I'd like to address 1 point I saw here. Please forgive me, but I'm shooting here.....
Originally Posted by Sin
If we a pushing people away, something has got to be wrong.
I've agonized over this, many, many times. When MT first went live, I envisioned a small place, where experts would pop in and guide newbies seeking training. A rather nieve view, I know. I failed to take into consideration the human factor.
People suck.
In my 3+ years here, I have seen pretty much everything. 'Learned' masters unable to communicate at a 5th grade level, or who feel the need to threaten to sue if someone so much as disagrees with them about the weather. Self-important, Self-Inflated egomaniacs who think everyone should worship the ground they walk on, kids who think their **** dont stink, full out frauds whose certs are in crayon, and whos belts stink of fryoil, political hacks who only want to lie or bully to enrich themselves, fakirs, frauds and the worse, the trolls. Those little **** for brains who seem to get their jollies by mucking up the works.
It's caused me many sleepless nights. Nights I thought about pulling the plug.
Everytime someone gets outted as a fraud, I get the emails...."I thought it said friendly, why do you let them say that? I'll sue...." (The physical threats are the funniest btw)
You folks know something?
MartialTalk IS for the friendly discussion of the arts. The constant bitching and busting is tiring. It's not the place of this boards staff to go out and check lineages, techniques, etc. We don't have the time, or in most cases the experience. We aren't a forum to bust frauds on.
But you know what? It happens. Someone puts something out, or someone from that system pops in and somehow or another starts rubbing folks the wrong way. To some here, it's almost a challenge, and they have the time/connections/cash to do some digging. They will find out that "so-n-so" learned everything by watching B movies, or bought their black belt, or was only a green belt in X, but is now GM of 'self-promotion-do'. Hey people, if you don't want the truth to come out, stop ****ing lying about your backgrounds. You are stealing from those who trust you, teaching things that will get them hurt or worse. It's just not right, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.
In this thread and several others we have what looks like the "ego" card. Thats the person who is 'unbeatable', cross trained in so many arts they can't remember them all, and just comes off as cocky, arrogant, or worse.
Humility is 1 thing real martial artists learn fast. They don't have to tell you how humble they are either.
MartialTalk is alot of things. I honestly can't say I like everyone here, and everyone here honestly can't say they like me. Thats life. This isn't a "make you feel all warm n squishy" site. It's a community, with rules both writen and unwriten, guidelines, etc. Most sites are like that. Our goal is to be a friendly place for the informed and uninformed to gather and grow, Many people have found new schools, training partners, or just friends here.
We are constantly working to build our members, our staff, our resources and our value as a community and a resource. We can't do that if we allow the blowhards, self-promoted, dangerous people prominence here. It is in our rules, show respect. I miss the days when there were only 10 lines in there....rather than the small book they have become.
MartialTalk is not like other forums.
- We are a general arts forum. There are boards for specialties. We try to cover it all, and sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don't.
- We are not a fraud-busting board. There are sites specifically for that. We don't check credentials, but do allow their discussion as long as that discussion complies with our rules.
- We are not a place for egomaniacs. Check the ego at the door. There are folks here who will correct it for you.
- We aren't a battleground. Have an issue with someone? Been battling across the internet? Keep on going. We aren't the place for that 'final battle'.
- We encourage free expression, opinions, debate and discussion. But we aren't obliged to allow you uncontroled speech. Freedom of speech doesn't apply here. This is private property. You have guest-right. Abuse it, and it will be revolked. Abuse us, and you will be gone.
My goal for this place is to see 100,000 folks on at the same time, and huge get togethers, and camps, etc.
The people here have driven me nuts, caused me to question most of what I believe, feel, and think. They have also pulled together and done some miracles that really shocked, surprised and restored my faith in people. I want this place to continue to grow, and be someplace I am proud to be part of.
So, when I think about this question of "driving people away"...it does concern me. We have lost a number of good folks as we've grown.
I also know the folks we've run off specifically. 2 of them are pretty much offline now, banned from every bbs I've seen them on. We are all better off without them.
I believe that in some cases, driving people away is right, because it makes the site so much more open to the "Friendly" discussion of the "Martial Arts".
I am sorry if this bothers anyone, but I do believe that MT as a whole is much greater than any 1 person, including myself needs. It is why I have stepped back from moderating.