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Why do you participate in Hangout?

nala

nala

Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Oct 23, 2011
Messages
7,418
We are living through a crisis and it seems that here in hangout we are making this very divisive virus even more so.
Tbh, I like hangout because I like to discuss, explore and learn. Exchanging ideas and perspectives is much easier than in real life, especially when it comes to politics. But. The downside is that some people get really emotional, while others become obsessed with being right. Some view “likes”as ganging up, while others don’t even notice “likes”(I started a thread on this). I point that out to emphasize that we are all not on the same page. This is the only online forum that I participate in and while i have been here for a while, I still feel very inexperienced bc I don’t have any other social media.
I think election years are especially tense and with Covid in the mix, hangout is on steroids when it comes to tension.
maybe it’s time that we revisit what brings us here and what gets in the way!
Tell me what you love and what you hate about it and maybe we can all be reminded that this is a special place!
ETA: sorry for overlooking the non participants. Would love to know why you don’t participate!
 
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I'm sick and bored and there are people here who I care about very much.
Many of them we do not agree politically about a lot of stuff and it might even look like we argue a lot.
That does not mean we do not care about each other.
For example Deb and I have been friends for years.
 
I really started hanging out in "Hangout" as the virus ramped up. Probably because I was bored and stressed and had no more money to buy gems so ended up here.

I really love it despite any conflict that goes on. I love love love getting to know more about the members some directly and some indirectly.

Nala you were previously known to me as the lady who bought lots of new jewellery. I oogled in your threads but knew nothing about you.

Missy was the nice lady who was always very encouraging with the fabulous opal. Beyond that I didn't know much more.

Phoenix was the lady with fabulous gems. Who knew that she was also Viet and has the same tastes as me in food!

I could go on about all the other members that I now feel a bit more familiar with.

I've really loved knowing just a bit more about them.

I also feel that everyone is allowed an opinion here. I really really really appreciate that. I appreciate being able to have my say fairly without being timed out or my posts deleted for arbitrary reasons. I am on another board where I don't post anything since I'm always getting warnings. I think I'm on my last warning now. Trust me I'm not even controversial!!!!!! The censorship is insane!

I also love learning about the USA!!! I feel like this is the easiest way to find out what your day to day life is like.

I also like knowing that if I'm struggling I can post in a thread and someone will support me.

You're all good eggs. You may not agree with each other but I'm a firm believer that you're good eggs.
 
I enjoy Hangout however I have considered staying away on several occasions. I find that there are those few who always must be right regardless of name calling, bashing and any other negative comments to prove their points. Politics are so hypersensitive. I try to stay away however when I see something that I just can't resist....... I need to exercise better discipline and stay away from the political threads. My life will be much easier. I hope to find myself slowly leaving Hangout and post and view the other threads which is the way I have done in the past. It's late.... good night and thank you Nala for this thread...Q
 
Hangout is for general chit chats, and some of the topics are fun and cheer me up.

I have always participated in Hang Out, perhaps more so since the Covid-19 crisis as I am spending more time online.

DK :))
 
I love that there is so much support and kindness. People are looking out for each other, checking in on health, providing smiles during difficult times in life, letting each other have a safe place to vent as they deal with stressful things in life, and so much else.

I do stay out of the political threads and skip over comments that are political or anything I don't feel up to reading right now. That helps. Sometimes, I even enjoy reading those threads as they can be interesting to see various different views and I often walk away with information I didn't know already. (I just quit reading if things heat up!)

The ladies (and men) in this group kept me company while I was hospitalized a couple of years ago. They helped keep me calm during those long nights awake after IV steroids. They have been here through all of the happy times in the last years and most of the sad. I feel like I know many of the people here and truly care about each of them.
 
Queenie60 said:
I need to exercise better discipline and stay away from the political threads. My life will be much easier.
Click to expand...
Don't let the PS liberals take over the world... :bigsmile: There used to be 3 conservatives who would post on political threads but the liberals ran em out of town.
 
