The reason I’m taking a break from MySwag

[rockrat]

Earlier today, I said I was going to take a break from MySwag. Here’s why:

I have a teenage son. He has Asperger’s. He is becoming a real handful. Last weekend we had to call the cops to come and have a chat to him about his escalating anger and unacceptable behaviour. At the same time my teenage daughter is in her room, crying and scared.

As a parent that is absolutely heartbreaking. You start to wonder, what have you done wrong. How can you fix it? Can it be fixed?

To then read all the dumbass, racist,  bigoted and anti-everything/everyone comments from a bunch of dickhead keyboard warriors on this forum is doing my head in. 

So what if an indigenous community got an exemption to have more people at a funeral? If jigsaw puzzles are essential for mental health than I would suggest proper grieving is too.  And don’t give me the BS about one rule for all. Aside from how laughable that is in the context of history, I thought seeking an exemption was open to everybody.

Until you have walked in someone else’s shoes.... just shut the F up. Staying at home 24x7 isn’t that easy for everyone!

I follow a number of FB groups and I can tell you, despite what some people think of FB, they are far more respectful than MySwag is, at least as it currently stands.



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[MarkGU]

Gday mate.

Sorry to hear you are taking a break.All good seeing your circumstances ATM. I will contact you soon, i have your number in that message you sent me last week.

Dont forget we are all here ( the ones who havent ticked you off) anytime you need to send a message,then message away.

Keep your chin up.
Cheers.
Mark.

[rags]

Thanks Rockrat, couldn’t have said it better myself. I too have been having a break as the site has deteriorated to unbearable, but tonight I logged in and seen your post.

Mate we have walked your shoes  dealing with my wife’s brother with a similar diagnostic but something that wasn’t diagnosed until his twenties.  I have seen the tormented it causes for both his mother and my wife as the only other sibling. This has gone ion now for fifty plus years ( he is now 57).  You need to be strong and courageous.

Send me a msg if you want to talk further.
And with that I’m off for a break.

[alnjan]

Life takes preference.  No point letting unknowns upset you when you have real problems in front of you.   You're doing the right thing looking after your family.  Good onya.   

[2Strokeit]

Hey Rockrat,
You may already know of Tony Atwood here in Brisbane. No nonsense straight up explanations and strategies going forward.
As someone touched with the assberger stick i can give  you real world veiws from the other side.
Triggers and meltdowns are high on the agenda. Routine is key for me. I could eat the same thing for every meal for months but the family not so much;)
Sport and personal achievements no matter how small. And honesty. Always honesty.
He wants to control his world when he sees and hears change.
There's plenty of room on the spectrum for us all.


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[macca]

Hi Rockrat
I'm another one taking a break from here, still pop in from time to time because I used to get a lot from this forum but got tired of being attacked, so very rarely post anymore. I would like to see the mods take down  all of the corona threads as they provide very little to the forum apart from putting the final nail in the coffin of what used to be the best forum going around,  don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of over moderation but something has to be done.
I wish you and your family well, I have been dealing with, not the same, but similar problems for 38 years and it can be heartbreaking but still family is everything to me, I have three wonderful kids albeit one keeps sticking a dagger in my heart every now and then but I still love him and most of the time he does me. Good luck and stay safe
macca

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[gronk]

Rockrat,  while you can only be applauded for wanting to spend precious time with your family, but don't feel you have to blame anything on a forum for the need to do this.
All forums can be offensive to anyone that receives a reply that they think attacks them personally. You can only get a reply if you post something in the 1st place, so depending on the subject, don't reply if you think a subject is heading in a direction you don't like.
There is a lot of useful information to be had on forums (Facebook included  )  by not replying at all. Better to be a stalker than the hunted !!

I have been attacked......I have done a bit of attacking ( in retaliation ), but I've learnt that it's a web forum, and words alone can't hurt you.

