Thought I my chip in on this one boys, enjoy reading your posts, so hope you accept a nonLB'er posting here. Cyber bullying is also an area that I've had to deal with in my role at school so I hope that I can offer a bit of insight for you. The main difference between cyber and every other form of bullying or harrassment is that the roles/status of the bully(perp) are often reversed online. This means that traditional bullies are often confident, physically intimidating and part of the alpha type profile of mainstream society, whilst online the archetype bully is the complete opposite. In your case it is my observation that your forum is more like a small close knit group that know each other on a personal level, the "cool kids" if you like. Many of your threads strengthen this bond at the exclusion of others, you also have a hierachy that although not fully supported by all and is obviously a bit of banter to others may be seen as exclusionary practice. The resulting anonymous red thumb brigade are those that feel like they'll never break into this exclusive group. I know that in reality you don't do this on purpose and many of you would accept any views/opinions but I'm not the one posting reds on your forum. I would suggest that if you have issues with this that you begin starting threads that invite debate, opinion and knowledgeable advice rather than "clicky" threads that make people feel excluded. The SB forum is not perfect, we throw heaps of s**t at each other and discuss sharks a lot! It is however those threads that allow everyone to a have a crack, it's not as fraternal as yours but we don't have red thumb threads or falling out posts such as the beer garden board episode of late, hope you all got a few over the weekend, cheers

OK Pup here is an example, you call Mac "the prez", I presume you do this because he has the highest number of posts or that you value his opinion highly, therefore you show respect or honour someone who is above you, sound like a hierachy to you? Now there is nothing wrong with that, good natured banter IMO, but someone called you a sycophant the other day, which is their call and technically accurate. The other members of the clan came to your defence and had a go at him, he doesn't post much and didn't continue the argument, that is classic pack mentality and probably made you feel pretty good, it is also exactly why the red thumbs occur.

I think you're reading wayyyyyyyyy too much into it Mr Baker ..... it's just a stoke sort of thing in the LB section ..... well to my knowledge anyway

Late Edit: .... everyone calls him the Prez - not just me

bakesy said...
OK Pup here is an example, you call Mac "the prez", I presume you do this because he has the highest number of posts or that you value his opinion highly, therefore you show respect or honour someone who is above you, sound like a hierachy to you? Now there is nothing wrong with that, good natured banter IMO, but someone called you a sycophant the other day, which is their call and technically accurate. The other members of the clan came to your defence and had a go at him, he doesn't post much and didn't continue the argument, that is classic pack mentality and probably made you feel pretty good, it is also exactly why the red thumbs occur.

no, that guy was being nasty and what's wrong with sticking up for your mates!!!!!

besides pretty sure the pup prez thingie is a piss take.

now when some one comes in and attacks that's what they get.

if he came in like most newcomers he would have most likely been welcomed.

seems like trouble attracts a certain breed. crew that have never been or hardly ever in here before suddenly fronting up in the beer garden experiment. why is that?

however you do have some points in your earlier post

cheers

check out the thread in the SB on guessing the wave, everyone is having at crack, especially like Suba's comment, now there is a guy who's copped a lot of ****(me included) and keeps on rolling.

bakesy said...
Thought I my chip in on this one boys, enjoy reading your posts, so hope you accept a nonLB'er posting here. Cyber bullying is also an area that I've had to deal with in my role at school so I hope that I can offer a bit of insight for you. The main difference between cyber and every other form of bullying or harrassment is that the roles/status of the bully(perp) are often reversed online. This means that traditional bullies are often confident, physically intimidating and part of the alpha type profile of mainstream society, whilst online the archetype bully is the complete opposite. cheers

Thanks for the post Bakesy found it very interesting . Have found the above part to be very true in a couple of incidents of online bullying with our kids . The bullies literally shat their pants when fronted in the real world , face to face .
One part don't agree with . new posters are made very welcome on here , speaking from personal experience

smh said...
Just my input for the very last time . I PM'd Mac a few weeks back to say I'm out of here. I had a few goes at a forum member here because I respond to how I'm treated and I'll just leave it at that. It had a lot to do with exclusion and plain arrogance.I'm not a bully and most of the people in here are fine by me. Anyway I strongly doubt I'll be missed and I'm sure I may have stepped on a few toes with my opinions but after riding longboards for the past 20 years and surfed for around 40 years I thought I might have something to contribute to the discussion.For the record there's some serious unnecessary grovelling going on in here and wether its a pisstake or not it gets a bit over the top.

