Bitcoin Forum

Offline/Online Respect
Many people feel that there are imaginary humans behind the screen, and as such could be treated without respect. This is not true. The personalities behind the screen are not imaginary or lesser humans. They are real humans, in terms of emotions, damages causable and love receivable.

Infact, when one is disrespected or abused online it is more damaging and severe than when done offline. This is because an offline abuse may happen once, probably in the presence of a fewer persons. But an online insult, bully and/or abuse would be seen by millions, and can be archived by the victim for further references. And when this archive is visited can always refresh the memories.
I therefore clamour for respect, which is reciprocal but irrespective of age, social status, forum rank or achievements.

Why it is Nice to be Respectful and Nice in the Forum.
1. Some people are victims of offline bullying and parental abuses. These set of people always take solace online, where no one will make physically contact with them. It will be more damaging if these persons are welcomed with on forum bullying and abuses. I am not that old here, but I am sure the older users can testify that atleast one person(s) has exited the forum for this reason.

2. Some persons are depressed due to some online/offline situations. Your next move to hurt these persons online might lead to suicide. I use myself for instance,  when I was newly and heavily scammed, I will enter the bathroom and spend not less than 2hrs crying. Someone in similar condition can do anything funny if hurted online.

3. It does not cost to be nice:
It costs nothing to be nice. Niceness is a free gift and should be given generously. If you don't have this gift of niceness please learn it; it will neither reduce your activity, merit nor rank in the forum.

4. Being nice will earn you more friends and admirers. If you are an enemy to majority of the forum users, here will not be user friendly to you again. And I doubt how well you will grow in the forum.

Some Tips to be Respectful and Nice in the Forum.
1. Do not spam the forum and her users.
2. Respect the privacy of the forum users by not sharing their  details or data without thier consent.
3. As much as possible, avoid typing in capital letters, as this means yelling.
4. Be polite always when posting or replying to posts. If you want to disagree to an opinion do so diplomatically.
5. You can ignore trolling to avoid escalation or better use Pm to explain things out.
6. Let your offline lifestyle be your online lifestyle. However, if your offline lifestyle is already bad you can amend here online for the love of humanity.
Thank you all!

It depends on what you count as nice, can you be nice to spammers? Not everybody you can be nice too, if you are always having a quality post, you will be nice to people that have quality posts, not spammers. Haven't you seen a very good poster correcting newbie and the newbies said no it is not like that when the newbie is blatantly wrong. This is a forum with plenty people, people can not and can never act the same or be the same but the best way for people to show kindness to you is to act like they are, if they post good, you too post good to draw their attention.

If the whole thing is about this forum, then put it like this, post good and people that post good will admire you and you will admire them too, nothing like nice for nothing because the main goal of this forum is good contribution good posts.

Information you told a person, many people could have heard it even after you trust the person that you told. You can be visiting this forum with tor or vpn and remain anonymous if you want to be anonymous, if you have told someone about you here, then expect many other people to have known you.

You can be nice to spammers too. Be nice to their personality and report their acts to the moderators or whoever in charge. Also you can use the ignore tool without being harsh too.


 Niceness and respect is backward compatibility.  ;D It does not mean that the higher will always be nice to the lower. In the above instance, it means that the newbie is not being nice to the person correcting him

Kindness has nothing/little to do with quality of post.

Privacy especially in this context is not all about identity.

I personally will take offline disrespect more seriously considering that the person who is disrespectful is someone who knows you and maybe can see that you are not someone to be disrespected. But online, considering that you can't see each other and the person only has a mental picture of you, you have to develop a thick skin, respect yourself so others can respect you, and when you meet someone who disrespects you, don't take it to heart because the person doesn't really know you and some people are without manners normally.

People are brutal and merciless on the internet although they may be nice and fun to be with offline. They become a different person on the web. Luckily the developers of bitcointalk had the foresight to add "ignore function" and "report to moderator function". This two are the only mechanisms put in place to reduce cyber bullying. 

