(JD) said:

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As for the way it used to be, I can't speak much more about that. Someone else said it more clearly I think? We weren't to counter or argue against what someone else said, but reply and give support to the OP. If we disagreed with the OP we just did not participate in that thread. ( unless the op wanted all replies.) ...but now that appears to be assumed for all threads?

I really don't know how things were done way back when, but since I got started in 2010 I've run across lots of threads the beginners of which seemed to want to engage in dialog, dialog both of others with themselves and others with others too. Rather than just asking for help. And I think that dialog can be helpful too in a number of ways. It can help clarify our thinking. It can help us understand what all kinds of different members think about a particular subject. For example, in this present thread I'm interested in finding out whether anyone has any ideas as to whether and how we can improve the way we deliver our basic service: help to those in pain.

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I think one of the main drawbacks --other than the lack of support which all need-- and one reason why I'm participating here is that others see and read the countering of views and then they fear posting. (for surely if I have been here so long, etc and this occurs to me, they don't feel they could do it)

An important point! Some people may well be scared away from a thread in which people feel free to disagree with each other. They'd be hurt if someone disagreed with their ideas. That's a very, very common trait in our society (and it does differ from society to society). I think those people who fear being contradicted should follow such threads and see what happens. No one really gets hurt in such a back-and-forth. No contrary comment is a put-down or insult directed at the person, the self of a poster.

It's like playing volleyball, where now and then members of the same team on one side of the net bump into each other. The point is getting the ball back over the net, not hurting fellow team members. So after reading several such "discussion" threads I would hope the fearful person realizes that it's not such a big deal, that there really isn't any real danger, that just because someone disagrees with you doesn't mean they hate you or even dislike you or look down on you. "You" are not equivalent to "your idea."

Thanks!