How to be a Happy Member of Bonsai Nut...

Bonsai Nut

Nuttier than your average Nut
Messages
12,420
Reaction score
27,869
Location
Charlotte area, North Carolina
USDA Zone
8a
First rule: seek not to offend.
Second rule: seek not to be offended.
If someone is annoying you, ignore them - either figuratively or literally. There is an ignore feature on this site that you can turn on so you don't have to interact with someone. You can check at any time to see who is on your "ignore" list, and can always decide to remove them from the list at any point.

However having endless arguments about who is being the most offensive, or who started offending who... it's all a little pointless isn't it?
 
Messages
152
Reaction score
97
Location
Pensacola, FL
USDA Zone
9A
First rule: seek not to offend.
Second rule: seek not to be offended.
If someone is annoying you, ignore them - either figuratively or literally. There is an ignore feature on this site that you can turn on so you don't have to interact with someone. You can check at any time to see who is on your "ignore" list, and can always decide to remove them from the list at any point.

However having endless arguments about who is being the most offensive, or who started offending who... it's all a little pointless isn't it?
 

Potawatomi13

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,168
Reaction score
4,403
Location
Eugene, OR
USDA Zone
8
Sometimes it is hard not to offend somebody when we want to post a dissenting opinion. Nevertheless if I/we try to be as humble as our trees that we love so much that will go a long way. And if I err on occasion it won't hurt me too much to apologize. Is this too much to ask of ourselves?
 

cockroach

Chumono
Messages
564
Reaction score
1,555
Location
Taichung, Taiwan
Hi, I am not new to the site but post very little.

I think many people who join forums in general forget why they did so to start with. We are here to discuss a HOBBY. Not life or death. We are here to look at what others in our small worlds of bonsai enthusiasts are up to and get inspiration.
It is human nature to take sides, create alliances and stick up for those we consider friends. Real life friends or virtual friends on forums. What saddens me is the amount of forum space and time people take arguing about something that started as a mere comment on a tree or the artist. It is just that a comment. Not a sworn affidavit or confirmation of anything at all.
With all the information at our fingertips permanently, many people forget that this is an art. Art is subjective and comes in every shape, form, color, style, taste, etc, etc, etc under the sun. Appreciate it for that alone. I think we need to get back to basics of being a human society and just appreciate the beauty in the art or the beauty in the process of the artform. Regardless of whether we personally like it or agree or want it or care for it.

For myself personally, I have tried to follow only picture threads. When I see interesting trees I read over comments about how it was created, opinions on the tree, constructive criticism and tricks of the hobby. I rarely if ever look at the handle of the poster as that is irrelevant to my reasons for being here. I research for myself information/ideas/criticism and create my own opnions based on facts not emotions. If it unrelated to something that I am able to learn from, I skip it and move on. This helps me continue to enjoy the hobby. I left a certain aquarium forum for a few years due to a single picture turning into a 4 page battle of the forum e-gangs. I do hobbies to unwind, destress, relax and keep learning. Not for politics.
This forum still remains less political that others and I sincerely hope it remains that way as I would love to keep track of some of the projects happening on here.
Thanks and this is just my $0.02.
 
Top Bottom