Guilty and Need To Apoligize

[Matt In Oklahoma]

One thing I see happening not just here but other places and forums as well is as things worsen is that preppers, survivalist or whatever title you use, are getting rather mean with each other. We have yet to hit the true "bad" and we as knowledge holders and prepared individuals may be leaders during these times. We all have different backgrounds, jobs and other things but we are in this for a common goal of surviving and hopefully to make a better place. If all that makes it are sorry knuckledragging individuals that think and act like me this will not be much of a world.
Folks we will never all agree but we are in this together so take an easy on each other a little, ok? Take a jab to make a point but don't smash the throat of a possible ally!
For anyone who feels that I have been to harsh it is out of passion and not meaness however it does not excuse what I have said or done. I apoligize.

[protus]

you made me cry once.
;p

I think many of us are in the same boat as you....what may be felt as anger is really just a strong passion to wake folks up.

[monkeybird]

Matt I enjoy all of your posts. In fact you usually post excellent information. I also get ANGRY. Particularly when people read something into my post other than what I actually meant to communicate. I agree protus, sometimes I read posts and wonder if the writer is thinking of what life will really be like after the SHTF.

[Matt In Oklahoma]

you made me cry once.;p

You said you weren't going to mention that in public:)

I also get ANGRY. Particularly when people read something into my post other than what I actually meant to communicate. I agree protus, sometimes I read posts and wonder if the writer is thinking of what life will really be like after the SHTF.

I think that gonna happen and it's hard to communicate thoughts strictly thru this format without the use of voice inflections and immediate explainations. I think we all have ideas of what it will be like, some worse than others, dunno whos right or wrong. Truth is I dunno much of anything sometimes, I can only base my thoughts on my life experiences and SWAGs. We just gotta try and keep it cool

[1Admin]

You said you weren't going to mention that in public:)


I think that gonna happen and it's hard to communicate thoughts strictly thru this format without the use of voice inflections and immediate explainations. I think we all have ideas of what it will be like, some worse than others, dunno whos right or wrong. Truth is I dunno much of anything sometimes, I can only base my thoughts on my life experiences and SWAGs. We just gotta try and keep it cool

Had this come up recently in email. A guy I had never dealt with before emailed me asking for a "special deal" on a high priced item we already sell for a good bit less than others. He dropped the name of a forum (not here) and Rawles blog and asked for a "special deal" because he read at those site.

So I cut $75. off the price of the item and he made the purchase. About a week later the factory tells me "you can move XX number of these units at XX price", so I act accordingly and run a sale. This fellow takes receipt of this item about this time and also sees it on sale on the site.

So I get this really nasty email wherein I was told that I was an evil ba$tard because I had "planned" this sale ahead of time and not told him to wait a week to purchase. When in reality I had no flipping clue the factory would contact me and say "you can move XX number of units at XX price." The fellow never called, just emailed but his email read to me as a "this is a great conspiracy to get $75. out of me."

When I responded that "their was no conspiracy to get $75. out of you...." he took offense. I sent him back exactly what he wrote stating that I had "planned the sale" - like how the heck could he have known that? I gave him a credit for the difference but I did cut and paste what he wrote back to him highlighting the words that he used insinuating that I knew ahead of time- he actually said I "knew" their would be a sale a week later!

Anywhoo, I stated the same exact thing Matt said above- email and the internet is NOT conducive to good communications.

If you try to over explain and make things simple, somebody goes "oh he's talking DOWN to me" or "he thinks he's better than us." If you feel passionate about something then your an a-hole and if you disagree with someone and prove them wrong, let's face it- they will forever HATE you.

Several times in Proverbs you read things like "a wise man will listen to counsel" and "correct a wise man and he will love you, but correct a fool and he will hate you."

I haven't seen any serious urinating matches on the forums here, for the most part everyone has been cool. We did recently have to finally ban someone (1st in almost a year!!) for getting stupid with another member. But 1 in almost a year is a pretty good record I think.

I can guarantee you that 99% of us could sit down around a campfire and have an awesome time.

[610Alpha]

Well said all of you!! Tone of voice is one of the most important parts of communication, you can't hear my tone of voice by reading what I have typed...its a shame really. I remember a Pastor once saying that to be offended you have to take ownership of the offense or something along those lines. Not sure if that helps or not but it takes 2 to tango and we don't know what kind of day the reader has had or what kind of mood they are in.

Never once thought you were being harsh or mean. I second the apologies in case I have come across the wrong way.

I 2nd what LD3 said about sitting around the campfire and being able to have an awesome time. I am just a redneck computer geek so no worries, no if that isn't a combo :)

[1Admin]

I'm not into "group hugs" guys, sorry ;) Just kidding and trying to lighten the mode.

[barfife]

When we make a post on this, or any forum, we tend to write, rewrite, edit and re-edit in an attempt to clarify our point. We do this in an effort to communicate in a manner that others will hopefully understand our point, whether our audience agrees or disagress with our point. There will always be some souls that will perceive offense where none is intended.

On the other hand, some people feel the need to belittle those that do not share their singular opinion. It does not give their point more validity. To the contrary, it tends to make their audience less receptive to the ideas being presented. This forum is populated with people noted for being "independent free thinkers" and not "followers".

I, for one, appauld the differing opinions presented on this forum. It is those differences that make this forum work so well. As a participant, I have the option of gleaning whatever information I choose to...or not.

Several members of this forum, Matt in particular, have gone above and beyond to furnish information in the form of manuals, videos, research papers, and sites to this writer. While obvioulsy passionate about survival and preparation, they present the information without prejudice and it is my decision alone to partake or ignore. For this I thank you all.

[Cimarron]

Good form Matt.

Myself, I look at my poor writing skills as many problems with getting my point across. Usually scrubbing half of my text and starting over and still worrying about if I got the context I was trying to convey.

I also remember what my English Prof. told me.

Writers and Authors: Imply
Readers: Infer

[barfife]

Good form Matt.

Myself, I look at my poor writing skills as many problems with getting my point across. Usually scrubbing half of my text and starting over and still worrying about if I got the context I was trying to convey.

I also remember what my English Prof. told me.

Writers and Authors: Imply
Readers: Infer

Remember, TALK is the other 4 letter word ending in "k" that means intercourse

[qrprat77]

you guys suck....
ok, just kidding.
Seriously though, it's great to be here! I've learned a lot of great info in a short amount of time. I only hope I can contribute as much as I've been helped. I learned a long time ago that there are trolls who live to make people upset on internet forums. They fit a profile...
You ain't seen nothing till you've read through the archives of QRP-L lol.. It's a ham radio email list. Lots of people over there who 'have all the answers'.
I tend not to take myself too seriously, and actually made a few people upset once when I made a post. Mainly they were upset because the trolls had lain a groundwork...

[Klayton]

This reminds me of a movie a little ways back, well ok, a long ways back (LOL).

This "new guy" was great at seems to be everything. He out bowled the "groups" best bowler, he could outrun their best runner, he could out shoot their best marksman, about this time (maybe there were a couple more of being outdone) the "bests" of their particular fields starting mocking and making fun of the "new guy" behind his back...

Well,as it always happens, he walked in one day and saw them mocking him...

He was shocked, but without missing a beat he said to them: "I was an only child, my parents never let me fail at anything, I wasn't allowed to play unless I got whatever we were doing perfect, so yes I do very well at most things in life. But I would change that all for being could at one thing. I would like to be good at making friends. I never had a best friend in my life." with that he turned around and walked away.

Needless to say, the room got really really quite...