What sucks about this forum?
Dec 20th 2009 | 1:19 pm
#61
Banned
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 15,706
From: In Limbo
Re: What sucks about this forum?
Dec 20th 2009 | 1:20 pm
#62
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,259
From: Europe (to be specified).
Dec 20th 2009 | 1:26 pm
#67
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,259
From: Europe (to be specified).
Dec 20th 2009 | 1:34 pm
#68
Sawdust making harpy
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 11,291
From: Alberta
Re: What sucks about this forum?
Because its Christmas and you tell the truth at christmas (quote courtesy of Love Actually!)
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
Dec 20th 2009 | 1:37 pm
#69
Born again atheist
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 30,259
From: Europe (to be specified).
Re: What sucks about this forum?
Because its Christmas and you tell the truth at christmas (quote courtesy of Love Actually!)
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
And I'd be speechless in your august presence.
Edit: Have you voted on the shagging post yet at all?
Last edited by Novocastrian; Dec 20th 2009 at 1:40 pm.
Dec 20th 2009 | 3:46 pm
#70
Assimilated Pauper
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 40,070
From: Ontario
Re: What sucks about this forum?
Dec 20th 2009 | 4:18 pm
#71
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 456
From: Kamloops from London via New York
Re: What sucks about this forum?
I have used this forum since 2004 (I think) although my ID is now my personal rather than family one. I have to say that without the advice I received, I would NEVER have been able to move to Canada. I also feel I've saved a lot of time and money thanks to the help from others here.
I'm stating this up front because I'm not out to bash the forum at all. I am indebted to it and the useful advice I have personally received. However i have found the forum and the way people personally attack others, extremely frustrating. And this is nothing new.
You can probably assume from my random choice of ID that I have some frustrations with my choice to move to Canada. And I'm sure I have given myself an uphill struggle with some people who just can't look beyond this and take my posts seriously.
This forum is invaluable to people and I'm impressed with how many people continue with it after they have settled. I for one committed in my mind to doing this and under my family ID have, like many here, contributed lots of personal experiences. But what concerns me is some of the behaviour on this forum and the impression it is setting on people looking to move out.
So here are MY experiences with the forum. If they're not yours, don't insult me, but please please please add yours here. This is the purpose of this thread.
1. I find the forum quite biased. While I would expect it to be a little, it is way too pro-Canada at times. And to an extent that I think is not useful to newbies, and is probably intimidating to others wishing to post their views.
2. People often don't read what is written at all or properly. I have had much criticism for comments that I have not made.
3. All comments are people's personal experiences. This is a given. But many are quick to criticize remarks made as if they are meant to represent the entire group.
4. People often don't respect that others have different experiences. I frequently get bashed by others for having an experience that they didn't. It's not that so much as the way it is done is as if I'm mistaken, bitter, have a sense of entitlement, naive, misinformed and so on.
5. Some miss the fact that different experiences go to weave a more interesting picture. Those new to the forum and Canada are making probably the biggest decision of their lives. I'd like them to know what it's like where I live and for a large part the bits that are most useful to them will be more critical comments.
It's a bit like you go to buy a new car. You've already convinced yourself this is the car for you. You expect the salesman to help you but his job is to focus on what you like about the car and remove reasons for not buying. Not to give you an impartial view. And this is the impression I get on this forum time and time again. What the car buyer in my example really needs is genuinely impartial views. But those that dare to provide them are often attacked by the Pro-Canadian team or whatever it is.
Why else do I get floods of private mails from people after my more controversial posts, expressing support and also their own frustrations at not being able to speak their mind. This is truly a sad state of affairs.
6. There are some extreme anti-British attitudes here. Just because people move country it isn't an excuse to knock your own country and heritage. I'm not saying that everyone should be proud necessarily. I for one moved to Canada partly through my own frustrations of Britain and hoping to improve my family life. But part of the problem in Britain, in my opinion, is that people are too quick to knock it and our entire culture and heritage is at risk. I for one did NOT move to Canada to denounce my nationality and if I was forced to choose between British and Canadian I would have no hesitation.
7. Comments made about cultural aspects to life in Canada that are not positive, are always met with aggressive remarks along the lines of "who the hell do you think you are?!", and "if you don't like it, p-off back to your country". I've even received these from Canadians who frequent the site. Making such a remark in Britain against an immigrant would be unthinkable. So why it's excusable here is confusing.
My thoughts are that all opinions are valid and that we need a myriad of these if this forum is to remain helpful. That does not mean that everyone should be in agreement, or that all opinions are based on the same level of thinking. That's surely the point of a forum. Yet comments which are not positive, are often attacked and the poster belittled by others.
Well that's my contribution so far. I'm sure I'll think of others. I have been accused of bashing the forum and this is in part the motivation for posting this thread. But driving non pro-Canada comments into the underground undermines the value of the forum and is therefore not useful to others. I think it would be useful to see what others think on this forum.
Take care
I'm stating this up front because I'm not out to bash the forum at all. I am indebted to it and the useful advice I have personally received. However i have found the forum and the way people personally attack others, extremely frustrating. And this is nothing new.
You can probably assume from my random choice of ID that I have some frustrations with my choice to move to Canada. And I'm sure I have given myself an uphill struggle with some people who just can't look beyond this and take my posts seriously.
This forum is invaluable to people and I'm impressed with how many people continue with it after they have settled. I for one committed in my mind to doing this and under my family ID have, like many here, contributed lots of personal experiences. But what concerns me is some of the behaviour on this forum and the impression it is setting on people looking to move out.
So here are MY experiences with the forum. If they're not yours, don't insult me, but please please please add yours here. This is the purpose of this thread.
