This challenge was held a long time ago by Nadira. And some friends already shared their experiences in their blog posts. Actually, I wanted to write about this topic, but I felt hesitate hesitant. Some other friends already wrote a pieces of information that I thought was helpful for us.
So, I decided to not not to write about this topic and stop repeating what others had written. However, I finally found several things that I would like to add to their blog posts. And also, I want to practice my writing skill. So, please my friends, correct me if you find anything wrong.
Meet great members
I joined MyEC in December 2010. The reason was simple, I wanted to improve my English. And I thought I could improve it if I could chat in English as many much as I wanted. That's why after I joined I went to main room chat directly. I spent hours to chat on main room during my work hours at my office.
And I became addicted with the main room. I didn't know anyone at that time. So, I was waiting there and chatted with anyone I could meet there. Sometimes, I started private chats with online members who I thought were interested interesting people.
It was fun. There were many nice members. After several months, I finally found some members who eventually become my close friends here. I have their Facebook accounts, Skype IDs and email addresses. I started to spend less time chatting on main room and started to chat more with my close friends. I'm not only can learn English, but I can also learn about their experiences. Most of them are older than me, have more experiences.
We are also like a supporting group where we can share every problem we like to share. And it's great for me.
The rude ones
So, everything is perfect, right? Since I meet excellent members who help me improve my English and my life. Well, unfortunately life doesn't work like that. I think in a month or two months after I joined, I saw chat situations that made me shocked. In my working hours at my office, I mostly met good members. But, in my night I saw some rude members. The difference was like day and night.
There are some great members where with whom you can learn English and many things from them. But, in other sides hands, there are rude members who chat in nasty ways. It took me a while to adapt to with the situation. If you read other blog posts, you will get the detail info about some situations that were caused by these rude members.
Well, I see some patterns of these members. That's what I want to share to this blog post.
The patterns
There are some members who we can call as Trolls. People who are trying to start fight on main room chat. Their purpose is to fight with people. These members will do anything necessary. They will say rude things to you. They will mock you, your family members, nations or even your religions. Even if they actually have the same religions with you. It's not a big deal for them. And I never see if any of these members care about being banned.
They have their own tricks about the ban issue. I guess members who are active on main room understand what I mean. I even think that these rude members are happier if they know they made other members get banned with them. Also, they are illogical. I saw other members tried to have arguments with them, or tried to calm them down.
Well, it didn't work. And I think it will never work. I see many of them get banned, made make new accounts and chatted chat again on main room as if they didn't do anything wrong. Even, they blamed the moderators, MyEC and other members.
Other type of rude members are sexual predators. It is clear that they are not here to learn English. They are looking for female members (could it be also male members?) to do sex chat. Some are 'working' in private chats. So if the victims didn't do anything like reported report them or protested complain to their other friends, no one would know.
The others have enough courage to show up on main chat room. Pretend to be good members, be friend friends with others to gain people people's trusts. Even some are smart enough to choose the ways they chat. What kind of words to use. Well, I know that some of my female friends here refused a member who tried to abuse them. And he tried to humiliate them over and over on main chat room. But, no one knew because he chose smart words.
I would like to explain more, but it will bore you. So, I just want to say this: if you meet these kinds of members, there are two ways to handle them. You can ignore them or you can report them. In my opinion, it's useless to fight with them. As useless as trying to have an argument with people who mentally disturbed because you will be going nowhere.
Don't waste your time and emotion for these rude members..
PS:
Special thank for Ang who helped me correct my blog post.
Special thank also for Lama Amar for the corrections.
If you still see mistakes in blog post, I will glad to accept your correction. :)
More info:
Mr. Night: Chat Challenge #1: Chit Chat at the Chat Room!
Nafis: Chat Challenge #1: Chit Chat at the Chat Room!
Syubi: Chat Challenge #1: Chit Chat at the Chat Room!
Comments
@Yupa
Well, I think we don't have to be nice to all people. Being a bit rude is OK especially to certain types of members here. I think you understand exactly the definition of rude that I mentioned on my blog post since you have been here longer than me. Those people keep coming back because they still find their victims: people who get angry when they get provoked, people who feel sad and broken when they are bullied.
I think it's important to educate all members about the term of 'Internet troll' and 'cyber bullies' And educate them about why and how to use ignore button.
I joined other chat room where most members seem know really well about 'Internet troll' and 'cyber bullies'. I intentionally asked them how the chat room worked. They could explain it well and even warned me to ignore and avoid 'the trolls' and 'bullies'. And the right mechanism to deal with them.
That's why the room mostly free from those troublemakers since no one get provoked, and the troublemakers chat with empty air. Besides they are get banned, they find no reason to come back. It's boring for them since they play with no one. No one amuse them in their own game. The chat room is dull for those troublemakers, but it's fun for people who really want to make friend and learn languages.
I think that's what we should do here, Yupa. Promoting the ignore button and do like what you have been doing: attract their attention more to learn English. And I agree with you: the chat room is only as good as and as fun as the members who chat there :)
It's OK, Nadira. I understand the situation and the trip was very important to you. I'm glad that you liked this blog post.
Dear Ario
I have to apologize I just read the blog linking to the Challenge. I hav eto apologize to ou and to the rest of the members for not replying as I was busy that time on my trip to Australia.
Very remarkable and honest thoughts you have highlighted in this chit chat Challenge blog. Thank you Ario , thumbs up to you !
Yes, the statement is correct. Some trolls are smart enough to take advantage from our emotions. We think we are chatting with 'normal people', so logic and argumentation could win. But, they are not normal people. It just likes to chat with stones. So, it doesn't matter how right we are or how illogical they are, it's just wasting our time. Thank for your comment, Nishank.
Thank again Naveed. I'm on your side about that. It seems many members and not only both of us want to make EC better. I'm going to support any actions to make our lovely website to be better. Maybe we should gather members who have the same concern together, brainstorming and create real actions about this issue.
Ranu, I seriously think that we need to make comprehensive guide for the beginners in which we highlight the best practices in MyEC and how to make progress. In which learning is the highest priority and chat becomes secondary. The patterns you have mentioned are an excellent guide on how to spot a troublesome soul.
Thank Naveed. Actually I didn't expect to see that what is happening on main room now worse than when I wrote than this blog post. And it happens just because some members thought no moderator monitors them. I'm glad that MyEC decided to implement 'ignoring' literally by adding ignore button. We should keep reminding chatters about this new feature.
I'm really appreciate your opinion when you thought this blog post deserves to be added among those blog posts.
This is brilliant and coherent with the current situation of chat room and the use of "Ignore Button".
I think there should be some kind of beginner's guide to new MyEC members and this should added alongside the chatting etiquette , use of ignore button and moderated chat.
@Sono
I didn't know or even didn't ever think that people would use the pattern that I mentioned on this blog. Maybe, some members have a thought to use the same tactics after they read this blog. But, those rude members, they were beyond normal people. And their rudeness were also beyond what normal people could do. The question is: do you really think that you can do the same things? I can't and I will never do that. It's not who I am and definitely not my purpose to be here.
My reason to expose their patterns is to make members who haven't joined main chat room know what they could meet there. If they know, they could prepare themselves and they will know what they should do.
@ Expector Smith
Thank for your comment, Mr. Expector...
Nice one!
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