Is anyone else getting tired of all the marketing going on here at AOAND?

[Marinspin]

There is a new group that is based on a online bookstore which appears to be for profit? What the heck is going on? Ning does not allow selling and this website is about a New Dawn so why all the marketing here and self promotion of "the herbs I sell are the best" - gag me no one sells "the best" herbs" people go around adding friends here just to try to market things to them - yuck!!!

It is honestly not enjoyable and if it continues why would anyone want to stay here and is that all this site is capable of???? I could watch television and make sure to watch all the ads if that is what I was interested in. I thought AOAND was suppose to be different from what he we see on TV so why is it becoming filled with marketing ploys and why is it allowed heck I could read Craigslist if that is what I wanted?????

I have been coming here less and less lately. Moderators and admins wake up and smell the coffee. Who approved the group that is selling books and why? Honestly if this blatant marketing continues which seems to be the norm here lately in more then one place on this website I will have no reason to stay here and why would anyone want to????

I did not see or hear marketing mentioned once in the vision video...

[thomas]

Marinspin, I Agree we don't come here to be new aged spammed ,!As far as I'm concerned,, I'm only Trying to "sell " one thing,,here,,WORLD PEACE FOR FREE,, No i dont want a profit,, of something thats totally free,,, I think this place Aoand has a great potential for marketing this new kind of product,, please dont dis appear, marinspin your ideas and thoughts are very inspiring,, and helpful for the whole vision,, I hope the archictects,, on this site can ALL have The RESPECT of thier Friends and are not here to make a buck!! Peace ,Love And Happiness,, TG ps "free to join or not these advetising groups,,,just dont,,!unless your looking for some new books or herbs;)

[Marc]

I think this issue is important, but unfortunately as part of a free world people will try to use this place for sales. There will be other issues which come up as well, as the evil forces in the universe begin to see us gaining in power, they will send emissaries to sow division. We will have to hang together in earnest if we want this to succeed. While I agree it is not a welcome prospect ultimatums about leaving, will not help us overcome this.

Perhaps we can use a flagging system or create a group who dedicate a limited amount of time to issue warnings or notify the moderators of abuses of this place.

We will benefit from being here, taking our sacred space, but not by abandoning it.

[Erin Michelle]

I'm amazed there hasn't been more. So many Architects are very professional artists and musicians. In my clumsy way, I've tried to thank Barry Mack, Claudia, Silja et al for offering themselves and their talent for our enjoyment for free. Perhaps the best way to keep this site available for those with pure motives is to simply encourage the greater good and ignore the salespeople.
Love, Erin

[Marinspin]

I am not stating an ultimatum at all. I like the vision set for this website and enjoy many of the people here but find some of the blatant self promotion just plan creepy and honestly if this website does not improve I will not want to spend my time here in the future and will leave and I am sure I will not be the only one who will leave. Why should we have to get exposed to marketing here? That is not Carlos Santana's vision and in my opinion should not be allowed here any longer.

You can't have a website of this size and with so many members without some form of moderation and guidelines drawn up if it is going to be a pleasant place to come to. One guideline I would like to suggest is if one wants to post a link to their own website or to a website selling product then they can have that link posted on their own page at AOAND rather then in groups or on blogs or on the forum or public places.

Perhaps definitions or guidelines for the difference between a blog and a forum/discussion post could be posted somewhere too. The forum post I read I think yesterday or the day before that I objected to was more like a self promoting marketing post that they make and sell the "best herbs" and once it was revamped due to my objection it might have been better posted as a blog then on the forum. The people who are here to market themselves and their products are rather transparent and bore me to tears.

[Jeanne]

Marinspin said: "I could watch television and make sure to watch all the ads if that is what I was interested in."

OK, maybe that comment wasn't intended to be funny, but it is.

I've noticed that many people on online social networks create their page like a resume - which is a way we sell ourselves and our skills... where would we draw the line? I tend to think that, like family members, we are polishing one another and like a rock grinder, it is accomplished with friction. ...mindful friction and unconditional love and never giving up.


Violette Ruffley said: "...need to be reminded what is appropriate behavior. It requires a great deal of unconditional love, on our part, to accept everyone within a group of this size."

Yes, Violette, I agree wholeheartedly. We must not give up on one another... we are all a work in progress. Here, we have an opportunity to polish one another to bring out the beauty.

Metta,
Jeanne

[Marc]

I recognize the distinction you are making between what an ultimatum is and simply your ability to continue to enjoy coming to the site.

Marinspin said:

I am not stating an ultimatum at all. I like the vision set for this website and enjoy many of the people here but find some of the blatant self promotion just plan creepy and honestly if this website does not improve I will not want to spend my time here in the future and will leave and I am sure I will not be the only one who will leave.

[Free Digital Universe]

Well said Violet!

Violette Ruffley said:

It is my perception the marketing, which is self serving, is being promoted due to the individuals lack of maturity. And as with children they need to be reminded what is appropriate behavior. It requires a great deal of unconditional love, on our part, to accept everyone within a group of this size. Embracing in light and love all of the sweet spirits present.

