, that really starts the ball rolling down the path of death and destruction.

I like to take three deep breaths because 72 hours off line might kill me  ;D

 

[peter halle]

Joe,

I concur.  Festools and this forum can be addicting.  I missed it when it was off the air for a period of time.  I suggested 72 hours because I know first hand that cigarettes are addicting and also I know that this place is juse as addicting.  The slippery green slope.  The green kool-aid, etc. m If I had suggested that everyone took a time out I would have blasted to kingdom come because of that phrase.

If you or anyone else should post and not get an immedaite response - it's not thtat I'm ignoring you - I/m just going to get some sleep.

Peter

 

[sw1211]

No matter what the stats say there is way too much "noise" lately.  I think it's a combination of things, try not to take things so personally and focus on the end objective, giving and gathering information specific to Festool, whether it be positive or negative.

 

[Eli]

Well it's somewhat easier for me I think. When I had no job it was an all encompassing addiction, but now I have all kinds of things going on and the dust has usually settled by the time I read a thread mostly because of the time difference. That helps. I try not to read the forum if I'm really hung over, that's when I have a tendency to hoe into somebody I think is acting asinine. I've also started selectively tuning out certain types of threads.

If it isn't technical, I'm mostly not interested anymore. I'll read the first couple of posts, and if I don't like where it's going, I usually won't add to the BS, and I won't go there anymore. Fire needs oxygen and fuel to burn. A bad thread needs exposure (viewers) and posts to burn on and on. So if I don't add those things, at least I'm removing my own responsibility for it.

I think it's a really hard thing for one person to do all of. It's been a $hitload of work for Matthew, and he's had to deal with all kinds of really personal stuff that people had no business dropping on him. Not that it wasn't the job he chose, but still.

 

[Jesse Cloud]

Well put, Peter and others!
I think the troublemakers probably will go away if we ignore them....

Thanks Matthew, for dealing with all this.

 

[polarsea1]

I agree 100%, Matthew you've done a good job with lots of difficult personalities to deal with. Thanks.