Psycho-Babble Social Thread 1096554

Shown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

How can it be that it is the second week in 2018 and I am writing the first post on PB Social? I'm sure this is a well-pondered question here, so instead of offing my theories, I'll just say that for me it always seems to come down to the Bob factor.

Babble years ago was so important to me. I was a regular poster who had several friends. Because it was safe to share and commune as a person with a chronic mental illness, I felt, well, somehow normal. Oh, I said some things I regret, pissing off Atticus and PC, posters I admired. There were probably others. I shared things about myself recklessly, though I also posted enough fiction to keep people guessing. The artificial nature of a cyber cafe sort of triggered latent psychotic thought at times, but several people helped me keep grounded as did visits with Bob and other posters in person.

Unfortunately, I got caught up too often in the whole Lou saga. It just bothered me that he could repeatedly make harmful characterizations about the community while zealously alarming those of us benefiting from pharmacology - like lithium which allows me to live a life out of the psych ward. Consequently, I spent my share of time in the penalty box mostly because I refused to learn Babblespeak, a coy but apparently legal form of passive aggression.

This brings me to Bob, the frustratingly enigmatic founder and former participant. Several of us had a love-hate relationship with him. I admired his intellect although his rhetorical style of communication was frustrating, to say the least. I don't think I'm alone in the belief that he treated people differently and unfairly, protecting those he felt were bullied or personified one of his core beliefs while banishing several of his irritants who were particularly adept at striking a nerve in his otherwise thick skin. I never could wrap my head around punishment on a support site of people compromised by their mental disabilities. And then there were people he just was transparently fond of either because of their civility, vulnerability or brilliance. This created a sort of sibling rivalry, I think, maybe by design.

So, here I reminisce about this cool place that I never thought I would leave. It once held me captive like daily soporific bourbon does today. I'm sure many of you would say that the supportive interactions of others here are what sustained your participation. There is truth to this because you are reading these words despite Bob's abandonment of his once-prized baby. Perhaps, however, there is some metric to show that the decline of Babble is directly related to Bob's attempt to devolve authority and his perceived disinterest. Regardless, like returning to a ghost town, those of us who have moved on occasionally pass through sadly remembering this once vital place.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by baseball55 on January 10, 2018, at 21:06:04

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

I found my way to babble later than you and here's how it seemed to me - some interesting and helpful postings and posters. Overwhelmed by constant flame-outs, accusations against and defensive replies by Dr. Bob, endless discussion about Lou, constant threats by various posters to leave unless something were done about, what seemed to me, obscure resentments against others that played out apparently on the administration board. (Assiduously avoided this board.)

So why you may recall as babble's heyday, I recall as an often weird and unwelcoming place. The only thing that made it tolerable was Dr. Bob's banning flamers who were insulting and provocative.

I looked in every so often but it seemed Dr. Bob had absconded and the site flamed itself out.

I actually am glad it's back on line - no Lou, no endless discussions of whether Dr. Bob is being fair, just a (too small) number of people trying to help one another. I wish there was more activity and that more people would join. I also think that, on the internet, there is a trade-off between quantity and quality of interactions, unless a site is very heavily moderated, which babble right now is not.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph

Posted by Clearskies on January 10, 2018, at 22:20:53

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

TOPH!!!

I graduated from Partlycloudy back to Clearskies. Not certain its accurate. I had my first inpatient experience this past year. Booo.

Yes, this isnt even a shadow of the former place - more like a ghost of it. I have found valuable support in the pages of Facebook, private closed pages where the suffering help one another. Not any talk of medications, interestingly enough.

