Is Greece/Travel a Section for communication or a Mine-Field?

Question

Greece/Travel has been a place of exchange of knowledge, communication, and even fun, less than one year ago, until when:

1. Accounts begun being suspended for no legal and logical reason, after mass reports (evidently by multiple accounts).

2. Questions and answers started being reported and deleted upon posted.
(All my questions in this section were reported and deleted, like the ones concerning forest fires).

3. Users have been accused by private mails, of "controlling" voting for "best answers" (no one of them, though, is top answerer anywhere, or gets 5-10 best answers on daily basis).

4. Personal data started being posted, real or immaginatory ones (Question: Who keeps records?).

5. Trolls "asking" questions about the private life of other users made their "appearance".

6. Best answers begun being "granted" (5-10 daily) to the same user.

I'm asking for your honest opinion on the above issues.....

I had not been partecipating in this Section for quite a long while.
Upon answered a couple of questions, I got reported and suspended (I was 5th level) for an answer of historical content about the Greek Minority in Albania....

What does the (Greek ?) one who accused me of "nationalism" have to say?

I really don't care if my account gets suspended once more.
I have a real life, Domna, and everybody knows.
I am already hald a step out of Yahoo....

This happened to me only in the Greece/Travel Section, not in Yahoo-Italia or anywhere else...

Goxy, one can discuss with normal people, not psychos hiding behind avatars, mails, fake accounts and immoral tactics....
Not to mention reports and other coward methods....

I never reported the psycho. Not even because he gets 10 fake best answers daily. I get 10 best business successes daily...
And I hope you don't think that suspension of accounts is part of the "conversation"...

Answer 1

Unfortunately it seems that the question is correct. This section has become a minefield!
Yahoo answers has a very good description of what this site SHOULDN'T BE :
"Yahoo! Answers isn't a soapbox to vent personal frustrations or rant about issues."
Unfortunately a lot of members use this section especially to express their personal rant and frustration.
"Clans" were discovered, people were heavily insulted!!!
At list I hope that some people will see their mistake and eventually they will stop report people simply because they don't like their opinion.

Answer 2

Wisest or not , here is some.... - That all of the non-Greeks are suddenly experts in everything Greek. From places that they have never been, from the way of thinking of the Greeks (that are not), etc etc - That if you are a Greek answering in Greek section , there are other users that accuse you about ''Greece is the center of the world'' - That Greek section is really popular. Greece's neighbors love it . - That if you fight with arguments, lies about Greece or Greeks, you ll get accused, insulted, etc. Also - Don't get involved in personal fights. Stay away and judge only by your experience instead of ''hear this and that''. - The same that Kimon mentioned ''Never fight with idiots: They'll drag you to their level and beat you be experience.'' - Don't ever think that '' Nuh, that's impossible, people have lives, they are not that pathetic''. Its proved wrong.

Answer 3

Greeks tend to bicker in 'real' life so it doesn't come as a surprise to me that this spills out into a question section in cyber world. (Can't you just punch each other like we do in UK and get on wth life?) Personally I have no problem with either side (if that's the correct word). Each have their opinions - that's great - I know more often than not Greek answerers don't agree with my answers as a Brit living in Greece 20 yrs - but what the heck - they do not have my type of experience as a foreigner in Greece. So be it!
This type of 'thing' happens in lots of sections - just because 'business' section may have a better 'clientele' don't think anywhere else is different to the Greek part.
No one says we have to like each other but what I can't get to grips with is the 'name calling' (see Alex's answer for e.g) This goes on a lot by both sides - and really should stop - personal comments on peoples age/size/family/profession etc are childish and pathetic! It's like being back in school! (kindergarten).
As for the best answers - I don't care - always pleasantly surprised if I get one - but I don't mind who gets the top answers - there isn't a prize for the most points ... is there? Well is there???????

Answer 4

I do not want to get trapped in this YA Greek Travel Section disputes, and I do not yet consider it a 'mine field'.
I love Greece, I have seen a lot of it, and I will continue to do so.
How and what I think about and feel for Greece is no result of what I have seen in this section (thanks God).. but then again, as an outsider from Belgium, I would like to keep asking questions about the best places, hotels, restaurants and even more about the cultural heritage that you should feel proud to have.
I will continue to meet old & new friends in Greece, even after I eventually decide to leave this 'YA-GT' section I have been glad to share with you since quite a while.
Lets keep it open for everybody in a positive way, but stop using it as a political instrument to re-fight lost battles..
I have no influence and no vote in this, but I sinceraly hope to stay on the section with positive support from and to all.
Happy 2008 to all well meaning participants.

