Dear all,
It's an interesting phenomenon how all internet forums are policed by
grumpy know-it-alls (I always picture them as wicked old men...). Try
any DIY or other website, the first or second comment on each entry is,
'don't bother me with your question, stupid - it's all here (link)...'.
I don't know why they read and reply to this in the first place.
Jon and all other active posters (which I am sadly not): keep on the
good work although my stressful environment does not always allow me to
follow and read the linked material suggested.
Best,
Jonathan Everts
Am 20.07.12 13:56, schrieb Andrew Law:
> Hi Jon
>
> I can see your point, (and this is not a critique of you) but I have found at times that the list really can be an outlet for certain people to behave like trolls and/or be vindictive
>
> A couple of years ago I sent out a pro-Tibetan Olympics Team email. I received lots of obnoxious emails, telling me how ignorant I was of Tibetan/China issues
>
> I did not really give my own opinion on the subject; I simply sent out an email so that people could respond to the cause and/or reject and/or delete the email if they wanted to. I put the email up on this forum primarily because I thought that other people might want to join the cause (or simply delete the email if they weren't interested).
>
> Instead I got quite a few nasty emails from various scholars *(around the UK mainly) who made huge assumptions about myself and my work; I chose not to respond to any of it... because its tedious and eventually I just decided to keep my mouth shut.
>
> The level of nastiness of comments however was so high, that I felt tempted to send a jokey email out, saying that often I hang out in Dharmasala with Richard Gere lacing up my Nike Trainers and drinking Star Bucks coffees; I felt like writing a jokey message like this, because the messages I received were so silly... but I chose to behave in the end.
>
> Personally on Tibet issues, I do not really have a strong opinion; I simply sent an email out, that people could take or leave... So my point here is not to talk about Tibet. I really really don't want to get into that again and receive more horrible comments.
>
> I think my point here, is that there has been a lot of trolling going on over the years (and I am not pointing the finger at you Jon - because personally I enjoy many of your messages) and some of it really seems to be vindictive and bullying; noticeably, a lot of it comes from UK scholars as well, which is a real shame.
>
> I still think Crit-geog is a great resource, but I think also it is a sad state of affairs if academics simply contribute to this forum in a very bullish manner; as I said in a previous email once, it makes me wonder whether some of this unpleasantness, is just a result of the stresses of being in the scholarly business; and it seems that when people work in stressful environments - and I think many people on this list would agree that academia is stressful - sometimes an unconscious outlet for stress can be bullying.
>
> Anyway peace and love to you all. I still think that there are many good things on Crit-Geog, including yourself Jon
>
> Best wishes
>
> Andy Law
>
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