These two are some of the things I observed on forum. There are some who like to argue badly and even used harsh words when dealing to some newbies. Yes they are wrong but lets be polite when talking to them, and giving out harsh words cause everyone makes a mistake and correcting them the right way is always the best thing to do.

cooperation or relationship is unpredictable in the community, actually we are nice to each fellow from my perspective, because we are not dragging any appointments with anyone, and another thing is that you can't pleased everyone nor matters the level of your communication you most be bad egg to other person, and i found out that before someone disregard or attacks anyone, the person might have violates some atoms of the community protocols

Actually you are making  sense but already everyone is good frim my view, because is very difficult before you could notice that you're not cool with somebody, and is very obvious that you can't force yourself to be nice with everyone, so emphasising in aspect of growth, it's base on the ability of user to research, good communication of user, determination and also be innovative to the community entirely, i think this is necessary things we needs for a community user to be elevated irrespective your uncooperation to others.

To be honest, I see no point in creating a similar theme in the beginner's section. It is more suitable for off-topic.
But I agree that sometimes on the Internet we meet people whose behavior on the Internet is very different from their offline behavior. Usually people hide their complexes, which are full in everyday life, and on the Internet, they pretend to be some cool dude respected by the whole  "alma mater" or district
As for beginners, the only true recommendation is to be yourself. If someone is not very strong in any sciences, you don't need to look smarter. Sincerity is always more noticeable than the delivery of knowledge in which a person understands little.

And yes, demanding respect from people is another drawback.

Respect cannot be bought or forcibly made to respect oneself.
Respect comes from what a certain person does and is earned by actions.

Yes, i agree with you off topic is more suitable for this topic but somehow i see his/her point. This thread can also help whom are begginers or new in the forum to remind them how you can benefit so much and help others by being respectful and nice.


This is so true, it can affect a person mentally and emotionally when abused, bully and insulted online. People might not have known because they can't see the person behind the screen hurting so much from the humiliation and pain they recieve from others. When you have depression the pain goes like 100 times more harder and painful for them, any small things that is not a big deal to others can trigger them to suicide. That is why being respectful and nice is important in the forum. Not just online but it applies in offline too.

My teacher in high school used to say:
"Treat me right and i'll treat you right"
"Respect me and i"ll respect you"

"Respect" is a relative concept that may have different definitions. Some thinks that disrespect a scammer or a troller is a normal reactions while some others think that respectful speech should be applied in all situations with everybody.

Active forum users for more than two years long would had surely encounter the profile of Tman (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=98986) or Spoetnik (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=138471) (both are not active anymore). Both of them has his unique style of reacting over things, which may not be liked by everybody (while some users dislike their posting habits, many others admire them). This is a public like any other public space, you may find a mixture of people attitudes and behaviors that surely won't be liked by everybody.

Both mecanisms can't really help reduce cyber bullying ; You can active the "ignore function" to not read unfavorite replies, although it doesn't forbid someone from writing what he wants or others to read it (guest users in particular because they can't active the ignore option without logging in), and the "report to moderator function" is only effecient when the reported message contains something against the forum rules (if am not wrong, hate speech for instance isn't against forum rules).

1. Since the enactment of the spam posting merit system, it seems that it has decreased a lot, although it still exists. Because I think not all members here have the same understanding and ability in forums

2. Of course respecting confidentiality is good manners and it seems this forum has provided pretty good privacy settings. You can choose the settings to show the data you want to share with other people. And sometimes that data is needed to prove it.

Everyone's forum skills are different, so sometimes these differences make forums interesting in discussion. There are attacking type people, there are people who give up their opinions easily. Those are all part of the forum that can make the forum continue to grow. IMO

Cyber bullying is a crime topic that is overlooked. Some people are overly sensitive and can easily be depressed about the slightest misunderstanding. These kinds of people cannot survive the harsh conditions of social media. Take a day to read reputation topics look at some feedbacks left on profiles. Some of the words used are very insulting and cruel. This is the way of the internet. Bitcointalk forum is not an oasis there are good and bad people everywhere

There are different personalities on the Internet. The Internet is where you could meet someone who is like acts like a dove in the physical but behind his or her keypads, you see a fierced lion. Its 9ne of those things with the internet and funny enough, these people do this and actually enjoy it, they find it so amusing to mess up another person's online life.

Then, if you look again, you would see that some persons and victim of abuse are really not victims but those that over leverage the flaws of the internet. They tend to be dishonest and in the crypto space, truth and honesty is what we trade on. Once your found to be dishonest, it becomes so difficult to trade of do business with you. Little wonder why we've got the trust system on the forum and it's based on testimonies from users whom have had a personal encounter as per business and possibly your fight for being just in the forum.

Let's try to do the right or most good and disease from sabotaging other users just because it's amusing. That's a person with the user!

I believe I always tried to be very polite on the forum.
I also tried to be as objective as I could and try to explain my point of view without ranting but in general, I think it was better to try to keep a balance between being nice, and being objective on the forum.

What about scammers and rulebreakers? Do you believe they deserve to be treated nicely and with respect? I don't think so. I believe that everyone should be treated fairly. People who are disrespectful to others deserve no better treatment.

I remember back in my high school days that one my teachers taught us about the "digital self". It is basically how they show their persona when it comes to being in online world. Funny enough, there are those straight dudes posing as an anime girl in the online world just to have the attention from some other people for obvious reasons. There are those also posing as keyboard warriors, but behind the monitor, they are just thin-skinned individuals crying over small stuffs while the Internet is just being the Internet. :D

There are ways people tend to react to issues on the internet whether harsh or nice. The majority intends to hide behind their keyboards. The only place they can voice out boldly is on the internet, outside the Internet, they are very shy to speak one's mind.
The forum is like open wings for us to share ideas openly and also learn without knowing each other capabilities in real life. We all hide behind our gadgets keyboards

Correct well said. Online gangsters everywhere you turn. They have a mob ready to lynch you if you cross them. I do not get into fights with them when I do I just walk away. Responding to their attacks will only feed the trolls

I think reverse is the case. People don't easily insult others when confronted offline or in person but they can easily do that online. Keyboard warriors and soldiers always find the slightest opportunity to throw those who are even older than their parents under the bus. In a forum like this, what we may notice is more of bullying rather than disrespect where more established users tend to lord it over lower ranked members. Members who do that believe their high ranks endown them with knowledge and age, and this may not be true. Often it has proved not to be truth.

BTW OP, I will like to hear your story on how you got scammed. It's so that others may learn a thing or two from it

That would be hypocrisy at its peak and a lot of people are fond of doing that. This is the major reason no sensible person should copy the social media lifestyles of others. Humans tend to pretend a lot.

I strongly applaud this . It's the same way I feel and react to issues regarding respect. It can't be forced but earned.

Funny and true. I don't know why there is that much variation in one's self. In as much as I agree with you, I want to ask that; if one can be thin-skinned offline and becomes thick-skin online. Can the reverse be the case? ie being bold offline and shy online? Maybe crying over small stuffs...

I would love to share in an interview and maybe if there is a specific thread for that.
But don't expect anything much, it's same fate as people who has not embraced crypto before. Maybe mine was little extreme.

Just ask zasad@ for this and ask about the thread that he/she created. 
[Interviews] with Bitcointalk members (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5262967.0), it might you have a chance to give an interview and below thread indicate, don't hesitate to send him a PM or try to reach him out via PM.

I have been told this before so many times, we should have respect for each other especially if there are newbies asking a question, we should guide them as we are of higher rank to them and has more knowledgeable than them.  Because when I was a newbie I was encountered a higher rank that has an arrogant answer which is even calling me an idiot at that time.  Being nice and be respectful is a perfect example for them.

Respect has helped me this far in my life in the forum and out of it, respect or lack of it is the reason why there is racism, why the government can make the citizens lack, the rich sees the poor as a virus, and the mentally challenged commits suicide, respect should be an attitude, to put it into my forum experience, respect has made me see opinions no matter how demeaning it was from different angles and patch up if I need to, I think there is no troll that has an attitude of respect, no is there respect in any one constituting trouble.

With respect as a -Newbie- you can get free coaching an lectures, even without you asking, but when respect is excessive I see it as disrespect/faking .

Sometimes, it may be easy for some people who are in the real-life also can have that behavior easily.
But some people may be different. Some of them may have more strict behavior, higher emotions, and also other conditions in which it can influence online behavior also. And as a consequence, some people may be more emotional, moreover if they know something wrong.

Bt yes, everybody can try it and be respectful of somebody others also do not make any mistake or do not make big mistakes.
But for some people who always make mistakes or similar mistakes, I think that we can be a little bit strong to make them aware and not do similar mistakes again.

being respectful and nice will make this forum be nice and also comfortable for all. But once more, we cannot expect them at all because this consists of various people around the world with different eprsonalities.

Just as we all come from different homes,ethnicity,state and perhaps different countries, we also have different faces,looks,problems and attitude as the major factors that makes us different.
Most peeps have been through serious hard times,war scenarios etc and all these have contributed to toughen their lives entirely  :(
Am not gonna really put blames on anyone here for being tough or harsh because most times,its not their fault,but for some that have obviously taken upon themselves pride and arrogance, then i think these should be made as a thread for them and newbies that are coming in with the same impression. People change  :)

What an excellent comment you dropped here sir.
Of a truth, respect should be an attitude, a culture and a habit. It should be shown everyone whether big or small, white or black, rich or poor. Everyone deserves a taste of it.
But in your last paragraph, you stated that excessive of respect is a disrespect.
Sir, is respect supposed to have a limit or can it actually be faked?

Because in the online world, anyone can be a cat or a troll or some girl they fancy.

That bolded statement is pretty much true; you'd be surprised that some disliked/ hated forummers here (subject to one's perspective) could be the totally opposite IRL, like those emaciated basement-dwellers or just average Joes working 9-5 jobs.

The off topic doesn't seems to be pouring more merits to the members so that's why they find it suitable to make such threads in main board which are frequently visited by almost every member.But there is no fun of making them as this board is dedicated to help the newbies through useful guides to enhance their crypto knowledge.So this suits best in off topic board where you can have general discussion about respect.

Our task is to give the best out of our talent and knowledge without having much expectations from other people because if they don't stand up on our expectations we might get hurt.So yes it's better to make your position by your work and you don't need to ask others for your respect.

But @Op avoid making such threads in B&H section as they are termed to be irrelevant and of not much quality and you will also not get merits for the same.

People think that it is easy to disrespect or bully a person online like here in this forum as they hide behind pseudonyms keeping themselves out of reach and will not likely to get caught and be punished for cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is much more worse than face-to-face harassment as it can spread like wildfire and become a public rumor creating much more damage to the victim online with the face-to-face it is only a few people involved. For me, we should be nice to everyone as we are all human beings, those rude people needs understanding and compassion as I believe that they are also victims of bully or have a mental health problems.   

The essence of this thread is not to attract alot of merits. A good poster will get merited even without creating threads. It marvels me that you threw much merit emphasis on a topic that said nothing/little about merits.
Suggesting I make the thread in off topics board; but I do not create topics on the boards that I do not visit.
However, if you honestly think that there is nothing in this thread that will Help any user be it old or new and also do not think that this thread will make a newbie learn to be respectful in the forum and finally you find this thread so damaging to be on B$H, please you can report to the moderator to move it to the appropriate board. Thanks!

I advise you to double-check the citation of my post, in order to avoid further problems. Otherwise, it looks like copying. Smiley
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5367853.msg58305891#msg58305891

Look at the highlighted part of the text. Missing quote. Add the selected text to the quote. :o :o :o
https://i.ibb.co/59vVNrP/Screenshot.png (https://ibb.co/qn9wtNv)

Thanks for pointing it out here also as i made that mistake with inappropriate quote option but now i have edited my post with correct method.Actually i should have double checked my post before posting and the mistake would not have occurred but still sorry for the mistake and will keep it in mind next time.

I have not blamed you for merit hunting threads but was just giving you a friendly advice that these threads are of not much help and as a community it's our ethics to have respect for each other but if we create special thread dedicated to them then it's suited to particular boards even if you visit them or not.So it was an advice.

Noted!
I was surprised though how merit hunting was being repeated by you, now I understood that maybe you were generalising.
Taken! Any topic that will not benefit Newbies I will take it to off topic board.


Noted!
I have visited the thread before, it's a nice one. I will request for an interview, maybe when I become a senior member.  Thanks very much.

I referred to this point only that even if we don't visit such boards like off-topic but generally these threads suit there so we have to abide by the forum rules and make threads in that sections.But as you have understood that these threads deemed to be of low quality and serve no useful purpose we need to avoid them to the possible extent.Rest keep posting effectively.

In my culture, respect is given to elders in the community. They are deemed wiser because of their age and experience in life. Not every society practices those kind of culture. OP has been corrected not to use sir in addressing others yet he continues to do so. To him he is being polite, to others it looks like kissing sss. There are societies that are so free they do not have any culture  Ethnicity and background has an effect on humans behavior

We all have ethics that are inbuilt into us from childhood that are hard to let go but the more you get educate yourself, the more you should be able to compromised and adapt to any society you find yourself. We're are equals here which is why the use of username is recommended and not giving anyone title or respect more than the other. Don't be surprised those you look down on might even be more successful than those you worship based on their rank.

When you're out of the forum, you can return to the ethics of whatever region you're from. For example, there are a tribe in my country and Africa as a continent that don't allow women speak when men/elders are speaking. Assuming someone is from such tribe, it doesn't make sense bringinythat into the forum.

Already it has been warned to abstain from calling people sir or ma on the forum. It only degrades you and profile you as a users from third world countries begging. You're doing yourself more harm instead of getting favours, just so you know. Now it's left for you to decide.

Online forums is becoming a life of many and bullying online  is the same as bullying some one offline. Same idea plays out same emotions, same thoughts, same feeling. Respect should be a watch word both offline and online. I was once a victim of bully here on this forum and it actually got to me and took me a long time to heal. It would be nice if users act with respect for each other

Respect in the online world is a bit difficult to earn actually since you never know if the people behind the monitor is really a legitimate person to be given a "respect". I got bullied also but it was in Facebook and what is worse is that those are people that I knew, maybe not friends but still my point stands. I just learned how to give zero Fs to people around the internet and just give respect to those who really deserve it.

Expect internet to be the internet, mate. You will meet all kinds of people in here, not just in the forum. Even in gaming communities, there are those so called "toxic gaming communities" and there is not a single thing that everyone can do about it.

Everyone can't exhibit same character, many at times, people respond rudely to others not because that's their usual character but as means to get back to them due to the way the where addressed....

Nonetheless, we should always be prepared for anything, if you're in a place where you do not find comfort, it's best you walk out atleast for your own sanity...
Do not expect everybody to treat you with respect.

@Isaac, @Alishak and others. I have read so many views in this thread and they are all correct.
One school of thought here implied that we are from different countries, different race, different religion, different region, different culture. As such some cultures sees respect as important and mandatory while others does not consider it worthful.
Then, the other school of thought is saying that despite that we are from different race and regions, we are all humans. Then humanity which teaches respect should be the general religion.
Everyone is right depending on the school of thought you toe.