I like to type what I think, but remain respectful. I'm also guilty of sitting on the fence a fair bit, as often I can see both sides of something, and feel that I don't know enough to take a side. I do feel that the opposite happens on here quite a lot. People have made their mind up about something, often without knowing much about the subject and will never change their minds. They fail to see where the other party is coming from and force their opinions on people. When this masquerades as advice, I think it can be dangerous, as often, although a group of people hold the same views and shout them loudly, it doesn't mean what they're saying is true, right or even helpful.

It would be brilliant if people didn't judge prematurely and I'd love people to just accept that you can always learn new things and that there's no shame in changing your mind when you feel you're better informed.

Very well said, couldn't agree more ;o)

Absolutely, well said. Tried to give you reps for that post but it won't let me

Google Carl Rogers and the fully functioning person, or Maslow's hierarchy of needs for an explanation of actualisation.

Here endeth the lesson

BTW Daysleeper, as much as possible I have to bring the three conditions of UPS, congruence and empathy into my day to day life. Counsellors should BE those three things and live them. It can't be just switched on for a counselling session and then turned off again, otherwise it's not genuine.

Great explanation of Rogers

But this wasn't really intended as a discussion about my personal work ethic, it was more about how responsible do people feel about what they post?

I try to be constructive and speak on a thread as I would if the person was sitting here with me. I do wonder sometimes if the anonymity of the internet and a pseudonym makes people behave differently.

Maxine, right you can stop 'wondering' now it's an undeniable unequivocal truth that being able to hide behind a 'user name' on the internet quite often brings out the very worst in some people (which when faced with a fist on their hooter in the pub they would never dare say such things ) and not just in being aggressive and rude and a total troll but also in living out their fantasies and pleading hardship to gain sympathy which many on here did responded to (as if it was a genuine case) this has occured on here not so long ago

I'm sure Sarah is perfectly genuine and a very nice person but equally she could be a total fake, looked up Rogers on Wikepedia, and just trying to impress and be something which in real life she isn't. You just don't know do you

But as Sarah has said let's not take this thread off on a tangent

Sarah - You said "I wasn't suggesting that everyone on Dogsey needs to start having unconditional positive regard"

Oh thank God for that, I think I would go bonkers if I had to start liking people !!

You are right, you can be anyone you want to be on the internet. It's not really going off at a tangent because it does explain how much (or little) responsibility people actually need to take for what they post.

Losos, I often wonder if those who have BIG opinions on Dogsey, are the same in real life. I am known for "saying it how it is" in real life. However, I've heard that there are many people that get carried away behind the safety of a pc I was hoping to see some of those that are known on Dogsey for "speaking their mind", give their opinions on this thread but, sadly, they don't seem to have an opinion on this particular subject

I sometimes look at some of the replies on this forum and think blimey thats a bit full on/harsh etc. Especially on some of those heated debates, But I can understand people all have different opinions, and some people are more elequant(ep) at putting their point accross than perhaps others are.

I have been tempted to post things before, and i've actually sat and typed the whole thing out, read it all in the box, then hit the back button so its not been posted, so that I dont hurt anyones feelings.

In real life.. I dont think anyone is perfect, we have all done/said things at some point in our lives that we maybe feel ashamed off, and if we could turn back the clock, we could go back and rectify what we had done. Unfortunately no one has invented a time machine as of yet. So the best we all can do in life is to try and live life positively.
Think positive - positive things may happen, think negative and you are attracting negativity.
In the past 4 years I have changed how I feel/think a lot, i I used to be the type of person that said/did things first and thought about it after. Something happened in my life to make me reassess life and how I view it.

That said.. I do not think I could be polite to people like child killers/rapists/murderers etc..