Urgent Situation: All Browncoats must read!

POSTED BY: rklenseth
UPDATED: Sunday, August 28, 2005 15:51
VIEWED: 12477
PAGE 3 of 5

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT PAGE

DIZ

Friday, August 26, 2005 3:35 PM

I'm trying really hard to let this be, but I want to make sure people know that the winners were not the people who sent the hate mail, and have been asking people to keep cool heads all along.

To be clear: the people who won the posters have been nice, polite people. After the OP asked for Nathan's help, other Browncoats took it upon themselves to start sending emails. The winners did not advocate sending hate mail. If you read the original thread, you will see that they state several times that if people were going to send email, to be polite about it. They tried for months to get in contact with the website, to no avail; the post on the BC board was done out of frustration. And free or not, you offer a contest and a prize, you are obligated to provide the prize, both legally and morally. The lack of prizes and communication led a few people to think this website was being fraudulent. And it upset some Browncoats to see these fans taken advantage of. As someone who submitted an essay in this contest, I felt for them, and sent a nice, to-the-point-yet-polite email myself.

What I have seen is a horrid example of customer service, and a lack of professionalism. But what is bothering me the most right now is how this is hurting our fandom. Let's all just let it drop. Perhaps we can learn that in the future, we should not be ganging up and showing our Browncoat muscle for these matters. I'd hate to see the fans become more divided over this, or for our rep to keep getting tarnished. Geez, just today, Quint over at AICN compared us to Scientologists. No matter what the reality is, this is the image of our fandom that is getting out.

So, let's embrace and forgive our fellow fans, learn a lesson, and let it drop.

258WESTAUTHENTIC

Friday, August 26, 2005 4:02 PM

So how long did they have to wait for their prize in total? Didnt the contest only start like 2 months ago at best?

------------------------------------------------

RON GLASS AUTOGRAPHED COMIC COVERS FOR SELL ON MY SITE FOR A LIMITED TIME ( Limited to 258 Copies )

https://258west.com/category/item.php?id=60

Serenity Comics, Action figures, RPG, Books, Trading cards... Everything Serenity can be found at my store.

http://www.bigdamnstore.com

Thanks for you support

FREMDFIRMA

Friday, August 26, 2005 4:07 PM

While not involved, I do have to say, from what I *have* seen, I side more with painisscary up there than the rest of us folks...

Site stages contest, site then more-or-less reneges(*See Note)on the prizes.. at the very least an explaination and apology was in order, and there was understandably going to be some PO'ed people.
(and from their own words, only 2 of em!)

They were called on it, probably in less than polite fashion, although given their own conduct I am extremely suspicious of that excuse - we do have our idiots, every little microcosmic society does, but professionalism of any stripe would require simply ignoring them, since it was the sites own screwup that caused the ragefest in the first place... something they seem to have trouble acknowledging.

Then the extreme pettyness that went far above and beyond any possibly-snarky email, directed at our entire community followed by a halfassed damage control apology ?

Oh I do not think so...

And no, I am not going to get into it with them whatever, that would be a waste of time and only stir a nasty kettle of crap that's only now beginning to settle, and it wouldn't accomplish anything useful anyhow.

I will, however, be speaking to their advertisers in a polite, professional manner about whether or not they want their services and products associated with this kind of juvenille and unprofessional behavior, which reflects directly upon the site sponsors.

Therein lies the difference between an angry lynch mob and a quiet, professional throat cutting.

Let's be professional about things, shall we ?

-Frem

=============================================
*Note: First off, they should have had prize-in-hand if they intended to issue it, this is basic and required SOP for contests, and the fact that they did not have it in hand, and took so very long to get it, casts doubt on whether they ever intended to cough up in the first place - which we will never know, one way or the other, since eventually they did cough up.

To conduct a contest for a prize you do not have in hand at the time is simply unacceptable, however, and that simple fact turns 98% of the blame for this directly back on them.

