Jesus Christi, what is going on with this place?
I understand in theory that message boards must endure this kind of troll penetration, and that the moderators here are doing their best to keep the dialogue civil while still democratic and open.
But there really is something systemically amiss when the board's single most generous contributor - Chris - is so outrageously and personally attacked. Chris has done more for new writers and gotten less back for it then literally anyone I know. He has posted here and on his other site for as long as I can remember, has championed new writers and new scripts in his seminars, and has done so without being the kind of pocket picking super guru that he would have every right to be. In posting here, he has given writers with no representation, no connections and no geographic leverage the kind of in depth information that I would have killed to get when I was breaking in. And I still don't understand what he gets out of it!
CE and I are not fools - we realize that a warm, enduring bond exists with the vast majority of writers here, and although sometimes debate focusses more on our opinions than others, I assure you that I read carefully, listen, and get a lot out of these forums and I'm sure Chris does too.
But the fact of the matter is that as of this moment, trolls have hijacked this board. A small minority of posters are not debating, they are baiting, attacking and flaming - all the time, idiotically, over everything. And they are focussing their slug-like attention on the posters that are most prominent, knowledgeable and generous: like Chris.
It is simplest of course to hit the ignore button, but debate is still skewed because all don't do this. It is momentarily satisfying to flame back but it's aggravating to be mildly irritated all the time while posting. It is theoretically possible and certainly advisable to stay 'above it all' and just never respond to personal attacks. But the problem is that Chris and Bill M. (look out Bill, you're next) and other pros beside myself have allowed the veil of anonymity to be drawn in this forum and have trusted that the posters here would not take advantage of this to use our "public" personas against us. It is the height of cowardice to hide behind handles and spew invective when those you are insulting have allowed their names, careers and work to become public knowledge.
I don't know what the rules are - i just know that Chris should not have to listen to that bull****. If that means mods should act sooner? Mods should allow Survivor like "voting off the island" by supermajority for permanent troublemakers? I don't claim to have the answers, but I would like someone to explain to me how other boards have handled these problems so that the "everybody loses" step of actual pros really permanently leaving the board and hiding in ivory tower "pro" sites like WGA or PEN or tracking boards doesn't have to happen.
I understand in theory that message boards must endure this kind of troll penetration, and that the moderators here are doing their best to keep the dialogue civil while still democratic and open.
But there really is something systemically amiss when the board's single most generous contributor - Chris - is so outrageously and personally attacked. Chris has done more for new writers and gotten less back for it then literally anyone I know. He has posted here and on his other site for as long as I can remember, has championed new writers and new scripts in his seminars, and has done so without being the kind of pocket picking super guru that he would have every right to be. In posting here, he has given writers with no representation, no connections and no geographic leverage the kind of in depth information that I would have killed to get when I was breaking in. And I still don't understand what he gets out of it!
CE and I are not fools - we realize that a warm, enduring bond exists with the vast majority of writers here, and although sometimes debate focusses more on our opinions than others, I assure you that I read carefully, listen, and get a lot out of these forums and I'm sure Chris does too.
But the fact of the matter is that as of this moment, trolls have hijacked this board. A small minority of posters are not debating, they are baiting, attacking and flaming - all the time, idiotically, over everything. And they are focussing their slug-like attention on the posters that are most prominent, knowledgeable and generous: like Chris.
It is simplest of course to hit the ignore button, but debate is still skewed because all don't do this. It is momentarily satisfying to flame back but it's aggravating to be mildly irritated all the time while posting. It is theoretically possible and certainly advisable to stay 'above it all' and just never respond to personal attacks. But the problem is that Chris and Bill M. (look out Bill, you're next) and other pros beside myself have allowed the veil of anonymity to be drawn in this forum and have trusted that the posters here would not take advantage of this to use our "public" personas against us. It is the height of cowardice to hide behind handles and spew invective when those you are insulting have allowed their names, careers and work to become public knowledge.
I don't know what the rules are - i just know that Chris should not have to listen to that bull****. If that means mods should act sooner? Mods should allow Survivor like "voting off the island" by supermajority for permanent troublemakers? I don't claim to have the answers, but I would like someone to explain to me how other boards have handled these problems so that the "everybody loses" step of actual pros really permanently leaving the board and hiding in ivory tower "pro" sites like WGA or PEN or tracking boards doesn't have to happen.
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