GOMI hits Huff Po

[Curious]

So Huff Po has an article about GOMI: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley/down-the-rabbit-hole-the-_b_9567094.html

Some kind of interesting stuff, though I don't think it's anything really new for people that read GOMI or the blogsnark subreddit.

This article does illuminate why I want us to get away from so much BEC type commenting and back to the dangerous practices and beliefs of the people we follow.

 

[EyeQueue]

Holy shit. I had no idea about the Freckled Fox thing. That's pretty fucked up. I know people are often taken in by Internet hoaxes, and some people are on a hair trigger here because of Razing Ruth and Burris, but...dayum. I would hope no one here would so rabidly go after someone who claims to have that type of illness/impending death situation. 

I've admittedly not done much digging around on GOMI, but what I have seen has not impressed me. Least of all their sour grapes commentary on Free Jinger.

[Curious]

A couple things, first if we made an apology post or a retraction of some kind, it would not be deleted or hidden.  We don't do that here.

Second, while this is a snark forum and there are more BEC comments that I would personally like to see, when someone we follow has some kind of tragedy or illness, most of our members offer nothing but sympathy/well wishes in their comments here.

We also don't tend to snark on minors directly very often and when it does happen, it's usually shot down pretty fast by member self-policing.  There have been 2 incidents recently where children of bloggers have found comments about their parents/family/themselves and the reaction from members on GOMI was disheartening, IMO.

I think we all realize that children of the people we follow will likely find this site eventually, but most of our posts are supportive of the children and the snark is directed at the parents that are putting the family business out on the world wide web.

I think the fact that we have had several children of people we follow feel comfortable enough to post here, in a non-defensive manner, speaks for itself.

 

 

[Palimpsest]

That article was interesting.  I knew some of the background of GOMI but it set out the history very clearly.  I did not know about the Freckled Fox thing either.

1 hour ago, Curious said:

This article does illuminate why I want us to get away from so much BEC type commenting and back to the dangerous practices and beliefs of the people we follow.

I completely agree - assuming you mean Bitch Eating Crackers when you say BEC.

We've had our ups-and-downs on FJ over the years and went through a bad patch last year when we had flocks of new posters after the Josh Duggar scandals.   Some (not all!) of the new people wanted to say "but FJ is a snark forum so I can say anything I want!"  That is not so.  Really unkind and irrelevant comments about vulnerable people and children will be challenged.  We aren't GOMI and never have been.

All hail the Helpmeets - they work really hard. It all seems to have calmed down recently and discussion of dangerous practices and beliefs seems to be taking precedence again.  I hope that improvement continues.

Mind you, I rarely venture into the Duggar forum so I could be wrong about the improvement!  

[FundieFarmer]

I think FJ is a more conscious snark forum than most. Sometimes I even think snark is misleading, because even our snark tends to be temperate (I think. I'm also a fairly caustic person, so mmv). I find there tends to be very little shooting from the hip here. But I think above all, many of our posters are aware of this potential and stay away from this and when we see it, shoot it down quickly.

Definitely one of the things I like about FJ.

[Curious]

2 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

I completely agree - assuming you mean Bitch Eating Crackers when you say BEC.

Yes, that's what I meant

[Gossamer1]

FJ always provides me with new stuff to look up.  I had to google BEC, I had never heard of it before.

[THERetroGamerNY]

That was rather insightful history about GOMI... Had no idea.

Now I definitely know why I dislike the place...

[Bad Wolf]

Oh my. Never been on that site, but the Freckled Fox bashing just tore me apart. My niece just went through brain surgery 2 days ago to remove a tumor. Stage 4 melanoma. No results yet as to whether it is malignant. She's doing well so far, no cognitive or physical difficulties. I know if I posted it here, I would have nothing but supportive comments.

Kudos to FJ and the mods who make this a safe place to be.

