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For a while now, I have noticed that there seem to be more-and-more members whose age does not show up in the member information next to each post. I never remember having the option. Even to this day, in my 'Edit Profile' settings, the option does not exist. Are people making special requests to the site to not have their age displayed? Is it being "rigged" from behind-the-scenes?
Personally, I think that the display of Gender and Age should be mandatory with no exceptions.
I respect the right of the site owner to do what he wishes - this is not to speak against the site. This is not any kind of "disgruntled" expression of thought - it is more simply "thinking out loud"...
And the question is --- if more-and-more people are allowed to not show their Gender and Age - what will be the ultimate resulting effect?
But, I am also wondering --- why is the option not freely available to every member? I mean -- if you are going to have such an option -- should it not be freely available in every member's profile settings?
I just don't fully understand what is really actually going on with this...???
I am a big believer in the secure protection of every member - especially the female members. However - to me - Gender and Age are the two 'critical' pieces of information about a member that every other member deserve to know -- simply for the sake of knowing how to 'frame' your communication with that person. Every other thing may be optional - and with good reason - but, these two things are the 'balance' that ensure that every member has the [ minimal required ] information that they deserve to have regarding every other member.
It obviously helps to know whether I am talking to a male or a female.
It also helps to know whether I am talking to a 15-year-old, a 45-year-old, or an 75-year-old.
Whether or not the information given about themselves is actually true and / or accurate is a different issue. As a default measure, we take them for what they say they are.
The "not having to tell your age" thing is understandable in-person, but in this kind of environment "it just doesn't hold water"...
In an environment such as this, it is the members with no age that "raise my eyebrows" the most.
It is an "instant suggestion" of dishonesty - or, something "hidden"... ( that should not be hidden )
It is my "general policy" to "ignore" members-with-no-age as 'non-existant'. As a rule, I do not make replies to their posts, or 'like' their posts. Why? Because -- the way I think about it -- if they are not honest enough to tell others their Gender and Age -- I don't really care to deal with them.
Every thing else about them may reasonably be determined to be "protected" by anonymity. And, I am fine with that. However, these two 'critical' pieces of information about a person -- I feel -- should be openly and honestly revealed.
These two pieces of information about a person - in of themselves - will not endanger anyone.
Everything else is optional. I just don't see why these two things are optional - or, should even be allowed to be optional - in an environment such as this.
In an environment such as this - with specific regard to these two things - "politeness goes out the window" - every member deserves to know these two things about every other member.
So -- I am just wondering -- why does there seem to be an increasing expansion of members with no age?
Why this is happening?
Has anyone seriously considered the far-reaching effects of such a trend?
Personally, I think it is setting up a psychological growth-medium for dishonesty and mistrust.
After all -- if a bunch of Christians cannot be honest about expressing their Gender and Age...
Food for thought?
Personally, I think that the display of Gender and Age should be mandatory with no exceptions.
I respect the right of the site owner to do what he wishes - this is not to speak against the site. This is not any kind of "disgruntled" expression of thought - it is more simply "thinking out loud"...
And the question is --- if more-and-more people are allowed to not show their Gender and Age - what will be the ultimate resulting effect?
But, I am also wondering --- why is the option not freely available to every member? I mean -- if you are going to have such an option -- should it not be freely available in every member's profile settings?
I just don't fully understand what is really actually going on with this...???
I am a big believer in the secure protection of every member - especially the female members. However - to me - Gender and Age are the two 'critical' pieces of information about a member that every other member deserve to know -- simply for the sake of knowing how to 'frame' your communication with that person. Every other thing may be optional - and with good reason - but, these two things are the 'balance' that ensure that every member has the [ minimal required ] information that they deserve to have regarding every other member.
It obviously helps to know whether I am talking to a male or a female.
It also helps to know whether I am talking to a 15-year-old, a 45-year-old, or an 75-year-old.
Whether or not the information given about themselves is actually true and / or accurate is a different issue. As a default measure, we take them for what they say they are.
The "not having to tell your age" thing is understandable in-person, but in this kind of environment "it just doesn't hold water"...
In an environment such as this, it is the members with no age that "raise my eyebrows" the most.
It is an "instant suggestion" of dishonesty - or, something "hidden"... ( that should not be hidden )
It is my "general policy" to "ignore" members-with-no-age as 'non-existant'. As a rule, I do not make replies to their posts, or 'like' their posts. Why? Because -- the way I think about it -- if they are not honest enough to tell others their Gender and Age -- I don't really care to deal with them.
Every thing else about them may reasonably be determined to be "protected" by anonymity. And, I am fine with that. However, these two 'critical' pieces of information about a person -- I feel -- should be openly and honestly revealed.
These two pieces of information about a person - in of themselves - will not endanger anyone.
Everything else is optional. I just don't see why these two things are optional - or, should even be allowed to be optional - in an environment such as this.
In an environment such as this - with specific regard to these two things - "politeness goes out the window" - every member deserves to know these two things about every other member.
So -- I am just wondering -- why does there seem to be an increasing expansion of members with no age?
Why this is happening?
Has anyone seriously considered the far-reaching effects of such a trend?
Personally, I think it is setting up a psychological growth-medium for dishonesty and mistrust.
After all -- if a bunch of Christians cannot be honest about expressing their Gender and Age...
Food for thought?