"If you understand a subject,teach the next person with patience and grace. If you disagree with someone do so with respect."
That should be the core of every forum, and most have rules stating this is the expected behavior. And this is exactly what is lacking with RIU, rude, obnoxious behavior is rampant and will remains so as it seems RIU has taken a wild west attitude and lets anarchy reign. When you come here with polite questions, or post answers that you know without a doubt are true, yet are denigrated, told your are nothing more than an ignorant intruder begging of the master to enlighten you, it does little to encourage enthusiasm.
Debate is suppose to be part of the forum discussion experience. Try reasoning with these gods of the forum and you'll quickly be browbeaten into submission or caused to flee the forum. I chose to stay and learn from and share with 2 members. I occasionally browse for information from other threads, but as soon as I run into the haughty attitudes and the insults slung at anyone daring to challenge their superior knowledge, its time for me to retreat. Its a real shame that a forum like this, with so much information, allows new members to be driven off by the hoi poloi.........
This is a common problem with many forums. It has killed many a forum in the past. I don't know the answers to fix this, yet, i'm a member of a forum where this type of behavior is NOT tolerated, at all, and that for sure is needed here!
"It is indeed a public forum and members can do as they wish"
No, they cannot, not if you wish your forum to survive! Have you ever been to a town meeting where the didn't enforce the rules of public forum? BEDLAM! Polite discourse will become shouting and and angry accusations! Sound familiar? Although
I'm sure that's exactly the thing that certain people enjoy, they shouldn't be given a place here to stir up shit, yet you only get accused of being a troll for asking pertinent questions about people's information sources....
I continue to come here to follow 2 members threads and will continue to do so. I'd love to be more active, but posting in this forum is like hunting Bear without a weapon......
