Other forums -- a warning

dojoman

jennikitten wrote: »

Different boards seem to have different atmospheres; there are some boards where people talk like old friends and treat people like family, and some where there are vicious and judgmental people determined to start a fight. Seems strange.

Very true, don`t understand people like that all.

wolfers

Thanks everyone for your support -- and to the kind member who sent me a private message of support

The reason I posted here was because I suspected you'd all understand the point I was trying to make. Yes, we are all ultimately responsible for our actions but, equally, I think banks should be responsible for their actions, too. My ex didn't ask for a credit limit increase. He was just given it. Right before Christmas. And a huge increase: £200 to £950. In my book the banks are drug pushing: money is a drug just as much as any other. Is "evil" the wrong word? Perhaps. But they know what they are doing. They are deliberately encouraging people to drive themselves deeper into debt. And it should be unlawful. Sure, the letter said he could have the limit dropped back down to the old one, but the emphasis shouldn't be on him to act.

And it's not that he spends money on naughty things. He works really hard, in part to support his family. He pays his own rent and bills and his family's rent and bills. Being offered another "£750 to spend", as Capital One put it, puts temptation in his way. I wish I had the iron resolve of the people on that other forum.

Banks still make it too easy for people to get credit they can't pay back. They must know they are doing this and they do it to make big profits. In my book they are as a bad as the tobacco companies who knew that nicotine was addictive but continued to deny it. Eventually they were caught and very, very heavily punished (in the US). We're all still waiting for the same to happen to the banks.

mrscmr

wolfers.. just wanted to say... i have been keeping my df diary on here for nearly 2 years and found it a friendly and supportive place but i made a mistake a few weeks ago and posted on the house selling and buying thread... BIG mistake.
within a few hrs of my posts i was completely stressed, worried and upset by people's comments and views on MY life - they didnt know me or what i had been through... in fact i mailed the moderators and asked them to remove the thread which they did. i will learn not to post anywhere like that again.

wishing you well.

antrobus

Well yes, but you did start a thread under the title 'Credit card companies are evil' which is nothing more than a rant against banks. Be prepared, in such circumstances, for people to rant back. This is an open forum.

Lokolo

wolfers wrote: »

Thanks everyone for your support -- and to the kind member who sent me a private message of support

The reason I posted here was because I suspected you'd all understand the point I was trying to make. Yes, we are all ultimately responsible for our actions but, equally, I think banks should be responsible for their actions, too. My ex didn't ask for a credit limit increase. He was just given it. Right before Christmas. And a huge increase: £200 to £950. In my book the banks are drug pushing: money is a drug just as much as any other. Is "evil" the wrong word? Perhaps. But they know what they are doing. They are deliberately encouraging people to drive themselves deeper into debt. And it should be unlawful. Sure, the letter said he could have the limit dropped back down to the old one, but the emphasis shouldn't be on him to act.

And it's not that he spends money on naughty things. He works really hard, in part to support his family. He pays his own rent and bills and his family's rent and bills. Being offered another "£750 to spend", as Capital One put it, puts temptation in his way. I wish I had the iron resolve of the people on that other forum.

Banks still make it too easy for people to get credit they can't pay back. They must know they are doing this and they do it to make big profits. In my book they are as a bad as the tobacco companies who knew that nicotine was addictive but continued to deny it. Eventually they were caught and very, very heavily punished (in the US). We're all still waiting for the same to happen to the banks.

This isn't discussion time so I won't argue your point. However, as it was moved to DT you will find that not everyone is the same. I imagine a lot of people in here will feel your point of view, because you all have gone through the same thing.

I completely disagree with your statements made - but then again, I have never been in your situation or others in this sub board where I have got myself in trouble. Which is most probably why I disagree with your points.

If you want to have a well rounded view, then DT is the place to go - usually. If you want a one sided view, stick to people who have a similar view.

olly300

wolfers wrote: »

Uniquely of any of the discussion forums I visit on the internet, the Bankruptcy forum on MSE is polite, friendly and supportive. Perhaps the position we find ourselves in makes us more understanding or, maybe, more humble.

With the one exception of what I thought was clumsy moderating, my experience of this forum has been uniformly positive.

Anyhoo, yesterday I started a thread about the evils of credit cards. I started it here because I think of you all as my online friends and I suspected you'd understand my point of view. The thread was, however, moved to The Moneysavers Arms - Discussion Time.

In its new home it was met with aggressive and nasty hostility. There was no understanding, no support, no empathy. Just vicious personal attacks.

The attacks weren't personal that's just how people in DT talk to each other.

DT as Lokolo said, and lots of the other threads have people with a complete wide spectrum of opinion and are at completely different situations in their lives. We aren't there to provide support to each other but to have a Discussion.

Also I don't agree with your initial post but that's because I've been educated through being a member of a large family on how to be proactive to prevent CC companies increasing your credit limit without you asking.

Unfortunately one thing the credit bubble has revealed is how poor adults particularly parents and teachers are in educating children about finance.

alastairq

On the whole I agree with Wolfer's sentiments regarding credit card [companies].

Not because I have been through a BR process.....but because I have reached an age where cynicism is a prevailing attitude.

The reality behind the credit card companies is simply, to make a profit from segments of the economic population.

No way are they altruistic.

Once a certain economic segment becomes saturated as a market, then the CC's move onto other, more 'vulnerable' segments.

This is pure marketing.

I often poke about on other boards....especially those where I have a 'professional' knowledge...and find the self-righteous attitude of some to be frankly, amazing.

I am more than able to counter personal attacks, however...and am a naturally confrontational character, as my managers find to their cost.

And as some on MSE have discovered, shy away I do not.

But I do also feel many need shaking out of their comfort zone.....

It is sad that those who have sympathy and understanding for issues, are those that have suffered.

andyf1980

Was just thinking about this again. I don't think I'd call the cc companies evil but I do think they're irresponsible.

Oh and I agree, this whole thing is getting out of hand:(

alastairq

I don't think I'd call the cc companies evil but I do think they're irresponsible.

I agree too.....but I wouldn't even label them irresponsible either.

They are simply following good commercial practice....tapping markets and competing [not sure against whom, though?]

What they aim for is to be the financial equivalent of flypaper.

andyf1980

The fact that the whole financial system went into meltdown was as a result of irresponsible lending by the banks and irresponsible borrowing by consumers. The banks desire to make profits led them to lend to people previously out of scope and at unprecedented levels. They're paying for that now through bad debt write offs.

As an ex banker and a br, I try to be objective but it's not always easy :mad: