The Off-Topic Thread Part Deux

[TheEPIC]

PieXags sounds as if he is about to unleash his fury. A fury equivalent that of hurricane Rita before it made landfall.

[PieXags]

Originally Posted by TheEPIC

PieXags sounds as if he is about to unleash his fury. A fury equivalent that of hurricane Rita before it made landfall.

Have you such a small amount of faith in my abilities...?

[TheEPIC]

No actually I think your fury extends beyond man's ability to describe with common language

[PieXags]

Originally Posted by TheEPIC

No actually I think your fury extends beyond man's ability to describe with common language

Close enough for my tastes. You win PieXags gold star for the day...(night)...

[TheEPIC]

Is the gold star redeemable for some sort of financial gain or is it an honorary reward?

[PieXags]

Originally Posted by TheEPIC

Is the gold star redeemable for some sort of financial gain or is it an honorary reward?

It's the cheap little plastic toy you toss to the side when you find it mixed in with all your Halloween candy.

[TheEPIC]

Ok. Good to know. Guess I'll pass it off on some little rascal in about a week then.

[purrfect]

whats the topic now ?

[Avari Zi]

I hate sugar, soo good but soo evil.

[kg_lildude1]

don't eat it, problem solved

i = eat too much sugar = tired non stop beyond belief = strong will to stay awake

[Lag Hell]

How can u not eat sugar?!?!?... 0_o

[Avari Zi]

I'm soo tired, I need sleep but can't sleep.

[devnull]

Purpose
I am posting this information with no ulterior motive, and with no intention to instigate a flame war. I consider this to be a serious subject that demands attention—awareness. The information I am providing—or perhaps the advisory—is meant to be informative and constructive. My desire is to give a subtle reminder to the community of the perilous consequences for decisions that are made by members of our online community. Here goes nothing.

Background
As with any forum-based community, there exists the potential for personal relationships to develop among the members. Sometimes the relationships blossom into wonderful things—perhaps a great friendship, or even in some instances a happy romantic endeavor. This is the common nature of community-oriented society in general, and has been so since the dawn of man.

Yet it is with sincerity that I point out the possible negative ramifications that dwindle over the heads of our members. Most of us are social beings, governed by a desire for compassion and nurture, and a need for adequacy. To a large extent, this is a favorable, desirable attribute to humanity.

The issue at hand, however, deals with two particularly exceptional categories of individuals: the vulnerable, and the predatory.

The Vulnerable
Social conditions, intertwined personal development and experiences, dictate that some of us have a propensity for being vulnerable. By vulnerable, I refer to a state of mind that is open to exploitation, that is either confused or misguided, or that is merely naïve. The needs of these individuals are great, requiring a certain degree of understanding, maturity, sacrifice, and responsibility. The vast majority of people are inclined to helping these vulnerable individuals; to guide them compassionately and lovingly on a path of sincere happiness. Unfortunately—and most regrettably—this is not always the case.

The Predatory
The extreme counterpoints to the vulnerable are the predatorily natured. A better way of explain this would be describing the predatory as individuals who thrive on the vulnerability and inexperience of others. These predators linger, disguise themselves as decent individuals—a method perfected by them—and wait for their prey to surface in the midst of others. Predators are dangerous, not only in a physical sense, but also in the emotional, which can elicit similar dangerous as physical.

How it works
Predators wait around for the vulnerable, looking for the perfect opportunity to edge their way in to the other’s life. They befriend, gather information, and appear innocent. With time, their nature becomes apparent, however usually it’s too late for this. Abuse online usually manifests in the psychosocial, emotional dimension. Suddenly, the vulnerable individual is being used for a purpose. It may be for sexual gratification, the need to feel a certain way, or for the sheer joy of wreaking havoc on others.

The consequences are grim. In most cases, the predator uses guilt to seduce the victim into remaining in the relationship—much like how things work outside of the net. But the nature of “online” is one that becomes addictive. Suddenly the victim’s emotions are dictated by the predator, affecting their state of mind even after they get off the computer. This can lead to obsession, and more often than not, the victim becomes attached in a sort of “Stockholm Syndrome” of the net.

Allowing predators to affect the personal asocial lives of others offline is very dangerous. It imparts on the victim a need to please the predator, and a desire to balance their emotions by rationalizing their own faults. The skilled predator attaches to the victim a psychological leash—one which can be very, very difficult to dissolve.

