None of the ones I have spoken to left because of badges. And most of them are not taking a 'break', but are cleaning house and clearing out of EX.
Admin owes an apology, IMHO. A big apology. Whether those members come back or not.
When Admin (https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/people/mark) publicly and openly disses 'EXperts' or what those of us from before badges call 'Elders', a response is warranted.
This blog:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Mark-blog/2013/07/15/friendly-reminder-from-the-ex-team
In which this was stated:
"We’re not going to be happy to see someone fall off the mountain. But we should manage to be as kind and supportive as possible as that person dusts themself off and starts back up the path, again."
And this blog a few days later:
https://excommunity.becomeanex.org/blogs/Mark-blog/2013/07/19/clarification
In which this was stated:
"Badges should not define how we act in the community. Everyone here deserves kindness and respect."
My responses to "Friendly Reminder from the EX Team":
Another opinion:
Losing the 'tough love" members, the long quits who have stuck around and helped saves more quits with a curt reminder than you can with a hug and a pat on the back, especially in during the first 6 months when people get back to life and forget why they quit.
I am not surprised at all that the relapse rate has increased so much since so many of the 'elders' or 'EXperts' started leaving a year ago.
I hang with both the "huggers/touchy feely" supporters and the "tough love but kick your arse because we care", but am on FB more for work and networking than I have time to be on EX.
I see what they are doing elsewhere and what the results are. EX is having an increase in relapse and the quitters in the other place is stronger with less relapse.
That kind of result doesn't lie.
I am careful who and what kind of support I give because of the issues that have presented on this site.
Also I live in "take what you like and leave the rest".
What is happening on this site is a sad and sorry shame on all sides. 😞
My responses to "Clarification":
My opinion: I was also on EX before any of the badges were added and the site worked and loaded like it was supposed to. It's difficult and slow now because of the changes made to accomidate the badges and advertsing. It takes a lot more patience to wait for the pages to load.
I dislike all the badges in general. They were a poorly planned and executed decision in 2011. Hardware and software was not in place to handle it and it screwed up the entire site and continues in 2013 to cause problems.
I also understand why the EXpert badges were put into place. People who were not even quit can rack up badges for things and have 11, the same number as an elder with 6 years smoke free. Very confusing for new people coming to the site, assuming that they have the patience to deal with the slowness and popup advertsising.
Not a good system. If I hadn't already been an established member, I would never have bothered joining.
So you have now gotten rid of the dividing factor in the badges, who has quit and has time and who has not.
There are other ways to deal with it. Always have been. Why not put a replacement banner that declares "1 year' or the number of years quit a member has. At least then we can tell the difference between someone who master blogged and grouped their way to 8 badges and someone who has a solid quit.
Insulting the long timers is not a good way to keep a site going, BTW.
1088 days since I stopped making excuses to smoke. But not because Admin didn't irk me on this blatant disrespect of members.
PS. Tough love and the Touchy/Feely Supporters are both needed. So if you're a Touchy/Feely "Expert" or "Elder" , we love you just as much! I'd go to bat for you, too!
