One last post on the current path before reaching that turning point.
The one thing I have been repeatadly reminded of is that I trust people too much. I suppose it comes from a generation where someone's word meant something. It meant that a handshake or simple "you have my word" was enough for all parties to keep their agreements.
Trust also meant that when someone sent a Personal Message, it was just that. The cardinal rule of the internet since the on line experience began was that ALL personal messages and e-mails were kept private.
That is no longer the case and has not been for quite some time. This is a generational thing apparently. The standard of behavior often referred to as nettiquite apparently has not taken hold with the new subscribers of the internet.
I experienced this breech of trust, first with the many volunteers who came forward with the standard "I want to be a mod" "can I help?" to which requests I had first turned down.
When I started the broadcast streams on the road, I had not intended to have my own chat. I had arranged to use existing chats on Topix and a number of message sites rather than to run and maintain my own chat site.
When I opened the Ustream chat at the urging of the members back then, I did so with me as the sole moderator. This worked out well until the trolls arrived. One thing led to another and I finally gave in to the flood of offers and brought aboard my first group of moderators.
This was the start of a series of problems of one kind or another with these volunteers as it turns out they either came aboard with the single minded purpose of sabatoging the chat or, not having the kind of leadership skills necessary to operate a chat room properly, made policy and ran the chat according to their personal agendas and personality conflicts with other members.
Trust also proved to be my weakness when it involved the transfer from one server to another when the owners and staff , again, volunteered to be the hosts of the chat and administer both the stream and broadcast sites.
This again proved to be a serious error for it turns out there were a group of individuals who liked nothing to do but ruin someone's hard work for the sake of LULZ.
That trust cost me a lot. It has also taught me that the internet is no longer a gathering place for the enlightened and friendly groups who gather in our virtual rooms and persue our interests.
Instead the internet is nothing more than a toy.A place to read comics, listen to music and watch viral videos.
The internet is a place where someone logs into a chat room as someone they are not.
The internet is a place for pranks and threats and "getting even" for being banned or denial of entry into a room.
The internet is a place where a no to a request or the turning down of an idea leads to cyber stalking and personal smears, again, to get even.
The internet is now a place of virtual vandalism, cyber terrorism and cyber bullying.
Before I go on I must take this time to thank all the GOOD Administrators, and moderators that have assisted me in the operation of the broadcast sites, message sites, and chat sites during the 5 months I have operated them. They volunteer their time and effort for nothing but my thanks and I will always appreciate them.
This then brings me to the close of the post with the one incident that has taught me the final lesson regarding Trust.
The administrators and I had a group private chat session where we discussed certain problems that had been ocuring on the board for about 2 weeks or so during the absense of a key admin.
In that session I made the remark to all that "When push comes to shove, in the end I do not trust completely ANYONE but myself." All the participants of the chat understood full well the meaning behind this statement except one.
As it turns out, that one individual proved to be the one person I could not trust as I learned later on what this individual's true motives and actions were.
So, that last lesson that I have learned is this. "I will never, ever, trust anyone on the internet again."
Now for the turning point that is approaching.
Stay tuned
MURT
