Name calling, sniping, trolling, personal attacks, grudges, vitriol, vindictiveness and even the age old "he started it" nonsense have all ruined this valuable resource.

So since I've had a history of some of this stuff (albeit a long time ago), I've decided to ask people to take a pledge promising to not engage is this nonsense. If you want to make the pledge, then simply reply and say "I'm In!" Here is the pledge:

1) I will not engage in arguments over credits in this section. I will instead, address the issues in other sections that are designed for these discussions.

2) I will not call names or make personal attacks.

3) I will only make constructive criticism. In other words, any criticism I offer will be designed to help make someone's magic better. I will always try to offer a solution if I can.

4) If someone treats me badly or irritates me, I will take the high road and leave them alone. Neither will I post comments that are designed to antagonize them.

5) I will not post in thread that have degraded into arguments or flame wars. I will let the thread die and go into the obscurity where it belongs. I will also totally ignore the participants in those childish arguments.

6) I will think for at least ten minutes before I hit the "submit" button in order to make sure I've followed this pledge. I will also take this time to make sure I have not misunderstood someone's post and to make sure my post can not be interpreted as breaking this pledge.

Now I know that even if the majority of us follow these points it won't end this nonsense. But it sure would reduce it.

It'll be interesting to see how many of those involved in the more recent schoolyard brawls agree to follow the pledge. I predict none of them will since it's obviously "winning" is more important to them than magic, other people and yes, even their own reputations.

Let's see what happens.

SEY

I'm in!

MMc

Absolutely in. This should be a sticky topic.

I'm In!

Count me in.

I'm in.

If I break any part of the pledge, it'll almost certainly be #5. I know there's still a part of me that thinks some good can come from calling people on their bad behavior. Another part of me knows that's naive and pointless...but that part doesn't always win. I'll do my best.

I'm in.

I'm in. It will be interesting to see who signs up....and more importantly, who does not.

I'm in.

I'm in except for #6. I just don't have the patience to wait 10 minutes before posting any of my typically vitriolic tirades. But if I agree to everything else, which I do, then these tirades will magically disappear . . . without any sleight of hand.

Spike

I think so far, a lot of the people that are "in" were never "out." Anyway, I'm in.

In

I actually saw this post,or one very similar,on another forum.
It was about two weeks ago!
Are you going to give credit to that poster?
I'm not gonna tell you where or who,it's up to you to research the provenance.
I'm off now,to get back under my moist rock.
(Joke)
Ray.

This is just plain common sense.
There is NO NEED to take a pledge.

Sad that people just never grow up.
and many of you call yourselves Professional's.
Childish whining bickering from Magicians...
same as it ever was...

peace.

How's that been working so far?

SEY

And as a perfect example, I see my entire thread has been deleted. Too bad. Let's hope people really follow this pledge.

The one flaw here is the usual one with this kind of pledge: The people who create most of the problems either believe they are entirely blameless -- or pretend to believe that. I've seen professions of innocence that blew my mind, either by their apparent obliviousness or their sheer audacity.

Those who genuinely believe they've done nothing wrong won't see the pledge as applying to them...and those who like to pretend they don't know any better will pretend the pledge doesn't apply to them. For them, signing on to the pledge would feel like an admission of guilt, and they're not going to do that.

Still an idea worth trying, though. If it only makes things a little better for a little while, it's worth trying, and Steven will be a hero for it.

Sorry your entire thread has been deleted, Andrew. After all, it was about a trick of mine, so it fed my ego a bit. It is wrong for the entire thread to be deleted. I think just the put-down posts about me and mine and of course my responses should be deleted. That would make much more sense, because then, possibly some posters or just readers would learn about a trick that they might find great for them - or not - read an interesting thread about MAGIC, not about "jealousies" that have nothing to do with the original post. But it'd be their choice. I thought that was the point of this forum, or any forum.

Now, let me talk about this thread a bit - the "pledge" idea. I think it's kind of obvious that I am the one that the people who come in and "ruin" a thread come after. I have no idea why - and that's why "jealousy" comes to mind. But, here's the point - it's, oh, so easy for everyone to say "I'm in," when they are not the ones who are being insulted by some of those who "ruin" threads by insulting ME. I wish you would go over some of the insults to me and think about how you'd feel if they were aimed at YOU. (These insults, attacks, I'm talking about are usually by the same people - like those in the thread that was deleted. Seems as if it'd make more sense to just DELETE THEM.) Would you still "pledge" if those same people "came after you"?

I'll make my own, individual, pledge - I pledge to never, ever, IN ANY WAY, insult anyone unless they INSULT ME FIRST. Is that so wrong? I pledge to NEVER, EVER, start these kinds of sillinesses unless it starts ABOUT ME FIRST. It's always been interesting to me that those who advise me to "just ignore" these terrible people, "just lie back and enjoy it," are never the ones that are being insulted, etc. Think about it before you so quickly agree that I'm in the wrong. Best - Harry L.

And, of course, I just saw Frenchdrop's post above mine. Now, I may be wrong, and if I am I apologize in advance - but my question is - was that post ("The people who create most of the problems either believe they are entirely blameless -- or pretend to believe that. I've seen professions of innocence that blew my mind, either by their apparent obliviousness or their sheer audacity.") necessary. Is he talking about me? Hey, I really don't know, if he isn't - I apologize.

I'm not certain that actually changes anything or helps in any way. A while back, you wrote this:



That, I liked.