If you are thinking of leaving the forum ...

no. If everything has to be reduced to the lowest common denominator then culture and rational argument dies. We can not exclude anything and everything that any one might find upsetting. At the end of the day people must be responcable for their own sensativaties. If a thread is getting too heated for your taste you can just click out to home and ignore it.

Peter said:

we need these conflicts these arguments because they are the vaccine against extremism and snowflake oversensitivity.

No Peter

'We' should be capable of respecting the boundaries and vulnerabilities of other members of the forum and remembering that not everyone thrives on conflict.

For some of us, conflict is a trigger to past traumatic events.

I had hedgehogs in my garden, sometimes late at night, I have seen them running across - I'm surprised at how fast they can move! 

Last year, I saw a parent hedgehog slowly walking across the grass with a line of little ones behind her - that was a privilege to see.

Mist likely they came to drink from the pond, an easy source of water, especially in the summer. 

But - I didn't see them this year, maybe I missed them, but I hope they're ok.

You are a kindly and decent person Debbie. 

hahaha!

So when forum member ISperg says he enjoys chaos we shouldn't believe him? I'm sure you have nothing to do with him. (sarcasm)

You also try to crawl round people like he does.  Maybe it's a coincidence and the both of you just share exactly the same personality??

I'm glad you are enjoying making everyone else feel bad.  What a lovely man.

You claim you want this forum to be safe space for autistic people but your words make other autistic people want to leave the forum.  That''s somewhat of a contradiction don't you think?

Not that you'll care of course.

In Yorksjire, I believe it's known as T'internet.

Number said:

thank you for sharing the waterfall.

My pleasure Number - hopefully a calming image...

Number said:

never be afraid to ditch a keyboard!

Oh, I'm not, most of my use for the internet is research, I'm not interested in social media personally - but I've seen enough of it to detect the patterns that routinely occur. 

Number said:

Is the "internet" like the (more properly termed) "Interweb thingy"?

Ah - I knew someone who called it exactly that - so I must conclude that 'interweb thingy' is the correct term!

It's what we make of it.

We used to have hedgehogs in the garden, but the paving of gardens for car parking and building of rather officious garden walls in my neighbourhood has seen them disappear, this is sad, but I do see foxes from time to time, and yesterday a squirrel was burying nuts in the garden, so it isn't all bad.

Is the "internet" like the (more properly termed) "Interweb thingy"?

Pegg said:

the moment is typical of internet interaction. It's culture wars, basically

You give me hope Pegg - you are a wise watcher but remain closer to your start, rather than your end.

Hope springs eternal....and thank you for sharing the waterfall.

Keep the paints, pencils and crayons at all costs (please)......but never be afraid to ditch a keyboard!

Roy said:

A heading is given, “ A trigger warning,” a subject is then given, it may be something like sexual abuse. It is then up to the reader to open the post or not. 
I wonder if that would help, it’s then not censoring posts but just giving a choice.

I think this is a great idea!

Something I have been musing is posts that may be an emotive subject, and me not having to participate or even read them.

I have looked at similar sites, certain posts have a warning and the post is blanked out. 
A heading is given, “ A trigger warning,” a subject is then given, it may be something like sexual abuse. It is then up to the reader to open the post or not. 
I wonder if that would help, it’s then not censoring posts but just giving a choice.

Perhaps the resurrection of the Creative thread might tempt Goosey and/or DeSpereaux back.

Yes, that would be good! Let's hope so..

Right, where's that Creative thread? 

See Debbie, if not for you that thread wouldn't exist! 

Autonomistic said:

At least it will be a less prickly environment than here! 

That's a very good point!

Thank you.

I'm in 'semi' hibernating mode now.

There are too many good souls here to leave behind, and that's something we need to remind ourselves of from time to time, you very much being one of them.

I hope you follow your own advice and decide to hibernate rather than leave. You will be missed if you leave.

A few days or weeks in the hedgehog house sounds perfect. At least it will be a less prickly environment than here! 

Thank you Pegg

Also, thank you for your interesting take on the last couple of days here.

Pegg said:

although I might be getting my sketchbook out..

I wish you would and tear the pages out to put in an art gallery!

You are soo good.

Perhaps the resurrection of the Creative thread might tempt Goosey and/or DeSpereaux back.

Today I'm considering whether to leave the forum.

I hope you'll stay Debbie. You've created a lot of great - and I think important- threads here, that many have participated in. 

I think the forum would be poorer without you.

The arguing and hostility going on here at the moment is typical of internet interaction. It's culture wars, basically - I don't think I've seen anything yet that doesn't fall under that umbrella. 

There are so many really pressing issues in society and the world that we could be thinking about, that affect us all, instead of having entrenched battles over ideology...

However, I've also seen that things move along quickly here, so hopefully the forum won't stay like this for long. 

I won't be leaving, although I might be getting my sketchbook out.. x

Fair enough then, I struggle with ambiguity and "SOME" leaves a lot of opportunity to make assumptions.

I am relatively new to this community - I'm sure that a lot of you have been here much longer than I have and have seen a lot of posts that have upset you.

I am fully aware that there has been a lot of upset this weekend, mainly because of THAT thread.
For comments such as...

Roy said:

I think some posts are almost ‘bear bating’.

to start appearing does make me think that they are directed at me.
As I've pointed out before, one of the typical difficulties that autistic struggle with is being able to understand intent - something that can be exasperated on online forums.