The ADI Forum Circus

How many forums are there for ADI's? Well there seems to be a plethora of them. So how would an instructor choose?

There are quite a few on #Linkedin covering a wide range of topics and with very impressive membership numbers. I have chosen the ones I like and the level of professionalism attached to the posters. However as you move deeper into forum life a darker side of poor internet etiquette, childish behaviour and general disappointing management is exposed.

'how do you choose?'

OR

'do they choose you?'

I surveyed a selection of people, I did move outside of the instructor industry for some answers, to ask why they use forums and what they would like from them. Initially this research was for the benefit of my boards. Reviewing the results on the basis of developing a super board, or should that just be something to please everyone without the usual elite selection displayed by those who hide from debate, challenge and questioning. I know that seems harsh, but as a professional person I learn from criticism and praise. I will never grow as a person if I do not take on board views of others however unpalatable that may be. I rub shoulders with friends and colleagues outside of the boards, I therefore do not need 'stroking' within them. Show me debate and sell me your view. We can always agree to disagree. 

So the results showed that boards were rarely chosen on social networking sites, rather acquired. One person adds another and they bring a friend and suddenly we have a party. Specialist sites such as illness, drink, beauty were chosen specifically through searching and often were much harder to find than most admin would like to imagine. It's a case of if you know then you can come in. Or is it? Specialist sites were found not to discriminate, if two people didn't share a view and became vocal, then rarely admin sent a message, but generally no censorship took place. I found this was relevant on a coaching board I belong to. I think many see coaching as uber calm contributions and adequate niceness, but it isn't, in fact honestly, disagreements and plain brutality is commonplace but despite the occasional toe curling it actually is a true reflection of real life in contrast to the fantasy of controlled internet forum playing. The same as other industries, passion rises above the dare I say, tame threads, and it actually was these boards that people enjoyed more. I know that the feed of adrenaline entices activity. For admin that's wonderful news. So controversy sells, in fact a bit like sex. In soap operas the controversial story lines hit the headlines and get best viewing figures. This does of course assume that admin starts a board for pleasure within their chosen field and not as a massive ego boost and power wand waving.

Have you ever followed a thread and thought, ouch? You can put money on the fact that everyone else has seen it too and is talking about it. That is good business.

Would you be more likely to tell friends or colleagues about a board, or encourage to join a forum on a social networking site if you felt you needed help to (a) explain your point, (b) to add weight to your argument, or because (c) you felt the specialist interest was worth sharing. As admin I'd like to think option (c), sadly it was (b). Which I guess even the most cynical would be saddened by. I chose the questions on my research so clearly I knew without knowing that I may be surprised.

So are forums the host of bullying? Well if you asked a member from a gaming forum they would be disappointed by the lack of camaraderie, if you watched from the wings on a study forum you would be shocked if a post went by without a war. Because we are all different we express in different ways. The one that caught me out was an English study group, if you were not well read enough, you were not welcome, never excluded because grown-ups are better than that, but, miss a good quote at your peril. Clever language? Clever wit? Or unclever? Oops now that word would be ousted with a shovel of disrespect, however as a novelist I excuse myself with artistic licence. 

So did my survey turn up bullying on line?

Of course it did, however it amazed me how many people took literal offence at indirect comments and genuine belief in ability, experience and candour. The bullying raised it's head significantly in the smaller group who took part, those who described themselves as age 16 - 24. The majority group came in second. The age range of 40 - 65, which was kind of wow.  

We do of course see bullying in different lights depending on our side of the fence. However, it was more often described as being forced from a forum, blocked by admin or pushed out due to personal differences. The final one being laughable. It's a forum. Can we only agree? That is not very politically friendly, democratic or, and I risk this statement, adult. The under 24 group is understandably different, it covers vulnerable age groups and the highest group for suicide in the UK and in fact many parts of the World. 

Of course if the question was asked, do you believe in World peace, few would dare to say no. My own take is, absolutely, as long as it's forum free.

So why did I choose this subject, for my thought for today?

Some years ago, I wrote a Saturday essay for a well known newspaper, which I admit to being the days of Windows 3.1 beyond DOS but still wrapped in an envelope with a few give away white blotches from correction fluid.  It was actually a politically motivated article, but the undercurrents were the gang warfare of groups. I think the only thing that has changed is anonymity, the unlikely event of meeting someone the other side of the computer screen and that bullying is more technical than in the past. People haven't changed. Sadly. Understanding, appreciation and acceptance of everything living is not quite there yet. Life is precious. 

My topic here is ADI forums and how we socialise as a group. Yet did I get misled? No. There is a culture creeping through our communities, where secret people and power hungry nobodies gather, does it grow and fester and become approved by the back slappers, or do we cut the ugly culture now and open our arms to everyone, the place where true unity begins.

Do you want to be in my gang?

I am of course crossing two boundaries here. My forums involve people from all around the World, I respect them all. Their desire to take part. To evoke change in the driver training community. I accept the articles that I may not have the language for, but Google does, and I read them all. I want to take time to appreciate everyone's fight. Yet I have been the subject of forum bullying, I may be quite tough when it comes to fighting my corner, but I do feel great pity for the ones who see me as enough of a threat to block and bar me based on my beliefs, and of course the fact I run a business in a similar driver coaching genre. I'm also saddened that members of my family have been abused by bully boy tactics when the song is the same even if the hymn sheet is not always the same way up.

Today I write from a room where I can taste chemotherapy poison as I fight the good fight in the hope I have many tomorrows. My one quest. Get a grip please forum fighters, life is VERY short.