JISCMail - COMMUNITYPSYCHUK Archives

Sue, (wonder what 'consusion' means, so annoying to find spelling errors after sending e-ms)

'Spam' mean't in usual sense, except for any list members who may see my own lay member contributions as unwanted 'junk mail' (a way of acknowledging I am a non-academic newcomer). This appeared to be the case in Kim's 'riif-raff' feeling giving response to my posting about CBT - a subject, by long experience, my wife and I am very qualified to speak about. I immediately went to website and tried three times to get taken off the list (seemingly confirmed I was not qualifed to be on it) but the page buttons did not appear to work. Was about to block all e-ms from the list (auto delete them on arrival) when I found that supportive letter from John.

Certainly no hidden meaning in terms of trying to criticise members other than myself. Am still finding it hard to believe that respected people like yourselves are even considering anything I say. Spam/Junk Mail/ phone calls trying to sell largely unwanted goods and services, stressfully invade our lives in so many ways and represent the consumerism I see as doing so much to control and pollute our minds and planet. So difficult to trust anyone and anything in this 'abuse one another by any means' world but I hope you recognise my nervous offerings as: '... people's very real efforts to do something useful in society..'

As for questioning academics motivations, I have been passionately active in that for years and in co-operation with Uni Com & Clin Psychology supporters among many other health care workers and their clients. Unless you are suggesting your former academic 'superiors' were perfectly right to ignore all your hard word and good intentions, I hope you will agree there can be people in high positions who stop people doing the good work they could otherwise do and sometimes with devastating results. It is their motivations and 'expertise' I and others question', not those of you academics and graduates clearly trying to do great good against often 'impossible' odds. This was very much part of a Uni research project I participated in about a year ago. As a first step to looking at the barriers in research, the subject was Ethics Committees - a group of people we have never met deciding how participants may respond to life and research participation.

Mike Swin
----- Original Message -----
From: Sue McPherson
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 7:23 PM
Subject: Intentions Re: name consusion

No need to apologise. I dont see any off the men doing so. Michael has just made a comment - or is it an accusation - about "spam infestations." Maybe he would like to be clearer about that remark - which emails are spam, or which posters. There was a post at the beginning of this thread - or has it changed now - mentioning a course he was teaching - and someone else wrote in describing it as spam. As I see it, spam are all those emails I get about Viagra and porn and personal webcams, though as someone once said, one man's junk (or one woman's) is another man's treasure.

I thought it would hae been useful to talk more about the course being offered and how it might be improved, but I have no comments about that. It is so easy to dismiss people by calling their posts spam, when in reality the posts are people's very real efforts to do something useful in society. In a time when academics' motivations are under suspicion, it might be worthwhile for some of them, and indeed, some from within the community, to present their views on such matters.

We have granted the gift of being able to interact using language. Let's not abuse that gift by putting it to questionable purposes. Your intentions matter.

Sue McPherson

----- Original Message -----
From: Penny Priest
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 6:22 PM
Subject: Re: name consusion

Ooops! My apologies to both Michaels. I really must pay attention.
There seem to be quite a few of us who are struggling with their right to be here and say anything. Whilst I struggle with this myself at times, I also struggle with my inability to keep my gob shut. I think there are merits in silence and shouting.
Penny
----- Original Message -----
From: MICHAEL SWINDLEHURST
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 2:52 PM
Subject: Re: [COMMUNITYPSYCHUK] name consusion

Penny,

Yes! must be many confused members around at the moment from recent exchanges. For my part, I have found every posting in the over-lapping strings very valuable because they have raised so many key issues, including anger and fear. Even the multiple question marks response sums up what I hoped you guys would be about on recently joining. Not possible to respond to every one, as much tempted, because it may only add to the confusion and spam and, I am still struggling to feel I have right to be here and say anything, despite many years being involved through other channels. Apologies for my current hogging of the list but our (wife and self's) national network of MH service users and the daily news suggest we need very urgent action on the ways we all think, feel and behave.

Gender certainly a major factor in what can needlessly and negatively affect and effect us all, as with ethnology, research barriers, etc. Gender issues have been a major factor in my own treatment needs. I am a small, unattractive, 1000 year (at least) ethnically white British hetrosexual, retired, 'working class' male (i.e. a person (?)) severely emotionally battered by both/all sexes and the 'system' itself - feeling I do not belong in 'my own' Country or anywhere else. Strangely perhaps, it has only left me very concerned about the plight of all people - even Estate Agents. So sad that we continue to find so many ways to abuse one another - including via spam infestations - especially considering the amazing good we could still achieve as a species if we pulled together. I am also the old, worn out Michael/Mike (Swin..) at the opposite end of knowledge and influence to the Michael/Mike and others who have been kindly responding.

Mike Swin. PS. Interesting for me to see your on-stage/screen experience. I was one of the' rude technicals' who designed the sets for you braver and prettier souls to go on. What a contrast to our lives now but at least we have had the experience to know people can achieve the 'impossible' when we work together in a caring and co-operative environment with enough material resources.

----- Original Message -----
From: Penny Priest
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2006 8:08 AM
Subject: On a few technical notes

Hello everyone
I just wanted to point out that, in the midst of all the recent exchanges, I have sometimes received replies to postings, before I see the original posting, which can be quite confusing, obviously, as I sometimes find myself reading something, perhaps an angry response, but don't know what it's in response to. I just wanted to point this out to everyone, because I think it happened recently to Dawn.
I've also been a bit confused by a couple of Michael's (Swindlehurst) postings which have begun 'Michael' or 'Thank you Michael', but on reflection I think you're just saying it's you here, Michael? Or are you?
Aside from technicalities, I have been intrigued by my own and others' responses to Sue. These heated exchanges all began following Henry's posting about Mindfulness training, which I thought was a little strange turning up on this list (although I could imagine how mindfulness would fit it, but I do object to the current fashion of marketing it as a therapy - if people want to practice mindfulness, I would encourage them to join a Sangha). I then noticed the discussion swinging round to Sue's experience of doing research, which was elaborated on at Petra's invitation. Every time I logged onto my email over the last few days, I kept thinking the spammers had got hold of me again, before I saw my inbox and that it was this list instead, with many of the postings from Sue. Part of me thinks this is Sue's issue and nothing really to do with me, and whilst Paul seemed insulted on Rachael's behalf, it's not really Rachael that Sue is attacking, but the people Sue had to deal with when she was doing her research. Maybe that's no excuse for rudeness, but isn't that what happens sometimes when people get angry? Another part of me thinks in some ways it's almost refreshing to have some gut reactions on this list, instead of it all being dressed up terribly nicely and politely.
I did wonder whether there was a male/female thing going on too, but it does seem that Paul and Michael at least are taking quite different positions.
Anyway, for what it's worth, this posting comes with love from:
a mother, sister, daughter, beginner-surfer, prize-winning fell-runner, former teacher, pissed-again pop-star (once supported Nina Simone), clinical psychologist, mainly heterosexual, angry woman (this is just how I see myself at the moment).
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COMMUNITYPSYCHUK - The discussion list for community psychology in the UK.
To unsubscribe or to change your details visit the website:
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For any problems or queries, contact the list moderator at [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]