PDA

View Full Version : My Little Lesson...if you like it, please don't karma me, but someone else...



MockingbirdOxygen
January 18th, 2005, 11:48 AM
I just wanted to share with everyone something that dawned on me this morning. Actually, it has been building over the past few days, and I just came up with the idea for this post this morning.

Many of us come online as a way to escape our daily lives. That is all good and well, but if you find yourself becoming attached to this place and its members, you will find, as I have...you can't get away from your life. Because it is here now, too. And life is what it is. On here you will find friends, enemies, and people who don't know you exist even after they've met you.

I got my first red karma the other day, and while it's not a big deal now, it was at the time. (Add to the fact that I was already hormonal, and I actually cried over it :woah: ) I always thought that if I ever got red karma'd, I'd have my feelings hurt so bad that I might leave MW and never come back. Boy, did I learn my lesson...I got offline, then realized I had forgotten to log out, and when I tried, I couldn't get back on to log out because the whole board was having some sort of technical difficulties...it threw me into a panic, and I realized that no way was I going to be able to stay away from MW once they actually got back up and running!

So I got my first negative karma and a good lesson all rolled into one...but that's not all...when I first got that karma, I was upset, and thought, "boy, I'll show her, I'm gonna fling some of that red stuff right back at her". So I pulled up the karma box, typed in something about "thanks for the red karma and confirming my suspicions" and clicked to send it. About a split second after I clicked send, I felt like total crap. I wished I could take it back, because I knew that it wasn't doing anything to make the situation any better...but it turns out...in my rush of anger, I'd forgotten to change the type of karma from giving to taking away, so I really showed her! :rollingla But even though it was an "accident", I don't think it was really...maybe it was intended to happen for me to learn a lesson about how bad I would have felt spreading negative karma; and I actually am glad now that it happened that I sent good karma by mistake! :clapping: I certainly got a good laugh about it, and I hope that she does too if she comes across this post *wink*

So, that's my little story I had to share, and I have one last request: If you liked it, don't karma me for it; (unless you just don't like it, then feel free to give me negative karma, because I've found out that it doesn't hurt so bad after all, and can actually help...) but if it touched you at all, then think back over your time on here and if there is anyone on here to whom you've given red karma, give them a good touch. You don't even have to say anything, just touch it. You will feel so much better about yourself, I promise. If there is someone out there who has made you think about giving them red karma, but you didn't do it...go ahead, give them a good one instead. Just find another post to appreciate and let the love fly.

One other post that figures into my inspiration for this thread: Yesterday I read a post on Martin Luther King, Jr...the member also had written that maybe it was a good time to reflect upon what you yourself had done this year to bring peace into people's lives. I had to admit to myself that whatever I have done is not enough...and that in fact maybe I have actually been the source of conflict for others...so, if I can help spread some peace with this thread, it will be the least that I can do.

I love you guys, and I'm human, too...when I forget these lessons I've learned, as I might, in future moments of pissed-off-ness, a gentle reminder would be appreciated...although I might not like it at the time, I'll thank you for it later. :loveduv:

Faeawyn
January 18th, 2005, 11:51 AM
:hugz: That was a very nice post :)

WitchJezebel
January 18th, 2005, 11:52 AM
That was great AuntBoo.., thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.

Aine of the Fae
January 18th, 2005, 11:59 AM
I had to think back if I've every actually given anyone red karma..... and besides spammers and trolls, who don't really count as people anyway.... I've never once given a regular member red karma (except for maybe that one thread where we were doing it on purpose... but that doesn't count either...)

Now, of course, I tend to get very emotionally involved in posting here... my long rants and tirades, particularly those in defense of Christianity are certainly well-known around here, and people do tend to upset me at times. Especially when I come out of the Praying Broom Closet as a Christian Witch and find out who my real friends are.... whoot did THAT ever cause a firestorm!!!

But no matter how mad a post makes me, no matter how upset I am, I am determined to "Kill them with kindness....." and always give good karma. In fact I have a tendency to "Karma Stalk" a person who has upset me, and tag them every chance I get....

