Again there is discontent on the ex site and the focus is pulled away from helping people stop smoking. I have been here for nearly two years and have seen many instances of this. Lack of clear communication is often the culprit. Or clear communication that is misunderstood. This time I think it is lack of clear communication.
Certainly Admin does not help when they institute policies the community is not in favor of (badges). Jeepers, remember the uproar when badges were implemented? It was shortly before the new year of 2012 and new members making their first blogging attempts were virtually ignored while the site roared on in The Great Badge Conflict. Eventually we all got used to the badges and carried on.
Now I see that Admin has taken away the Expert badges, I suspect without any forethought or consultation with the community. And we have some of our respected and experienced members leaving the community after being treated poorly by Admin.
We, the members need each other’s support. We the members need to keep in the forefront of our dealings on this site that our one common purpose is to help each other achieve and maintain freedom from our addiction to nicotine. Badges do not help in this. Conflict amongst us does not help. Conflict with Admin does not help. A certain amount of conflict is inevitable as we support each other, feeling get hurt, newly quit members may not have fully faced the truth of addiction. Then we need a common forgiveness, respect, and dignity.
In my nearly two years here I have witnessed many conflicts and avoided them. This time I choose to speak up and say please remember why we are here, to help each other gain and maintain our freedom.
While I am at it, I would like to point out that a great way to help others and yourself is to comment on others people’s blogs. If you are new and do not feel like you know enough to offer any advice, just offer some encouragement. You know how it helps you to have encouraging comments, pass it along to others.
There are so many people that I look up to here. I hate to see them go. (Peggy and Thomas, this means you in particular)
Is the site perfect? No
Is the community perfect? Of course not
Is Admin perfect? No way, sometimes they are not even helpful, but at least they used to try. (I think they owe some people a public apology)
Can this community help people gain and maintain freedom from nicotine? Absolutely
Let the cloud of the current discontent pass over us. And please go through the blog pages and offer encouragement to some of our newer members, especially if you are a newer member yourself.
Warmest Regards,
Lisa (Not one hit since the day I quit, 699 days ago)