[ALM7]

19 minutes ago, Bad Wolf said:

Oh my. Never been on that site, but the Freckled Fox bashing just tore me apart. My niece just went through brain surgery 2 days ago to remove a tumor. Stage 4 melanoma. No results yet as to whether it is malignant. She's doing well so far, no cognitive or physical difficulties. I know if I posted it here, I would have nothing but supportive comments.

Kudos to FJ and the mods who make this a safe place to be.

I wish your family and niece the very best, my thoughts are with you @Bad Wolf.

[19 cats and counting]

I used to lurk GOMI (they have some gold on Erika Shupe).  However, now I can't even view the forums without being redirected to their main site.

[Quivering Uterus]

I have thought to myself that it is only a matter of time before an adult targeted is going to commit suicide. I try not to be so mean, although I'm not always successful, to not go to extreme. I do not want to wonder if I was a part of it later in life.

 

 Sometimes we really do have no idea how it is.

[ADoyle90815]

I haven't been to GOMI since it pinged as a threat of potential viruses by my antivirus software.

[Curious]

2 hours ago, 19 cats and counting said:

I used to lurk GOMI (they have some gold on Erika Shupe).  However, now I can't even view the forums without being redirected to their main site.

you get redirected if you are using an adblocker.

[THERetroGamerNY]

I get what@Curious is trying to foster here at FJ... Despite GOMI's mewling cries from the basement I think she does a damned fine job as well.

I think the main difference is that peeps actually learn stuff here... Like that whole tangled "reformed" discussion. That was eye-opening!

GOMI just bitches for the sake of just bitching...

[EyeQueue]

12 hours ago, Curious said:

I think we all realize that children of the people we follow will likely find this site eventually, but most of our posts are supportive of the children and the snark is directed at the parents that are putting the family business out on the world wide web.

I couldn't agree more. I've seen genuine and sincere condolences and expressions of sympathy go out to even some of those that are considered here among the worst (how they treat their kids, etc.). Most recently to No Hustle Russel when his father passed away. The snark came to a dead stop for awhile as people sent sincere condolences.

11 hours ago, Palimpsest said:

Mind you, I rarely venture into the Duggar forum so I could be wrong about the improvement!  

I think you're right, Palimpsest. When things start to get out of control, other members are good about bringing things back to where they need to be: snark about the dangerous/harmful practices and beliefs.

Yeah, sometimes it does go BEC and sometimes it is more harmless than at other times, but people are pretty good about self-policing, or reminding new members how we usually roll on FJ.

[ALM7]

On 5/22/2016 at 10:52 AM, Bad Wolf said:

Oh my. Never been on that site, but the Freckled Fox bashing just tore me apart. My niece just went through brain surgery 2 days ago to remove a tumor. Stage 4 melanoma. No results yet as to whether it is malignant. She's doing well so far, no cognitive or physical difficulties. I know if I posted it here, I would have nothing but supportive comments.

Kudos to FJ and the mods who make this a safe place to be.

@Bad Wolf, I wanted to check in with you, and make sure all is well with your niece and family. You've been in my thoughts, take care.

[seattlechic]

Holy shit. I just read the article, and then visited Freckled Fox's site. Her husband passed last week - my heart broke. Snark is one thing, being a offensive bitch is another.

 

Thanks @Curious for keeping us honest. Fun as shit, but honest. 

[EmmieJ]

On average, I learn something new at FJ about once a week.  This week, I learned two new things:

BEC - Bitch eating crackers; and GOMI.  Had not heard of this site before (and glad of it!).  Eventually, any site that runs on spite, meanness and ugliness will tear itself down.  But wow, to mock someone's terminal illness - I just can't imagine. 

[nonymouse]

@Bad Wolf- I'll keep you and your niece in my thoughts.

How awful to learn about Freckled Fox and her husband, and his passing all in the same day. Deepest condolences to her family and loved ones.

This all reminds me of a book I've just started reading: "So You've Been Publicly Shamed" by Jon Ronson. Not sure if I can post the link here, so mods, please delete and let me know if this was improper. Thanks:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22571552-so-you-ve-been-publicly-shamed