"Thank you" IS NOT FEEDBACK

[Alta]

Moderator note:

Sulis and I feel that this a good general discussion and an excellent reminder to those OP's who take but don't give back.

However, we cannot leave in posts where an argument that starts in a reading thread moves over to this thread and starts to get personal and argumentative. I have removed some posts discussing and arguing about a specific poster.

The threads in question are being handled by Sulis via PM. Certainly we agree but public finger pointing just makes everything seem, well, 'sticky' and eventually uncomfortable for everyone if folks think this thread is where grievances get aired.

Thank you for understanding.

Alta and Sulis

 

[Amanda]

I sometimes dream of an incentives program designed just for this section (and maybe the Reading Exchange too). Or just another section entirely where interpretations are offered in exchange for some kind of credit to distract those just looking for a reading away from this area. I would love a section where someone just posts some cards up, a question, and says "Go to it, I need some help" with no background info whatsoever. I would see it as a greater challenge than what we've currently got going on. Where feedback could be a couple of different things; actual hand-typed feedback to each point made, maybe a star-rating of some kind, or credits to buy things (like a subscription?). Of course, that would probably work best as a subscriber-only thing so the site isn't actually losing any money. Or subscribe-only to that area for a smaller fee ($10 a month?). A "3-strikes your OUT for 30 days" policy might work too, but I personally like a rewards set-up over a punishments set-up.

Anyway, I'm just musing- nothing is going to change if the set-up doesn't- that's my opinion... and with the way the system is set up, we just have to take on more personal responsibility to find out the hard way at least once with people and then ignore those people that burn us. Like willowfox, I've got a blacklist going... every once in a while I'll comment on one of those people's threads to see if anything has changed... usually it hasn't.

 

[olivia1]

Some of us would just be happy to get a response to a thread they created

But yes I agree ... it's not feedback. On a number of occasions I have not received any feedback at all. In fact, I've had instances where the poster before me and after received feedback and I was skipped altogether. A bit rude, especially when you take the time to try to help them.

Yes, that is very rude.

 

[lotus2blossom]

! Nothing could be further from my own experience. I was never a frequent user of the Exchange, but I gave it up for a lost cause after several nasty experiences. That place is crawling with repeat free-readings trawlers and ill-mannered louts. Because of the stipulation that the OP (i.e. oneself) must first read for the other, it often happens that the OP puts effort and thought into his or her reading whilst the respondent either reciprocates with a two-sentence, book-generated response or blithely ignores the OP's explicit requests in the opening post for "detailed, thoughtful feedback that addresses each card I analyzed in your reading."

That's exactly what people tend to do. But as I said, that's also why I've preferred the exchange because I can take control of the thread that I created by making guidelines such as:
- Blacklisting those from participating in my threads that haven't provided feedback or completed an adequate reading exchange.
- Provide a limit as to how many times a person can get an exchange with me or give a certain time frame.
- I can choose to have an exchange or just feedback, depending on whether I know I'd feel most comfortable and acceptable with at the moment.
- etc. etc.

My point was just that in this thread its harder to be sure there's an equal exchange in that regard.

Honestly, the more frustrating part I've had in giving and receiving feedback is when a prediction is made or some insight but what's really going on isn't quite clear yet to give adequate feedback. Then what ends up happening is that a month or several months later I stumble across an older reading an go "Yeah that was completely off" or "Wow, that was right on" but at that point the feedback ends up being sent via PM or just forgotten about.
At that point, it just ends up being another piece to the collection of my experience that I can gain from even though it never actually gets posted... which I'm sure several others can related to to some degree.

That's the trouble with managing feedback with this type of work -- what it boils down to is that there really isn't any concrete measure... it's just a mixture of personal experience, basic card knowledge, and, of course, intuition.

 

[Anna Supertramp]

I'm fairly new here, and didn't know there was this rule of having to give feedback to each and every response you get. I personally am not narcissistic enough to think that everybody here owes me 'proper feedback' for every little interpretation I do, and in all honesty, I am not sure whether this rule is very productive. It's possible to kill a forum like this to death with rules, 'cause people might leave (and even though the extremist supporters of the rules might think that it's only the bad seeds that will leave, and they don't matter anyway, I wouldn't be so sure about that). Don't get me wrong, I'm not an anarchist and understand every place where people gather needs rules, but I truly believe they should be understood for what they are ⎯ guidelines.

