.006 Δ ["Anonymous" Text]
Mar. 19th, 2016 07:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ratherbelocky[Or, well, actually, this text isn't anonymous. It's simply that the ID number it displays doesn't match anything in anyone's previous contacts--as if someone's perhaps got his meddlesome paws on a brand new 'Gear.]
So there's a thing I've noticed, in the months I've been here. These anonymous posts, the ones asking for advice? They get a lot of answers. Seems we've got a lot of folks willing to help out around here, or at least to talk and commiserate, but it always seems to be a one-off deal; the person who's anonymous, most of us don't get to hear from them again, see how they're doing, and if we're anonymous ourselves, they can't contact us, either. It's like dancing some kind of intimate foxtrot and then never seeing your partner again.
But I found out something interesting. If you go to any Pokémon Center or PokéMart and tell them your Gear's broken or missing, they'll just hand you a new one free of charge. And if you happened to be lying, well. Then you've got an extra Gear unconnected to your main one.
What I'm saying is, there's an easy way to maintain privacy and anonymity on both ends while still checking in with someone you've spoken with before. Obviously, this is great to know for prank calls - and you're all welcome in advance for the April Fools idea - but I'd like to pose another option to those guys who want to help:
What if there were some kind of system in place for people to just talk about what's eating them multiple times with the same person, without ever having to know who's on the other line?
Now, I'm by no means a professional - not in this field, anyway. I'm not qualified to be a therapist and I haven't yet heard of anyone here who is. That's not what I'm suggesting we do here. But there are people willing to just listen, and to share their own experiences without judging, and that can be real useful to people who are working through tough things.
Here's how I'm imagining it'll work.
1. Folks who are interested in doing the listening contact me here by filling out the form at the bottom of this post. I vet them, and if it seems like it'll work out, then they grab an extra Gear, send me the number, and come up with their own codename.
2. I make a list of who's available and their numbers.
3. People looking to be listened to without exposing themselves, they contact me anonymously, and I'll redirect them to one of the folks on the list. After that first contact, they can just get to their listener directly without going through me as a middleman.
4. Conversation happens, everybody profits.
"But, mysterious and probably handsome anon," I hear you ask, "why do the people interested in helping have to out themselves to you? Who are YOU, even, to ask that and put yourself in charge of this whole thing?" And my answer is, there's got to be some accountability here when things this heavy and private are on the table, and I'm willing to be that guy. I'm also happy to reveal my identity privately to anyone who asks; I'm only maintaining anonymity here for those who don't want to know who they're talking to, for whom talking is easier like that.
Anyway. If listening to other people's problems sounds like your calling, I'd like you to fill out the following little survey:
If there's enough interest, I'll set something up within the week. In the meantime, let me know what you guys think.
And I guess you can call me Nathaniel.
So there's a thing I've noticed, in the months I've been here. These anonymous posts, the ones asking for advice? They get a lot of answers. Seems we've got a lot of folks willing to help out around here, or at least to talk and commiserate, but it always seems to be a one-off deal; the person who's anonymous, most of us don't get to hear from them again, see how they're doing, and if we're anonymous ourselves, they can't contact us, either. It's like dancing some kind of intimate foxtrot and then never seeing your partner again.
But I found out something interesting. If you go to any Pokémon Center or PokéMart and tell them your Gear's broken or missing, they'll just hand you a new one free of charge. And if you happened to be lying, well. Then you've got an extra Gear unconnected to your main one.
What I'm saying is, there's an easy way to maintain privacy and anonymity on both ends while still checking in with someone you've spoken with before. Obviously, this is great to know for prank calls - and you're all welcome in advance for the April Fools idea - but I'd like to pose another option to those guys who want to help:
What if there were some kind of system in place for people to just talk about what's eating them multiple times with the same person, without ever having to know who's on the other line?
Now, I'm by no means a professional - not in this field, anyway. I'm not qualified to be a therapist and I haven't yet heard of anyone here who is. That's not what I'm suggesting we do here. But there are people willing to just listen, and to share their own experiences without judging, and that can be real useful to people who are working through tough things.
Here's how I'm imagining it'll work.
1. Folks who are interested in doing the listening contact me here by filling out the form at the bottom of this post. I vet them, and if it seems like it'll work out, then they grab an extra Gear, send me the number, and come up with their own codename.
2. I make a list of who's available and their numbers.
3. People looking to be listened to without exposing themselves, they contact me anonymously, and I'll redirect them to one of the folks on the list. After that first contact, they can just get to their listener directly without going through me as a middleman.
4. Conversation happens, everybody profits.
"But, mysterious and probably handsome anon," I hear you ask, "why do the people interested in helping have to out themselves to you? Who are YOU, even, to ask that and put yourself in charge of this whole thing?" And my answer is, there's got to be some accountability here when things this heavy and private are on the table, and I'm willing to be that guy. I'm also happy to reveal my identity privately to anyone who asks; I'm only maintaining anonymity here for those who don't want to know who they're talking to, for whom talking is easier like that.
Anyway. If listening to other people's problems sounds like your calling, I'd like you to fill out the following little survey:
If there's enough interest, I'll set something up within the week. In the meantime, let me know what you guys think.
And I guess you can call me Nathaniel.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-20 04:04 am (UTC)Well, I mean. It's not like I don't have my own share of burdens to bear, myself. But I've got my best friend from home, who's never given up on me no matter what's happened. And my Pokemon... some of them are good at listening themselves, even if they can't give advice. And Rose won't let me dwell on the negative for too long. Ever.
So with them around, I think I'd be okay with what other people throw at me.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-21 12:42 am (UTC)You all right if maybe I try to direct less of the heavy shit your way until you've got a feel for what you can handle?
no subject
Date: 2016-03-21 01:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-21 03:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-21 06:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-21 01:03 pm (UTC)And I got killed, eventually. I suppose that's significant.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-23 02:41 am (UTC)[Not that he knows what an AI is, but form context he can gather it's kind of like possession. Either way. Benign or malevolent, not fun.]
Sorry you ended up going through all that. Just goes to show how bothersome war is.
no subject
Date: 2016-03-23 11:47 am (UTC)[now it's a private channel]
Date: 2016-03-24 05:21 am (UTC)After all, this world isn't home. And it's only fair, after asking himself.]
I don't really talk about it, except sometimes with Sion because he knows it all already, and a couple of my Pokemon know. But I was an orphan who was basically raised in the military academy, even though I made sure I sucked at all of that stuff. They only kept me around because they wanted to make sure their pet monster stayed on a tight leash and didn't run away to help another country instead.
All I've ever wanted was to be able to sleep in peace, you know? But aside from a few people who can see past what I am, I've never had a lot of friends, so I'm kind of used to being alone.
[Private and anon is just how we gon roll]
Date: 2016-03-26 01:20 am (UTC)I'll be honest. It sounds like you might get more of a benefit out of talking to someone about it than listening to others, but on the other hand, I don't know you, I can't make that choice for you. Is this really something you're sure you want to do?
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 02:14 am (UTC)Listening to others, though... I wouldn't really know, I guess, but if it means a guy like me can help people out, I feel like maybe it's worth a shot. You know?
[sorry he's kind of a bit of a resigned mess]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-26 10:44 pm (UTC)Well, okay. Maybe helping others out might change your mind about trying it yourself, too. You any good with kids?
no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:04 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:36 am (UTC)[...yes, Ryner, go ahead and name yourself after your favorite spell. This won't backfire when you eventually get a canon update someday. (Though I suppose it's better than trying to get him to come up with something better.)]
no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2016-03-27 03:41 am (UTC)[Private/Anon, 3/27]
Date: 2016-03-27 04:06 am (UTC)EXCH△NGE