The Problem
Without disclosing names or any information to give away the identities of individual posters on these boards, I can say that I know for a fact that on these boards there lurk predators, and that their prey are plentiful on these forums. For reasons outside the scope of this post—but summarized by pointing out the average age of the posters here—I will not further digress into the dangers of gaming forums.

There have already been instances of this predator-victim relationship surfacing on these forums, and there are many that continue on to this minute. I cannot express the utter sympathy I have towards these victims. Whether they knew it or not, instigated it or not, they are being used for purposes either apparent and denied, or purely unapparent.

Getting Help – The Victims
You know who you are. I want you to know that you are by no means helpless, and you are not alone in your experiences. You need not be ashamed of what is happening to you; almost certainly, you are not to blame for this. You should not feel guilty for terminating an online relationship. As with any relationship, if you feel unsafe, unhappy, or believe that the negative aspects of the relationship outweigh the positive aspects, you need to do what’s best for you. In almost all cases, the best thing to do is distance yourself.

If you believe that you might be in physical harm, please seek outside help. I believe there has been mention of sites you can go to in the sticky threads. In extreme circumstances, it may be necessary to contact your local law enforcement agency. In the unlikely but rare cases, the FBI may need to be involved in an investigation. You are probably not the first victim, and certainly not the last. Please, protect yourself and do what is necessary to secure your own mental and physical well-being.

To the Predators
We know you are out there. You know who you are. Stop what you are doing; cease the tyrannous attritions you afflict these (often young) victims with. There are ways by which you can redeem yourself, and I am certain that in you lies a good person, but one with serious problems that need to be addressed.

In Conclusion
This post is a direct result of circumstances arising from these forums. I am posting it in the off-topic forum because that is where most of these situations evolve. I do not intend to point fingers, nor do I intend to reveal the details of the circumstances which I am aware of. In my eyes, any ensuing flames to this post will speak volumes about the one posting them. If you have concerns about the substance of this post, please feel free to message me. Know, however, that to avoid any misconceptions about my intention, there are certain boundaries which I will not cross.

Sincerely yours,
Devnull

[kg_lildude1]

i have a few fingers to point but i can not say who, and yes this is a very serious issue, some people get so attached that it interferes with their normal everyday life, and can sometimes adversely affect their financial/educational status

like anything there are good and there are bad online relationships, be careful of who you choose, and really get to know them, almost all of my online friends have known eachother for years, and we keep it safe and online, which is the way it should be, there are very few cases where you would want to meet someone in real life, but ALWAYS know the person and their intentions, if you cannot tell what their intentions are, seek outside people's views, or opinions, if you truly don't know what the intentions are, then just don't do it.

[SOT]

Originally Posted by devnull

Purpose
I am posting this information with no ulterior motive, and with no intention to instigate a flame war. I consider this to be a serious subject that demands attention—awareness. The information I am providing—or perhaps the advisory—is meant to be informative and constructive. My desire is to give a subtle reminder to the community of the perilous consequences for decisions that are made by members of our online community. Here goes nothing.

Background
As with any forum-based community, there exists the potential for personal relationships to develop among the members. Sometimes the relationships blossom into wonderful things—perhaps a great friendship, or even in some instances a happy romantic endeavor. This is the common nature of community-oriented society in general, and has been so since the dawn of man.

Yet it is with sincerity that I point out the possible negative ramifications that dwindle over the heads of our members. Most of us are social beings, governed by a desire for compassion and nurture, and a need for adequacy. To a large extent, this is a favorable, desirable attribute to humanity.

The issue at hand, however, deals with two particularly exceptional categories of individuals: the vulnerable, and the predatory.

The Vulnerable
Social conditions, intertwined personal development and experiences, dictate that some of us have a propensity for being vulnerable. By vulnerable, I refer to a state of mind that is open to exploitation, that is either confused or misguided, or that is merely naïve. The needs of these individuals are great, requiring a certain degree of understanding, maturity, sacrifice, and responsibility. The vast majority of people are inclined to helping these vulnerable individuals; to guide them compassionately and lovingly on a path of sincere happiness. Unfortunately—and most regrettably—this is not always the case.

The Predatory
The extreme counterpoints to the vulnerable are the predatorily natured. A better way of explain this would be describing the predatory as individuals who thrive on the vulnerability and inexperience of others. These predators linger, disguise themselves as decent individuals—a method perfected by them—and wait for their prey to surface in the midst of others. Predators are dangerous, not only in a physical sense, but also in the emotional, which can elicit similar dangerous as physical.

