This is my tangst.
Alright, so I did it for the 300th post, and 500 seems like another good benchmark.
The huge issue has come up recently that the site has gotten mean. My first response is that it's you guys, the users, who make it that way. And that makes me incredibly sad.
I'm supposed to be gone now. Taking a break, and only monitoring the site, watching it go through its paces without me.
Instead, I'm worrying about censoring and new regulations supported by my fellow admins. TF even started the movement calling for regulations. And he's an ardent Randist, Objectivist, and Libertarian.
As several posters have started leaving because of various issues - the site getting too popular, too mean, too disgusting, too hateful - I've started questioning what exactly is going on.
Was that dog post just a sign of things to come? Is the site falling apart before my very eyes? Have we gone past the point of tangst and encountered pessimism and cynicism in their pure forms?
But the question that flew into my mind that really hurt the most was "Do I want to continue?"
That shouldn't have even been an option. Two weeks ago, I knew that I loved the site more than anyone else. I've spent more time on this than anyone else. My obsession was the biggest, no contest - that's part of why I went away. But now, I don't even know if I want to permanently come back. Which is really bad.
I hate that I have to pull out "The Creator" card. But that's truly terrible. I don't want to abandon Tangst. It is the last, most serious, most permanent solution to the problem. It makes me want to cry that that's a solution.
Please don't make me do it. Don't be the Looters. Don't take from me one of the things I love. Don't make me destroy my creation to keep it from being further perverted. Don't make me pull a Howard Roark. I don't want to be a Galt or a Roark or even an Ellis Wyatt.
11 comments:
A qualification:
I would leave tangst before I saw it censored. I guess it just really makes me feel bad that I feel like I want to, sometimes. But such is my perogative. And for those who do not mind the negativity, they can stay and post it.
I am against censorship.
For rules, or reform of some kind. But against censorship.
I honestly think that people will get it out of their systems. But there are a few things I think have gone wrong with the project.
Creative writing in posts I think is kind of misplaced, and I'm one of those who agrees with the fact that only real confessions/secrets/concerns should be posted. Creative writing has other outlets, and there really aren't many for us tangsty kids...so in that way I kind of feel like it's invading a somewhat sacred space.
I know censorship is bad, but I don't think that prohibiting creative writing is a bad thing. Like I said, tangst is sacred, and I don't want to read poetry and short stories when I want to share problems and solutions. The community could be strengthened if there wasn't all this division between the tangsters.
And I honestly think that a large amount of inner-circle moderators and inter-post discussion where everyone knows who is who defeats the purpose of anonymity and makes us anonymous people feel out of the loop of some little clique. I liked being accepted without a face or a name, but now there is a general feel that if you don't have a name, you aren't a person. Again, defeats the original purpose.
"Post anything that you want - a story, a secret, a confession, a fear, a love - anything. Post twice if you'd like. And then share the site with your friends."
Such runs the 'mission statement' of this site. What you are proposing would require an omission. Admins are currently discussing creating another site for these outlets, but my point is... if there's something you don't want to read on tangst, you do not have to read it. No one will be hurt, or offended, or irritated. But the original purpose of the site was to post "anything."
You are the one who has defiled the "pure Tangst," as it were.
Saying "only real confessions, secrets, or concerns" should be posted is pointless. Who here can judge what is a "real confession, secret, or concern." That's not your place, or my place, or PChis's place, etc.
On your second point you are right (whereas on your first you were dead wrong, sorry). The breach in anonymity of the admin usernames does run contrary to the original tangst. I think it's fun though, and I don't think it detracts from the posts of anonymous's. If some other people call for reform on this, I might consider it a possibility.
Thanks for your opinion.
maybe its just a quick phase? all this hating on others, i mean.
with increased popularity it seems the site has taken a life of its own.
but i miss the friendly debate, the supportive comments, and the true secrets and confessions and the originality.
i suppose the fact that 'everyone has a right to their own opinion' is as much the joy of this site as it is its curse.
if someone wants to post poetry, a short, or a confession of hatred it most definitely falls within the said 'mission statement'.
yet...
within fragi's own comment, he stressed the point that the site is for "anything" but then right away dismissed the above anon's comment.
its that unconditional support that's begun to lack, that thread of comradeship between teens based on the beauty of our ability (as young people) to keep a relatively open mind as well as the fortitude of our own youthfulness.
does anyone know what i mean?
maybe it's just
an injection of that 'ya i got your back' attitude,
a little less judgment (we all get enough of that at school and at home) and
some gentle steering from admin that could facilitate the change that they (and the tangster community) want to see take place.
a little love anyone?
i don't know. people seem to have gotten mad about long and angry debates, but for me, it was kind of cool. i felt pround of people my age that we could have real discussions about real issues and i felt pround when if someon eposted a real post with a real secret how people still did help them out. maybe it's becuase i haven't been coming to the site very long but i think it's fine. if someone posts something disgusting then i just don't read it.
In my humble opinon, the Above Commenter said absolutely everything that I wanted to say.
"i don't know. people seem to have gotten mad about long and angry debates, but for me, it was kind of cool. i felt pround of people my age that we could have real discussions about real issues and i felt pround when if someon eposted a real post with a real secret how people still did help them out. maybe it's becuase i haven't been coming to the site very long but i think it's fine. if someone posts something disgusting then i just don't read it."
Exactly! Point for point.
Also I think that we've spent more time discussing negativity than actually being negative. Let's give it a rest, no?
"That's not your place, or my place, or PChis's place, etc."
DONT TELL ME WHAT MY PLACE IS
hah, jay kay sir. I agree with fragi.
I liked the angry debates, but I didn't like the ones like "I hate blah, blah, blah, and blah"
I'm not going to even think about "doing" anything about that, but those were the only ones I found adverse to...whatever.
As to the people using their names and destroying their anonymous standing, I like it. The site doesn't restrict you from posting anonymously or posting as a speicifc person. I assure you that I sometimes post anonymously.
Somehow I like to think that us "named ones" provide some sort of continuity to the site. You may come back day after day for a year, but for all we know you're 20 different people.
-PChis
Sadly, I've asked myself the same thing. I sometimes type in the tangst website accidently when I open the web browser... because I have to check it every five minutes. But recently it's gotten so ridiculous that I wonder if it's even worth it. OF course, that could be due to my recent dysthymia and general feeling of hopelessness that has something to do, I believe, Advanced Placement.
ALL writing is creative.
That is not a glib statement, it is a fact.
If someone starts deciding what is 'creative writing' and what isn't, it all starts heading away from the free-spirit of Tangst.
That said, I think it would be reasonable to impliment a rule (if needed), concerning the maximum number of words allowed.
Discriminating on the basis of style however, is a whole different matter.
Keep Tangst a 'broad church'.
Some people can only say things, the way THEY need to say them.
Just an opinion.
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