Nexteritis – Opposition to FcNext

Quoting from the home page of the FcNext Yahoo! Group:

“This is a place where freecycling friends can discuss the future of freecycling — where freecycling should go and how. [...] IMPORTANT: Intelligent, thoughtful, and positive discussion is encouraged.”

          Someone should check the FcNext activity log to see what happened to message #24528, posted by Eric Burke on 3/13/08, subject line, “Re: Personal Attacks – Get Real.”  We have reason to believe that it may have been deleted by Yahoo! pursuant to a TOS violation report for content unsuitable for a public, non-age-restricted group, because of its harassing nature and the use of language the same as just used today by FcNext Moderator Karen Welliver in her message #24824.

          One would think moderators would know better.  The use of the expletive, TOS violation or not, may be the lesser of any problem with her post, the rest being what it says about its author as a moderator encouraging that kind of senseless posting activity, setting that kind of example for other members, and for the reputation of the group in the public eye.

          This is the future of freecycling, FcNext-style: when you have nothing else to talk about, talk trash.

          We suggest that every time an FcNext member gets ready to post anything, they first review the content of the group home page, refreshing their memory of these phrases written there:

“freecycling friends”
“the future of freecycling”
“honest discussion”
“experiences and insights”
“all are welcome to join in our discussions”
“intelligent, thoughtful, and positive discussion.”
“stay on topic”
“no personal attacks” 

          They might even make that list a biweekly auto-send file, to keep everyone focused on it.

          We take no exception to whether a post like Karen’s latest fits the characterization described on the home page as “members regularly sharing their experiences and insights,” as such posts do tend to reflect the quality of their experience and degree of insight.

          We wonder if FcNexters let their children read their work as “freecycling friends” in their publicly accessible message archive, and how those children fare in vocabulary, netiquette, and writing style.

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