I am aware of the kudos thread but I am wondering what members and the CST would think about a PC honors option. Maybe once a month or something, members could nominate someone for a PC honor based on their contributions and grace. So many folks on PC have felt invisible or misunderstood or alienated in their offline lives. I think an honors recognition could be very powerful in bolstering members' self-esteem and confidence. I have a few people in mind. I know we can use the kudos thread but I was thinking of something a bit more official...maybe even DocJohn and/or the moderators could add a special note or commendation after folks have voted each month?

Just an idea. There are some marvelous folks here who are quietly and diligently making the world a better place. I doubt they even realize the impact they have. Wouldn't it be wonderful to officially honor them here in the community?

[Mopey]

Not in my opinion.

I say that because the world is already chock-full of places where people are subjected to ratings systems, including sort of popularity contests and markers of success, even on this forum. And if your'e not going to rate highly, ever, I don't think you need yet another reminder of that.

Originally Posted by Mopey

Not in my opinion.

Thanks for sharing Mopey. Is it okay to ask why?

[Mopey]

Please see above, S.T. I just added some to my original post.

And thanks for being gracious to this old curmudgeon.

[Crazy Hitch]

I might have an unpopular opinion but personally no I don’t think so. I think each and every members contribution either through starting a post or offering support is creating valuable support. I don’t believe “singling” out members is good. What about those members who fly under the radar but are just as supportive? It won’t acknowledge a vast majority of members and will make them feel like - - -
I see where you’re coming from but there are other ways of acknowledging members. Replying to someone’s comments on a post and thanking them for their input is a start.

I don’t disagree with your intentions which I think are all very well and good. But this is a support community and we should all support one another.

Originally Posted by Mopey

Please see above, S.T. I just added some to my original post.

And thanks for being gracious to this old curmudgeon.

You are NOT an old curmudgeon Mopey. I have read your thoughtful and empathetic responses to others. You'd be a strong candidate for a PC honor in my view. See what I mean? So many people don't even realize how much they are valued!

That said, I understand and accept your perspective. I do think that honors could be presented in a gracious and pleasant way without making anyone feel small or "less than." But that is just my perspective. You are of course entitled to yours. And I will always give someone credit for directly and respectfully disagreeing with an idea they don't like. That's good for mental health: assertive! Props to you

Originally Posted by Crazy Hitch

I might have an unpopular opinion but personally no I don’t think so. I think each and every members contribution either through starting a post or offering support is creating valuable support. I don’t believe “singling” out members is good. What about those members who fly under the radar but are just as supportive? It won’t acknowledge a vast majority of members and will make them feel like - - -
I see where you’re coming from but there are other ways of acknowledging members. Replying to someone’s comments on a post and thanking them for their input is a start.

I don’t disagree with your intentions which I think are all very well and good. But this is a support community and we should all support one another.

Thank you Crazy Hitch. I don't view it in the same way but I still value your perspective and candid response. I think there are so many different personalities here that lots of different members would naturally be honored. If I were never honored for the rest of my life, but had the chance to nominate others, that would feel great! It's such a nice feeling to point out someone's strength and see them light up for a while. That's not the same as stomping on someone else or deeming them weak. I always say credit where credit is due. You see in my view, if someone is honored in a given month, that's not saying that those who weren't are "bad" or "less than"....it's just taking a few moments to pat someone on the back. Based on my reading of self-esteem development, it doesn't typically develop from falsely creating "sameness" or from never acknowledging uniqueness. I am not suggesting that is your view Crazy Hitch...just wanted to share my thought process. I don't see how honoring a different member each month would be unsupportive....appreciating one person is not equal to deriding someone else. It could even be up to the honored member to choose the next one and nobody gets the honor twice etc. Different ways to think about it but thus far, from a limited sample size, it does not appear welcome. And that's okay!

[Crazy Hitch]

I just don’t believe this is the correct place to create a hierarchy of those who seem “most supportive” or whatever the criteria may be.

I think the kuddos thread is just great so are the number of times people get a thanks / like.

I think it’s the hierarchy type system that’s putting me off. Who would vote? You could have 50 members nominated in one month. So who would decide? And what about the other 49 who were nominated?

The other part is logistics. There are thousands of members and thousands of posts. Who would sit reading through all this?

Maybe it’s even the term Honours that is putting me off. It’s a term used in the academic field and does create a system of those who have achieved vs those who have not achieved.

It’s also subjective. Who one person may nominate, 10 other members could totally disagree, for a myriad of reasons.

I was thinking of appreciation. And yes, it is subjective.

[unaluna]

Its like that episode of Seinfeld where his mother keeps whining, "But how could anybody not like YOUUUUUUUUUUU???"

Originally Posted by unaluna

Its like that episode of Seinfeld where his mother keeps whining, "But how could anybody not like YOUUUUUUUUUUU???"

I'm not from the U.S. and have never seen Seinfeld but I know you have a great sense of humor Unaluna so thank you!

[Betty_Banana]

I personally don't feel an honors thread is a good idea at all.Many members here feel bad enough already and really struggle,why on earth would they want to see a thread where other members are being "honored"?It wouldn't be right to single out certain members and act as if they are somehow 'better' than others.

That's just my opinion though.It just seems wrong.It seems more like a popularity contest more than anything else.

It is interesting that folks perceive appreciating a different person each month as deriding the rest. I honestly don't view it that way. I also don't think appreciation has to be akin to a superficial popularity contest since people on PC naturally share very deep and often troubling ideas that don't pertain to the superficial.
But even the idea seems to be upsetting people so perhaps the mods can close the thread for me before it causes more hurt? Sincerely unintended.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by Crazy Hitch

I just don’t believe this is the correct place to create a hierarchy of those who seem “most supportive” or whatever the criteria may be.

I think the kuddos thread is just great so are the number of times people get a thanks / like.

I agree with everything you said. Just in case it wasnt clear from my other post!

I have asked the moderators to close the thread. Sorry it offended people. Different minds have different ideas and perceptions. Appreciated does not mean "better than." Have a peaceful eve.

[Crazy Hitch]

I think your intentions are really good. And serves as a reminder that although we may not be aware of it we are making valuable contributions

[Betty_Banana]

I think your intentions are really good too,I just don't think it's a good idea.

Imagine coming to this site feeling really depressed,suicidal and like you don't matter at all.You click on a thread where another member is being honored.In that state it sure isn't going to help the way you feel at all and most likely would make you feel worse.Maybe on a different type of forum it would go over well but a mental health forum just isn't really the place to do something like that.

Originally Posted by Betty_Banana

I think your intentions are really good too,I just don't think it's a good idea.

Imagine coming to this site feeling really depressed,suicidal and like you don't matter at all.You click on a thread where another member is being honored.In that state it sure isn't going to help the way you feel at all and most likely would make you feel worse.Maybe on a different type of forum it would go over well but a mental health forum just isn't really the place to do something like that.

I often come on here depressed. There are times I feel suicidal. Seeing someone valued and appreciated would not make me feel worse at all. I like seeing other folks get credit. If you feel that way, that is your truth. And this is mine. We can't assume that others think and feel the same as us; hence I thought the thread was a good idea and you did not.

[Betty_Banana]

We can't assume that others think and feel the same as us; hence I thought the thread was a good idea and you did not

Exactly! I agree with that and that's why I feel it's important that the ones that would feel the same as what I stated be taken into consideration too.

btw,I didn't say I personally would feel that way,I was just imagining the ones that it would impact in a negative way.

[atisketatasket]

This thread has been closed at the OP’s request.

[DocJohn]

I would just add that rather than "official" honors, you can always offer your "honor" and appreciation to a specific member that you feel needs or deserves special attention and appreciation in the Kudos forum. That's pretty much one of the main reasons it exists.

Members appreciating members works best, in my experience.