Most people's intention isn't to abuse someone,  but more that they haven't conveyed what they want to say in a perfect way when it got translated to text. And someone's idea of humor is not someone else's! 

[GeoffA]

Well said, gronk....

[Hairs]

Well said, gronk....

X2.

[rockrat]

Rockrat,  while you can only be applauded for wanting to spend precious time with your family, but don't feel you have to blame anything on a forum for the need to do this.
All forums can be offensive to anyone that receives a reply that they think attacks them personally. You can only get a reply if you post something in the 1st place, so depending on the subject, don't reply if you think a subject is heading in a direction you don't like.
There is a lot of useful information to be had on forums (Facebook included  )  by not replying at all. Better to be a stalker than the hunted !!

I have been attacked......I have done a bit of attacking ( in retaliation ), but I've learnt that it's a web forum, and words alone can't hurt you.

Most people's intention isn't to abuse someone,  but more that they haven't conveyed what they want to say in a perfect way when it got translated to text. And someone's idea of humor is not someone else's!

Just for the record, I don’t feel I have been personally attacked.

It’s just the general tone of the posts and casual racism that has me ticked off.

Plus almost every post is now in ‘infected’ by talk of Coronavirus.


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[MarkGU]

Hi Rockrat
I'm another one taking a break from here, still pop in from time to time because I used to get a lot from this forum but got tired of being attacked, so very rarely post anymore. I would like to see the mods take down  all of the corona threads as they provide very little to the forum apart from putting the final nail in the coffin of what used to be the best forum going around,  don't get me wrong I'm not a fan of over moderation but something has to be done.
I wish you and your family well, I have been dealing with, not the same, but similar problems for 38 years and it can be heartbreaking but still family is everything to me, I have three wonderful kids albeit one keeps sticking a dagger in my heart every now and then but I still love him and most of the time he does me. Good luck and stay safe
macca

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Agree with you on the corona thread.Another thread that incites unrest is the RANT thread.( that will get the usual antagonists in top gear).
Most who become members on MySwag come here to find out information on camping & related stuff as well as 4wd and outdoors information.No one wants to know what ticks you off around town, how people park,what the News reported that you dont like and so on.I 'm not really interested if swaggers agree with me or not, its just my 2 cents worth.

Happy Easter to all Swaggers.   

[Rowlie]

Hi Rockrat - your post like a couple of others in the last day or two tugged at my heartstrings a bit. I can't imagine the pain your family must be going through and you have my sincere sympathy. I would encourage you to stay in touch though. This forum like so many other parts of society is showing signs of struggling in the current environment. I agree with you there is random evidence of racism but more importantly intolerance in general. We listen to radio, watch tele etc and everyone is preaching tolerance and often in the next breath criticise someone. I think a lot of psychology students will be observing how we as social animals cope with this isolation and will theorise for years to come on their findings. Hang in mate and watch the shenanigans of the mob on here from a distance. There's still a laugh or two to be had.

[alnjan]

Rockrat,  while you can only be applauded for wanting to spend precious time with your family, but don't feel you have to blame anything on a forum for the need to do this.
All forums can be offensive to anyone that receives a reply that they think attacks them personally. You can only get a reply if you post something in the 1st place, so depending on the subject, don't reply if you think a subject is heading in a direction you don't like.
There is a lot of useful information to be had on forums (Facebook included  )  by not replying at all. Better to be a stalker than the hunted !!

I have been attacked......I have done a bit of attacking ( in retaliation ), but I've learnt that it's a web forum, and words alone can't hurt you.

Most people's intention isn't to abuse someone,  but more that they haven't conveyed what they want to say in a perfect way when it got translated to text. And someone's idea of humor is not someone else's!

Scrolling is good, just keep scrolling.   

[nab]

It’s like every thread is becoming the Daily Rant thread....

[BaseCamp]

the place is dying...

Last one left, (bird?); ... ya can put out the lights..

