The world of unreality

[starrkers]

Here we are, fiction writers on a forum. We regularly get slammed by readers for "unreal" situations in our stories. Hell, they're fiction! Suspend some disbelief.

Perhaps we suspend our own disbelief too far.

We accept at face value some of the most improbable bullshit from some of our fellow posters, starting candle threads and offering prayers, losing sleep over our "friends".

Friends who, on occasion, like nothing more than to drain the forum of its essence and bottle it for themselves, to take the bon homie and genuine caring nature of some of the forum's inhabitants and milk it for their own warped desire.

And that really gets my goat.

 

[Guest]

Here we are, fiction writers on a forum. We regularly get slammed by readers for "unreal" situations in our stories. Hell, they're fiction! Suspend some disbelief.

Perhaps we suspend our own disbelief too far.

We accept at face value some of the most improbable bullshit from some of our fellow posters, starting candle threads and offering prayers, losing sleep over our "friends".

Friends who, on occasion, like nothing more than to drain the forum of its essence and bottle it for themselves, to take the bon homie and genuine caring nature of some of the forum's inhabitants and milk it for their own warped desire.

And that really gets my goat.

Thanks for bringing this up.

Some of us have had suspicions for awhile.

I hate when good people are taken advantage of.

 

[sr71plt]

I'm not at all sure if we are thinking about the same thing, but I've been smelling something very fishy in here for a couple of days.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

As usual, I have not a clue. Someone want to pm me and fill me in on what's going on?

 

[Guest]

It wasn't JBJ's shoes?

 

[sr71plt]

I'm probably off on a different tangent than Starrkers is--but what she posted comes so very close to my suspicions about a recent bundle of threads that I noted it. The issue isn't one I've followed or am interested in--so I won't give it a name or blow a whistle on it, but I see a classic Internet game in how it's unfolding, so it's been working at the back of my mind as one of the cruel jokes that spins on discussion boards like this. I won't mind if I'm wrong.

 

[starrkers]

Not even JBJ can create a smell that pungent.

Crim: PM sent.

 

[Maeve_redux]

-blink-

I'm lost, too. Just haven't been keeping up, with work and getting ready to go back to school (actually starting college, 12 years late!) and the knowledge just isn't there. Share?

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[Guest]

I'm going to barge right in like a loser who wants friends.

I don't post a lot but read most of what goes on. It's always fun and entertaining in here.

Just to tell you a random story to sort of prove that it could be worse - on another site I was on, a fertility site, someone stole an ultrasound picture of quadruplets and pretended she was pregnant with 4 babies and then over the span of a few weeks miscarried them. It wasn't until someone found the same picture on a public domain site that she was caught.

And to think that us who write erotica are the normal ones....

Terrible.

People on sites like that are hoping and praying for children. It's very depressing.

To do something like that - just heartbreaking.

 

[LadynStFreknBed]

?

Okay, so I haven't ben around much. In my defense, I just got both a new toy and a new bf... It's like Christmas here! LOL

Anyway, my curiousity always gets the best of me. At the risk of ruining my good mood, could someone fill me in. Starrkers, I'm not used to seeing you miffed...

-Sheila

 

[glynndah]

PM, please.

 

[starrkers]

Thanks for bringing this up.

Some of us have had suspicions for awhile.

I hate when good people are taken advantage of.

Glad I'm not the only one. I was wondering if I might just be crazy. But I don't think it's me.

 

[Carnevil9]

People lie? On the internet? Say it ain't so!!

 

[DeeZire]

The good thing about the thread in question is that fact that it elicits compassion, an emotion we could use more of these days.

Oh wait, now that I'm a conservative, I suspect I will have to readjust the meaning of compassion to include cutting funding for social programs.

Never mind.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Always, always, Every internet user has to evaluate the possibility that someone is lying online.

It's always possible that the broken leg doesn't exist, the big bankruptcy ain't so, the boyfriend-- for good or bad-- is a figment of someone's needy imagination.

So, what to do? Yes, I might be responding to a con. But to withhold my sympathy from someone who is truly in pain-- I wouldn't like to know that I'd done that. I prefer to exercise my compassion, if I'm in doubt. Like any other muscle it grows stronger with exercise.

 

[Carnevil9]

You mean that deposed Nigerian Finance Minister who offered me $131.2 million to help him move his fortune out of the country might have been lying? I feel so used.

 

[Guest]

Um, I'm lost. Been out of the loop waaaay too long, but enquiring minds want to know.

As others have said, tis sad when peeps feel they have to lie, for whatever reason, but that reason could be valid and sometimes a little white lie can snowball and become a big, huge, whopper. When others get hurt, that's when it's really sad.

 

[Liar]

This is not about the "you said monkey! waaaa!" character, is it?

If so, I don't want to know, unless there is something tangible, proof wise. I'd rather take too much on face value than discover that I have trust issues.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Well, you know what the blind guy said as he passed the fish market, "Good Morning, ladies."

 

[starrkers]

This is not about the "you said monkey! waaaa!" character, is it?

If so, I don't want to know, unless there is something tangible, proof wise. I'd rather take too much on face value than discover that I have trust issues.

Hardly. I doubt anyone here would waste a nanosecond's compassion on that character.

 

[Liar]

Hardly. I doubt anyone here would waste a nanosecond's compassion on that character.

Then do me a favor.

If you KNOW something, and can show me why I should trust you on it, please fill me in.

If you SUSPECT, no thanks.

No offense, but I've seen enough unfounded troll calling and frivolous witch hunts here to be very wary of any such claims.

 

[neonlyte]

One of our forum friends is very ill indeed and has been for three or more years; possibly on of the reasons they are not around much currently. I don't recall them ever mentioning their illness on AH but I do know they have good support.

 

[starrkers]

Neon, do you really think I would be talking about someone who underplays an illness?

That would hardly fit the profile, would it?

 

[neonlyte]

Neon, do you really think I would be talking about someone who underplays an illness?

That would hardly fit the profile, would it?

Of course not! And it wasn't a criticism... just a comment. Good Heavens, I've had more than my share of woes in recent years and bored people silly with my illness... so I have full sympathy with illness. I'm just saying others 'we' know are ill and choose to say nothing through the boards. It's an attitude I suppose, though personally I'm more than grateful for the support I've received.

On the subject in question, compassion is due in right measure... no matter what the illness.