The spirit of the forum -- please read this

[Chris Alpiar]

Hi folks!

As with all internet forums, we go through waves of peaceful times and into bubbles where things get heated, egos clash, words that shouldn't have been are spoken, etc.

It feels that this is one of the turbulent moments. Relax. Lets all step back a second and remember what we are doing here, why are we composers, and why are we congregating online.

Every internet forum of every type runs into this problem. The phenomenon that one can say something behind a cloak of anonymity or at least through a wall between public discussion and physical presence (online vs real life), and never be punched in the nose for being outlandishly rude is the root of the problem. Folks feel it is their right to say whatever it is they please without any repercussion or regard to whose feelings they may have hurt or angered.

Add this whole thing to a group of composers: highly intelligent, rawly emotional, extremely overworked and even more extremely underpaid, living under a cloud created by society that makes us not have the value or place that we deserve in society, and hey! Ego's clash, sparks fly!

This is human nature, and it happens. However, this is NOT why we created the Composers' Forum. Rather it was designed as a place to bring the goodness of a great group of people together to share and learn from each other in hopes of making our lives more rich and meaningful. A way to learn from others' mistakes and successes. A way to belong someplace where folks share and offer thoughtful critique. A place with much goodness and love among a brotherhood as sacred as any secret society or fraternity. 

So I ask you, if you find yourself needing to exacerbate in your posts, find yourself slinging mud because hey you can and its the internet. Please take a moment and consider why you joined this forum. Being 'better than' anyone will do you nothing, even if it would be in anything other than your own mind. And there are a lot of folks who are trying very hard to participate as a composer at varying degrees in their lives/ careers, and its about as hard of a route as anything on the planet. Lets have enough respect for each other as brothers and sisters of MUSIC and COMPOSITION to drop the pretense of butting egos. God knows I have done it in the past, however well intended. And in the end, it did me nothing other than estrange me from someone who is a peer in an amazingly small group of like-minded people on this planet.

Seriously, if you want to have success, whether professionally or as an act of love only, ostracizing the folks that understand your goals the best (even if not 100%) is crazy! So lets let our hairs down, learn a little, love a little. Enjoy music and being a composer!

It doesn't mean to not be pointed in discussion. Our keen minds are only sharpened through argument and rebuttal. But this needs to be done out of respect and not out of my side is right your side is a bunch of frackin idiots. I know words can be difficult to see sarcasm and emotion, and its also easy to interpret things as being abrasive that aren't. So on the other end, before we get offended at someones words and then spiral down the rant abyss, take a minute and check out if that text that got you so worked up, is it certainly intended in that way? Or is there another perspective?

Thanks, and Ill get off my soap box now. Hugs and kisses for all (and nipple tweaking if ya let me!!!)

Chris Alpiar

CF Admin

[Sam Umar]

Hi Chris, I agree with you totally! I am new here and eager to get to know all great composers in this forum!

[Michael Forbes]

Regarding nipple tweaking...ouch!  ha ha

 

Well put, Chris. Too bad there is the need to remind people of this, but kudos to you for doing so.

 

I just joined CF, and look forward to learning a great deal about an area in which I am quite new.

 

Best regards...

 

Michael Forbes