THATWEIRDGIRL

Friday, August 26, 2005 4:30 PM

All summer the nasty browncoats have been making reputations for us. I'm not proud of this reputation. People find out I'm a fan and they start to laugh. They've all heard the horrible stories about our 'Browncoat Army.' Remember when the stories were about how dedicated and supportive we were? Now we're just a mob of angry geeks out to avenge our master. How did this happen?

I don't care if we were the wronged party...how about a little class, a little maturity next time?

Feel free to yell at me if you feel I'm not a proper browncoat.

www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
"...turn right at the corner then skip two blocks...no, SKIP, the hopping-like thing kids do...Why? Why not?"

DIZ

Friday, August 26, 2005 4:42 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by thatweirdgirl:
All summer the nasty browncoats have been making reputations for us. I'm not proud of this reputation. People find out I'm a fan and they start to laugh. They've all heard the horrible stories about our 'Browncoat Army.' Remember when the stories were about how dedicated and supportive we were? Now we're just a mob of angry geeks out to avenge our master. How did this happen?

I don't care if we were the wronged party...how about a little class, a little maturity next time?

Feel free to yell at me if you feel I'm not a proper browncoat.

www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
"...turn right at the corner then skip two blocks...no, SKIP, the hopping-like thing kids do...Why? Why not?"

The problem is, in any large fandom, the kooks will speak louder then the sane folks, who are undoubtably the larger number. Not everyone who is a fan of Star Trek wears Spock-ears to work, but that's the rep that fandom has (not that there's anything wrong with Spock-ears). As our fandom grows, we are starting to learn the hard way that this is not just a group of friends on the internet who love this show and movie, but a huge mass of humanity with its crazies, kooks, and morons. We best get used to it, because as Firefly/Serenity becomes more popular, the more crazies, kooks, and morons we will have. The trick is not to let it ruin our enjoyment, and to be secure knowing that we do have an awesome fanbase, filled with really cool people (and just a few of the kooks that always get in).

THATWEIRDGIRL

Friday, August 26, 2005 4:51 PM

I know, I know...trekkie myself....but I'm just so frustrated by all the madness. Every time some website or reviewer says one negative word, 40,000 browncoats send emails or post responses. Some are tasteful but most are crude. I follow the links and read what some of us have posted and I'm horrified by the way they present themselves in the public forums. It makes me sad.

*hides Spock ears under desk*

Nope never worn those in public.

*hides white robes*

Leia? naw, I wouldn't do that.

*hides empire gown*

Why would I dress like an elf?

*laces up combat boots and zips coveralls*

I've got some work to do in the garage, that's all, I swear.

www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
"...turn right at the corner then skip two blocks...no, SKIP, the hopping-like thing kids do...Why? Why not?"

DIZ

Friday, August 26, 2005 5:05 PM

*shoves her Sailor Moon action figure back in her desk drawer*

I have no idea what you're talking about.

INEVITABLEBETRAYAL

Friday, August 26, 2005 5:13 PM

Can I just say, this would make an excellent case study on the nature of "blowback"--unintended consequences. The crazy thing is, it just keeps going. There are actually, (as of this posting) at least 3 generations of blowback operating. Sooo interesting...

_______________________________________________
I wish I had a magical wish-granting plank.

THATWEIRDGIRL

Friday, August 26, 2005 5:13 PM

*deletes her Sailor Moon inspired photograph*

Um, I'm not sure what you mean...

www.thatweirdgirl.com
---
"...turn right at the corner then skip two blocks...no, SKIP, the hopping-like thing kids do...Why? Why not?"

R1Z

Friday, August 26, 2005 5:19 PM

What we have learned from all this is that IESB.net's reviews are not an objective attempt to evaluate a film on its merits, but an opportunity for this little man and his wife to attempt to throw their weight around.

Since I'm only interested in the merits of a film, and could not care less who this little man is pissed at, I have no more reason to visit his site.

He and his advertisers will just have to get along without me.

To enjoy the flavor of life, take big bites. Moderation is for monks. --Robt. Heinlein

PREV PAGE 1 2 3 4 5 NEXT PAGE