WynnJera
January 18th, 2005, 12:03 PM
Thx for sharing and I have done as asked I have spread the love :hugz:

Sennefer
January 18th, 2005, 12:19 PM
What a wonderful post, AuntBoo! :hugz:

Threase
January 18th, 2005, 12:26 PM
I enjoyed your thread and took your advice, thanks...

Brónach Druid
January 18th, 2005, 12:37 PM
Well put, very nice thoughts AuntBoo! Thanks for sharing.:)

MockingbirdOxygen
January 18th, 2005, 12:45 PM
Thanks to those of you who replied and who are spreading the love...I gave everyone here karma that it would let me poke, but since some of you are my "regulars" I can't poke ya yet...and remember, please do not poke me back, but keep spreading it...I also requested that for more than one reason; I didn't want to make this thread look like an insincere attempt to look good nor get karma for myself, because I know there are people out there who might perceive it that way...and I actually questioned myself on it before I posted this thread, so I threw in the "do not karma me" clause just to clarify and keep my conscience honest too!
But as for the person who did give me karma, it's okay - it's not like I'm going to get mad at you and red karma you for it! :T just be sure to spread it to the ones that need the good karma most! Mine's doing pretty good so I'm all set for now!

Valerie
January 18th, 2005, 12:46 PM
How great of you to write that! :hugz: You know, I've said this before, but it amazes me how the people at MW view their karma, and how nice they are about it all! At other boards, and I've seen this first hand, they pass red karma around for EVERYTHING - if they disagree with your post, if they don't like you, anything. There's always complaints about negative karma, and the mods get into it too, which makes it that much worse. And that forum is almost as big as this one, but the people there don't compare to you guys one bit.

Green Karma all around! :) :fpoke:

soilsigh aingeal
January 18th, 2005, 12:48 PM
I know how ya feel. I recently got bad karma for something very STUPID and petty, it was completely uncalled for. I got one other one in the past and I probably deserved it, I could have come off with it in another 'tone' but the whole thread was pretty silly and annoying anyway, I just laughed it off. But I didn't get nasty with anyone, I made a mistake and got red karma for it. I was PO'd this last time. I have NEVER given red karma to anyone before, except like Aine mentioned, the thread that we had where we did it on purpose. And I did the same thing after I got red karma, they got GREEN karma.

DixieWitch
January 18th, 2005, 12:56 PM
Yay for this post!!!

Old Witch
January 18th, 2005, 01:04 PM
Good post Auntie Boo....I felt bad when I got my first negative karma...but then I realized it was for saying something I really believed in...so I shrugged it off and thought "so be it"....But I've also given neg karma, twice I think, for things said I just couldn't ignore. but you made a good point...

moonmorgan
January 18th, 2005, 01:05 PM
You said it! Thanks for that awesome lesson.

Rudas Starblaze
January 18th, 2005, 01:32 PM
i totally agree with ya! i have never givin a red karma either, had some givin to me, but never givin it myself. it always seem good karma is much more effective then bad karma anyway. why make people mad when you can make them feel bad! :toofless:

Tzhebee
January 18th, 2005, 02:10 PM
You know, I've gotten red karma a few times. And a couple of those were by "accident"...wtf? :lol:

But only a couple really pissed me off. Just because we disagreed. Like, I say 1+1=3 and I get a red poke saying "You idiot!!!! 1+1=2!!!!" Whatever. So it actually cracked me up, because I know the person who did it was trying to ruffle my feathers. I poked them back (with green) saying "thanks for the laugh".... That probably really pissed them off. HA!

And I've only taken red once...from Wiggy...but she was asking for it. Seriously...she was. :p

If something someone says really yanks my crank, I'll try PMing them instead of touching the "I taketh" button. And if all else fails, IGNORE works great.

Morgandria
January 18th, 2005, 03:08 PM
I don't take karma personally, at all. I give karma for posts I like, and I take it away for posts that I really have enough of a disagreement with. It's about the posts - not the people.

