Discussions about the Discussions

Although I really liked metadiscussions, I knew others didn't, so much, so I usually defended myself (or Joyce, or the list, or whatever someone was going on about—I always defended Joyce because anyone who criticized her just wasn't paying attention), and restored peace.

Inevitably, in a tussle, though, in defense of the discussion, people would write glowing reports of their own progress in thinking, in living.


Always Learning

December 2001:
February 2002:
February 2008:
Three links were lost in the transfer, and I can't find them because I didn't leave a quote, and The Wayback Machine didn't pick up this page. So I can't find them in Groups.io. That's okay. I'll try to expand on the more general ideas.

The discussions about the discussion are usually complaints that I was mean, or that we're not treating new group members the way we say we treat our children.

Some of those have been collected or linked. "Not Your Mom" has several.

Here's one defending advice from newcomers: Bad Advice
It always amused me to be criticized by people who hadn't been in the group long, who weren't unschooling, who told me I needed to learn more about democracy (for not having a democratic group, that I owned... for not considering her to know as much as anyone else did)...

More positive feedback, about perspective:
Perspective

One of the best things written about Always Learning was by Rippy Dusseldorp: Learning to read on the list (and that links to her original, in context).

When people reported how they had changed, the discussions were usually cited.

Learning to See Differently

Thoughts on Changing

How Unschooling Changes People

Stories of how Families Changed

NOTE TO SELF: Maybe bring this and Shan's comment here.
TO OTHERS: In case I don't, here's the link. Don't miss what Shan Burton wrote.

"Harsh advice and happiness—a few words." July 2018, facebook group


I might add more to this page as thing resurface.

Might not.