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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13696
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For fun I am a member of a small team of volunteers who work for a harbour and patrol it in a small boat. The harbour provides the boat, and the water to play on. We are, broadly, leaderless, and self governing, though not rudderless. Today I made the suggestion that we all, each of us, at the end of a patrol, spend five minutes cleaning the boat down before putting it away. I am new to the group, and, by this simple request, kicked a nest of hornets. If I lived in the USA I have little doubt that one would shoot me if he could. I have received vitriol, false accusations and a wholly unpleasant set of nastiness from the long established members of the group.
From the newer members, the story is different. They think the idea has merit. One has offered to come and clean it with me, specially.
The group is. mostly, male. I have received no feedback from the females, just from a load of wannabe alpha males. And their reaction was a foot stamping queen-like hissy fit.
It's going to be fun when they use google and find out that I am not heterosexual! I think I may start a discrimination action. We may be volunteers, but the term is Voluntary Employee, something lost on the older members.
I thought of this place. Here we welcome new folk, though we don't get that many.
I thought of Wikipedia, where the new editor has to hit the ground knowing all policies and gets all sorts of hassle if they don;t get it right first time
I thought of school, with cliques and nastiness
I thought of employment and jobs with bosses who are good, or not, and who can bully, or not, depending upon how good they are
We, the volunteers, ought to be a happy and cohesive whole, united by a common purpose. Clearly we are not. But why not?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Mark
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Likes it here |
Location: Earth
Registered: April 2013
Messages: 272
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I've often wondered that myself. The only conclusion that I can come up with is that humans, despite (supposedly) being the dominant species on the planet, are not very rational creatures. We function far more on emotions than logic.
(Leonard Nimoy - Mr. Spock from "Star Trek" - did a novelty album back in the 70's, and one of the songs was titled "Highly Illogical" - it's a song that's presented from Spock's viewpoint as he's observing humanity and noting some of the many illogical things they do; click here for the song in a YouTube video.)
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Kitzyma
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Likes it here |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 215
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"There's nowt so queer as folk", as my gran used to say quite often.
She died when I'd just turned twelve, so I don't think she was referring to my sexuality! 
Presumably there were already some (less efficient?) arrangements for cleaning the boat - after all, who'd want to get into a dirty boat? Some people can get set in their ways and can react badly if improvements are suggested.
Anyway, the situation described is a good example of why I avoid socialising with anyone other than my 3 closest friends, as well as why I live alone, work from home, and don't own a mobile phone.
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ChrisR
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Likes it here |
Location: Western US
Registered: October 2014
Messages: 136
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Example beats words.
Don't talk about it or suggest it or ask why not.
Just do it.
You and your newbie friend wash one quarter of the boat (together, not each!) and leave it that way.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13696
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Quote:ChrisR wrote on Fri, 14 August 2015 05:39Example beats words.
Don't talk about it or suggest it or ask why not.
Just do it.
You and your newbie friend wash one quarter of the boat (together, not each!) and leave it that way.
--
If only it were easy enough to clean in squares, leaving some filthy and the other parts bright and shiny! But I get your point.
The thing is, we are meant to be a team that works together. I must be more naïve than I thought!
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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