WitchJezebel
January 18th, 2005, 03:22 PM
I don't know how I'd react to getting the 'red' karma, it hasn't happened yet. I'm sure I haven't given any either.

Tried giving all of you karma today, but I'm karma'd out for the day!

Lunacie
January 18th, 2005, 03:32 PM
:thumbsup: Auntie Boo... :bothsides

BlessedByTheGoddess
January 18th, 2005, 05:05 PM
I've never gotten nor given red karma. Your lesson was great and I am glad that you learned from it. Since I've not given any red, I am going to just pick a random person in this thread and give them green!

Rhaevyn
January 18th, 2005, 05:45 PM
Nice post! Can I karma poke you anyway? It'll be grey karma! *giggle*

Katya
January 18th, 2005, 06:39 PM
thanks for sharing your lesson, auntboo! i karma''d everyone but you, and it was exactly 10 people// so i'm karma'd out!

ravynbynorthwynd
January 18th, 2005, 06:53 PM
i would have probably felt the same way about the red karma. i know there have been times when i've almost cried over some of my good karma pokes, just beacuse people here can be so thoughtful. thanks for the post auntboo

arienh
January 18th, 2005, 06:53 PM
AuntBoo thanks for sharing your thoughts, I know you said not to but I just *had* to poke you. :D

I've never received any red karma but I know that if I did it would cut me up terribly. Maybe that's why I've never given any either, though I've sure wanted to!

TWILIGHTSKY
January 18th, 2005, 07:08 PM
I'm sorry you've gotten the red karma again; I didn't see the thread, so I don't know why the person (people) wanted to give it to you, but I can't imagine why someone would red-tag for any but the most serious offense... and from ALL the posts I've ever seen of yours, I've never seen any reason for you to get it. I'm glad you can look at it as a way to look inside and strengthen your soul, AuntBoo. :hugz:

semi
January 18th, 2005, 07:31 PM
Some people have such a poor negative self-image and are so unhappy with themselves that the only way they can feel good is to make others feel bad. It's very sad and pathetic.

Teresa
January 19th, 2005, 12:31 AM
I always enjoy reading Your posts AuntBoo ! :hugz:

WynterWynd
January 19th, 2005, 01:51 AM
Thanks for this thread AuntBoo:hugz:and I spread the love around:smile:
I got a red poke recently...because someone over reacted before they read the whole post...short as it was:p

MoonDragn
January 19th, 2005, 02:08 AM
I'm very opinionated and sometimes people take my posts the wrong way. While I try to be conciencious of people's feelings when I post, sometimes the point of the post escapes them and they concentrate on the negativity. I have gotten one red karma since I've joined which I felt was totally uncalled for. I sent the bad karma right back because I felt it was petty in the first place. I have no quarms sending bad karma back at someone but I don't think I would ever be offended enough from someone who is only voicing their thoughts to initiate one.

FaerieLuma
January 19th, 2005, 02:22 AM
:thumbsup: Thanks for sharing! Nice post!

Faery-Wings
January 19th, 2005, 07:00 AM
Boo, I think that this thread is a good reminder to all how give Karma- good and bad- that many of us take it personally. IMO, Karma isn't a way to take cheap shots. So thanks for bringing this up.

WynnJera
January 19th, 2005, 02:12 PM
_pounce_ I just come in to spread more love :fpoke:

Rhaevyn
January 19th, 2005, 07:38 PM
Awww, now I can't be Switzerland in the Karma-poking politics.

But I can finally poke green! Thanks everyone! :loveduv:

BabblingImp
January 20th, 2005, 05:31 AM
It is funny how the world works to teach us, My favortie saying is the EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON! Even if you don't know what the reason is when it happens. I think you are very wise in seeing that lesson and understanding it! I have never given anyone a red karma, I really don't have a need to, even if they are jackasses, I figure at some point they will realize what is going on and they will stop, but is isn't my place to wake them when they are sleeping!

wakywitch
January 20th, 2005, 08:37 AM
:hugz: