Problem with feedback system

[JamesSavik]

I have a problem with our feedback system. It allows "people" to leave something like this without signing their name to it:

I have an awful urge to say to all the Vietnam vets of the world: get over it or die. Dying's easily done, if you saw enough action to get "PTSD" you probably almost died already.

You missed your chance to pour out into the street and demand not to be sent to some obscure place on some poorly-thought out mission to satisfy some suit with a flag pin. You missed your chance to say "this is insane" and throw down the gun they gave you. Instead, you fought. It's sad that you suffer. And it's sad that you made people suffer. If you believe you can heal or move on, do it. If you believe that you can't, then it's hopeless so let go.

I don't mind getting a bad review. In fact I'm still waiting for one.

What I do mind is when we allow cowards like this to make statement like this that they would never make in public.

Whoever this piece of shit is I cordially invite him to a good old fashioned ass whippin'.

[Bruin Fisher]

Seems to me this is a guy/gal who thinks they're clever but hasn't learned one of the most basic skills of humanity - empathy. He/she'll never make a rounded human being until they can learn compassion, understanding, tolerance, appreciation of others.

James, just let it wash over you. It isn't worth your attention, and it's certainly not worth an iota of anguish.

Guys like you are devoting your considerable skills to opening the eyes of your readership, helping them broaden their perspective and learn a little about how the other half lives. You are doing your bit to reduce the number of bigots in the world. Unfortunately you came up against a recalcitrant one. Scrape him/her off your shoe.

[Trab]

I don't know if that is ignorance, or just plain nastiness, but either way, it is an abuse of the anonymous feedback system. It is one thing to criticise a story, but quite another to use the feedback to spew crap.

There are other places to post diatribes, and they are not anonymous (at least to moderators); and of course one could always write a proper story instead of sniping.

[DesDownunder]

James, I can't find any post in the forums, so I assume you received this as feedback to your story. (email? Private message?)

If that is the case, I don't know what we can do about it. Like you I am still waiting for a bad crit to one of my stories, actually any critique would be nice.

I think your correspondent if we can call him (her?) that, is in dire need of a good hug, maybe even, they need to get laid. If the person who sent you the feedback is as ugly as I suspect, then I have a variety of paper bags available to put over his or her head to make the getting laid process less of a disaster for whomever takes on this heroic task.

Maybe we could organise group therapy for this person if we knew who he is. Although I'm of the opinion that he is beyond help without severe psychiatric adjustment. Maybe my Zen nights would help him, and we could investigate the sound of one braincell floating in the abyss of his otherwise empty skull -come to think of it, the cell is probably trying to escape.

I am constantly amazed at the lack of compassion as expressed in letters to the editor or comments on news items. Everyone seems intent on being as ignorant as possible. Treat it like spam James. Delete the message and then come sit with your friends who all love you (and your stories.).

[TalonRider]

I think James is referring to the feedback form at the end of the story. It does have a box that can be checked enabling the email to be sent anonymously.

[Bruin Fisher]

actually any critique would be nice.

Is that a challenge? Watch this space!

...is in dire need of a good hug

That makes two of us. But that's nothing new, in my case - I always need a hug.

[EleCivil]

I've gotten some decent feedback from "Anonymous", which makes me wonder whether or not they would have been willing to send anything at all without that option. Still, messages like the one in the opening post are a clear example of John Gabriel's Greater Internet Fuckwad Theory.

Source

[dude]

I have a problem with our feedback system. It allows "people" to leave something like this without signing their name to it:

QUOTE I have an awful urge to say to all the Vietnam vets of the world: get over it or die. Dying's easily done, if you saw enough action to get "PTSD" you probably almost died already.

You missed your chance to pour out into the street and demand not to be sent to some obscure place on some poorly-thought out mission to satisfy some suit with a flag pin. You missed your chance to say "this is insane" and throw down the gun they gave you. Instead, you fought. It's sad that you suffer. And it's sad that you made people suffer. If you believe you can heal or move on, do it. If you believe that you can't, then it's hopeless so let go.

I am disappointed that you blame our feedback system for this 'Fuckwad's' comments. It is obvioius that he didn't even read the story, as in it Captain William Thompson was a hero of the Korean war... not the politically charged and controversial Vietnam war. But even if it did relate to Vietnam, the anonymous remark was not only ignorant, but totally wrong.

But also wrong is to blame our feedback system. If you like, I'll delete the feedback forms from your stories, but most of our authors welcome the extra effort I put into promoting reader dialog with them.

[Cole Parker]

I always need a hug.

--->[ BRUIN ]<---

C

[Trab]

Mike, I'm pretty sure it wasn't meant as a slam against the feedback method, just a slam against anonymous targeting by unscrupulous and stupid individuals.

