Hi ladies and gents,
I think I was sort of hoping that things might simmer down on their own, withouts someone else jumping in to play peace officer and certainly without anyone leaving Specktra, but there are a lot of messages to indicate that people are still very upset and that things are unlikely to resolve themselves. In fact, I've tried to put a temporary lock on this thread in order for me to write this response, because there are so many "flagged post" notifications streaming into my email as I type.
First off, there have been some comments about the moderation on this thread as things have "blown up" that would make it seem like people wanted us to take a more active role in dealing with the argument(s) that had arisen. It's sometimes difficult to make the judgment call as to when something is contributing to "robust discussion" (a term an old boss of mine used to use) and when it is simply harmful. There were definitely some pointed posts going around in the last day or so on this thread, but I chose not to get involved because, as I said, I was hopeful that airing differences would lead to an understanding, but instead it seems to have gone the other way. So if it's made things worse that I allowed discussion to continue, I apologize for that.
Although there are clearly issues that have come up on other forums, I'm not familiar with any of them (ignorance is indeed bliss). I don't have any preconceptions or biases about anyone in this group and I genuinely want everyone to have a happy experience here.
I think at this point, everyone has had a chance to air their point of view on what happened and their issues with other forum members and there is clearly no more progress being made. I would respectfully ask those of you who are involved in these conflicts to refrain from posting about them anymore, as such things can be jarring and intimidating for those not involved, especially new members. I am not trying to deny anyone their right to speak on the forum. If you want to continue the discussion privately, of course you're more than welcome to. You're also welcome to contact me (or any of the moderators) if you have concerns about anything that happens here. I can't guarantee that you'll necessarily get the response that you want, but I can guarantee that- at least on my part and I believe I speak for all the other moderators- your issues will be taken seriously and that you'll receive an answer and an explanation for any decision.
One thing that I wanted to call to everyone's attention, because I know it can get forgotten in the heat of the moment: posts in our cosmetic forums are public. They are indexed by Google and that means that they can turn up in web searches. Not many of us use our actual names, but if there are comments made about any individual, it's possible that someone outside the forum could see it. There are "private" (meaning limited to the community) areas within the Discussions forum: http://www.specktra.net/f/161/discussions, which is probably a better place to air any differences. I would hope that we don't actually need a dedicated thread for these issues, but if any members want to set one up, that would be the place to do it. That way, members of Specktra can voice their opinions, but they stay within these virtual walls.
At last count, there are more than a dozen posts in this thread that have been flagged as inappropriate. Without prejudice against any of the posters, I'm going to remove all of them, as I don't believe that there is anything that is crucial to the thread or the community in them. I apologize in advance if you feel that I've silenced you- I'm strictly removing those posts which have generated complaints. I'm not choosing them myself. If you do have an issue, you can contact me directly or one of the other moderators if you feel you can't get a "fair hearing" from me.
I want to reiterate: NO ONE wants to lose any members because of this and I'll try to reach out to those directly involved in the conflicts to see if we can't get some sort of positivity from this.
For those of you who are struggling to balance your makeup desires with your determination to stick to your low-buy GOOD LUCK. But don't beat yourselves up if you fall off the wagon. No one ever died from having too many lipsticks (trust me, if it were possible, I'd be dead already). If you'd like to start challenges like the 30-day lip or shadow one, or like the one that
@Medgal07(I think...) proposed for shade theme weeks, feel free to post those here, or to start new threads in our Challenges forum: http://www.specktra.net/f/197/challenges. These sorts of things are a great way to enjoy makeup and have fun without feeling the pressure to go out and buy the newest, shiniest toys there are. Thanks very much to those who've participated in those so far!
I'm signing off for now and, as I do, I'll be unlocking the thread. If you've been trying to post in the last little while, I thank you for your understanding. Be well, everyone.
Kate
