Change of Group Ownership - Socratarian Forum

January 5, 2005

The Socratarian Forum moderates itself.

In which case it is as vile as the most villainous brute who vitiates it, or

wise as the most profound thinker who sits by the farthest pillar of the

podium.

When we say a forum needs moderation, we are really saying it needs

a nursemaid so it does not wet it's pants, or a guardian with a very

obvious stick so it does not become rowdy, or a structural sentry so it

stays on the straight and narrow and not wander into the brambly byroads.

A moderated forum once ended up with Hemlock, and today the same

outcome is seen in a contemporary one with an Attilian Deadlock.

If one moderates, one is damned. If one does not, one is also damned.

The difference is that one be damned by consensus, not arbitrary rule.

Consensus is the baker and the barber and the candlestick maker. Consensus

is self rule, where the prostitute presides, and the pimp is prelate.

Only when Consensus rules, the Forum will identify it's own face, vulgar,

vociferous, villainous, wise, tormented, brilliant, contentious or downright

petty and perfidious.

What is closing it's doors is not Attilio's forum, but our own collective

destiny as healers, who cannot even inhabit a platform made available,

gratis, without contention and carp and cavil.

Graceless, faceless, paceless, parsimonious, prickly, sickly, arguementive,

contentious, loud, proselytizing, unimaginative and ungainly. That's us.

If you think this horrendous and unfair, the Forum is identified by the

vilest in it, remember?

As to graceless and rude, what have we, each one who has frequented

the forum so painstakingly provided by Attilio, given to him in terms of

a recognition of his effort?

The man is in pain, and has been brought to this desperate juncture by

the rabble.

Hours of application, dedication above and beyond the call, days

and weeks and months of application and bewildering labor, obviously

of love. Each one has benefited his hospitality, and in his or own way,

and each has vitiated it.

This is certain, what befalls the Forum, also visits upon those who

sit in it.

Dr. Holmes Keikobad

MB BS DPH Ret. DIP AC NCCAOM LIC AC CO & AZ

www.acu-free.com - 15 CEUS by video.

NCCAOM reviewed. Approved in CA & most states.

January 13, 2005

Then again Homey - sometimes it is right to just move on.

As Attilio has recently pointed out, the list of duties involved in running a

list is long and onerous. To the uninitiate, Moderator (+Owner) sounds imposing

and judgemental (all the moralistic harmonies you conjure). In reality it is

hard graft for little in return. What payment? What thanks?

Let's face it, 'time is money' and if you are not getting paid for doing

something that takes up a lot of time, then there must be other rewards

instead. In my experience of running groups, learning from others is the only

acceptable currency. In the beginning it is a challenge, but later on balancing

out the effort required to maintain the group, and the 'income' it provides you

with, becomes an issue.

Two years is long enough for a group to acquire a character of its own. Believe

me (as a Moderator of other groups that have come and gone) whatever you impose

will reflect the needs of this entity. It will not be a manifestation of your

ego (or superego) because tight control cannot be exerted in such a vacuous

medium as this without causing terminal asphyxia.

On the other hand, there are many TCM forums, and none is as well populated as

this one. Right intention and correct procedure are evidently contributory

factors.

Good luck Attilio, I hope you have developed some transferable skills from

running the group that can be used in a real life situation. As you have

probably noticed, I am struggling with my group as well - it is an occupational

hazard (but at least I have been able to |coin| something).

Cheers,

Sammy

-

Dr. Holmes Keikobad

Chinese Medicine

Wednesday, January 05, 2005 2:21 PM

Re: Change of Group Ownership - Socratarian Forum