Answer 5

Mr. Dellarovere: In a perfect world the Greece/Travel section would be one where serious communication and exchange of ideas takes place. But as you know this is not a perfect world. Trolls and those with multiple accounts have ruined this section and turned it into a ghetto. Who they REALLY are, nobody knows. Many people now stay away because they don't want to be bothered with the attacks. I agree whole-heartedly with your minefield metaphor. That is what it has become. I, too, would like to post questions sometimes but I am afraid to, since my last 3 questions were deleted. I am talking about non-provocative and non-controversial questions. I would like for you to continue participating here (put on your bullet-proof vest first) because with your knowledge you have much to offer. And if your account is again deleted....well.....ksereis twra tin texnh......u can open another!! Xathike o kosmos? Perhaps there would be more communication going on if defectors came back.

Answer 6

I will only say what I really believe.
What would make somebody contribute to suspending an account for an answer that was given 3 months before?
Why so much hate for just a game? Yahoo is just a game, we are playing in here, why should somebody want to harm someone that probably doesn't know and has nothing to profit from him in real life?
I think somewhere and somehow some of us are failing to distinguish real life to virtual reality.
Dellarovere, is this 'chaising' happens to you to Polls and Surveys for example?

Answer 7

It makes me so sad to see it happening. I don't wish to pose as a peacemaker, but it is an onlooker's view: why did you all let it happen? Why didn't you all put just a little effort into meeting the other person/side half way? I can't seem to be able to grasp why is this such a problem?! Are your views so irreconcilable?
It's all so sad. And yes, in case you're wondering if it leaves a bad impression on other people not directly involved, it does. Not only a bad one, but a bitter one as well. If you can't be united, then agree to disagree and try to find peace within yourselves. This is distressing and discouraging. We're not here to harm other people - the whole idea is to help them find the answers to their questions. Whoever is visiting Greece Travel section can find the answers to what they were not looking for and wish to forget. If you care for your country, all of you in this sad story, cut the mutual blaming and do something constructive for it.
That is my honest opinion. If you find anything that hurts your vanity in it, read it over and over again until it is totally killed; as Oscar Wilde said, another genius among so many brought up on your, Hellenic best traditions.

edit@Dellarovere - of course I don't think that reporting, account suspension or disclosing personal information on a public forum are part of normal conversation or discussion. Whoever did that should be taking a long look at themselves in the mirror to try and see if they are normal.
Count the thumbs down to me, and find the only tangible reason - mentioning the Hellenic traditions. Then do some simple arithmetic and count how many non-Hellenic friends we have here:) They, too, need a mirror.

Answer 8

Honestly? A mine-field. This is why I have stopped participating unless I see a real innocent question of a stranger who really seeks info on travel, culture etc. There was a nice ambiance here, we used to talk about personnal issues too and exchange nice thoughts about our country. The behaviour you mentioned has ruined that. I hope our country's image is not ruined completely as well.

Answer 9

Neither rates, nor scores or silly avatars -whether rated or underrated ones- can substitute us, the people and even more our right to express ourselves. As we wish.

Go on Dellarovere. And get the job done.

Answer 10

I will speak openly once more, honouring the trousers I am wearing (normal size, not elephnants' one, hiding behind rose avatar).
I was the first one to receive the private mails from the freak entity trying to make a party of their own by accusing the other older users, and being very obligatory to give me information about all Greek users, of "whatever kind", even private one.
I refused out of ethics and esthetics to follow this "game" and I was immediately baptized a clone (4th level clone? What a record).
Then my answers started to be reported, and other Greek members' accounts to be suspended.
The trolls (appearing once and then disapearing overnight) targeted me also "providing" the same personal (fabricated) data their owner also exposed with pablic posts.
I got a report of abuse even for having answered with a few verses from Opera in the memory of Pavarotti.
I was in public called "a dog" (actually I love dogs and animals, but the ones behind the minefield don't love even their gutts).
And when recently I dared answer a question in Greece/Travel I got a report of abuse, because, according to Yahoo rules, "top" - whatever are trustful, independedly of what they report.
I declare that I don't care if my account gets suspended too, I came here for fun, I made friends, I have a marvelous personal life and a company to run.
The no lifers must be afraid to loose virtual existance, so be bravehearted and let them enjoy this, poor fellows...