Just some obeservations

[Pogmusic]

I've been a member here for a wee bit of time. More than some; but, less than others. I'm a commercially rated pilot, multi-engine, land, instrument. I flew for the Georgia Forestry Commission. I have over 2,000 hours of flight time. My educational background is that I have a Masters Degree in History. I served in the Army starting out as a PFC and left as a Captain. Served in Airborne and also Mechanized units. I was also assigned to the German Air Force. After the Army I worked at the Museum of Aviation as their Historian and Education Director for five years. I also was an editor for both World War Two and Vietnam magazines.

So what?

Over the past year, I've noted a disturbing trend on WIX that really bothers me. A thread will start out with maybe some neat subject or not so neat subject. Within a few posts, it degrades into a male organ measuring contest. Trust me you ARE the biggest Richard out there when it gets to that level. If one posts some info that may not be correct or not to a readers liking, the names start flying or they are be-littled with taunts such as "How many hours do you have?" "Do you own one?" "How much do you turn a wrench?"

Granted, some posters are just out there to show how much they know, own or do. Instead of remembering that this is an Information Exchange forum. So what if the question comes from someone who hasn't been to X number of airshows or owns an airplane. They have an interest in this avocation. If they step out of line, gently nudge them back or educate them.

I'm not one to say that I'm taking my toys home if things don't go my way like some of the posters in the past have. Just remember, the future is what you invest in it. I was fortunate to grow up in an Air Force family that had roots in the early days of aviation. Because of that, I met some of the greats: Jimmy Doolittle, Bob Scott, Paul Tibbets, Gunter Rall, Adolf Galland and others. It's not that I just met them, they were guests of my dad or grandfather. So I got to observe them. Most were normal people who were GLAD to answer questions -- no matter how stupid they were.

So what? Just be considerate of others. The one you slam, may HAVE been the next Paul Allen or S. H. Pilot. You never know who these people are or, may become. I'll sit back and wait for all the HEAT rounds.

[Stoney]

Pog
I look at several other web site and not about warbirds and it seens to me that if a thread goes more then 15 replys, it gets into a pi$$ing contest, when I see they have gone that far I don't bother to look.

[RyanShort1]

Well said pogmusic. I speak for myself in saying that I think we all need to back off a bit and exercise more humility where we can, especially if we are only armchair experts on a subject.

Ryan

[Mark Allen M]

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Last edited by Mark Allen M on Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[SaxMan]

I participate in several forums on topics as diverse as saxophones and mountain biking, and sadly, you have your "trolls" who degenerate threads into pissing contests. Anyone can be a tough guy (or gal) behind a computer keyboard. It's almost akin to road rage. I've seen people who would never think of harming another soul turn into absolute animals when behind the wheel. It's the anonymity of the forum format that tends to contribute to this behavior.

The way I survive on these forums is to separate the wheat from the chaff and try to engage with people who are willing to engage in a civil manner, even if you disagree on a subject. If someone takes a crack out you or tries to bait you into their trollery, you just ignore it. After a while, they figure out you're not going to play their game and will move on.

[Ken]

Funny how it is typically a relatively new screen name that causes most of the problems. Despite the occasional complaint that the Mods are too strict, maybe one idea is for them to be ~more~ strict. Can the knuckleheads and leave the rest of us alone.

The decline of the Odegaard tribute thread disturbs me. If I gave a hoot about the antagonistic posters I'd mention that there was already a dedicated thread about the pros and cons of low level aerobatics for them to grouse on ... but I don't.

Ken

[lmritger]

I am not a pilot.

There, I said it. I know I've said it before, but I want to make absolutely clear to everyone that I have no pretense of claiming to have any sort of experience when the reverse is true. I've had the good fortune to see a lot of cool stuff, meet an awful lot of incredibly interesting people, and I've made a few good friends through this board, including Zack Baughman and Jack Cook. And I continue to visit because I love to learn. I'm an author, a professional modeler, and a (gasp!) re-enactor, and each of those hobbies demands an attention to detail above and beyond a mere "casual" interest, at least if they're to be done correctly. I share all this not to point out how awesome I am (ha!) but to indicate how much I have yet to learn... there is an incredibly deep well of talent and experience here on WIX for which I am continually grateful.

