Posted by jlynne on September 22, 2006, at 19:08:11
I, personally, have never even received a pbc on this site, but I can certainly understand the rejection one must feel when they get blocked. This is a mental health community – haven’t most of us here felt the sting of being socially ostracized? Is ostracization really the answer? Our illnesses sometimes prevent some of us from being able to relate well with the rest of the world . . . that is why some of us come here. I would like this site to be “safe” for everyone here . . . not just for the politically correct. IMO people can take offense at anything they choose – the operative word here being “choose”. I understand that this is your website, Dr. Bob, but perhaps it is time to reconsider the effects of being blocked on a person who may already be suffering from social ostracization? IMO blocking a poster might tend to reinforce that person’s general feelings of being “unacceptable”. Perhaps, instead of blocking or pbc’ing people, the deputies could take the time to paraphrase an offensive post using “appropriate” wording and present it to the poster? Some have called this “mirroring” and it could actually be very constructive; it might even promote “dialogue” (an interesting concept, eh?). I could find some of the responses to some of the pbc'd/blocked posters to be very offensive, personally, but those posters have a right to their opinions – I would never suggest a pbc; I choose not to be offended. (Who of us can honestly say that we have never lost our cool?) We can’t control how others behave/think/feel, but we CAN control how WE react, including the decision to NOT react. Does responding with humiliation and rejection foster growth and understanding, or does it just perpetuate the cycle of misunderstanding? Would love and acceptance perhaps be a better choice? IMO pbc's and blocks do not really create “safety”, they just help create the illusion of “control” in our lives. If I have offended anyone with these words, please take the time to enter into a dialogue with me; I would hate to receive my first pbc for promoting the concept of love and acceptance.
poster:jlynne
thread:688269
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20060918/msgs/688269.html