Most times now - it's averaging about 1 post an hour, (maybe 20 a day)...

And some of those posts not much else than vitriol...

So many former members gone...

As I summarised and posted at the time Jeepers walked; in my opinion the rot started when the site's owners and the moderators failed to recognise the need to cull out the trolls and flamers... 

That and often some members' detailed and considered, (well thought through) posts would receive little or nil comment or feedback; whilst a clique of keyboard buddies would all kiss and slap each other on the back ...no matter what they posted to each other, or about other members...

MySwag may have once been an awesome online community of like minded "swaggers" ... encouraging and supporting each other in a type of digital "Mens' Shed" -- but those days are long gone...

The place has had its day, unfortunately...  and will never recover....




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[D4D]

MySwag may have once been an awesome online community of like minded "swaggers" ... encouraging and supporting each other in a type of digital "Mens' Shed" -- but those days are long gone...

You must be reading a different forum. Sure the posts have got a little slower, and there are more non camping posts, this is the nature of how all forums go when the community becomes more known to each other, it's now more an extension of a campfire chat. Cheer up, the sky hasn't fallen yet...

[Snow]

I read some interesting sentiment being shared these last couple of days and I once again have to reiterate that this forum is what it is due to what the members tolerate. We mods will act if we see something contrary to the rules but we mostly have to rely on the members hitting that ‘report to moderator’ option. There is only two of us mods active and we are volunteers. I have in the past edited/deleted/locked posts and threads and copped an earful for my troubles.

If you lot are serious this forum needs a big clean up then say so. I will jump straight in and make it so.

It is Your choice.

[Bird]

There is only two of us mods active and we are volunteers.

I mentioned this the other day as a big issue....
its unfair with how much this joint has expanded over the years for 2 people to try and spend their life on here controlling it - and as you said its a volunteer gig..

its happened in the past and will no doubt happen again

[Hairs]

The world as we know it has changed in the last 18 months, some events have brought us together, Fires/Floods, this event is something that none of us have ever experienced before.
Everyone will deal with their concerns/fears differently to the next.
What we all need is social contact, it is what makes us humans.
I believe the mods are doing the best they can, hey they are no different to us, many of us have camped with them, they have their concerns about what the future holds for them & their families and friends.
Thank you guys.
Ok,
I'm going to start a thread, What I am grateful for.
I would like to see every member post in that, at lest once a day.
Cheers.

[GeoffA]

.....
The place has had its day, unfortunately...  and will never recover....
.....

The forum doesn't need to recover from anything. I find negative posts to be a real disappointment.

“Those who look for the bad in people will surely find it.” - Abraham Lincoln (but it applies here, too....)

Cheer up people...

 

[Hairs]

The forum doesn't need to recover from anything.

Cheer up people...

 

Love ya work mate.
Cheers.

[feisty]

Hello Geoff. I've had me a break from here myself for a while (for no reason other than my priorities have changed a little) and just dropped in to say I wish you a happy and healthy future. We may meet again one day. Cheers Mark

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[GeoffA]

Hello Geoff. I've had me a break from here myself for a while (for no reason other than my priorities have changed a little) and just dropped in to say I wish you a happy and healthy future. We may meet again one day. Cheers Mark

Hi Mark. Thanks for your kind wishes. I hope you and yours are all well.
I look forward to catching up again one day. Hopefully the opportunity will present itself soon.

 

[Hairs]

Hello Geoff. I've had me a break from here myself for a while (for no reason other than my priorities have changed a little) and just dropped in to say I wish you a happy and healthy future. We may meet again one day. Cheers Mark

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Hope it works out.
Take care.

[#jonesy]

I don't come here to help form my opinion on politics, religion, climate change or electrical rules. I will sometimes posty opinion, if you don't like it then it doesn't worry me, each to his own.

As many have already said, it is the shared love of camping, and outdoors that I'm drawn to. When I see negative posts I scroll straight past them.