A Message to the Board
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Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 51
A Message to the Board
Hi again all—a final post since the thread I started has been locked for being distracting. (Just one thread among hundreds, but fine—I don’t want to be a distraction!)
I did want to offer a word of advice to some here, in order to provide help to others who happen to visit, using the last long post on that thread by “Robby Robot,” because it’s reflective of several other posts.
Robby goes on at length about “ESH,” my denial, misquoting things I wrote, and on and on. I won’t bore you with the details. But first of all, “ESH” is used about a dozen times in the post. Only problem is, I don’t know what “ESH” means, which is indicative of the insular nature of much of what goes on here (and, I presume, similar boards and meetings.)
The point is, comfortably using an acronym over and over without any possible sense the person you’re writing to won’t understand it is indicative of a community that’s closing itself to outside thoughts and ideas.
Fifty years ago the perceptions of excessive drinking were different than they are today, and those perceptions will likely evolve quite a bit more over the next 50 years. So understand that the glib condescension that drips from so many posts here aren’t particularly helpful to someone who comes to a board with questions, looking for feedback, and is appreciative and responsive to anyone who takes the time to comment or respond.
So, I may be “drowning in ignorance” Robby, but I don’t think so. I am as flawed as anyone, and open to input and suggestions. Everything I think about certain issues may be entirely wrong. Who knows? But I would humbly suggest that everything you—and other posters here—believe on certain issues might be entirely wrong as well. So don’t be quite so comfortable in your own views, particularly with newcomers to the board, because you’ll likely turn off far more people than you would help. (And private messages I received from other posters indicate that’s true.) If what you have done or believe has helped you, that’s fantastic. But if your reason for posting here is also to help others, this is just something for you to think about.
Anyway, I’m off. Good luck and best wishes to all who are struggling with addiction yourself or who have a friend or family member who is. God bless.
I did want to offer a word of advice to some here, in order to provide help to others who happen to visit, using the last long post on that thread by “Robby Robot,” because it’s reflective of several other posts.
Robby goes on at length about “ESH,” my denial, misquoting things I wrote, and on and on. I won’t bore you with the details. But first of all, “ESH” is used about a dozen times in the post. Only problem is, I don’t know what “ESH” means, which is indicative of the insular nature of much of what goes on here (and, I presume, similar boards and meetings.)
The point is, comfortably using an acronym over and over without any possible sense the person you’re writing to won’t understand it is indicative of a community that’s closing itself to outside thoughts and ideas.
Fifty years ago the perceptions of excessive drinking were different than they are today, and those perceptions will likely evolve quite a bit more over the next 50 years. So understand that the glib condescension that drips from so many posts here aren’t particularly helpful to someone who comes to a board with questions, looking for feedback, and is appreciative and responsive to anyone who takes the time to comment or respond.
So, I may be “drowning in ignorance” Robby, but I don’t think so. I am as flawed as anyone, and open to input and suggestions. Everything I think about certain issues may be entirely wrong. Who knows? But I would humbly suggest that everything you—and other posters here—believe on certain issues might be entirely wrong as well. So don’t be quite so comfortable in your own views, particularly with newcomers to the board, because you’ll likely turn off far more people than you would help. (And private messages I received from other posters indicate that’s true.) If what you have done or believe has helped you, that’s fantastic. But if your reason for posting here is also to help others, this is just something for you to think about.
Anyway, I’m off. Good luck and best wishes to all who are struggling with addiction yourself or who have a friend or family member who is. God bless.
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Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Stumbling toward happiness
Posts: 4,706
There are certain personalities who find SR not to their liking.
Your thread elicited some difficult reactions, kmarko, because you did not seem interested in anything the community had to offer. In several places, you seem only interested in debating the worth of the ESH (experience, strength, hope) you were offered, rather than accepting that there may be a kernel of value in the experience shared by people who -- believe it or not -- have successfully navigated difficult situations such as the one you find yourself in.
No one likes being dismissed out of hand, especially when they have seen, time and time again, that the advice they're offering actually works.
And, as the nature of this discussion forum is to offer as much diverse help to as many people as possible, having an entire thread devoted to one man's refusal to accept the heartfelt offerings of the community IS indeed distracting. Also pointless, and a waste of everyone's energy and time -- including yours, which it seems would be more gainfully spent finding solutions you want to hear.
As I mentioned early on, if it is only facts about medicines, treatments, and facilities you need, this isn't the appropriate place for you. It is not what we do.
And since THIS thread is simply an effort to continue the argument and prove everyone wrong, I'm closing this one too, though we'll certainly take your advice under consideration.
Hoping you find the "real answers" you're seeking, and wishing you luck with your situation.
GiveLove
Forum Moderator
Your thread elicited some difficult reactions, kmarko, because you did not seem interested in anything the community had to offer. In several places, you seem only interested in debating the worth of the ESH (experience, strength, hope) you were offered, rather than accepting that there may be a kernel of value in the experience shared by people who -- believe it or not -- have successfully navigated difficult situations such as the one you find yourself in.
No one likes being dismissed out of hand, especially when they have seen, time and time again, that the advice they're offering actually works.
And, as the nature of this discussion forum is to offer as much diverse help to as many people as possible, having an entire thread devoted to one man's refusal to accept the heartfelt offerings of the community IS indeed distracting. Also pointless, and a waste of everyone's energy and time -- including yours, which it seems would be more gainfully spent finding solutions you want to hear.
As I mentioned early on, if it is only facts about medicines, treatments, and facilities you need, this isn't the appropriate place for you. It is not what we do.
And since THIS thread is simply an effort to continue the argument and prove everyone wrong, I'm closing this one too, though we'll certainly take your advice under consideration.
Hoping you find the "real answers" you're seeking, and wishing you luck with your situation.
GiveLove
Forum Moderator
Last edited by GiveLove; 01-11-2010 at 08:59 AM.
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