Karl_K said:
I'm sick and bored and there are people here who I care about very much.
Many of them we do not agree politically about a lot of stuff and it might even look like we argue a lot.
That does not mean we do not care about each other.
For example Deb and I have been friends for years.
Click to expand...

+ 1 This.....

I want to add that even though we argue and take stuff out on each other here, you never know what is going on in that person's life. They might have just lost a job, lost a loved one, be sick themselves, or have a whole range of drama or good and bad things occurring in their life at any particular point in time.

Hangout offers many many more times support than it does criticism, it's a place to air ideas, show general photos, and post a range of more personal stuff...

COVID - 19 and the lockdowns are making all of us bat s@#* crazy to some degree, and I think the tension and fighting in hangout at the moment simply reflect that.
 
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I enjoy reading others points of view and getting to know the people here. I have found most to be warm and wonderful individuals. Some who I am now friends with in real life.
I value PS and PSers very much.

PS can be a very supportive, generous and lovely place to be especially when life can be tumultuous. I like it here. And even when we don't all agree I still like it here. I enjoy lively (as long as we can remain civil and polite) debates and I find PSers in general to be bright and kind.

The pros far outweigh the negatives. And just like IRL we don't always agree and occasionally conversations get heated. But generally we work it out. No one is going to agree all the time and that is the way it should be. There are different points of view and I appreciate hearing what others are thinking. It allows me to grow as a person. I know my POV isn't the only POV. Life is filled with grey and is not always black and white. In fact it rarely is.

Life-isn-t-black-white-but-a-billion-shades-of-gre.jpg
 
Dancing Fire said:
Don't let the PS liberals take over the world... :bigsmile: There used to be 3 conservatives who would post on political threads but the liberals ran em out of town.
Click to expand...

i do enjoy right wing humor =)2
so i was delighted to make your on line acquaintance DF
and i can certainly sympathise with these MIA conservatives
 
i think the most important thing to remenber right now is be kind
who knew what trials and tribulations another poster might be going through in real life
now is not the time to get angry with each other
im here because im lonellybe-kind-civil-defence.jpg
 
Quite honestly this forum has been a blessing. Not only is it a wonderful place to read and learn about all things blingy and sparkly, but there also just so happens to be some pretty awesome peeps here too! :appl:

Since adopting my son who has additional needs I have given up my career. I have pretty much been doing a version of 'social distancing' for the last 5-6 years due to my son not being able to manage in certain environments/ with noise, crowds and unpredictability.

I am not a big fan of Facebook etc. So finding this forum where I can socialize with lovely people and dabble in my main hobby is incredible! So thanks everyone for making me feel welcome! :mrgreen2:
 
Because everyone else in this household is tired of talking to me at this point. :lol:
 
Well in the current situation it's a nice distraction from my kids who are seven years apart and bicker like mad. Seriously it would be either Hangout or drinking and this is cheaper.

Originally I came here because I was severely depressed and figured that online friends were safer at the time than IRL. Now I feel like I "know" so many people here that PS and all the folks here are part of my life.

I generally don't get involved in politics and with what might be considered a hot button topic I will comment but in a kind non-confrontational way, don't want to upset anyone or hurt any feelings...why? Life is hard enough and maybe that person is struggling with IRL troubles, why kick them when they're down?
 
I hang out here because I can't keep buying gemstones....lol
 
This is a question I ask myself everyday. Do I even belong here anymore if there are no upgrades on the horizon? No major purchases, not even a guarantee of any purchases in the future.

I've just been here so long. And now life is throwing the world a curveball, so do I really want to leave a comforting place with people I really like? No. I guess I'll stay.
 
lyra said:
This is a question I ask myself everyday. Do I even belong here anymore if there are no upgrades on the horizon? No major purchases, not even a guarantee of any purchases in the future.