How it works
Predators wait around for the vulnerable, looking for the perfect opportunity to edge their way in to the other’s life. They befriend, gather information, and appear innocent. With time, their nature becomes apparent, however usually it’s too late for this. Abuse online usually manifests in the psychosocial, emotional dimension. Suddenly, the vulnerable individual is being used for a purpose. It may be for sexual gratification, the need to feel a certain way, or for the sheer joy of wreaking havoc on others.

The consequences are grim. In most cases, the predator uses guilt to seduce the victim into remaining in the relationship—much like how things work outside of the net. But the nature of “online” is one that becomes addictive. Suddenly the victim’s emotions are dictated by the predator, affecting their state of mind even after they get off the computer. This can lead to obsession, and more often than not, the victim becomes attached in a sort of “Stockholm Syndrome” of the net.

Allowing predators to affect the personal asocial lives of others offline is very dangerous. It imparts on the victim a need to please the predator, and a desire to balance their emotions by rationalizing their own faults. The skilled predator attaches to the victim a psychological leash—one which can be very, very difficult to dissolve.

The Problem
Without disclosing names or any information to give away the identities of individual posters on these boards, I can say that I know for a fact that on these boards there lurk predators, and that their prey are plentiful on these forums. For reasons outside the scope of this post—but summarized by pointing out the average age of the posters here—I will not further digress into the dangers of gaming forums.

There have already been instances of this predator-victim relationship surfacing on these forums, and there are many that continue on to this minute. I cannot express the utter sympathy I have towards these victims. Whether they knew it or not, instigated it or not, they are being used for purposes either apparent and denied, or purely unapparent.

Getting Help – The Victims
You know who you are. I want you to know that you are by no means helpless, and you are not alone in your experiences. You need not be ashamed of what is happening to you; almost certainly, you are not to blame for this. You should not feel guilty for terminating an online relationship. As with any relationship, if you feel unsafe, unhappy, or believe that the negative aspects of the relationship outweigh the positive aspects, you need to do what’s best for you. In almost all cases, the best thing to do is distance yourself.

If you believe that you might be in physical harm, please seek outside help. I believe there has been mention of sites you can go to in the sticky threads. In extreme circumstances, it may be necessary to contact your local law enforcement agency. In the unlikely but rare cases, the FBI may need to be involved in an investigation. You are probably not the first victim, and certainly not the last. Please, protect yourself and do what is necessary to secure your own mental and physical well-being.

To the Predators
We know you are out there. You know who you are. Stop what you are doing; cease the tyrannous attritions you afflict these (often young) victims with. There are ways by which you can redeem yourself, and I am certain that in you lies a good person, but one with serious problems that need to be addressed.

In Conclusion
This post is a direct result of circumstances arising from these forums. I am posting it in the off-topic forum because that is where most of these situations evolve. I do not intend to point fingers, nor do I intend to reveal the details of the circumstances which I am aware of. In my eyes, any ensuing flames to this post will speak volumes about the one posting them. If you have concerns about the substance of this post, please feel free to message me. Know, however, that to avoid any misconceptions about my intention, there are certain boundaries which I will not cross.

Sincerely yours,
Devnull

In my experience, it has always been the most insidious predators that hide behind the "red hand of help sign" in a window, if you catch my meaning.

It was intrinsically well-planned out in my opinion, capping off that long post with "anyone who flames this post says their true intent", or, in other words, anyone who may actually be intelligent enough to see my post for what it truly is, a claim to have the inside track on hundreds if not thousands of minds, and that I am some superhuman genome-laced person who has a running database of all the baddies running around. That was truly epic genius at work my friend.

Nice post, but, like you claim to with people you'll never know more than as icons on a page, I see right through you

[Mistress Eyahl]

I'm an omnivore

[zehly]

I know exactly what he is talking about...

[devnull]

"To my friends:
Friends we are today,
And friends we'll always be;
For I am wise to you,
And you can see through me."
- Unknown

[Mistress Eyahl]

Originally Posted by zehly

I know exactly what he is talking about...

Yeah, well everyone who's been stupid enough to reveal their emotions on the internet know what he's talking about.. yes that includes me.

Lets say the prey became the predator.

(Lets just read that back one more time..
"..everyone who's been stupid enough to reveal their emotions on the internet.."
I mean, it's daft. The internet is a living breathing venus fly trap tbh)

[zehly]

I know Eyahl, I know. I'm a foolish person, but unfortunately for me, there isn't any turning back, only hiding in the shadows.