Sometimes, there just isn't more to say than a simple 'Thank You'. A lot of people here ask about the outcome of events that haven't happened yet, and in that case it's simply impossible to give the proper feedback that you obviously require. If an event occurred that was predicted here, I would surely take the time to go search for the thread and give feedback, because I understand that as very valuable to anyone who gave a prediction, and after all, that's the reason we're here for, at least in my eye. So what is the querent to do if there is no feedback yet to give? Sure, he or she can throw in some fillers, and fill up five lines with nothingness. "Thank you, that made sense, that resonates, that was interesting. I am not sure whether you're right, since the event hasn't happened yet, but I will surely let you know. I surely hope you are right/not right. But I guess we'll see." Three lines of nothing but air. Personally, I'd prefer a genuine 'Thank You' and I think those who 'require' more should maybe question their motives for being here.

I do appreciate feedback when I give a reading for something happening in the present, and yeah, I don't find it it very nice if nothing comes back, but generally, people do respond, and up to now, I have experienced this as a rather peaceful and respectful place, but I already feel like I'm gonna post less just because I fear I'm doing something 'wrong' if I'm not giving back an entire paragraph within three minutes after every response, and I don't want to feel that way, because I feel I give in-depth feedback when there is something to say, and when there isn't, I say 'Thank You'. And anyone who does the same, in my eye, sticks to the rules sufficiently enough to make this is pleasant place.

 

[CelestialHorse]

I do see why feedback is very much needed, hence why you are seeing my name pop up everywhere over the Your Readings. I am giving back by replying to all the feedback I've gotten and I did ask a few questions and everything. Apologies. I just don't want to be hated and everything :/

I would want feedback if I helped someone and I notice that I get more than a thank you for the feedback I started to give last night, it feels really nice too

 

[gregory]

I sometimes dream of an incentives program designed just for this section (and maybe the Reading Exchange too). Or just another section entirely where interpretations are offered in exchange for some kind of credit to distract those just looking for a reading away from this area. I would love a section where someone just posts some cards up, a question, and says "Go to it, I need some help" with no background info whatsoever.

<snip> Like willowfox, I've got a blacklist going... every once in a while I'll comment on one of those people's threads to see if anything has changed... usually it hasn't.

Me too. It is a LONG list.

Where one CAN do "go to it" ones is in Reading Exchange. The trouble with doing it in YR any other way is that people DO show up here and try and use AT as a free reading site. And it isn't. I am sure that there are ways to set up a REx thread to get what you want and do an exchange and feedback.

 

[Amanda]

Me too. It is a LONG list.

Where one CAN do "go to it" ones is in Reading Exchange. The trouble with doing it in YR any other way is that people DO show up here and try and use AT as a free reading site. And it isn't. I am sure that there are ways to set up a REx thread to get what you want and do an exchange and feedback.

Yes exactly.
I've done my "Pull Your Own Cards" readings over in the exchange to kind of manipulate it into being a bit of a hybrid of both the Your Readings and the Reading Exchange. Basically, I picked out a number of spreads for various types of questions without telling the sitters what the exact spreads were, had them pull the number of cards from their own decks to fill in the spread they chose, THEN I interpreted the cards they pulled and got their feedback before showing them the spread that I used. Curiosity of the spread I used, and an inability to interpret the cards themselves without knowing the spread seemed to help build a stronger connection between reader and sitter, I think, and feedback was gladly given. (Not that I ever have too much trouble with not getting feedback over there, because I usually just send out a reminder via PM if I don't... and that usually does the trick- I think I only have one outstanding right now that has completely ignored me, but I haven't seen that person around either).

 

[KMilliron]

Good lord, I should get a blacklist going as well... I would also like to point out that "That's not what I want to hear, so I'm going to give negative feedback" is just really shitty feedback, and should not count. Let's be adults here... Or at least a level headed teenager...

 

[Sulis]

Moderator note

Please remember that this thread is not about specific members. Could we keep this about feedback in Your Readings and what we think constitutes good feedback and bad feedback and leave out references to any specific members?

A couple of posts that are talking about someone's posts and feedback have been removed.

Thank you.

Sulis - Your Readings co-moderator