Ironically, another prominent author, with his own website, has had almost no feedback at all, despite getting more 'hits' on his stories than ever before, and he is feeling depressed because of it. His comment form doesn't allow for anonymous commentary, so maybe the occasional negative or stupid comment is the price to be paid to have any comments at all. One has to wonder if having irritating comments is better or worse than seeming to be pissing into the abyss, not even hearing a splash far below.

[JamesSavik]

But also wrong is to blame our feedback system. If you like, I'll delete the feedback forms from your stories, but most of our authors welcome the extra effort I put into promoting reader dialog with them.

Sorry Mike- usually it works. We just had a fucktard this time.

[Bruin Fisher]

--->[ BRUIN ]<---

C

Aw, shucks, Cole, you make me feel all warm and cozy. Thanks so much!

Back on topic, I agree with you guys. The fault is 100% with the jerk not with the feedback form. If we didn't have feedback forms we would lose the 99% positive, helpful feedback we get as well as the 1% drivel. The drivel is the price we pay for opening ourselves up, and it will always be worth it, although it still hurts when pond life gets to spew vitriol at us.

[DesDownunder]

I thought I would see if I could find a reason for the anonymous reviewers comments.

Valhalla is a masterpiece of writing. A story that is as painful to read as the horror suffered by the participants. It awakens us to the sights and sounds of war and the effects of war, that we would rather not know, but having read them, we realise we need to know.

Your anonymous commentator, in my opinion is suffering from denial of how much he is affected by the horror and suffering you have so effectively and poignantly described.

That denial is no excuse for his comments, but his reaction is really a lashing out at his own feelings of guilt and inadequacy in coping with the demands of compassion you so correctly and skilfully, evoke in your reader.

His comments reveal his short comings, not yours or your story.

Valhalla is strong, confronting writing, revealing and thought provoking, compassionate and cathartic, and for these qualities gains my appreciation award for literary achievement.

Awarded to Jamessavik

for literary achievement

in his story

Valhalla

[dude]

Des, once again, has gotten pretty close to the core of the matter.

And I neglected to add to my comments that Valhalla is a moving and painful story at the same time. I think it is great!

You really know how to do it, James. Please keep it up!

Hugs to James et al.

[JamesSavik]

Valhalla is strong, confronting writing, revealing and thought provoking, compassionate and cathartic, and for these qualities gains my appreciation award for literary achievement.

Awarded to Jamessavik

for literary achievement

in his story

Valhalla

Wow... thanks Des.

And You are correct: I should blame the fucktard, not the system.

Mike has done a hell of a job setting this all up.

[Bruin Fisher]

Congratulations, James. Very well deserved.

Yours is shinier than mine - oops, where's the tin of polish?

[DesDownunder]

Congratulations, James. Very well deserved.

Yours is shinier than mine - oops, where's the tin of polish?

In line with the fact that this is James second award he gets the shiny one. His first was for services and love to redheads.

Yours is the original burnished titanium, Bruin.

I am going to have to make a third, I think. Gold? Rainbow? what say you all? Suggestions?

[Cole Parker]

How about glittery?

C

[The Pecman]

James, my feeling is that there's always going to be an a-hole out there who wants to be negative. If it wasn't the feedback system, they might have just sent you an email (with a phony return address, which is easy to do).

Obviously, the sender has issues. Throw it away and concentrate on the positive feedback you get. And if somebody does send you honest criticism, take that into consideration, too.

Me personally, I have no problems with a story involving post-traumatic stress disorder. If anything, you can make a good argument that our government still isn't take care of soldiers as well as they could, judging by the ongoing Iraq/Afghanistan conflict.

Meanwhile, I'm bummed that the guy we elected on the promise he'd get us out of the Middle East is getting us in deeper...

[DesDownunder]

At least you have a leader who made promises, and still has some promise to be better than the alternative.

I thought our Aussie elected leaders made promises to do nothing and it seems like they haven't kept to that either; or was it that they promised to do nothing...good? Yes, they probably could keep that promise.

OMG, Glitter? Cole, I am having you put under surveillance.

[Bruin Fisher]

I am going to have to make a third, I think. Gold? Rainbow? what say you all? Suggestions?

I did notice that on James' award the little man inside the circle has his legs spread further apart than on mine. So if you're thinking of a third level, perhaps he would need to have his legs up around his ears??

[DesDownunder]

Here is the original Leonardo Da Vinci drawing, Vitruvian Man, upon which the artist made the actual medallion.

The medallion was presented to me to commemorate my first play, and was given to me by a very dear friend.

You might imagine then, that I don't hand out the award without consideration for it's origins, ancient and modern, and as meaningful as they are.

This reference to the Vitruvian Man seems pertinent to these posts.

Bruin, it does seem as if his legs are a little further apart, but putting his feet behind his head would only be fitting if it was me.