I've just been here so long. And now life is throwing the world a curveball, so do I really want to leave a comforting place with people I really like? No. I guess I'll stay.
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Yes girl you belong here. ❤️
 
Arcadian said:
I hang out here because I can't keep buying gemstones....lol
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Oh but we live vicariously through you. You have the most amazing collection ❤️
 
Daisys and Diamonds said:
i do enjoy right wing humor =)2
so i was delighted to make your on line acquaintance DF
and i can certainly sympathise with these MIA conservatives
Click to expand...
They can't take the "liberal heat" so they got out of the kitchen.. :(sad
 
Some nice and funny people. And it's informative since it's the biggest gaggle of people with a different POV with whom I can converse and read.
 
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1-There are people I care about here and I want to know how they are doing. Karl expressed this well.

2-I love to discuss politics, history, and world events, There is no longer a political steamroom or special chat room where people who are truly interested in politics can go to discuss world events so it is here in Hangout that one must discuss them or nowhere. (And I do realize that many people resent having political disccussions here at all while others are novices to political discussions so that having the politics here has some disadvantages. This has been discussed before,)

3-I like the camaraderie that develops here sometmes, the fooling around among posters. I often find myself in friendly banter with several posters. This is social interaction for me.

4-I need to find out where one can buy bread flour, yeast, and toilet paper.
 
Dancing Fire said:
I think most PSers come here to beat up on poor old DF...;(
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Waaaa, Waaaa. Poor DF. Instigator par excellence.

You, like Kenny, make me think. I can add many of the people here in this thread to the list of people who make me think.

I rarely respond in the political threads as it is not appropriate for me to do so. But I read often, just to know what is in the minds of people I like and admire, even if I often disagree with them.

Some I know well and have had the pleasure to meet personally, even out here in the middle of nowhere. (Hi Dee*Jay) Many I know well but have never met, including you and of course Karl. Some I know, but do not feel I know as well as I would like, such as AGBF.

As I look through this thread again, I realize that there is no one in this thread that I do not have good feelings about. This is the great thing about PriceScope. It is a place where all can be welcome and where the moderators do not allow anyone to become too obnoxious before being silenced or in a very few cases, banned.

I know that in a small room, forced into confinement, there are people here I genuinely like that I would find myself bickering with like a ten year old child. Yet here, in an atmosphere of trust, I am able to find the balance of respect and admiration that allows me to communicate in camaraderie.

That is why I visit and occasionally participate in hangout.

Wink

P.S. Some people I want to know better, just because I like their avatars. Niffler75, I know others know, but I am very curious about your avatar. I hope I have actually told Arcadian how much I enjoy hers rather than just remembering that I have. A mind is such a terrible thing to lose...
 
Aw thanks @Wink, you're v kind! It is a lovely size and colour, red with a bit of orange. Super interesting under a loupe to see the copper schiller! It was an ebay bargain, as I know how much sunstone can sell for. :mrgreen2:
 
I participate because I find it very interesting to learn other PSer's views. I am a small town girl from Texas even though I currently live in the Houston area. It is amazing to see how differently people see things. For the most part, I am disciplined and limit my opinions here but I do enjoy seeing all of y'alls. Sometimes I am even swayed by them! :-o :lol:
 
Where else can you find diamonds and Trump bashing? Kind of a one stop shopping expedition, PS is. But seriously, I participate at times on a website that's run in the name of a FOX talking head. The mods there are extremely biased in favor of the cons, and they get away with pretty much anything, where as the libs are always on the verge of getting time outs or banned. I also participate in a Slack group that is mostly libs and a few cons that have renounced the republican party, so there's really no moderation going on there, and none needed. Those forums are mainly political in nature. There's moderation here, but it is not at all heavy handed. And there are many more topics here than the other places I post. If I want to avoid any type of topic here, I just don't click on it. Simple as that - there are many other topics to choose from. Also, it's mostly women here, whereas the other forums tend to have more men. This place kind of provides balance for me.
 
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