Re: New Knowledge Ranking By: whichzoey / Beginner
Post # 21 Jul 23, 2011
I'm a supposed beginner but I know some not alot about Wicca and I contribute what I can. I know some but I'm still learning an I don't come On this site for a quick fix. I should be a novice they know some and alot. But I'm so not a beginner ive tried to get mine up for awhile but it hasn't changed.
Re: New Knowledge Ranking By: WhiteRav3n / Knowledgeable
Post # 24 Jul 23, 2011
Personally, I'm in the "do not care" section. In fact, I wish there was a way to title me that! =)
I come and go as I please. Reply in topics I don't roll my eyes or shake my head at, and answer my pms. If people like me or hate me, it is there choice. I'm not here to please people, I'm here to help and share my opinions. I would say "have fun" but the environment here isn't "pleasant" or "home-like" enough to have a relaxed or playful topic to have "fun" in. Do I think this board is a "joke", most certainly. There is more nonsense here than there is intelligent or serious magickal discussion. And those who are serious are sometimes too serious, and it makes you wonder how many times someone can get off the wrong side of the bed in the morning. But then again, this place can put the nicest person in a negative mood, so I can't blame them.
I continue to visit because I feel terrible for the people here that are seriously interested in magick, want to learn and need help. They have come to the rabbit hole and fallen head first into a world of chaos, with the question rising constantly in their minds of what is real and what is not. With more fluff than truth, they won't know what to believe.
The titles will unfortunately add to that chaos. But it is not my website and I have no control over that. Label me what you will. I don't take this website seriously enough to care. Perhaps if the effort to label, was put toward cleaning up the board, I would. I refuse to add authentic spells or articles to a bunch of fluffy ones. I respect my craft more than that, it is sacred to me. Anyway, I feel that the labels were an attempt to put a bandaid on a bullet wound. Quick fixes will not work when so much damage has already been done.
I only take seriously the people who are truly trying to learn or know what they're talking about (titles not taken into any consideration). People who I respect here know I respect them. I make my own opinions based on my own observations, not silly little titles. If you want my honest opinion, the titles are a sociopsychological manipulation to provoke more helpful responses or efforts from members desiring higher titles. Most people want to be the best, and will do anything to get it, even in simple video games. Apply it to someones faith/belief? And you have yourself even more incentive.
The administration is free to do what they please. And everyone else is free to use this site or not to. No one is forced to do anything they do not wish to. We all have free will but never want to use it or we expect to bend the will of others to suit us.
If you don't like the site, leave. If you have reasons to stay, stay. I understand trying to make a change but have you not realized yet that the administration does as they please?
Brysing is inactive now, other valuable members are posting less and less as the weeks roll by. Sooner or later all that you will have are the fluffs and the mods. Even I will leave eventually. I planned to leave before, but I've been asked to stay by quite a few so I continue to post.
But don't pay any attention to me. I'm the "Novice" what do I know? Lol! ^_^
Re: New Knowledge Ranking By: Birdlover101 / Beginner
Post # 25 Jul 23, 2011
I don't agree with beginner meaning you don't know anything about spells. I'm not trying to complain about anything but, all I'm saying is beginner is a very big category and there could have been someone on the site who has been practicing for ten or twenty years just by reading books and other methods that don't involve the internet. This person, who could have just started using the internet for spells and such may have accidentally come across the site and decided to sign up. So, they would be labeled a beginner because they hadn't been on the site very long when they could actually be adept. This is all hypothetical and I'm just stating a potential flaw since the people who run the site have no way of knowing how long someone has practice. The other thing is to say somebody is a beginner and knows nothing about spells can be untrue. I'm not an expert but I know enough about spells to know how to cast one successfully and I also have enough knowledge to know that there is no one hundred percent guarantee on spells. Again, I'm not complaining, just pointing out potential flaws and I'd also like to point out that some people might have been checking out the site for months before they actually joined.
Not to worry. I've been told I'm beating a dead horse. Hopefully, however, this will jar some sense into the 'administration'. With so many members unhappy, why is this still even an issue? I think it shows a lack of even the tracest amounts of empathy.
People say they don't care, why? Why would someone not care?
On a regular basis in the real world people are undermined, taunted, put on trial for what they can show the world around them. There, they care.
This is a website. A mere website, similar in purpose to countless others around the internet. Opinions here shouldn't count, should they? As long as the ones who really need help are receiving it. Right? Yes, and no.
The people on SoM seem to not realize how much of this is similar of modern day society.
I was speaking to my mother the other day, she's a teacher at a nearby school of what you'd call, less fortunate children. She described to me the hardships she goes through with her coworkers, and her experiences are so similar to mine from this website it was shocking.
The opinions of her coworkers shouldn't matter right? It's not like they live with her, or control her life. So it doesn't matter what they think of her as a teacher. Right? Yes, and no.
Nobody teachers the exact same way. Nobody. And many teachers, don't exactly approve of the methods their fellow teachers use, however successful.
This ranking system to me, is like giving other teachers the ability to tell students how good a teacher their teacher is. If I were a student, I'd most certainly not want my teacher being a beginner! But if for some reason, they are wearing a badge, written across their forehead, saying that they no NOTHING compared to other teachers I would not take their word seriously.
The other day, I got into a debate with an old friend, Rashnu. That woman and I have teaching around here for years, and we debated about something so trivial as meditation. We both obviously have different methods of teaching, neither right, nor wrong when looking at it in an unbiased sense. However, by the fact that she was getting riled up as she normally does when she's feeling strongly against something, I wouldn't doubt, that she wasn't too fond of me or my teaching methods at that instance. But who's to say, because someone who has an opinion doesn't agree with me, that I know very little compared to others of "higher ranks"?
Who?
The mods?
The administrator?
No, the opinions I care about, are my students, those that sometimes need to listen to me, those that I affect on a regular basis, and I'm sure many other teachers feel the same.
If they don't, then perhaps I'm just a fluffy member who wants to impress the big kids.
And maybe it is useful to have the fluffies marked off, but beyond that, getting into how much people actually know, is impossible to accurately mark.
Okay from what I've seen this is just another way to say "Hello I know something in a different area than you do and there for I know more than you do."
I don't think anyone on here should be permitted to rank someone on their 'knowledge'. Everyone knows different things on different levels so it is faulty.
I haven't been ranked yet and personally I don't care what ranking I get. I know what I know and I am aware of that I myself know things.
Sure it's another popularity contest and another way to single people out and to add more labels, but as I said who cares? You can complain and moan all you want about it but it won't change what is.
If you're not comfortable with your own knowledge then that would be your own problem. Labels happen no matter where you go no matter what you do.
It is what it is and it will be that way. Suck it up and deal. (And yes I will still stand by this no matter what ranking I get. )
I really think everyone is a beginner because no one knows what magick truely is and new things are being discovered everyday,as well as new spells,what if we're wrong about magick.We never know,thats why I think everyone is a beginner.Maybe all religions are right with one powerful God/Godess.We never know.
I think people do know what magic is, and the ranking allow those to rate others to how they feel know and come across with answers and participation on the site is as good as it is going to get, without a major rethink.
I am new to the site and although I am still learning, you are what you make yourself through your own self drive, in which you will reap your own rewards, but this could take time so be patient and good things will come to those that wait, though at times it may be a bumpy road.
