barryboek
New Member
Maybe a synopsis of my experiences in a Dutch readers forum might be of interest here . First I must state I had no experience with forums (fora?)other then to jump in and ask a question . So no introducing myself , no participating , just pragmatically using the know how of a forum .Had no idea about administrators or moderators , said hello , told them what I wanted to know and thanked for a reply . Worked for many years problemfree !
So when I had trouble ordering books by my favorite internetdealer , I had a luminous idea , find a readers forum and ask if they had similar problems . But being a bit bored I looked around and saw the thread : what books would you buy in the blind (meaning what authors are a must to own) Started right of the bat and suggested they should better split the question according to genre (stated I am uninterested in romance novels and vice versa )Well this started a quickly escalating conflict , ending in my banishment .
What surprised me the most , looking back , was the fact that a virtual group like a forum operates very much like a real group , quite similar groupdynamics . Feeling attacked by an outsider , ganging up to neutralize the problem , bit like a lynchmob .Saw comparable dynamics here (looked at a few very long threads about selfpromoting writers introducing themselves)
the difference here being the level of discussion , some were very sulpherous but still there was an impressive exchange of arguments . This was completely absent in the dutch group, could ask what I wanted , tell what I wanted , they just kept whining my tone was unpleasant , I did not fit in with the cosy nature ....., I should take the sensibilities of romance book lovers into account ....... So once I tipped them of to the pleasure it gives me to rip a detested book to shreds (Dan Brown) it was all over bar the shouting .
Reactions : you can not decide what is quality , it must be high quality because its a commercial succes , realise the toes and shins of Dan Brown lovers are severely damaged ,why dont you give it to a needy reader , this is against the cosy nature of this forum , what he said .....it is the tone that makes the music (in french about ten times), you are very arrogant and insulting , you are looking down on us , I hardly understand what you are talking about ,neither do I.... .
I probably signed my own death sentence when I said this forum is about as pleasant and interested in discussion as a fundamentalist islamic koran group . Not very nice but still no strong language . In the end I said I was sorry I underestimated the virtuosity of the literary giant Dan Brown , and that it was probably better for my english development and the tone of their cosy forum if I looked elsewhere for my info .
Then I had another luminous idea , I could start my own thread and still get the info without all this waste of time , they are rid of me and I can ask a question . Well I still did not grasp the workings of a forum , all the hurting toes and raw shins followed , whining ever harder totally ignoring my question . Must agree I got a bit annoyed then and said I was surprised about the unanimous way they stroked each others overheated purpley little heads and that I had never encountered such a nasty group of conformist humorless nonthinkers . When they started discussing if I might get a second chance ( I was called theTroll by then) I forced the issue . Asked if I allready was nominated to be forcefully removed . Said I would be disappointed , because I thought it would be much harder to be as funny in english as I had been in dutch . Would miss all the laughter . End of story , banned .
So when I had trouble ordering books by my favorite internetdealer , I had a luminous idea , find a readers forum and ask if they had similar problems . But being a bit bored I looked around and saw the thread : what books would you buy in the blind (meaning what authors are a must to own) Started right of the bat and suggested they should better split the question according to genre (stated I am uninterested in romance novels and vice versa )Well this started a quickly escalating conflict , ending in my banishment .
What surprised me the most , looking back , was the fact that a virtual group like a forum operates very much like a real group , quite similar groupdynamics . Feeling attacked by an outsider , ganging up to neutralize the problem , bit like a lynchmob .Saw comparable dynamics here (looked at a few very long threads about selfpromoting writers introducing themselves)
the difference here being the level of discussion , some were very sulpherous but still there was an impressive exchange of arguments . This was completely absent in the dutch group, could ask what I wanted , tell what I wanted , they just kept whining my tone was unpleasant , I did not fit in with the cosy nature ....., I should take the sensibilities of romance book lovers into account ....... So once I tipped them of to the pleasure it gives me to rip a detested book to shreds (Dan Brown) it was all over bar the shouting .
Reactions : you can not decide what is quality , it must be high quality because its a commercial succes , realise the toes and shins of Dan Brown lovers are severely damaged ,why dont you give it to a needy reader , this is against the cosy nature of this forum , what he said .....it is the tone that makes the music (in french about ten times), you are very arrogant and insulting , you are looking down on us , I hardly understand what you are talking about ,neither do I.... .
I probably signed my own death sentence when I said this forum is about as pleasant and interested in discussion as a fundamentalist islamic koran group . Not very nice but still no strong language . In the end I said I was sorry I underestimated the virtuosity of the literary giant Dan Brown , and that it was probably better for my english development and the tone of their cosy forum if I looked elsewhere for my info .
Then I had another luminous idea , I could start my own thread and still get the info without all this waste of time , they are rid of me and I can ask a question . Well I still did not grasp the workings of a forum , all the hurting toes and raw shins followed , whining ever harder totally ignoring my question . Must agree I got a bit annoyed then and said I was surprised about the unanimous way they stroked each others overheated purpley little heads and that I had never encountered such a nasty group of conformist humorless nonthinkers . When they started discussing if I might get a second chance ( I was called theTroll by then) I forced the issue . Asked if I allready was nominated to be forcefully removed . Said I would be disappointed , because I thought it would be much harder to be as funny in english as I had been in dutch . Would miss all the laughter . End of story , banned .
