The Thinking Space Room Problems
I really think the thinking space room needs to be shut down or heavily monitored, a lot of people or members in there can be rude, abusive, sexual and many more things I won't go into. It is not helping 7 cups spread positivity or support at all. Please do something about it, thanks.
I hear you @PhoenixRise! I was so excited when I saw this room was added, and read about its purpose, which suggests that it is a forum to discuss in depth subjects other than what may be covered in the other rooms. Apparently, what the in-depth discussions part actually means is nothing but sexual ijn-jokes to the same dozen or so people who dominate the room, and the rebuffing of anyone who attempts to bring up any REAL topics for thoughtful conversation.
I'm sad about it, truth be told, and gave up on finding a semi-intellectual interaction spot on 7 Cups. I wish there was a way to make The Thinking Space functional!
@ladylazarus1971
Every Saturday 10-11pm EST I hold a discussion in Thinking Space on Current Events and Ethics! I think you may think differently about the room if you join us for one!
I hope to see you there!
@Jennalovely2 Thank you! I would love that! I had yet to see a scheduled event there (probably not looking in the right spots for that info) and I would very much enjoy a structured discussion like that. Hopefully, I'll meet with you there and then.
@ladylazarus1971
Alright! I am looking you forward to you joining
@Jennalovely2
The discussions have been more intellectual lately but its only a small group of the dozen or so mentioned earlier. Plus, though you do a good job, it only accounts for 1 of the 168 hours in the week and also the room tends to grumble when other mods or listeners do pop ups. You make a great effort but the room needs more to take care of the big picture problem that as @alystem said, is not a new issue.
@NumberDividedByZero
MsCoxie and the rest of the TS team are currently working on the discussions this room has and there will be more in the near future
@Jennalovely2
Can't wait to see when these will be scheduled and what the content will be as well as frequency and participation rate. Good luck :D
@ladylazarus1971 - You check our events calendar to see what's on :)
@Jennalovely2. Jenna I'm glad you stick up for your room....oops I mean TS and you are on team. One discussion a week doesn't put a picture of how TS is. And yes I don't claim to be the innocent one either. I too, can get into the mess there.
But whenever I bring up a "thoughtful topic" I'm bullied, bad mouthed and cussed at. So I know how it is there.
Like I said 1 current events group time isn't enough for that room. Why not seriously ask the room what they want as topics. Many people in there are great and smart people....just bored. TS needs more topics more positives in there.
Anyways ...any who....I'm not one of the TS favorites, but I do have tough skin to deal with the brutal Ness as well as the love at times.
@scribblez while you make some valid points, it seems that I only receive complaints when someone is not modding the room. The thinking space has 11 current members, all of whom are expected to mod and hold discussion in that room. If they are not, it should be reported so we can work it out. Also, there is an entire forum section devoted to the Thinking Space which includes a section asking people on discussion input yet very few have posted there. We are working hard to keep things in line, but we all need to work together rather than sit here cutting each other down. If there is a problem, message me. Whenever someone does message me about an issue, I resolve it promptly but I cannot fix problems that go unreported.
@mscoxie miss oxide I do understand you have alot to handle in TS. I'm not "cutting up" no one. I claim to not be an angel in TS. But I see things from certain mods on your team that will never change. I'm not knocking no one.
You seem to see TS is a wonderful room. Talk all good about it.....haha even I know that isn't true and many here as well. Why don't you see many new comers stay in there? And the other "new comers" are those that make new accounts.
Don't get me wrong I do love TS room alot, and love all the wonderful creative out spoken down to earth members there. I'M NOT KNOCKING THEM.
Please know exactly what is going on in there instead of always saying is lovely and wonderful. And I know you do lots here for this room. Not knocking you either. But actions speak louder then words.
TS will always be the the "special room"
@scribblez I understand what you are saying. I never said i was all lovely and wonderful. However i did say we are trying and that we cannot do anything about problems that are not reported. Thank you for your input.
@mscoxie I kinda felt you shut me up there. I ask questions about TS and I never get the truth. Or its the same lines. Like I said I'm not knocking you.