1. I find the forum quite biased. While I would expect it to be a little, it is way too pro-Canada at times. And to an extent that I think is not useful to newbies, and is probably intimidating to others wishing to post their views.
2. People often don't read what is written at all or properly. I have had much criticism for comments that I have not made.
3. All comments are people's personal experiences. This is a given. But many are quick to criticize remarks made as if they are meant to represent the entire group.
4. People often don't respect that others have different experiences. I frequently get bashed by others for having an experience that they didn't. It's not that so much as the way it is done is as if I'm mistaken, bitter, have a sense of entitlement, naive, misinformed and so on.
5. Some miss the fact that different experiences go to weave a more interesting picture. Those new to the forum and Canada are making probably the biggest decision of their lives. I'd like them to know what it's like where I live and for a large part the bits that are most useful to them will be more critical comments.
It's a bit like you go to buy a new car. You've already convinced yourself this is the car for you. You expect the salesman to help you but his job is to focus on what you like about the car and remove reasons for not buying. Not to give you an impartial view. And this is the impression I get on this forum time and time again. What the car buyer in my example really needs is genuinely impartial views. But those that dare to provide them are often attacked by the Pro-Canadian team or whatever it is.
Why else do I get floods of private mails from people after my more controversial posts, expressing support and also their own frustrations at not being able to speak their mind. This is truly a sad state of affairs.
6. There are some extreme anti-British attitudes here. Just because people move country it isn't an excuse to knock your own country and heritage. I'm not saying that everyone should be proud necessarily. I for one moved to Canada partly through my own frustrations of Britain and hoping to improve my family life. But part of the problem in Britain, in my opinion, is that people are too quick to knock it and our entire culture and heritage is at risk. I for one did NOT move to Canada to denounce my nationality and if I was forced to choose between British and Canadian I would have no hesitation.
7. Comments made about cultural aspects to life in Canada that are not positive, are always met with aggressive remarks along the lines of "who the hell do you think you are?!", and "if you don't like it, p-off back to your country". I've even received these from Canadians who frequent the site. Making such a remark in Britain against an immigrant would be unthinkable. So why it's excusable here is confusing.
My thoughts are that all opinions are valid and that we need a myriad of these if this forum is to remain helpful. That does not mean that everyone should be in agreement, or that all opinions are based on the same level of thinking. That's surely the point of a forum. Yet comments which are not positive, are often attacked and the poster belittled by others.
Well that's my contribution so far. I'm sure I'll think of others. I have been accused of bashing the forum and this is in part the motivation for posting this thread. But driving non pro-Canada comments into the underground undermines the value of the forum and is therefore not useful to others. I think it would be useful to see what others think on this forum.
Take care
I moved from the American boards, and they are (or were anyway) much more brutal! I think with most sites you get an idea as to whether joining is useful, and whether you are going to enjoy hanging about there, and then you should use them as makes most sense to you and your needs (practical and emotional). I've got lots of really good advice here, and had an argument or two too. Much like many other places really!
I don't think anyone ever gives an impartial view on anything (and those that think they are are kidding themselves). We are all shaped by our experiences, and that seems to be fairly represented here to me.
The only thing I think people are poorly informed about here is how difficult it is to be an immigrant anywhere including the UK. There are taxi driving doctors all over the developed world, sold a vision of a better life that just wasn't realistic (often by an immigration agent or someone with something to gain). Bureaucracy is confusing, difficult and uncomfortable everywhere. Certainly in my experience Canada is more welcoming than the USA, and probably fairly similar to the UK (ie professionals welcome provided they have plenty of cash, jump through the required hoops, and essentially go away when the need for them is gone).
Dec 20th 2009 | 4:49 pm
#72
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 14,227
Re: What sucks about this forum?
Because its Christmas and you tell the truth at christmas (quote courtesy of Love Actually!)
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
I think if I met the infamous members from out east, I'd be absolutely cacking myself - Dbd because hes way more wordly wise and would even walk all over me with his - erm - apparent expertise on all things not normal (re - shoes lol) and the others (Fled included) because they're so darn clever.
In all honesty I'd be a complete nervous wreck meeting Novo over anyone else on this forum.
Dec 20th 2009 | 5:52 pm
#73
Sawdust making harpy
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 11,291
From: Alberta
Re: What sucks about this forum?
(which btw I don't think they do - I suspect its because the ones with that opinion know they can't outmatch them in a battle of wits, so its easier to say "mmmeurgh you think you own the place" akin to saying "whatever" in my book)
Dec 20th 2009 | 5:53 pm
#74
Banned
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 15,706
From: In Limbo
Re: What sucks about this forum?
as a whole probably not - but the ones that are being refered to certainly breath some fresh air into this forum, no matter how much they get slated for "thinking they own the forum"
(which btw I don't think they do - I suspect its because the ones with that opinion know they can't outmatch them in a battle of wits, so its easier to say "mmmeurgh you think you own the place" akin to saying "whatever" in my book)
(which btw I don't think they do - I suspect its because the ones with that opinion know they can't outmatch them in a battle of wits, so its easier to say "mmmeurgh you think you own the place" akin to saying "whatever" in my book)
Dec 20th 2009 | 7:31 pm
#75
Beep
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 8,311
From: Here
Re: What sucks about this forum?
The thing that I find frustrating about this forum is that whenever someone says why they want to go to Canada (the country side, the houses, or anything else for that matter) they get responses like "Yeah, but it's not that easy/not that great...." bla bla bla from people who decided to come here for probably exactly the same reasons!! I think that's very hypocritical.... 
