The main theme of LiveWire is support, and that was the intensions of the site when being created. It seems like support has become secondary and many of the members here do not seem to mind, since they love to spam. When you have someone who is complaining about the lack of support, then I would not really say the site is doing what it says it will.
Of course, not everyone can get support from LiveWire, or is there any kind of real professional to offer support, but the lack of support is going up more and more. I myself have experience many of my support topics with little or no replies. It gets frustrating when you need some advice, but everyone else would rather reply in a horrible sexual topic or a topic that many would consider spam, instead.
Before you stop reading the rest of this topic, support leaders, hear me out. Most of the time when a person makes a post like this, you tell them to fill out an EHelp if they do not get support from the members (that should not be the case at all), but I am sure you have noticed the lack of support in that area also. That could be from the slackers who are not here to give support, but to have the label 'support leader' under their avatar. Then you have the people who do get give support getting overwhelmed and taking a break, since the slackers are slacking.
You also have the support leaders who take sides and have favorites. I think there would be better support leaders if people would stop letting people be support leaders because of their popularity on LiveWire. We all know one or two support leaders who gave support to become a support leader, then stopped after they got the position (Deez Nuts). Yet, they still hold that title of being a leader of support. Maybe I should become a support leader, change things, and give support? Well, simply put, I do not kiss ass like the rest of the people on here. If I was to fill out an application, then I think my popularity status would be checked before most of the supportive replies I have sent it would be. Trust me, I have tried before, but I just was not good enough. Makes you wonder how all these slackers got in. Of course, I will have some smartass support leader or moderators disagree with me. They seem to disagree with almost anything. Well, unless it benefits them.
I find that people, who do ask for support, end up being told they are 'emo' or 'weak'. I guess no one has any sympathy these days, since there are far worse things going on in the world. Well, if that is the case, then let us close down LiveWire, or change the theme. I guess it does not matter Greg feels like he is going to kill himself, since there are far worse things going on in the world. Why should Greg's emotions or thoughts matter, right? Instead of giving him advice to help him, let us tell him he is weak and emo instead. I am sure Greg can take that advice until he dies.
The whole point of this topic is, LiveWire is a support site and there is no support. I myself have been belittled and made fun of on here because I have a mental disability. This was not taken care of, and I even had a well-known support leader encourage me to close my account. Well, I would not say that was supportive of a support leader. To even have certain support leaders mock another person's mental being should not have the right to give any kind of support on this site.
So, when is support going to become first and not second? I think it is up to the support leaders and moderators to change the way LiveWire is today. Of course they won't, though. Therefore, if you do wish LiveWire was more supportive, then maybe you should take a look at all those people who have support leader under their avatar, and wonder why they allow this site to get out of control. I guess that is all I have to say.
I agree with you on the support leader promotions. At times, the most absurd people are permitted to keep their status as support leader, despite their current standing on the site. I believe that demotions need to be far more prolific in the cases of those who positively go against the ethos of the role. Unfortunately, those of us who are merely support leaders or of lower 'ranking', have no power to do anything about this, and thus are forced to wait until they are promoted to seek to create such change. Unfortunately, many members don't stick around until promotion, and as a result these things aren't addressed from an equal standing with other moderators. In the meantime, all we can do is report serious violations by our colleagues.
Since its creation, this site has evolved and developed beyond its original remit. The need for support is just as pressing as the need for somewhere to escape, and even to an extent, cultural interchange. I need- that's right, need- LiveWire for more than just its supportive side. I need to be able to laugh and joke with people, meet and converse with them. That need is no less than my one for support, and that need is fulfilled. It is important that you see that without its less supportive forums, LiveWire would be nowhere near as large as it is now. Because some people do have easy lives, but they also understand and can help those who don't, and without another side to LiveWire, they wont come, because they don't need to. You could argue that people don't need to post in what they don't understand, and I agree. I think certain aspects need to be more heavily moderated, but again, those things aren't going to come about unless we stick with it and wait to make those changes ourselves.
In relation to the moderation, I would like to see another role taken on. Instead of just support leaders having the power to hide posts and move topics, I'd like to see a basic member role with the power to do this. Not everyone who's supportive can moderate, and not everyone who can moderate is supportive, so that may need addressing.
In regards to you. Bullying, especially based on something as helpless as a disability is in my opinion disgusting. For someone to put you through something that has left you with no option but to leave this site, that should have been addressed seriously, and repercussions should have followed. It seems they haven't, and for that I am truly sorry. I really believe you should make it clear to David the reasons, naming names, why you left this site. Because whether on the whole this site is supportive or not, you should never have been subjected to that, no matter what the persons role or responsibilities. And as for change? I'll do my best. I promise.
However i do think that some people genuinely give advice and try to make the place better, and it's a shame that they aren't recognised more. I know that this is probably a biased view however i know the support some people give and it's excellent, however from personal experience it can get too much. I've been personally drained of all my supportiveness before because of some of the eHelps I've read, yet i still try. To be fair it can also be difficult to answer those flashy little eHelps when things are going on in my own life, and i bet it's the same for other support leaders.
It's not right for you to be refused support however sometimes people just don't know how to deal with some of the things that you need help with. We aren't professional we are people who try our best to give advice on things we understand and can give advice on however we have to remember some people need professional help.
I agree sometimes it seems about the reputation, however when i first because support leader i was a little member had only been on the site 3 months, and was still below blue bar, wanted to genuinely help people, and i feel i personally feel i deserved it. I've tried to understand and help. I know some people are only support leaders because of who they are and that does need to change, however like I've said it's not something we can do.
About you being belittled by a member that is wrong and should have been dealt with, I'm sorry that you felt you had to leave your account because of it. Nobody deserves that.
http://www.golivewire.com/forums/peer-ibtypp-support-a.html#1
I appreciate you coming back and explaining this. Hopefully through sharing the topic it will open some people's eyes.
says the newbie.
Try looking up Imakethetest66 Also, new people have a lot to say also. The older members aren't the only ones with a voice.
A change has been proposed many a time, and it hasn't taken effect. Unless a LW revolution occurs this will stay the same.
indeed
mainly because other people dont read it ! its not just for the points and because
its more personal that way and thats how i like to do it it also avoids people flaming you