Originally Posted by
kitsapcowboy
What I am saying, 'Slug, is that while there as a great many active and/or long-time HF members who are kind, welcoming, helpful, supportive, and patient with questions -- a group within which I would definitely include you yourself based on your contributions -- I do not believe that the emphasis O&B cited on being welcoming to new members is necessarily held by all. I feel there is an often-vocal minority of mostly old guard members who lament about the growth of Hammock Forums and the quality of its recent membership, who can be brusque at times toward the uninitiated rather than civil, who are sufficiently set in their ways that they choose to squelch new ideas or alternative perspectives on hiking and hammock camping out of hand rather than debate issues considerately, who are frequently self-agrandizing rather than inclusive, and who generally seem to hold as top priorities things other than making new members -- especially inexperienced ones -- feel welcome. In short, I don't feel like they really embrace "Hang Your Own Hang" at all. And that's fine; this is the Internet, not kindergarten. Personally, I feel blessed that in the year I've been a member of HF I've encountered significantly more members from the former group than the latter, but I don't choose to overlook that the latter group exists and can exert a significant counter-effect. That said, if there are those of us who want to maintain and promote a more positive and welcoming environment for all members and their contributions here on Hammock Forums, it is up to us to understand and accept that moving HF in such a direction will be the result of community resolve toward that end as opposed to any administrative policy or action. As Gandhi said, we have to be the change we wish to see in the world. This is just my opinion, but that is what my opinion is.
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