sarcasm

[snakems]

seeing all this talk about sarcasm scares me a bit.
lol
dont get me wrong i myself can be sarcastic outside of this forum or course but Im not sure I'd catch right on to it in here, and I usually come here looking for some real advice lol
I am really slow to pick up on it if Im not face to face with someone.
not to say that any of you would purposely steer me wrong BUT i now wonder about my interactions through this forum & whether people have been being sarcastic or not lol!

[drache]

that's a good point
perhaps it's not a good idea to be sarcastic with actual pieces of info concerning animal husbandry

[jitami]

That is a good point... but I think it's also ok to lighten up, not be sooo terribly worried about being totally PC, and to be a bit sarcastic at times. Once you're around a bit you'll be able to see the sarcasm immediately and not mistake it for anything else. I don't think "our regular offenders" generally do it over anything serious like husbandry/care questions.

[Stefan-A]

I don't think too many people here use sarcasm and definitely not while giving advice.

[adamanteus]

No one on here would use sarcasm to give wrong or misleading advice. We all understand that there are different levels of expertise and knowledge here, we don't look down on our less experienced members... ever.

I was sarcastic yesterday to a brand new member, who announced in his very first post that we could go to him for advice.... I found it amusing, patronising, and ill-informed, considering we are a specialist forum and have some of the World's leading Garter snakes keepers in our community..... so I replied in a most sarcastic manner. I shouldn't have done, but I did. There is certainly no need to worry that misleading advice would be given to anyone in need of guidance.

[infernalis]

Snakems, James could not have said it any better.

Several of us were sarcastic toward this new member simply because this forum has been on-line since 2006 and was founded by a garter snake lover for the greater good of garter snakes.

We are very lucky to have members from all over planet earth that specialize heavily in Thamnophis (True garter snakes) and none of us would ever mislead ANYONE on issues about care and keeping these fascinating creatures.

We do HAVE FUN with sarcastic replies to each other, Heck James and I "Spar" on a regular basis throwing heavy sarcasm at each other.

However not one single person on here would ever intentionally mislead you or anyone else on properly caring for our animals.

We EMBRACE newbies such as yourself and offer the most heartfelt advice available without ANY of the heavy "bashing" that takes place on nearly all other reptile forums.

Just look at the sympathy we graciously give one another at a loss of a snake. (or any other tragedy that life throws at us for that matter)

You will learn as time goes by, that this is the most loving/caring group of people you will likely encounter on the net, and we go to great lengths to be helpful to each other in any way we can.

Here is an example for you, My first heavy loss, Read this thread, it confirms everything I just said. (one member even called me on the phone, crying)

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gene...i-p-magma.html

Shannon "Asnakelovingbabe" sculpted a memorial of Magma and mailed it to me.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gart...ver-today.html

You are in good company here.

[gregmonsta]

This is the nicest rep site ever

[guidofatherof5]

The secret, in my opinion is that the good of the group and our snakes is what's important. We're all different but come together for our Garters. If only everyone had a Garter snake.

Kind of reminds me of that Coke commercial from the 70's
"I like to teach the world to sing"

[snakems]

no i dont really see anything WRONG with sarcasm either, especially if its going to lighten the mood when its in great need of being lightened! which it often may be. And I also am not saying that it takes away from or means that any of you guys arent great and caring individuals out for the best interest of the garters of course! but honestly I didnt really take what that new member said as being patronizing or condescending to any of the more experienced and knowledgable members here. Im not even saying really that anyone's response to it was "wrong" but I dunno. I feel that If I were someone with lots of garter experience just joining this forum and just wanting everyone to know that I was here to help, I probably would have said just that and I certainly WOULDNT have been underestimating anyone's expertise, or trying to belittle anyone ELSE's knowledge or experience. I think the fact would remain that I was joining to help, and did in fact know a lot about garters so it's what I would have said. lol
No where did he say that he was the savior to all of us little garter novices.

and I see that a lot of you here seem to know eachother quite well, through the way you converse in the threads and using sarcasm like that, its seems the other's completely expecting it and responding accordingly. All is well.
I mean maybe he didnt give a disclaimer or anything before he posted but I just felt like I would have been scared away if I were the guy.
It would prob help if i could find the link, and Im not trying to start an argument with anyone on here of course, just telling it from my point of view as it could possibly be similar to his. And it very well may NOT be
but im expressing my opinion

[snakems]

The secret, in my opinion is that the good of the group and our snakes is what's important. We're all different but come together for our Garters. If only everyone had a Garter snake.

Kind of reminds me of that Coke commercial from the 70's
"I like to teach the world to sing"

i agree

thanks again for that cream!!