BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Why are we doing this?

**Posted by Harriet** October 30, 2014 6:56 pm

So how can we deal with the matter that people write negative comments about some fans' opinions and then it turns out it was something nobody here said? I'm really tired of reading complaints about how fans behave on twitter, tumblr and the like, complaints about nasty people I don't even know or deal with.

And then there are all these endless and tiring discussions going on about what some fans elsewhere hate (another word I find highly questionable) and / or diss (another such word).

I observe it causes stress for members who feel like they have to apologise for something because they cannot tell it's not about them at all. And it stirs up useless anger about extreme positions that are not even part of this board and that we cannot influence from here either.

Why are we doing this? Isn't it enough that we have mostly very nice and reasonable people here and enjoy that situation?

**Posted by Lilith** October 30, 2014 7:15 pm

I think i can talk here about what i feel and experience within the Sherlock fandom because here the people mostly are friendly and respectful. It is about the only place where i can talk about these things. Also thought i can talk about certain aspects which bug me or upset me. I wasn't aware that i should only talk about things happening here but will refrain from sharing my thoughts and feelings if it is not wanted. i actually do enjoy the situation here and so i thought i can talk freely. I certainly don't wanna cause stress to other members. If i have done that, i honestly apologise.
Some discussions might be tiresome for some but interesting for others. I personally can skip over talks or discussions which are either not interesting for me or even tiresome cause i assume the other people who actually have these talks get something out of it. I will try to make myself clearer in what i write but basically i am a tad upset cause it seems to me that you are asking why for instance myself (because i feel you are referring to something i posted) discuss certain things which are of some interest, importance, or some kind of upheaval for me. Again, this is the only place i can talk about said things. I thought this is what a forum is for? Maybe i am wrong and if others are also disturbed, or tired of, i will not talk about it anymore but for me it would be sad because i enjoy an exchange of thoughts, i like to hear opinions by others cause it gives me perspective, so to say. I enjoy a fruitful, healthy discussion and i think when there are misunderstandings, they can be cleared.

**Posted by nakahara** October 30, 2014 7:19 pm

I think everybody should be free to discuss any subject he/she wants on the forum, in any form he/she likes. Otherwise it would force people into a self-censorship and I doubt anyone would want that.

Maybe we should prevent this kind of misunderstanding by simply citing the sources of informations to which we are objecting?
Just an idea, of course.

**Posted by Schmiezi** October 30, 2014 8:29 pm

nakahara wrote:
Maybe we should prevent this kind of misunderstanding by simply citing the sources of informations to which we are objecting?

Ideas like that make my little teacher's heart happy.

**Posted by tonnaree** October 30, 2014 9:07 pm

Schmiezi wrote:
nakahara wrote:
Maybe we should prevent this kind of misunderstanding by simply citing the sources of informations to which we are objecting?
Ideas like that make my little teacher's heart happy.

It sounds like a sensible thing to do.
I do sometimes like to come here and say "can you believe what's going on at tumblr?!?!

**Posted by besleybean** October 30, 2014 9:32 pm

I am the playing the same tune again: we should all be able to post what we like, as long as we are not abusive, making a personal attack, threatening or incitng hatred against anybody...
I always fail to understand why this would be a problem for anybody.

Last edited by besleybean (October 30, 2014 9:33 pm)

**Posted by SusiGo** October 30, 2014 9:39 pm

Yes, I think it would be a good idea to post a link to the source. I have not done so myself at all times but it seems a reasonable thing to do.

As for the problem as such - IMO it would be difficult to restrict oneself to this forum when the forum as such is part of a larger fandom/fandoms. Everyone should be free to post whatever they like as long as it is not disrespectful or insulting or in any other way offensive. We share lovely or funny or interesting things we see on tumblr and somewhere else and I think it would be difficult to exclude negative things completely.

If someone is angry or hurt after reading something negative or insulting e.g. about Benedict they should be free to voice their concerns here. Of course there is the danger of introducing negative vibes but in general we are a bunch of reasonable and tolerant people and I think we can deal with it.

Just my two cents.

Last edited by SusiGo (October 30, 2014 9:40 pm)

**Posted by Sherlock Holmes** October 30, 2014 11:07 pm

If you're complaining about something someone outside of the forum said, then yeah, I think it's fair to post a link to whatever it is you're complaining about, so that other people can see it and know what it is you're talking about.

I don't have any problem with these kind of discussions taking place though.

**Posted by SolarSystem** October 30, 2014 11:10 pm

I agree, Susi. This board is part of a large fandom, and whether we like it or not, it's almost impossible to seal ourselves off from what's going on in other parts of that fandom. And very often it's not even eligible, if you ask me. Take our comprehensive Johnlock thread for example... most of the 'material' we discuss and present there comes from tumblr, let's face it. Without this source there would be a lot less traffic in that thread. And this goes for various other threads, as well.
I understand that some of the more negative topics that find their way onto our board come from tumblr or twitter, as well. But I guess this can't be prevented anymore than it should be prevented to bring positive and funny things onto our board. Wherever the stuff comes from, it's vital to stay friendly and respectful here. Of course there will always be heated discussions and different opinions, but yes, I agree that this is part of what a forum is for.
And yes, I agree that it might help to always post the sources. So members who don't want to be involved in discussions that originate from tumblr or twitter might find it easier to stay away from it...

**Posted by Liberty** October 30, 2014 11:18 pm

Oh dear, I deleted a link recently because I wasn't sure of the etiquette of linking to off-forum posts and being critical about them (it feels a bit like talking about people behind their back! Especially as I'm aware that some tumblrites and twitterers are very young.). If it's OK to do so, I'll try to link to the source in future, though. Or maybe try not to say anything if I don't have something nice to say .

**Posted by tonnaree** October 31, 2014 1:27 pm

Would it help at all to maybe start a thread for discusion the negative aspects of the fandom we run into?

Then people could avoid the thread if they wanted to.

**Posted by Lilith** October 31, 2014 1:47 pm

That would be a good idea, tonnaree. Yet i think what had happened was just happening within a thread and i personally didn't wanna bore, nor stress anyone. It was just a conversation and i didn't mean any ill and i am admittedly still pretty upset that it caused this here.

**Posted by SusiGo** October 31, 2014 2:06 pm

Yes, we could do that. A sort of "free rants about fandom". I have only one reservation - there are things that even in there should not be discussed, i.e. too intimate aspects of people's personal lives and such things. Some subjects have no place on this forum and I hope everyone will respect that.

And, Lilith, everything is fine. Really.

**Posted by Harriet** October 31, 2014 2:55 pm

Lilith wrote:
That would be a good idea, tonnaree. Yet i think what had happened was just happening within a thread and i personally didn't wanna bore, nor stress anyone. It was just a conversation and i didn't mean any ill and i am admittedly still pretty upset that it caused this here.

You didn't cause this here. (Sorry you got it wrong, I see why.) Something similar happened before several times, so I wanted to ask in general, and I also wished to address other issues as well. Otherwise I would have said nothing. So head up

tonnaree, Susi, seems a good idea to me

Last edited by Harriet (October 31, 2014 3:03 pm)

**Posted by Lilith** October 31, 2014 7:54 pm

Thanks for that, Harriet, means i now can relax about it.

**Posted by Harriet** October 31, 2014 9:02 pm

Fine. Glad we worked this out