Don't think you wont be missed smh cause I'm telling you you will be

^^^^ farrrkem prez I don't give rats what outsiders think let's just carry on ,what is it a crime to have few laughs & be nice to people

62mac said...

towball said...
^^^^ farrrkem prez I don't give rats what outsiders think let's just carry on ,what is it a crime to have few laughs & be nice to people

OK I'm with you TB

Prez
Saw a scary Sunday program on the Box last night watch that Voka over there

Ted the Kiwi said...

asea said...

Ted the Kiwi said...
well said LL. I think that we all know who most of the idiots are. So if we just ignore them hopefully they will go away

are you calling me an idiot ted

Nope.....you make the cut.....just

only joking rhino

smh said...
Just my input for the very last time . I PM'd Mac a few weeks back to say I'm out of here. I had a few goes at a forum member here because I respond to how I'm treated and I'll just leave it at that. It had a lot to do with exclusion and plain arrogance.I'm not a bully and most of the people in here are fine by me. Anyway I strongly doubt I'll be missed and I'm sure I may have stepped on a few toes with my opinions but after riding longboards for the past 20 years and surfed for around 40 years I thought I might have something to contribute to the discussion.For the record there's some serious unnecessary grovelling going on in here and wether its a pisstake or not it gets a bit over the top.

That's a shame, I always appreciated your input... You got me on the right track with my Tak fin.

poor relative said...
This thread makes me lol

Makes me lol too...I had no idea there were so many lurkers here & how ostrasized they felt...there's really no need to feel that way, everyone here is so fricken friendly...almost too much at times I agree lol...but so what, its beats the alternative.

I reckon your a closet long boarder Bakesy or your just fighting with your desire to take it up...come on, admit it mate

nah Mick did a bit of everything in the 80's and 90's, bit of a horses for courses type then realised that my ability on the board didn't match my ambition. I've settled with the kneelo thing for twenty odd years as it allows me. I to surf the waves of consequence that I love to visit without worrying about well the consequences I guess. I chipped in on this thread because I have an interest in the area of cyber bullying and have done some work on it for professional purposes and find this site to be on the edge of what is acceptable to the governing bodies involved in this issue. One observation I could make is that the thumb system is fact enabling bullying and harrassment. I read with interest the views expressed in a thread on here and learnt a great deal. Lacey's previous comment also seems to project a trend, to me it's a bit "everything was OK until those guys came along" which is an extension of reality, one that you see from playground to pub and beyond.The guys posting stuff that mocks an attempt to discuss a serious issue is interesting too. One has posted over 8000 times, that's a fair commitment to something you don't see as important, others post ten times a day and use the forum to build relationships, all good stuff and obviously important to them. I understand the desire to keep things light and friendly and indeed participate for that reason, bit of an escape from the realities of life but I think to ignore the reality that harm in the emotional sense can also result is an important factor. Keep the stoke boys

laceys lane said...
bakesy, yeah the greenroom is an escape. don't think anyone hides from that. there are plenty of serious forums on the breeze. surely one light hearted forum isn't trying to escape from reality.

another word for it could be fun

god knows the economic situation on the goldie for the last three years is enough to drive anyone to escapism for an hour or so a night. if i want to get really serious and bogged down i'll go to the general discussion forum. i sure it would still be the same crew trying to out point each other and if that's their go good on them.

we kinda don't need the psychological evaluation from you so you can escape your reality


we are just trying to keep the room the way it is and anyone with a similar outlook is welcomed.

that's the best post i have ever read.

yep well said Lacey, appreciate the intelligent response and understand your point of view. I'd like to point out to you that in regard to this topic it is my reality and that I saw the normal comradery slipping a bit and thought I'd offer a bit of help. The effects of cyber bullying can be life threatening mate and I'm paid to pick up the pieces, sometimes it's difficult to ignore these signs and not help. Anyway off to push my groms into some windblown slop after a good day at work