But Pogmusic is right- those reserves of talent and experience are shrinking, and have been for some time. Some very prolific posters have left due to antagonistic actions on the part of moderators, others have left due to repeated attacks and ridiculous statements from anonymous Internet trolls who have taken up residence here... whatever the reason, their departure leaves the community poorer. To some extent, heated exchanges and attrition are inevitable- one thing I've learned is that the warbird business is no place for a shrinking violet. There are an awful lot of full-throttle Type A egos in the warbird field, and again, that's somewhat inevitable given the size of the investment required to keep a Mustang or Corsair or Spitfire or B-25 in the air. Folks who can afford that sort of commitment generally come from a highly successful business background where an aggressive personality is not just welcomed but required. And make no mistake, it's not a BAD thing to acknowledge the role ego plays in the warbird business.

The true gems of the Warbird movement, though, have been the ones who worked their way up and built a rapport with people. They understand their role isn't just to maintain and fly their precious aircraft today- they recognize their role includes generating that "spark" that will get the next wave of Warbird enthusiasts involved, men like Gary Austin, Gerry Beck, and Bob Odegaard, all of whom have sadly left us too soon. We need more of their kind, not less, and while I realize that a massive paradigm shift from an ego-centric to inclusive approach may be all but impossible for some folks, it's still an effort I think needs to be made if the warbird movement is to continue to grow into the future. And we need more of them here on the boards as well- that inspirational role doesn't stop on the ramp or at the airfield boundary, it continues online and behind the scenes as well. Those who are willing to share their thoughts and experiences should be appreciated, encouraged, and yes, to some extent protected as well from the excesses of ill-mannered and ill-tempered posters by both the community and the moderating team. As to those who take perverse delight in a combative, confrontational or otherwise unnecessarily aggressive approach here on the boards- the moderating team needs to be relentless in their efforts to enforce the standards of civil discourse, up to and including termination of privileges. Lastly, as if it were not obvious, the moderating team needs to be able to set aside personal animus and act in the best interests of the community at large. If a moderator is unable to do so, they should be honest with Scott and relinquish their moderating permissions. Tall order, I know, but one which is necessary to rebuild the integrity of the board.

Lynn

[CDF]

Navy aircraft always seem to cheer me up.

Context always cheers me up in terms of pics .....

An F6F-5K Hellcat and an AD-5 aircraft used for towing targets pictured in flight out of Naval Air Station (NAS) Barbers Point, Hawaii, on September 17, 1959. The aircraft were assigned to Utility Squadron (VU) 1.

[StangStung]

Some people just like to stir the pot.

Some people have thin skins.

Some people can be any one of us, depending on the particular topic, or just our mood at the time.

I try to add to the conversation where I can, and I try not to be one who detracts from the conversation. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

I for one, think there is much more wheat here than chaff. Lots of folks making really good contributions. I know who they are and look for their posts.

Other than that, the internet - like real life - turns up some loudmouthed (or loud penned) louts you just have to deal with. And people you otherwise respect may spout off from time to time. It's the nature of the beast.

Overall, I look forward to the morning cup of jo, and a review of the WIX, before dealing with the drudgery of the day.

[Chris]

I come here for one reason. Just what the name of the website implies. Warbird Information Exchange. If I see a thread that is a mudslinger, I just dont open it. Its tough for someone to throw insults if you dont provide them with a target.

[RyanShort1]

I come here for one reason. Just what the name of the website implies. Warbird Information Exchange. If I see a thread that is a mudslinger, I just dont open it. Its tough for someone to throw insults if you dont provide them with a target.

The problem is when a topic that folks have a genuine interest in get turned into a mess. It's easy to scan the "newposts" feature and only open the topics you're interested in, but then be rather turned off by what you read.

Ryan

[kr1360]

This is one the best threads I have read In a longtime!!!!! Cheers!

[Lynn Allen]

This board is like flying, you get to see all kinds of people. Its just the nature of the business. You just try to pick wisely, the first time...

Lynn

[Jeff Nelson]

I tend to agree with everything I've read on this thread. As one who has recently had to speak up against a party badmouthing someone without merit, I had to make a decision to try to "un-ring a bell" or to let it ride. Might I suggest that the mods require a real name and email to be submitted? A screen name and bogus email could be displayed, but the mods would have the real one so that if people start flaming others without any evidence of wrongdoing or if they get generally idiotic, the mods could then do something about it. Just a thought. I, for one, am very open to ways to stop the stupidity....

[Mark Allen M]

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Last edited by Mark Allen M on Thu Sep 27, 2012 12:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.