Thread: No more green dits. Say hello to our mentors

Originally Posted by aroliver59

Just my 2 cents but FWIW I feel that the members who were picked to be mentors up to this point were exactly the right ones.I've not been a member for long,but I recognize the helpfulness of these particular members.

'Cept maybe for Mark, eh?

Originally Posted by xman

'Cept maybe for Mark, eh?

We need an xman in typical Shakespeare attire smiley! I would've used it for my "Sunset Blvd" quote.

Hello Mentors,

We are honored to post among giants.

I read this entire thread and ... well I'm not sure what to think.....

looks like we lost a member... that's never good (not blaming anyone)

someone was talking about the whole mentor idea the other day and I of all people was under consideration

now I have no idea how seriously I was being considered mind you

but I have zero, repeat zero interest in getting a label like that

1 I'm not the face SRP probably wants
2 I would like my classifieds feedback to sell items, not a mentor badge
3 I've still got so much to learn, and although I go at things from a scientific angle and learn fast, others prefer tradition and this can cause problems

as someone said earlier (not sure who)
what if one mentor says one thing and another says something else?
maybe it's a junior mentor??????

case and point would be some guys in chat telling a newb to poke his alleged ivory scales with a hot pin
the scales were cell and I haven't a doubt because I've had the same pattern

the problem is that celluloid can self destruct when poked with a hot pin
don't believe me? go poke yours ! you WILL find a set that will light of like a damn steam whistle, I'll bet you money.

so here I am screaming NO NO NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!
and several guys are telling him to poke them

if those people had "MENTOR" next to their name I'm quite sure that I would be writing a angry PM to some mods asking this to be removed

I'm just saying
and I'm glad I'm just regular ol GW
it's good enough for me

just wanted to point out that I do understand the concept here isn't about labeling who knows the most, rather about who is willing to help

mentor just says guru, or something close to it

not that anyone cares what I think

I have read this entire thread, and I too believe labeling certain members “Mentor” would immediately lead new members to accept a Mentor’s post above other well capable and knowledgeable members… after all, the teacher is always right… right?... its human nature.

But if those members were chosen for there “willingness to help” other members, why not change the label to “HELPER”.
That way there would be no misunderstandings… and they immediately know this member is always willing to help.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by smythe

I have read this entire thread, and I too believe labeling certain members “Mentor” would immediately lead new members to accept a Mentor’s post above other well capable and knowledgeable members… after all, the teacher is always right… right?... its human nature.

But if those members were chosen for there “willingness to help” other members, why not change the label to “HELPER”.
That way there would be no misunderstandings… and they immediately know this member is always willing to help.

Hope this helps.

This suggestion makes sense to me.

A "mentor" by definition of the word, implies "teacher". If someone other than a "teacher" is offering advice I believe it's psychologically inferred that the person would be a student and again, psychologically, their contribution would be less valid.

Chris L

Originally Posted by smythe

I have read this entire thread, and I too believe labeling certain members “Mentor” would immediately lead new members to accept a Mentor’s post above other well capable and knowledgeable members… after all, the teacher is always right… right?... its human nature.

But if those members were chosen for there “willingness to help” other members, why not change the label to “HELPER”.
That way there would be no misunderstandings… and they immediately know this member is always willing to help.

Hope this helps.

sonofa**************

I typed all this out and deleted it because I thought I had said too much already


ok well then
+1

This thread is like deja vu all over again. It is basically the same as the reputation thread with all the controversy some members brought into that over the green chiclets.

Some members were selected for these mentor badges and I feel honored to be among them. Apparently some who weren't selected yet feel slighted and I am sorry for that.

Some think it is a good idea and some think it is not but I am not going to worry about it. I will go on doing what I have been doing and in a couple of weeks this will have blown over and we will be worrying about a new set of problems.

I don't think the mods selected based on a popularity contest.... after all they picked Mark.

As a warning, I'm going to ramble a bit and summarize things that have already been said. (For those who just want my message up front; give the system some time and see what it evolves into.) Maybe you'll read this, maybe you won't, but I feel better knowing that I put it out in public.

So my first post in here was about my reaction to getting the mentor badge thing and what I think about the system. I was going to leave it at that, but I wanted to make a few other points.

The mods who have posted in here have emphasized that there are some current mentors and that they plan to increase the number of mentors. There was also an allusion to a discussion going on among the mods about who they want to give the badge to. So here's my point: the mods are acknowledging that it is a new system and that it has kinks, as all new systems do. They are acknowledging that there are more members out there that they want to give the badge to. They are said that mentors are chosen based on general knowledge and a willingness to help.

I can't say that I understand the frustration of members who wanted to be mentors but aren't, because I was given the badge (I accepted it because I was honored to be offered it). I can't say that I understand the frustration of members who had a lot of rep or green dits, because I didn't have much of either.

What I can say is that I think patience with the mods and with the system are both critical for this to work. Isn't that same patience why we all use and love our straights? Isn't that patience the reason the forum works as a community? Is getting or not getting immediate recognition really all that important when it's been made clear more badges will be given out? Is the recognition all that important at all?

People have made references to "mentors" as "teachers" who will automatically be assumed to be right. Aside from checks and balances built into the forum (I'm referring to the healthy discussions of differing opinions that goes on around here), can't we give the new guys a little respect by acknowledging that they are going to do some research and use their heads rather than blindly follow someone who has a little badge under their user name? Did you ever in your adult life believe everything any "teacher" ever told you just because they were your teacher? Maybe it's just me, but I sure don't.

I like the bit someone said about how the mentor badge is a sign that people with it are willing to help out new guys. Getting on a new forum and posting questions in public can be pretty intimidating, and so can PMing someone out of the blue. Knowing that someone is going to be friendly and as helpful as possible is comforting. Does that mean that those without the badges are not friendly and helpful? Of course not. Have all the friendly and helpful people who deserve badges been given them already? Clearly not.

In closing, I don't really care why people care about the public recognition. Sure, I was honored and happy when I got a PM telling me about the mentor system and that the mods wanted to give me a badge. But I wouldn't have cared if the next day I was told the system wasn't going to happen or someone else was getting it over me. Why? Because whoever nominated me or said I should get the badge clicked my thanks button, and I know that person is someone I respect, and that's all that mattered. What else does matter?