Like it or not – the Tribe is social media!…… Everything and anything that is uploaded, posted, blogged and created is out there for anyone and everyone to view if they become a member! Personally I don't agree with, condone or endorse any of the views on the Tribe and I'm sorry if you disagree with me… but I have no obligation to it nor the Tribe to myself other than the Terms of Usage agreement. Many times I have viewed craziness, underhanded disrespectful backstabbing and vindictiveness. Sometimes the moderators of the Tribe get involved and sometimes they dont.
You have to realize that this is a revenue generating website for the creators & the more controversial and emotional the users get; the more clicks on pages with traffic and hits that are generated, tracked and provided to paying advertisers that compensate the Tribe. Its a business endeavor and more power to them for being able to create an income generating website while keeping the forum free to the users!
I also find myself logging on to the Tribe less often and if there is something that doesn't interest me I just scan over it. I also realize enough NOT to put all of my personal business out on the world wide web. However, as with anything in this lifetime – if given the chance people can and will abuse it…… Are there cliques on this social media as with others? I guarantee that there has been….are now…..and will be in the future! Cliques are a bad word to use though – because on this site there are people I have met personally face to face …. people that I have interacted with and talked to …..and people that I have interacted with online for years. Perhaps to someone that just joined us it may be viewed as a clique; I call it a socializing!
Fortunately I have the luxury of businesses to run, new family members to experience this thing called life, things to do and friends to hang out with in the "real" world. I am very aware that there are many people that don't have these interactions and support & the Tribe might be their only outlet. I would like to encourage anyone that this may apply to to visit a support group, call a family member, take a nice walk, visit a neighbor or otherwise get out from in front of the computer screen and start to LIVE! I just went clubbing on saturday night with my fiance' and her friends at a Latino club (yes I'm a pretty good salsa/bachata dancer!); had my weekly Sunday night TrueBlood viewing party tonight; going to the timeshare on the beach for a cookout and fireworks tomorrow!
Living with HIV/AIDS is all about the "living" part…..this life is way too short to worry about the minor irritations! Then perhaps the trivialities of one social website may not bother you so much and stress no matter the sorce; is not good for those of us that are infected. These are just my humble opinions. I don't have all the answers or even the questions….but I will definitely enjoy finding them out! Please take the time to live this thing called life! – B