[Lawrence Morrell]

Well, as a brand spankin new member, I have to admit that the first thing I did was upload pictures of my glass sculptures. This was more to describe who I am than try to sell anything as I have galleries for that. I agree that every single networking site on the net seems to be infected by commerce and... what.. You're Not Selling Anything here at AOAND? (0k, fine...new ideas... but those are Dangerous, don't you know...)
I'm here to be open to new ideas and thank you all for making this place cool...
Lawrence Morrell

[thomas]

but,, and if you do,,,, and if you do,,,, why your more than welcome Laurance,, because this is freedom,, i've discovered here ,, AMAZING things,, like Siljas ART,, its fantastic,, and want to discover more,,
I love the music i find,, here ,but havent been forced to buy!!! thats just it,, if your turned off by a group,,, dont go there;),,, thats whats so cool about all this techno internet shit anyway,,, there's loads of garbage out there,,,but one man's trash is another's treasure,, now I agree,,like i said,, lets not spam this vision into,, obscuriity,, but use OUR LIGHT to spread it like beurre==)BTW welcome lawrence!! and have fun here,,you too Marin!!!and new ideas are centuries old!!!
Lawrence Morrell said:

Well, as a brand spankin new member, I have to admit that the first thing I did was upload pictures of my glass sculptures. This was more to describe who I am than try to sell anything as I have galleries for that. I agree that every single networking site on the net seems to be infected by commerce and... what.. You're Not Selling Anything here at AOAND? (0k, fine...new ideas... but those are Dangerous, don't you know...)
I'm here to be open to new ideas and thank you all for making this place cool...
Lawrence Morrell

[thomas]

oh ,yeah,, I'm trying to sell something here at aoand ,,world PEACE FOR FREE,,,, hmmm thats not so expensive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anyone else think it dont cost a dime?

thomas said:

but,, and if you do,,,, and if you do,,,, why your more than welcome Laurance,, because this is freedom,, i've discovered here ,, AMAZING things,, like Siljas ART,, its fantastic,, and want to discover more,,
I love the music i find,, here ,but havent been forced to buy!!! thats just it,, if your turned off by a group,,, dont go there;),,, thats whats so cool about all this techno internet shit anyway,,, there's loads of garbage out there,,,but one man's trash is another's treasure,, now I agree,,like i said,, lets not spam this vision into,, obscuriity,, but use OUR LIGHT to spread it like beurre==)BTW welcome lawrence!! and have fun here,,you too Marin!!!and new ideas are centuries old!!!
Lawrence Morrell said:

Well, as a brand spankin new member, I have to admit that the first thing I did was upload pictures of my glass sculptures. This was more to describe who I am than try to sell anything as I have galleries for that. I agree that every single networking site on the net seems to be infected by commerce and... what.. You're Not Selling Anything here at AOAND? (0k, fine...new ideas... but those are Dangerous, don't you know...)
I'm here to be open to new ideas and thank you all for making this place cool...
Lawrence Morrell

[Marinspin]

I don't see anything wrong with posting one's glass sculptures on their own page or the music one records and makes. It is the links to websites that sell for profit and the forum posts here that link to websites that sell or the forum posts that say "I make the best herbs ever contact me".

The forum posts and groups that are out to market and self promote and sell blatantly are the ones I object to. They are not really sharing but selling. This website in the public areas like groups and on the forum is not the place to be selling anything. Sellers and self promoters can find a new age magazine and pay for an ad or utilize craigslist if they have something to sell but this website even in a group is not the place for it in my opinion and Ning's too. If we are going to utilize a Ning site then we need to follow their rules or get another site.

[Ernesto Rafael Vega]

Hi Marinspin, Everyone,

Thanks for broaching the subject. It is important to address this issue because it's the number 1 buzz kill in Social Networking on the web. So what to do?

Personally I like it here. I don't want it to turn into a never ending pitch for products and services. At the same time, many of us are professional and offer products and services myself included. Like Lawrence this is not my venue but a few people here know what I do and where to find me if they are interested.

What we do is part of who we are, it would not be realistic to expect there to be no mention of what you do. I have not seen Lawrence's glass sculptures but I want to see them. I want to hear peoples music and read their poetry.

Welcome Lawrence.

I even want there to be a link on peoples profiles that link to their site(s).

What I don't want is to be bombarded with posts and groups that are intended to market services and products. It's not brain surgery. It's just good manners and common sense. The same as if you were at a social gathering at someones home.

What we need is a way to find common ground on this and other issues as they arise going forward.

As you mentioned there are terms of service. We should read them and abide by them.

Everyone here had a source of income before they joined, and they will have one (hopefully) if they are no longer here.

Networking inevitably leads to you learning what the other person does. It can be a natural thing, and at least here, it should be. In my opinion. There are lots of creative and inspiring individuals here and I want to know what they do, but I want to do that on my terms not the other persons.

There are solutions, we just need to identify them and ask the AOAND staff what they want. This way we can arrive at a solution without it being an impediment to the growth of AOAND and our collective comfort level.

I agree with the person that was surprised there has not been more viral marketing going on here. We are blessed that the membership is not "mostly" opportunists and the onslaught of marketing posts has not arrived yet, but it will.

I think now is a good time to address it and this conversation is seminal.

I'm willing to participate.

We know what the problem is, now let's postulate some solutions.


That's my 2 cents.

Ernesto Rafael Vega