The great irony of it is that it's actually a very tiny number of people doing the damage, but they effectively remove a very large number of longstanding, respected members, and the forum's reputation resulting from that also dissuades many others from joining.
And that could so easily be changed with so little effort. It just needs someone who cares, but apparently we don't have that.
I prefer to think of it as experiencing contrast. Knowing what one doesn’t want leads to knowing more of what one does want.
It’s no secret that one gets what they focus upon.
Unfortunately for those stuck on the broken record of ‘prove it’ only want to see the dependent variable and not open their minds to the independent variable.
To spell it out, the independent variable is one own mentality and the path they took to build their minds to see greater and greater distinctions much like improving one’s vocabulary in a foreign language.
“How one does anything is how one does everything” is applicable here. Being anything but polite, respectful and kind when attempting to solicit information from someone is counterproductive and self-damaging.
Assholes generally know they are assholes for that’s the function they fulfill. If someone is being an asshole that doesn’t identify with it, upon feedback, they can quickly readjust and calibrate to not being an asshole. In one case lies bondage in the other freedom.
The ignore feature is quite useful and has transformed my experience of this site. After one or two attempts at communicating with someone, it’s easy to discern if any more energy in that direction will be received in good faith or bad.
‘What about being defamed and not being able to defend oneself?”
In my experience, we only defend what is weak. No defense is necessary to a broken record. A broken record just plays the self-righteous blame game. Stuck in a recursive cycle of suffering, all they can do is lash out and perpetuate the chain of pain.
At some point as one experiences the satisfaction of success derived from there own diligence is that of realizing the most valuable commodity of all is time.
I was once a broken record in many areas of my life. It wasn’t until I had an insight in that I was the creator of my own experience and that the world is a mirror.
Whatever I looked for I found, dark and light. I attracted and perpetuated the circumstances of my complaints.
Until one realizes they are their own key, not much to see.
So why would one not use ignore?
Self energy management 101