You did say you get good message when a mod isn't there....hmm
Where was one a few hours ago? We go get them and many can't do ts. I'm just saying.
Anyways, members know what is being done and not. Not gonna keep doing tit for tat here.
I'm going to graphics my pocket chair out and popcorn and watch your words turn to action words.
Tell me how I can help TS
Oh, I was supposed to report every little thing that made me uncomfortable? I didn't know that.
I don't think reporting should be the brush-aside solution, I think the room was being looked after properly there wouldn't be that question.
Reporting does nothing anyway...
@scribblez
Hi there Scribblez
Thank you! I am currently working on changing my discussion up a bit so it can be more suiting for all of us :)
And I don't think I've seen them do that to you there Scribblez. Next time it does please let me know
@Jennalovely2 Jenna aaawww so sweet of you.
Next time??? There will be no next time. I'm fine in TS and if I see a TS mod I CAN TRUST I will let them know my issies.
Sitting back enjoying TS and seeing the changes.
Peaches
@Jennalovely2 Gosh, well, I popped in, found you, and said hello. But no one ever said hi back, you left, and no guided discussion ever began. I was so hoping to enjoy the room at your suggestion, and possibly exercise my brain. But no such luck. What a shame. I'm pretty disappointed.
Thus it goes with TS.
@ladylazarus1971
Hey there!
Please send me a message so I can explain..
As things were pretty chaotic today.
Y'all are acting like this is new. But Thinking Space has been like this for most of its existence. It's breeding ground for trouble. It's like one of those stagnant ponds where mosquitos lay their eggs that hatch into terror for the innocent passerby. And if you don't happen to become "one of them", you will end up wanting to do horrible things to yourself... That's right, it's not the guests that are the problem...
But I think, in a way, it's too late. Even if they do completely get rid of Thinking Space, the legion will disperse into other rooms and continue telling people their lives don't matter, they are just a joke, etc...
So, you may be wondering, is there any hope? Or will 7cups plunge into a culture dominated by people who just go tell you to... do things to yourself...
Thinking Space is not a room. It's a society. They can't be controlled by closed rooms and ban after ban.
So what I propose, to be the thing that will save this site...is proper modding. (Yep, everyone who didn't already hate me hates me now. Good thing I don't come around here much anymore so it doesn't matter, jokes on you haters lol) And what I mean by that is having at least 1 mod in each room at all times, but preferably more than 1. Including those mythical group mod leaders, keeping the mods from abusing their power.
Why?
Because I've seen it work! I've seen trolls and unsupportive people quickly and cleanly dealt with, instead of it being ignored and then people get hurt...on a support site....ain't that funny. Hilarious. Sometimes, this site should win the irony award.
But the excuses arise. " there's not enough mods, they volunteer!"...oh well. Bye bye 7cups, I'm inching my way outta here before it descends into full madness.
@Alystem
I agree with what you are saying as Thinking Space is full of very strong personalities and we (and myself) are trying our best to mod TS accordingly.
Long time, no see btw!
Hi there!
I am sorry you feel this way about Thinking Space.
As a Thinking Space Team Support member/mod I can assure you we are all trying very hard to keep the room a positive and safe environment! If you have any questions or concerns you can send me a message
The one thing good I find about the room is that you can always count on it to have people talking in it. When all the other rooms are dead, you can just watch that room. I don't see many "thoughtful conversation" in that room. Ask your self this though How many Moderators do you see around and how many actually provide structure for others.
@Fear333. Fear you have a great point. How many mods do actually "try" and get involved and DO WHAT A MOD IS TO DO UNDER MOD RESPONSIBILITIES IN A GROUP CHAT. 😯
Like I said mods in there are people's best friend or ignore or say they didn't catch this or that, or act dahhhh like what do you mean.
I love TS and am a brat to, but I to would love to see a change in there
@scribblez. I feel like some people get it and some people don't. If you don't see the problem then that is the problem. -Fear.
@Fear333. AR I totally get you on tgis. I'm really understanding the TS team really working hard to stop this. But there are issues in there quite visible...
