One Bad Apple
Posted By Kathleen David on August 20, 2004
This really ticks me off. I am part of an internet list that has good conversation going. Everyone is swapping ideas and stories. There is almost a family feeling then one person joins and the list goes to pieces. This has happened more than once during my time on the internet.
There was one list that was devoted to an actor. For all I know it is still around in some form. There was attached a list where we wrote fan fic based on any of the characters he had played in his career. On the main list we also discussed what was going on with our lives and supported each other. One member found out that she had breast cancer and we gave her a safe place to vent her frustration with her body and doctors and the health care system. She came out of it with a clean bill of health and much relieved.
We had a new member who I will call
I’ve seen so many stories like that on Fandom Wank, it’s not even funny anymore.
I stopped using mailing lists for many reasons – one the ads were driving me crazy, two, too much mail to sift through, even with filters, and three, I couldn’t keep up. I’m more tuned to Livejournal communities and message boards these days.
A few communities I’m a member of have people like that. The Drama Queens (or Kings), who think their stuff is all that, can’t take critical feedback, and get all huffy and filled with righteous indignation should you dare question their authori-tay.
I just ignore them for the most part, try not to get drawn in. Doesn’t always work, of course, when someone is spoiling for a fight. Odds are, though, she was just jealous and/or feeling insecure in comparison to your own writing and went to great lengths to make herself the victim to get support from the gullible.
Happens a lot in real life, too.
Oh, yes, I know the situation well. Been there in fact online recently. Finally just had to drop the subject and stop posting.
I think that’s why I hate internet communities in general.
Also possibly why I hate joining them. Ironically I’m a member of a few too many.