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Unread 12-03-2013, 20:55
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sbak94 sbak94 is offline
Co-President, Project Manager
AKA: Sara-Beth Burkett
FRC #2522 (Royal Robotics)
Team Role: Leadership
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Rookie Year: 2007
Location: Lynnwood, Washington
Posts: 6
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Re: Some thoughts on rules, refs, and ranking

Quote:
Originally Posted by Karthik View Post
This is a great attitude! If you don't like a certain aspect of FIRST or something that happened to you at an event, you should go quit! (Sorry for blowing up everyone's sarcasm detectors.)

We had a post from a concerned FIRST participant who was unhappy with his experience at his event. Instead of listening to his concerns and trying to see where we can improve things, people feel the need to chastise him, tell him he doesn't understand FIRST, and that he should go quit and find another program. I can't believe that's what this forum has come to. If someone can't offer criticism of the program without having stones cast from the glass houses of the peanut gallery, there's no way we'll be able to keep the program growing and improving.
The comment I made about quitting was actually meant to be sarcastic. I am sorry that it did not translate that way when you read it! I will work on my cyberspace sarcasm....

I do not think that we are necessarily "chastising him", for in Alex's opening thread he said,
Quote:
Originally Posted by alex334
Looking back, this is a bit of a rant and I apologize, but a large number of people on my team, alliance, and in the NYC regional feel this way. I wanted to see everyone's opinion.

Thank you for reading. I look forward to your responses.
All the replies I have read have varied from agreement to stark disagreement. We are all just doing what he asked, stating our opinions. There were a few comments that seemed a bit harsh, like my accidentally not so sarcastic remark, but overall I think that Alex has received the comments he asked for. (Correct me if I'm wrong Alex!)
Overall you can not control how people will react to a strongly opinionated post, so Alex probably knew that there would be people who disagreed with him, because there are always two sides to an argument.
From a student's stand point this type of discussion is very interesting even if I strongly disagree. Seeing everyone's comments and opinions whether they agree with me or not is a great way to practice for the real world. I bet you that not everyone agreed with things that Dean Kamen first proposed, and in the field of STEM, that is happening every day. It is good for us youngsters to be exposed to this sort of argument so that we can be better equipped for the future.
I believe that this type of discussion is the way to make the program grow. People become passionate when they argue, and passion will drive someone or a group of people to action, to fix a problem that they might see.

I am not sorry for having my opinions and for stating them, but I am sorry if I hurt anyone's feelings in the process. That was never my intention!