An old story

[delirium71]

Many years ago i used to post on a Tolkien forum. I joined when it was small, but as the films were announced it grew and grew like Alice into a very large community. I was shy, read more than I post - as I still do today on LJ and various other forums I've frequented - but I made some good friends there, had some laughs and inexplicably picked up

Comments

[sparklewren]

Here here.

[withered_roses_]

For some reason pulic fora, always seem to have some form of drama. Mostly because nuances and polite behaviour disapear when you do not actualy see eathother.

And it always comes with the people who get banned and then under psuedo-names come back. It is kinda sad actualy.

I am also mostly a lurker, but I do not say that it is just internet. You can have really nice conversations with people over the net, it is another form of communication. But it is not the same as with a face to face conversation.

[virginiadear]

A friend (RL friend) and I were just having a face-to-face conversation about this, earlier this week

[delirium71]

I've taken things personally many times. And I'm pretty sure I've been misunderstood too.

There again that can come to writing style. Also lack of a voice, or accent. We're posting from all over the world and manners, cultural context, background, vocabulary all come into play.
I think I can come across as a bit snooty and maybe a little sarcastic at times, when I (mostly haha) don't mean to be. But then to be utterly honest I can do that in RL too. Sometimes we all have to pause and think - 'how was that really meant'.

But the danger of these anonymous secondary accounts is that they A. allow people to be downright offensive with no repercussions on their 'known' name and B. Enable them to draw people into revealing opinions and making comments they wouldn't otherwise make. A sneaky and nasty way of behaving.

[virginiadear]

"We're posting from all over the world and manners, cultural context, background, vocabulary all come into play

[heliona]

That's all right. :)

I doubt anyone's on there now that remembers you, or the whole story (apart from me) nowadays, so you're probably safe. :) A couple of us were making mutterings about the fact that hardly anyone posts any more. And there's a whole new saga going on in Manwë with a couple of posters that has spilled over from another messageboard (I don't pay much attention to it, however - I've learnt my lesson from you. After all, I was insulted even though I didn't do anything at all (of course, you didn't do anything either, but I was completely out of it and still got insults thrown at me, so I know how some people can be).

I do get irate when older posters reminisce and say how they miss that certain person and wonderful she was. I have to quash any impulse to post and say that actually she was an utter psychotic bitch! *g*

[delirium71]

Oh, it's more in my head now. Paranoia y'know. But it's not people that knew the whole story that are the problem, it's not knowing just who had poison dripped in their ear. And I'm pretty sure there are a couple of them that are still about - perhaps not regularly but in and out.
But the whole place just reeks of bad memories. Even my password for there relates to then. I could never go back and feel easy.
Also, I don't think I would be able to quash the impulse anymore LOL! I'm rather more outspoken than I was back then. I'm sometimes tempted to go into those threads and do just that :D

[heliona]

To be honest, I doubt anyone would remember anything from 8 years ago now - only the people who were directly involved. You're probably safe. (And you can always change your password! ;) )

However, I would say that there's probably not much point in coming back - not a huge amount of stuff happening, apart from slagging off of each other in Manwë (the philosophy forum). Something needs to be done about it soon actually - a mod needs to come in and sort it all out! But I hardly ever go in there anyway. :)

(I'm guessing what brought this up was something on a corset messageboard?)

I'm much more outspoken now than I used to be - I would actually say something, so I tend to just skip over things now and ignore it, otherwise I'll get into trouble and lose my good little girl reputation. ;)

[delirium71]

What good little girl reputation is that then? ;)

It doesn't really interest me now anyway. Anytime I have stuck my head in it's seemed very alien. Moved past it in some ways (tho not it others) I guess. Plus, I confess it's been a few years now since I've read the books!

But you'd be surprised how long memories are, maybe cos you've never totally left for such a long period. Your view of it is more current with a lot more to focus on. But when I have popped back, albeit into those old-timer threads. Several old names have appeared,things get referred to. Someone mentions HFB then someone mentions dogstar and so on and so on.

I do sometimes wonder where some of those people have gone off to. I half expect to stumble across someone on twitter or some forum somewhere. The only person that seems to be everywhere is Kristy :)