I'm not really sure how the posterX thread had any impact on the foundation of this forum. The only reason people were so quick to believe such an obviously bullshit thread, was because blackmail is a pretty typical tactic of the anti extremist posters who post here. I've seen it happen to Whooter several times. Why, just a few weeks a poster here told a family seeking advice about programs and their daughter, to reconsider their idea of sending their daughter to a program, or else. Well a couple weeks after that initial threat, we found out what the "or else" was, and it was pretty disgusting. That is the type of behavior that makes people reluctant to post here. I'm not sure how a post about myself being blackmailed, and I never accused any poster here, or the admins, effects how people view the structure of fornits, and the integrity of the people who run it.
On the other hand, ironically, that thread did produce some slight truth that itself attacks the credibility of the forums rules. An admin decided to release my IP information without my authorization, to prove that I was posting as both SUCK IT and posterX. I honestly didn't think anybody would believe the posterX charade, and even included some small hints now and then, inside jokes, that it was really me posting. I knew people would figure it out pretty quick, I didn't intend to go on with the thread forever. I figured two days ha been enough, and most people figured it out by then anyways. But I chose not to reveal my IP information, as I expressed many times. Psy told me he knew it was me, he knew for sure, without supposedly using his admin powers. I asked him why he was so confident it was me without having already checked my IP, and in the same post specifically stating three separate times I was not authorizing my IP information being released. I asked for the proof of why he was so confident, supposedly without having already checked my IP info, that I was SUCK IT. He knew this, so did anybody else who read it. He took it as an opportunity to make an barely plausible excuse that I had asked him to release my personal information, which was clearly untrue. To me, this was an interesting side effect of the posterX blackmail thread, much more damaging to the credibility of the forum, than one of its most hated posters making up bullshit. I think the latter behavior is pretty typical actually, for a lot of poster here, don't let the false outrage fool you.
So why did I post it then? To provoke discussion about these type of tactics. To see how people would react at the thought of me losing my new job, and having my personal information which I made clear I wished to remain private, become public. Some posters thought it was the greatest day ever, others said it was inappropriate to blackmail people, other people didn't say anything because they rightly concluded it was fake. I see that thread as tongue in cheek satire. Other people get really angry and consider it a breach of ethics. Apparently, I'm the only person to tell a lie on the internet.
I've followed some of Whooter's links today, back to DJ's old post. Sure enough, he pretended to be other people, and lie about being another poster , just like I did. Where is the outrage for that? Or what if this was a pro program forum, like struggling teens, and an anti program person was posting and they released their IP information against their wishes, would people get angry about that? This all comes back to the fornits double standard. It's OK for them to lie, and make fake personalities, but then they get all bent out of shape when I do it.It's hard to take it seriously when people are such blatant hypocrites, and it proves that how you are treated on fornits is solely dependent on what opinions you hold. You are either a part of the team, or you aren't. The team doesn't care if an admin breaks the rules, as long as it happens to someone not on the team. So if people want to get outraged, well I'll accept that if you've never told a lie, or made another username, or posted anything that could be construed as sarcasm or satire.
I'll be honest though. I'm not here to make friends, or alliances. I am only here to discuss the troubled teen industry, and treatment related topics because I went through a lot of that as a teen, and so I find the topic interesting. I've had experiences that differ from the group of people saying they were abused, and only want to share my opinions based on my experiences. This forum claims to be an open free for all, unmoderated discussion. It didn't say in the rules anywhere you can't post satire, or make other usernames. In the end, I'm glad I posted that thread, and I don't regret it one bit. I didn't hurt anyone, because it was fake. Soon enough on fornits, we'll be wishing for the days of fake threads, when we see the next victim get their personal information released, for asking the wrong advice, or posting the wrong thing. Their only sin is being naive enough to come here, and share too much about themselves. I've been a reader of fornits for a long time. I know how it works, and as most people here would admit, it's not exactly the safest place to post your personal information. So an admin releasing personal information, and checking my IP against my will, in my view, that is the only thing resulting from the posterX thread that has in any way effected the foundation of this forum.
People have always called me a liar, unethical, and all other sorts of names. I'm not trying to prove to anyone, or regain credibility, and jump through hoops to try to convince a small group of people I might in fact be real. Because in the real world, people readily accept my opinions and story as real, because it's very common. Lots of people have made bad choices, entered recovery, and done better and are grateful for it. Fornits has created it's own reality, where all programs are evil, and so is anybody who dares says otherwise. This is the extreme end of the spectrum as far as treatment politics goes. Since some people's only relation to this industry, is fornits, well they become jaded and start to believe the whole treatment industry and even AA/NA are all evil. I think it's interesting on some level, that people can come to these extreme conclusions. I think that's why so few people post here. Because I am trying to be respectful, and I do accept everybody else's program stories and opinions, yet no matter what I try, I am responded to hear with insults, and disgusting images, and mayhem.
So these days I am going to focus my efforts on starting a discussion outside of this extreme political atmosphere. I am typing up a blog about my experiences, and makig youtube videos to share how I feel about programs. I think by reaching a wider audience, that are for the most part less extreme than the population here, I might finally find people who want to have a mature, and meaningful conversation about treatment. I'm open to hear the bad, but I also want to hear the good, and not be accused of things just for saying, you know what, the program did save my life. This sounds extreme here on fornits, like it's not even in the realm of possibility, but in the real world, it is in fact quite common.
I respect your position and the reason for posting this thread, Danny. I try to respect all opinions here, eve though I disagree sometimes. It's pretty well known that Whooter has said he wouldn't send his child to WWASP programs. So it's not like all of our views are in lockstep. I think it's actually better for a discussion forum if people come to their own conclusions, and hold different opinions. As long as people are respectful this would work, and I want to be respectful to all posters here, all I ask is for some respect in return. I'm wiling to have an adult, and open conversation. But to be honest, I find that increasingly difficult on this forum sometimes. But I will keep trying, and see what happens.