Im single now.
And I live on the West Coast (ish). Washington but not the coast.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by rjlockhart37 on January 11, 2018, at 0:26:14

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

yes major board active almost tons of electricity from posters were keeping it a room ton of people, seems like social media kinda drifted people away from babble... this was my first board to post on the net, i posted in high school when i was 17, im 30 now.....i got very good advice from people, i mean...good, there was so many responses to my posts, but i didnt really take the advice... at the time i was different self and dealing with personal things and didn't have capability now to post as i do today, It does kinda make nostalgic memories, even though it is/was cyber cafe-social ... it was fun and worth while to rerember. 2018 ....we usally know eachother very well, main posters, and talk about life things and check up on how doing. 15 years ago...full house, full party

dr-bob....never met him in person, hope he's doing good.....if it wasnt for him, none of this would here......but sometimes it's vacant and he doesn't respond, but besides that lucky chance ill talk to him in person someday

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » rjlockhart37

Posted by Clearskies on January 11, 2018, at 3:54:17

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by rjlockhart37 on January 11, 2018, at 0:26:14

I remember when you arrived, rj. :-)

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » baseball55

Posted by Toph on January 11, 2018, at 7:46:12

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by baseball55 on January 10, 2018, at 21:06:04

> I found my way to babble later than you and here's how it seemed to me - some interesting and helpful postings and posters. Overwhelmed by constant flame-outs, accusations against and defensive replies by Dr. Bob, endless discussion about Lou, constant threats by various posters to leave unless something were done about, what seemed to me, obscure resentments against others that played out apparently on the administration board. (Assiduously avoided this board.)
>
> So why you may recall as babble's heyday, I recall as an often weird and unwelcoming place. The only thing that made it tolerable was Dr. Bob's banning flamers who were insulting and provocative.
>
> I looked in every so often but it seemed Dr. Bob had absconded and the site flamed itself out.
>
> I actually am glad it's back on line - no Lou, no endless discussions of whether Dr. Bob is being fair, just a (too small) number of people trying to help one another. I wish there was more activity and that more people would join. I also think that, on the internet, there is a trade-off between quantity and quality of interactions, unless a site is very heavily moderated, which babble right now is not.

I guess baseball55, PB has been like many marriages, exciting during the period of newness, but if not properly nurtured soon stale and resentful. In my opinion and it's hard to admit, Babble worked best as an autocracy even though I was one of those clamoring for democracy. It seemed that the more freedom Bob gave the group the more contentious things became. I'm sorry you found it unwelcoming here initially. I have enough insecurities that I would never have stayed in such an environment. That's one of the reasons why I never could feel at home at Psych Central which I found very tribal. Anyway, I'm glad you stuck around and have made friends here. And I too hope this refuge reincarnates into something special.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Clearskies

Posted by Toph on January 11, 2018, at 8:00:38

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph, posted by Clearskies on January 10, 2018, at 22:20:53

> TOPH!!!
>
> I graduated from Partlycloudy back to Clearskies. Not certain its accurate. I had my first inpatient experience this past year. Booo.
>
> Yes, this isnt even a shadow of the former place - more like a ghost of it. I have found valuable support in the pages of Facebook, private closed pages where the suffering help one another. Not any talk of medications, interestingly enough.
>
> Im single now.
> And I live on the West Coast (ish). Washington but not the coast.

Hi CS. What a long strange trip its been. I'm sorry that things became rough for you this year. Despite what little I know about details I think you need to be very proud of yourself for making a necessary and difficult change in the aspect of your life you found most unhealthy. I had to do the same agonizing thing years ago. Again I apologize for saying something that was not helpful during those dark moments.

Find new loves and comfort in Washington. You know what they say about apples.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » rjlockhart37

Posted by Toph on January 11, 2018, at 8:09:36

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by rjlockhart37 on January 11, 2018, at 0:26:14

Hi rj. Thanks for reading my post. Sad what has happened to Babble and our country. Looking back, I remember the electricity that you mentioned. And I remember in the not too distant past when we came together in the cause of hope. Never abandon hope.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by rjlockhart37 on January 13, 2018, at 15:37:39

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » rjlockhart37, posted by Toph on January 11, 2018, at 8:09:36

your right....we've lost alot of posters, but still can start a hope movement again....it's more like close family/friends here, its not the big city of 2000's....