1. Mods know several people come in with many users name. It's ignore
2. Bullying. It is allowed and SOMETHING mods will take action right away. And no I'm nor screaming this. I take care of my own or I pm a mod and ask questions.
3. There is mention of change....Wjen? Where?? How long has ts been a "special room"
Anyways, it seems to me this is Mt own obsession and I'm letting it get to me. Like I said before I am not angel either. And I love the people in tjere. And yes many of us are very strongly opinionated. Change would be nice with all of us wonderful people in TS
@scribblez I just want peace. You know I do have a life and other things that matter more to me. :p There are many people out there that will imply that opinions don't matter. I feel like everyone is special and deserves to be heard and treated with respect. That's where im coming from. I say don't let anyone push you around online or in real life. Do and say what you feel is right. Some opinions can be facts when you got a load of people saying the same thing over and over again. I seen bullying happening in the chat rooms. I seen people support this and play favors. Even Glen said he is behind on lots of things. Im going to say why not include us in what's going on. Not everyone reads these forums. If him or anyone else is messing up we should have the right to express our selfs.
In regards to #1, apparently it IS okay to have multiple accounts...? Not sure what to believe anymore lol
@Alystem. Just saying. But every a moderator that I have reported is still here. One time there was three or four of us that reported the same moderator. I think many people are scared do not report. Most people won't complain and that's how it is in real life. It's no secret that many people paint me a certain way on here. I am very vocal about certain things. I don't appreciate people who disrespect me or talk to me all snarky. We have people on here who I feel like in real life they probably have much conflict, or they think they can get away by being a smarty pants.
Slowly I was working on a thread and it probably might be my last thread that I put on here. When it gets closer to releasing it I hope that no one has a problem with me advertising or promoting it whatever you wanna call it. I feel like it's more for the members and I'm going to be real with people and I hope that they appreciate that someone real is not ignoring the 600 pound gorillas in the room.
@Alystem - We ask that every user has only one listener and one member account. This guideline has not changed.
@Fear333
What do you mean?
Im a bit confused on what you mean about the mods part?
I agree that the room can be a bit harsh for people and that the conversation in there isn't much in line with what you'd expect of a site that foremostly tries to cater to people who are in a crisis.
What you have to realize I think, though, is that there is no where else that this type of conversations are allowed and that a lot of people enjoy these types of conversations. You may find the conversations boring, distasteful or harsh but that it still caters to people's needs and if the room weren't there these people would have to find other places to find these conversations and it would flow over to other rooms. Because Thinking Space is like this I think what you'll see these conversations less elsewhere because they now can be had in Thinking Space.
If you dislike these people and the conversations they are having I think you should be grateful that Thinking Space exists. Because the only thing you have to do is simply not go there and go to the community room or any other room in which you'll now find none of these people and conversations thanks to Thinking Space.
Enforcing heavier moderating on Thinking Space I don't think will do much good for anyone. The people in the room obviously wouldn't like it, it would affect the rest of the rooms as then people will try to seek out these types of conversation elsewhere, and the moderators too would have a hard time with it. I remember when it was just Community Room 1 & 2 and there were a lot more moderators but also a lot more fighting about rules, mods, warning, mutes, trolls, band etc. Compared to that, Thinking Space is very easily moderated now and it's really peaceful.
I think it would be nice if 7C tries to caters to everyone's needs and I think they've actually often stated that this is something they aim for. I think Thinking Space suits that purpose well.
I do however agree that you can't have serious or deeper discussions in Thinking Space. When I try to engage people in an intelligent discussion I usually don't get much of an answer and the discussions of other people take over the room. While I don't like this I don't ask for 7C to close the room down or ask for them to silence them or anything. It's just not my taste but the people in that room seem happy about it, so it doesn't really matter what my opinion is on this imo.
