GOOD EGG AWARD UPDATE

Especially when that opinion had originally been sought by the RSPB themselves.

I honestly don't understand what people are getting so upset over. After all we are adults......aren't we?

Hi Tiger

Sockpuppets? What a great expression :))

Actually we ARE allowed to express our opinion on here. (a bit of editing folks)

I think we should just carry on as we have been doing, being lovely, friendly, supportive of each other and sharing our love of birds and wildlife. If we become a target because of our popularity or happy personality then we must try to rise above that and hope that the power of the forum will eradicate such negative forces.

Thanks Tiger. Your comments are much appreciated.

Pipit

"The problem with any kind of awards is that it drives a divide between members of the group..." ".....There are also lots of people on the site that I am surprised have not been given the award."

Agree with you entirely on these two points Robert, more so the first, which is why I dislike it so much. I have seen it all before in different circumstances.

"....The individual who was responsible for that unhappy time is still very much an active part of this forum and still retains the Good Egg below their name, much to the disbelief of many here...."

Understood completely Borderslass. Yet another reason why a rewards scheme such as this will never work.

Blimey.  I can't think of a thread in recent weeks which has provoked so many and such impassioned posts - it seems a bit ironic that it's got nothing to do with birds!

As I understand it, the Good Egg award is for people who are judged to have made a valuable contribution to the forum.  Personally, I value lots of folks for their contributions in different ways - some for their wealth of birding knowledge, some for their humour, some for being kind and compassionate people (which is not to say, of course, that if you are a good birder you must be humourless, or if you are kind then you don't know anything about birds...).  Of course, I can think of some names which spring to mind in each of these areas, but by and large I value everybody's contribution - the prolific poster and the occasional visitor, the newbie and the old lag - because that's what makes up the forum.

If we are keeping the Good Egg awards, in whatever form (and I am yet to be convinced that they should be completely ditched), then we all have to remember that judging what makes a valuable contribution is always going to be a subjective exercise.  However that decision is reached - moderators, nominations, community vote, etc. - there will always be people who might disagree or think someone else was equally or more deserving.  That happens in all sorts of areas of life - from MBEs to the Eurovision Song Contest - and I don't see why it necessarily has to be divisive or cause ill feeling.  I would hope that we can all be adult enough and gracious enough to be pleased for the winner, knowing that in the seven or so years before the badges run out, the chances are that our preferred candidate will get a month in the sun too.

Seymouraves posted a suggestion on this thread back in February which I'd like to resurrect, because I think it's a good one (though it is very annoying how often he is right about things - Mrs. S. has my deepest sympathies...).  Why not make the Good Egg award more of a "Good Egg of the Month" thing - so that only the current winner would have the label displayed under their posts?  Past winners could be honoured on their personal page - so that next month Kezsmum's page would proclaim her "Good Egg April 2011" and MillionthNewbie (or whoever) would be May's Good Egg.

On the wider issues which seem to be under discussion, here's my two pennies worth:

In any group of human beings, there will be some folks who naturally gel, and others who naturally rub each other up the wrong way.  That's just life.  What seems like a great contribution to me will seem like a load of old twaddle to somebody else.  Equally, what some people regard as robust debate will make others feel hurt or insulted.  I don't think there's much we can do about that, except to have a bit of charity and give other people a bit of leeway now and again.

The trouble with an internet forum is that it's very easy to misunderstand someone else's intentions, or find your own comments taken out of context - and it's all too easy to shoot back a hurt/angry/barbed response and press the "post" button before you've had a chance to take a breath and think about what you are saying.  But the beauty of an internet forum is that you don't actually have to read or respond to everything - so if I know that something or someone is likely to bore me, irritate me or anger me, I have the option of simply ignoring the thread or clicking the back button without commenting.  There should be no place on this forum for backbiting or personal attacks (whether veiled or explicit) from any quarter - there is enough of all of that in 'real life.'  As soon as people start upping the ante like that, everyone feels a bit cornered and it becomes much harder to back down or to say "sorry, I didn't mean it to sound like that," or "sorry, I was having a bad day and feeling over-sensitive."

I seem to have blethered on a bit, so to get back to my first sentence... I am on this forum because I like birds, and I enjoy speaking to other people who also like birds.  I'm sure there isn't a single member of this community who wouldn't feel the same.  Awards and internal organisation and how we co-operate - all that stuff is important, and it's good to have a place where people can have a frank and open discussion about it.  But at the end of the day, folks, it's only an internet forum.  It's not half as important as that blue tit who's just landed on your peanuts...

