@Catnap wrote:

@MFJohnston wrote:

Here's the trick:
If you don't hurl insults and otherwise break forum rules, you won't be labeled as "reported"! ]

@Sassymmm has a simple explanation why it won't work. Anyway I can 100 percent guarantee that the system won't be adopted.

@MFJohnston who knows your comments might lead to a workable system.

BTW: My comments are not a personal criticism of you. It is good that you have started the debate at least.

@iShop123 wrote:

Or make a "pact" to not comment on certain people's posts, then PM them privately looking for personal information, and end up commenting round-about on their posts anyway.

People never cease to amaze me; some in a good way and others not so much.

@Irene_L.A. wrote:

Why let anyone run someone into the ground on a public forum, no, put a stop to severe name calling. New shoppers coming on to learn see this, and it lowers the forum. Those doing it will continue as long as they can.
The old saying, "Why" because I can.....first time, kick them out and not let them come back under a false name.
We are tough (@Dante Scheduler), but this is not acceptable.....if it happened to you you'd get it said with respect.

@MFJohnston wrote:

@DanteScheduler
Irene is exactly right on this. While having a little bit of a "thick skin" is important as adults, we also, as adults, have to demand a certain level of decorum of ourselves and those who share public spaces with us. We've gone too far and need to self-correct. In many ways, this forum is the closest thing that mystery shoppers have to a professional community. If we can't present ourselves as professional, how can we demand to be treated as such by the companies that provide us work?

@MFJohnston wrote:

@DanteScheduler
Do you believe that bullying is real and a problem? Or do you believe that people in the workplace, in public, etc. should just shrug off cruelty? Should we deal with folks who degrade their employees? Bosses who harass their female employees? All of these things can happen online as well - and I would suggest are no more acceptable. People have been degraded on this forum. When this happens, we don't simply tell the victim of degradation "you need thicker skin." This enables a bully. Rather, we correct the bully's behavior.

While I agree with the sentiment that the bully's behavior reflects poorly on the bully, I don't agree that we should allow the bully to continue to have open game on the victim. Perhaps you've got thicker skin than most folks. I generally do as well. However, not everybody handles it that way. Some of this has been very apparent in the news recently. This forum is meant to be a place where shoppers can safely go with their questions, to seek out better understanding of the business, commiserate, etc. It can no longer serve said purpose if folks do not feel safe.

@spicy1 wrote:

But that is not what is happening here, that is not the case. There is a new poster who is manipulating their way throughout this forum with anecdotes that are meant to harm that do not actually have to do with shopping and that is what is being addressed. The origination cannot be ignored for seeing what it has become.

@spicy1 wrote:

But that is not what is happening here, that is not the case. There is a new poster who is manipulating their way throughout this forum with anecdotes that are meant to harm that do not actually have to do with shopping and that is what is being addressed. The origination cannot be ignored for seeing what it has become.

@Catnap wrote:

It seems 'veteran' posters on forums sometimes like to protect their 'territory'. If they see a new person entering the forum, they go into 'passive aggressive' bully mode. They try to make the new person feel unwelcome with unpleasantness.

One of the tools in the arsenal of these bullys is to call the new guy a 'bully'.

Eventually, however, these bullys understand that they can't drive away every new comer. And the bullying cycle ends. And there is no more trouble.

Let's be positive. Life is too short for silliness!

@MFJohnston wrote:

it was clearly referring to what's been going on here and there was not any secret to whom you were referring.

@Catnap wrote:

It seems 'veteran' posters on forums sometimes like to protect their 'territory'. If they see a new person entering the forum, they go into 'passive aggressive' bully mode. They try to make the new person feel unwelcome with unpleasantness.