I grew up with merry-go-rounds, see-saws, monkey bars over hard ground, and hot metal slides in blazing hot Southern sun. We played Red Rover and dodge ball and other games that would never fly in modern times! And while it might have seemed chaotic, there were rules of the playground. Don't cut in line, stay inside the playground fence and you can't beat gravity. Break the rules and there were penalties.
Fast forward a handful of decades and my playground has changed, more often virtual than physical, but there are still rules for each playground.
Here in ActiveRain there are some written rules (e.g. the Community Guidelines).
Don't plagiarize.
Don't self-advertise in the comment thread of someone's post or in the Q&A section.
Don't write content that will get the community in trouble.
Then there are various unwritten rules and you may or may not agree (or comply with).
Some expect a tit for tat, I comment on yours, you comment on mine.
An expectation that certain topics are more or less off-limits (politics, sex, religion) for the sake of the community well-being and avoidance of becoming ActiveRain Fight Club.
And while the playground may have changed from my youth until now, there are still penalties for breaking the rules. Kicking people in the shins comes with a cost. Maybe it's less engagement, maybe it's an addition to a "no referral" list.
We can make the ActiveRain community as social or as business oriented as we each choose to, with the understanding that how we follow the rules of this playground has both positive and negative consequences.
Ultimately, I don't own this playground and don't control what happens to it. I trade my time and content for Ben keeping the lights on and the doors open in what I hope is a win-win for everyone.
Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,
Bill & Liz aka BLiz
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