good idea in theory, but in practice it probably won't work, it's not like an undercover shopper, or an undercover cop, it's the internet, the accused fluffy could be gagged or banned, but they can easily come back. trust me, my friends and i have been dealing with someone like that on this site for a solid month.
while it is time consuming, we might have to think about teaching new members, to stop fluffies from teaching them. that seems to be the only logical option out their. simple as if someone asks for help, instead of brushing them off, offer them a push in a direction, some good websites, articles, videos, and books to check out, or take them on as a student just for 'the basics'. [year and a day at the most] another option could be to have people teach. make sure they know what they're doing of course, but have a list under a tab, or next to their name the same way moderator, editor or administrator would appear.
i'm not saying that's what we must do, it's just an idea, an option, to help lessen the amount of new students being misinformed. of course, this is what covens are for, but many covens are just their, and the members need to understand a coven is a family to lean on, learn, and grow. if you are in a good coven, one day, you will of learned all you could from them, and move on, probably to start your own branch. online covens should be the same, you should feel accepted, and you should learn, as well as have fun. so maybe it's not a group of teacher we need as people to have a crash course in what covens are.
I feel like "fluffy" is being abused these days. Fluffy is often a term used for random things that are actually controversial on many levels that nobody really has the qualifications to decide right or wrong. What you might see as fluffy at times could sincerely be how people have learned therefore decide to teach.
I was taught Pluto was a planet. Many people to this day refuse to accept it as a mere dwarf planet when up-to-date science has determined it as such.
I don't see this being a good idea because the few people who would be chosen as "undercover newbies" very well might not understand everything there is to understand in magic and occult practices.
For instance, I was called fluffy earlier by a fairly respected member of this website for something I can explain with extensive research and explanation. I wasn't given half the chance before my very own education and credentials were insulted.
What happens when something like this occurs? Members like myself who may sometimes look at things differently might be on the short end of that deal.
I realize more often than not, members perceived as fluffy seriously are but adding yet another system to make it open season on judging people just isn't necessary.
I am borrowing this bit from Tamiel. A member who is a grand friend of mine. Here's what he defined fluff as:
"A definition of a fluff is one who claims the impossible, who is ignorant by choice, who is Choosing to live in a fantasy.
Examples of Fluff is:
Claiming to physically be something other than a human. Like a werewolf, vampire, mermaid, fairy, demon, angel, or anything other than human.
Trolling. This is when you cause drama, and are annoying to everyone else. One who is causing havoc, again we do not tolerate drama.
Claiming to fly, levitate, control water, wind, the earth, and fire, or any other element.
Something's are not a matter of belief. There are limitations in this physical plane rather you like it or not. Not everything is possible on the Physical Plane or in other words the world we Humans live in.
I personally am sick of the ones who Choose to remain ignorant. It is an insult to serious practitioners who actually are sincerely trying to learn, and not deal with the nonsense." - Tamiel
That is excellent advice, but I wanted to break away from the fluff teachers and ways to prevent them from spreading false information. I wanted to talk about people who study more, unusual subjects. For example, I study all things Draconic; from history, language, to code and principle. Its all captivating to me. I'll admit that I am young, and when I first came on to the site, even though I have studied for years before hand, I was ready to believe anything. As a result I was berrated and frowned upon so I gave up the silly thought of go in thinking everything is truth.
Since the study of what I call Draconics is extremely fragile, and one small bit of false information can cause a shroud of mishap, you do have to be extremely careful in what source you use for study. So these unusual studies of stuff like Draconics, or myth can be easily turned into false truth. With that being said, what would be your opinion of teachers of odd subjects? Could everyone of them be false? Or are there some who you believe are honest to a fault?
There will always be those who think they know it all, and they mislead people. Fluffs, sadly will not disappear, you can try to educate, but it's like this, you can lead a horse to water to drink, however you cannot make a horse drink.
Just advise people to try to use common sense, intelligence and maturity. We all have common sense, however it is our choice to use it or not.
I only "teach"(maybe too much said), well, I give them information about what I know, and also I am a teen, 17 years old:) Everybody says that young teachers are bad, that they claim they no everything but actually they do not know anything! I feel a little offenced! Maybe there really are this kind of teens that do this stuff, but not all of them! Some of us do not "claim to know everything", but what we know we give forward to other people who are intertested in what we know! I do not think is bad to help someone find their way or path in life, and maybe you do not agree with some of the practices, but that doesn't mean they are not true! I learned healing for example, by a person who was 18 years old, and he thought me well! I do not claim to know everything but what I know, I pay forward! So you should stop judging people by their age, it is very unfair!
That is a very good point Blue. I have no reason to not like young teachers. There are many knowledgable people who are younger. The problem I have is that people read something and think they know it, understand it and can teach it to others. Just because something is printed or on the internet does not make it applicable to magical works and reading it does not make someone capable of teaching others. That being said, those that have good knowledge should teach it.
The key words there are good knowledge. Not everything that you see, every idea or concept, is good. I do have a problem with people teaching fantasy garbage and trying to pass it off as reality.
But, knowledge can only take you so far. You also have to have experience. There are people here who have years of experience. Some have more years experience in magical arts than other members have years of life. And these youngsters think they know everything and contradict the exeperienced persons on a regular basis.
So, in a nutshell. Just because you are young doesn't mean you are a bad teacher. If you are teaching fiction, you are fluff. Don't blow off experienced people just because they say something you don't like. And don't teach fluff.