How we can have more intelligent discussion on 7C I don't know, there isn't a room at the moment where people talk more intellectually. I"m not sure if this is something that can be made on 7C, sometimes I think there simply isn't enough animo for these types of conversations. I think maybe adding more discussions about philosophy or politics could be helpful but I know that people in Thinking Space generally don't like it and will leave the site. I'm also thinking that Thinking Space maybe can be seperated, which I think is going to happen anyways because the chat often goes too fast to be able to read it. Maybe besides just making a Thinking Space 1 and 2 there could be seperations made on deep and shallow discussions.
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune
I don't understand why people who don't go on thinking space feel the need to demand stricter moderation or fir it to be closed. I don't like several of the rooms i don't demand they be closed or changed, because i just leave if i don't like the discussion.
Intelligent discussions are difficult because the chat goes so fast and i for one am pretty much only ever on this site on my phone and can't keep up, so i get aggravated and leave. Discussions are usually mediocre anyway, at best.
Moderating is usually fine and the room is mostly civil until a new mod wants to be overly strict and stifle the conversations. Or new people come in and start problems and call in mods because they can't just be adults and leave the room if they don't like it.
There's already mcr for random chat anyway. A new room won't help.
Lol yeah don't change anything, the stuff that goes on in there is TOTALLY appropriate for the purpose that this site was created for, lmao.
That's why I don't go in there anymore. A support site where you are harassed. And yes I'm ranting now lol what do I have to lose lol lol lol
@Alystem
What sort of support are you seeking, Alystem. I am well acquainted with this site and can direct you for the kind of support you need.
To quote my own example, i used to be a cry baby when i came to this site and now i don't cry anymore. It is evidence that this site works!
Thanks and stay awesome!
I absolutely love the subtle jokes and name calling references you put in there.
10/10
@Alystem
Judging by your other posts, I'm assuming your issue is with the whole site in general, rather than with thinking space. As far as thinking space's place within the site, i don't see a problem besides the mods with personal grudges sniping and muting unfairly. There's more trolls in the depression room usually, anyway.
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune Great post! The original intention of the Thinking Space was, as you said, a place for discussions involving more deep thinking and all that great stuff. I, as well as a few of our other team members, have held wonderful thoughtful discussions in the Thinking Space room about a variety of more serious, thoughtful topics. However there are also, like you said, times when it gets out of hand. We have been working to prevent this by having at least one available mod at all times. I have posted the list of our team in our forum section so anyone can message one of us when needed. Also, we have been working on creating better relationships between mods and members in there, which is hindered by whomever insists on continuing to snipe in our room, giving the rest of us a bad name. I hope this bit of info helps set people's mind at ease a bit. Thank you again for your post :)
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune
Hi Neon! I agree with you! We will have more discussion I can assure because you are right, intelligent discussions and such is what that room is for!
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune - you make a good point about how giving a room for a certain type of conversation only some people want makes sense because if not then they will have that conversation soemwhere else where it might be more disruptive
@WilleZurMacht
Relating this to mmorpgs and different kinds of people and gample analogy:
-There is a high rate server -easy to level up, easy to get loot/drops/items, boosts egos of players ego it makes them look for fights more often, the population of the server even without an event is already at 2,000, trash talk, playing "pals" with mods and so on and so forth.
-There's a low rate server. Everything is hard work considering it was based closer to the original rate -which is lower than the high rate server. Rules are stricter. Things considered legal in the other server is illege here.
What happens when the high rate server is down? The regulars get bored, and they take their antics, their "culture" to the low-rate. Not saying 100% of them misbehave, but a lot do, even if it's just to pass the time till their home is back.
This is a temporary solution. If any person --because like it or not, people like that DO exist, and people DO become that way for whatever reasons... they had a taste of bullying "the weak" or just good old, inexplicable "it's fun, and I've got nothing else to do." or even something we all can relate to: "VENTING"
Temporary why? So we're supposed to just keep them happy, If they demand something, we give it to them? If they say mods just aren't doing their jobs -it's already their fault? Are we supposed to just lock them up in there? Sure, it's something they don't have anything against, since it's a place they are comfortable in and are used to.
But this is what's called: "ENABLING" and "feeding" a "psychosis." It's not exactly trying to change them drastically like K-pops have their images and personalities changed according to what their company deems is favorable/advantageous/sellable to the public. It's about just common courtesy, some understanding, and learning that we all have to adjust.