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph

Posted by Tabitha on January 18, 2018, at 19:37:26

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

:-) so good to hear some web 1.0 verbal fluency. That's what I miss about classic babble. Clever, witty, and generally kind people.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Tabitha

Posted by Toph on January 18, 2018, at 19:59:46

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph, posted by Tabitha on January 18, 2018, at 19:37:26

Ironically as I age Tabitha, fluency increasingly turns to babble.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph

Posted by Poet on January 25, 2018, at 9:06:20

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36

Hi Toph,

I agree on the Bob factor. The fact that the site was down for months definitely contributed to my few and far between posts. To be honest I was in a mental crisis and got through it with my therapist and meds. Support from posters would have been wonderful, but considering the lack of activity here I doubt I would have gotten much if any. This lead me to believe that I really don't need to be here any longer as the Babble I once relied on is long gone.

I told Bob to his face that Babble was being destroyed by his enabling Lou to control the boards. His response was that Lou had no friends. I replied Lou has no friends for good reason and that ended the discussion. Lou is not the only troll he was just the most prolific. In any case he seems to be gone, but I think it's too late for the boards to revert back to what they were.

Poet

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by Toph on January 25, 2018, at 9:41:20

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » Toph, posted by Poet on January 25, 2018, at 9:06:20

Hi Poet,
Im sorry to hear that you had a rough time of it. I hope you are doing better. I am not taking care of myself as well as I should in retirement. Im kind of waiting for something to fill the void of work instead of assertively finding it.
Babble was a uniquely interesting experience back then. I initially struggled with trusting whether posters were genuine. For me it helped meeting you guys in Chicago to put face on posters. I think the infighting reflected a sense of investment we shared in the community. But ultimately and unfortunately it seems to have relied on Bobs guardianship to thrive.
All the best to you Poet.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by rjlockhart37 on February 12, 2018, at 17:02:07

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 25, 2018, at 9:41:20

toph,
'uniquely interesting' it was....it was a place where you could meet posters and evolve in all this intellectual enrichment, and view, all those i never talk in, but i remember reading them

i think as social media began to, less and less people came back to posting boards, posting boards and blog sites where around alot in 2000's, then getting connected to social networks, and all the long list of social media. This board kinda just ... slowly eased away, not totally but all the electricity kinda ran out.

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » rjlockhart37

Posted by Toph on February 13, 2018, at 8:49:38

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by rjlockhart37 on February 12, 2018, at 17:02:07

Very true rjl, social media siphoned off many who previously found some social needs met here. Bob found push back when he tried to integrate them. Maybe emojis would have saved Babble :-)

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto

Posted by alexandra_k on March 27, 2018, at 1:35:50

In reply to Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by Toph on January 10, 2018, at 10:07:36


> So, here I reminisce about this cool place that I never thought I would leave. It once held me captive like daily soporific bourbon does today. I'm sure many of you would say that the supportive interactions of others here are what sustained your participation. There is truth to this because you are reading these words despite Bob's abandonment of his once-prized baby. Perhaps, however, there is some metric to show that the decline of Babble is directly related to Bob's attempt to devolve authority and his perceived disinterest. Regardless, like returning to a ghost town, those of us who have moved on occasionally pass through sadly remembering this once vital place.

:-)

The oligarchy never really kicked off.

One leader to hold things together...

I think Babblers grew up / away and weren't replaced by the new generation... I wonder whether the new generation of Babblers is... What they are doing, now...

Frequency dependence. Too many people... Unsustainable... Tragedy of Commons...

Self-regulation doesn't work. I know that nobel prize lady thought it did... Traditional groups still live like that. Yeah, that's right. People who haven't discovered reading writing or arithmetic live like that. And so on...

 

Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » alexandra_k

Posted by rjlockhart37 on April 30, 2018, at 12:58:38

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto, posted by alexandra_k on March 27, 2018, at 1:35:50

your right, in 2000s it was big site, there was all this electricity and within 4 hours at least 5 people would respond to a post, it was really big site

then it seems all of it kinda went through it's course, no new generation came......but still we have the known members here, we're all still kinda friends even though the house party has toned down

 

Re: opps!! responded to wrong post

Posted by rjlockhart37 on July 23, 2018, at 22:34:40

In reply to Re: Vox Clamantis in Deserto » alexandra_k, posted by rjlockhart37 on April 30, 2018, at 12:58:38

hey alex i was posting to toph, i know wrong post, looked like didn't know what i was talking about, it was toph i was responding back too


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