BB

Hi All

I have been a member of various discussion groups over the years and when I was very young a member advised me how to try to ensure they don't get too heated on my part. Always remember that on the whole people will never change their opinion on a subject. The best you can hope for is that they re-examine their views on the matter, and taylor your dicussion accordingly.

The need for rewards has no right or wrong answers. Some people chase them as if thats all that matters, while others don't find a need for them at all. I think we all like to be recognised for something we have done well and to all the winners of the Good Egg award, I salute you. No matter how others feel you have earned the right to that title. While others are happy with a simple thank you. One thing to remember that it's every single member that makes up the group and are all just as important.

A discussion on your own just doesn't work.....

Robert  

BB. I'm glad you got the wording of that last sentence right.   :-) 

After a period of what I hope was mature reflection I've come back to this thread and read through the latest opinions and I have to say that Badgerbread's very measured, calm and well thought out response has hit the nail on the head for me. Because we are unable to read body language to back up our initial responses to posts and because it's all too easy to press the 'post' button - sometimes posts can come over as unkind or angry or just plain sour whether the sender meant to be any of those things or not. This is obviously a very emotive subject for many and as some people say, divisive. I think sometimes I can be a very lazy thinker and it never occurred to me to feel one way or another about Eggs or stars, I just trolled along in my own blinkered way thinking 'this is lovely, to be able to share common interests with other people.' I didn't find the awards divisive in any way because it simply never crossed my mind that anyone could. I just thought 'well done you', in an absent minded sort of way, if I saw an avatar with an Egg, it certainly doesn't colour my judgement of the member or their posts one way or the other, it's the content of their posts that interests me most of all.  As I have said before, I was astonished when I was awarded the egg, utterly astonished and very, very thrilled. In never occurred to me that anyone could be upset or annoyed by such a seemingly innocent thing - that must be the tree hugger in me I suppose:-) I'd be a liar if I said that this discussion hasn't coloured my judgement of some members, for better and for worse, rightly or wrongly. I find myself singing from the same song sheet as some and others I wouldn't want to stand next to in the choir - but then that's life in a microcosm isn't it?

And the Awards? Well, I think it would be a pity if we lost them - but of course I would, I AM biased because I have been the very grateful recipient of one:-)

Kezsmum

Robert F said:

I have to admit that it saddens me once again that we are starting to the sadder side of the site appear within this thread..

The problem with any kind of awards is that it drives a divide between members of the group. I think that all those people with the award deserve that award for all they have done. There are also lots of people on the site that I am surprised have not been given the award.

I'm also all for discussion on this or any other subject but as adults we all have a we responsibilitye to put our points across without the need to insult or upset each other. Telling people to leave if they don't like it, is not the best way to deal with any differences between members.

If you have a view please express it without the need to offend or insult any other members.

Robert

Very well said Robert.

Kezsmum said:

After a period of what I hope was mature reflection I've come back to this thread and read through the latest opinions and I have to say that Badgerbread's very measured, calm and well thought out response has hit the nail on the head for me. Because we are unable to read body language to back up our initial responses to posts and because it's all too easy to press the 'post' button - sometimes posts can come over as unkind or angry or just plain sour whether the sender meant to be any of those things or not. This is obviously a very emotive subject for many and as some people say, divisive. I think sometimes I can be a very lazy thinker and it never occurred to me to feel one way or another about Eggs or stars, I just trolled along in my own blinkered way thinking 'this is lovely, to be able to share common interests with other people.' I didn't find the awards divisive in any way because it simply never crossed my mind that anyone could. I just thought 'well done you', in an absent minded sort of way, if I saw an avatar with an Egg, it certainly doesn't colour my judgement of the member or their posts one way or the other, it's the content of their posts that interests me most of all.  As I have said before, I was astonished when I was awarded the egg, utterly astonished and very, very thrilled. In never occurred to me that anyone could be upset or annoyed by such a seemingly innocent thing - that must be the tree hugger in me I suppose:-) I'd be a liar if I said that this discussion hasn't coloured my judgement of some members, for better and for worse, rightly or wrongly. I find myself singing from the same song sheet as some and others I wouldn't want to stand next to in the choir - but then that's life in a microcosm isn't it?

And the Awards? Well, I think it would be a pity if we lost them - but of course I would, I AM biased because I have been the very grateful recipient of one:-)

Kezsmum

I think it is sad that this thread was rekindled at such a great time for you Kezsmum because you well deserved the award.It is just coincidental.

I have changed my views regarding the good egg awards since this thread was originally started  and can't help the way i feel .I think a debate can only do good if people remain polite as we are all entitled to our opinions.