This is temporary... because if anything happens, and they're forced to go elsewhere, and they take with them what they are used to doing, to saying, to behaving, then it just starts over elsewhere. It will just delay WHEN it happens. Not to be pessimistic. But it could get worse. Better safe than sorry.
What do the rules say about people who come into chats looking for help, and they panic? We try to talk to them calmly, we try to help them calm down. Determine whether or not they are an immediate danger. And even some of us still continue to talk ot them even if they threaten us with their own lives. Or even just people who are already drowning in their anger, in their emotions, that they've just had it --it's in the heat of the moment? They came here looking for help. A fast chat, some regulars greeting each other, people too focused in both serious and light chats or greetings, it's only been 1-5 minutes, and the person will already feel like it's been forever, and they have not been given the attention and support that they were seeking...
What do you guys do?
When we try to help, and when we try to understand someone --when we try to EMPATHIZE, we need need those and patience. We don't know how it will turn out. Because when we don't do things kindly or properly, they start snowballing into something ugly. That person may or may not have been adjusting to have survive and get here to us.
If we don't handle things with a long-term thinking, we aren't tackling the issues at their core. Which means it comes back. Angry, disappointed, hurt people come back into the chat, still hoping there'd be something that could help them, feeling alone --feeling that there's no where else to be, but they just HAVE to BE...somewhere.. But they're disposition's worse, and so when they're around, they've got an extra excuse to feel crappy and to be mean and to lash out at people.
I don't like guilt-tripping people. And this site doesn't either. But everyone's gonna have to try. How can anyone just completely blame someone for the situation they are struggling with?? If we turn them away, then we've just successfully gone against what 7 cups of tea is teaching us, and we've just possibly made a potential troll, or a potential someone who'll be even harder to speak with.
If a person came in saying they can't get out of their abusive relationship and can't decide, and you think you already know what they're too "incompetent" to do and too "cowardly" to do. Think about yourself immediately judging someone and refusing them. 7 cups of tea encourages everyone to give people a chance. This includes even previously proven/convicted trolls or misbehaving people. This includes even people with offenses. Even those people need help.
Whether or not the responding action made by the admins is good or bad, in life there are always pros and cons. Trial and error. But at the same time, trying to make good sense of which is better.
I hope this made sense.
@SunsetMorpho
Sorry but it actually didn't make sense to me lol. It seems interesting, though, and I did get something out of it, let me try to reword my interpretation into my own words:
So yeah, I do think it is true that it's a bit of a chicken and the egg kind of thing, is it the people that made Thinking Space so laisez-faire or is it Thinking Space that allowed the people to get like this? Thinking Space has its own kind of style that doesn't fit into the 7C rules, which has its pros, but it also doesn't allow Thinking Space to become more compassionate. And somewhere I already acknowledged that it goes too far and that mods sometimes join in on the gangbang or just let the regular group have their way with a newcomer or an outsider. Probably because mods get too friendly with the people in the room and because if they don't give into the demands of regulars they think they'll lose control over the room.
So what is the right thing to do?
1. Close down a generally well-functioning community so that it is hold to the same standard as the rest of the site.
2. Allow Thinking Space to exist and let it make their own rules.
I still think number two is the best, and also the most realistic, and also has the best shot at getting a bit compromised, perhaps by doing something about the moderation and just simply giving a new set of rules instead of allowing them to make their own rules.
What do you think are other things that could be done?
I'm sorry if this is how you feel about it or anyone had a bad time there, and me as part of the team we try our best to make this room suitable for what it is meant to be for. Sometimes things get all worked up there but then anyone can contact any of the team ir any mod and they will be there.
Thinking Space different than other rooms and vice versa, it's meant to be for lighthearted talk which isn't suitable in other rooms, so each room has it's cons and pros for each member here, and the community is trying to make places for everyone to find their spot and where they feel comfortable talking, but that of course doesn't give anyone the right to make you feel unwelcome there, and we try our best to make everyone feel welcomed in there.
Each room has it's time when it's need a mod immediately that's why there is us and there's teams so each team can try take care of that room as best as they can and we try our best, and you can always contact anyone of us or any mod as a matter of fact if it's needed.
I would recommend if you try give it another chance because as there is bad times there are some really great times where we have thoughtful, fun and whatever we can come with as discussions there, and again sorry for anyone who had a bad experience there.
I don't understand why you would want more moderation. When there was more moderation there were a lot more fights in the room and people hated the mods. Now it's really peaceful and everyone gets along with the mods.
Sometimes we are just talking in Thinking Space and then suddenly out of nowhere there comes a message from someone who entered the room 15 minutes before, hasn't said anything and suddenly goes "I'm reporting this to the mods!". These people walk into a room, don't like it, eavesdropping in the corner for 15 minutes and then start dictating to everyone the conversations should go. Yet when these people complain on the forum their word is taken for granted and their complaints are validated as legit concerns.
It's sad people can just dictate their own opinion on an entire room by just making a forum post claiming how a certain room is mean, bullying, triggering, not following the rules, don't include other people and 7C immediatly starts giving into their demands. Or atleast that's the impression I get with when reading these threads.
I also don't think adding more discussions is a good thing. While I personally like them, the majority in Thinking Space doesn't. I don't think a few loudmouths should force their opinion onto the majority and I don't think 7C should give into the demands of the few who are the loudest on the forum.
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune NEOOO! no one is dictating anything, neither did anyone say more moderation. We're a team of 11 now and we try out best that each one of us be there in a specific time we chose so all we said is what we're trying best to do, and that's what mscoxie said.
Everyone can say their opinion and we're obligated to listen and understand even if you don't agree with it, and the discussions will be more great when you guys give us ideas on what you want to discuss and some of you also can lead their discussions by just asking us, and I find the discussions great because we can all do the same thing, not every two persons are in a different conversation, and that's why some people feel unwelcomed there.
.
The reason I personally feel unwelcome is because people have told me to kill myself..yes, on a support site. Lol lol lol you people still think there's hope. I don't.
When you sign up to this site, there are Community Guidelines, the Guidelines are clear, they are there to protect everyone, everyone needs to follow the Guidelines. You signed up to the site having accepted the Community Guidelines. You can't then decide you don't like or want to follow the Guidelines and anything goes. The end result will be closure of the room, just like the 'Loneliness Room'. Some people breached the Guidelines, but everyone who used that room suffered, because it was 'CLOSED' down.
@rebel11
That's a very dogmatic and unrealistic look on the matter, though. Yes we have rules for a reason but that doesn't take away that Thinking Space now is much more peaceful than when it was heavily moderated (I mean Community Room 1 & 2). Despite how authoritized and justified you think it is, if you close down the room because of a few people who don't like it, then the people from Thinking Space will just move to the Community Room and you'll just have more trouble and more complaints.
@NeoNeoNeoNeonPrune just saying. But you might have a great time but someone else might not. I feel like certain people will defend that room and have certain views but some of those people are the ones that monopolize the conversation and want to talk about certain topics that I feel pushes people away.
@Fear333
I agree but you see it as a negative thing while I see it as a positive thing. Personally I'd like to be able to hold more intelligent conversations but the people there don't want to. I don't think it's right to push my preference upon them. They monopolize Thinking Space because they don't have anywhere else to go on the chat rooms where they can be themselves. If someone doesn't like the conversation in that room, tough luck, there are other rooms they can go to, why do they have to ruin it for the people there who can't go anywhere else and who no one wants in their chat room? No one is entitled to like the whole site. If someone doesn't like the type of conversation that goes on in that room there is nothing they are missing out on.
I must acknowledge, though, that to me it does indeed seem that newbies or people with different thoughts get bullied by some people and that moderators and the rest of the people gang up on the newbie/outsider unrightfully. This is just how I perceived a few situations.
"Oh boo hoo, a mod is bullying me because I'm not following the rules that I agreed to when I decided to spend my time here and not on 4chan. Boo hoo hoo" --most of thinking space