September 2026 Photo Contest Discussion Thread: "The Street as a Livelihood" (page 11 of 12)

I admit that refocusing, broadening your perspective, stepping back, letting go, and opening your chakras,

😂😂😂😂😂

🤹‍♂️🤹‍♂️🤹‍♂️🤹‍♂️🤹‍♂️

🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌 Thanks to you (and Jojo) for making me laugh so much. I haven’t laughed like this in ages on this so-so forum.

Long live *Les Femmes Savantes*. Molière’s comedy hasn’t aged a day in 300 years!!! And you forgot to wish us a "BEAUTIFUL" day...

In this polarized discussion where comments cross paths without meeting, thank you (first for the support :-) ), for your dispassionate reading and the reflections that could broaden the debate. Steering it away from biased interpretations, distancing it from the Manichaeism that consists of taking sides for or against, extracting it from the simplistic opposition censorship vs freedom in which some are sadly tripping over themselves.

@Pagal, who in their reply brilliantly illustrates my point—running out of arguments, they resort to contempt (hypocrisy, condescension, self-righteousness...)—and whose number of interventions contradicts the claim that none of this is serious and it doesn’t affect them.

Your supporters, who fully back your approach, could have advised you to finish the job rather than abandoning it with a "not my problem" attitude. Seeing the contest through to the end, out of respect for all participants, and *then* voicing your grievances. Putting the common interest before your own when your integrity isn’t at stake—when it’s just your ego taking a hit—would have carried much more weight and style.

@Raga, I clicked, but it’s not flashing.

Sorry if this came across as condescending—I really didn’t mean it that way. (I keep coming back to how hard it is to convey nuances in writing.) Please forgive me if I upset you.

Also, my message wasn’t aimed at you specifically but was more general, including toward the person who reported the post (if they’re still reading us—maybe they were just a one-time visitor). Instead of calling it personal development, I’d say it’s about being considerate of others.

One challenge on the forum is how quickly things can spiral. For example: in the travel journal I wrote about my trip to Japan, I dared to say that while I *loved* my trip, I’d struggle to live there long-term, and I also commented on the role of women in Japanese society. Boom! A bunch of moralizing replies followed, one of them a real gem. Just one example among many.

I totally get why you’re upset/annoyed about your photo being removed. But I also completely understand why someone might have wanted it taken down and preferred to go through moderation. What leaves me more puzzled is the controversy that followed (even though, paradoxically, I’m contributing to it). Probably just the challenges of written communication.

I see that with every stone thrown, people wait for it to finish you off, and they get more and more annoyed seeing you lift your head instead of bowing it—hoping it’ll finally be shattered for good. So they throw sharper and sharper stones to finally put an end to it. There’s no word for this kind of verbal stoning.

Avoiding biased interpretations, steering clear of the Manichaeism that means taking sides for or against

Oh, come on—that’s the pot calling the kettle black (sorry if that shocked anyone). Coming from the most publicity-hungry and black-and-white thinkers who get to decide what’s right and wrong... Wow, they really have no shame. Thanks for the laugh! 😄

Pagal, who in their reply perfectly illustrates my point—running out of arguments and resorting to contempt (hypocrisy, condescension, self-righteousness...)

Don’t twist things—these are just objective observations, not contempt. "Take a step back" and see how your own words objectively drip with condescension and self-righteousness. If you don’t realize that, the problem might be even bigger. 😕

denies the claim that none of this is serious or affects them.

But I’m telling you, it’s true. I’ve said it before—I’m just seeing this through. The number of replies I keep making won’t change anything. Your speculation just seems like a way to reassure yourself.

Your supporters, who fully back your approach, could’ve advised you to finish the job instead of washing your hands of it. Seeing the contest through to the end—out of respect for all participants—then airing your grievances afterward.

Oh, Kola, always handing out moral commands. Did you climb down from your tower just for this? No, things don’t always go your way. My supporters don’t have to agree with you—you’re not in a position to dictate what they think, and neither am I. We’ll be okay, though, right?

Putting the common good before your own ego when your integrity isn’t at stake—when it’s just your pride that’s bruised—would’ve carried a lot more weight and class.

The common good of *which* community? Sacrificing yourself for the group... That’s how dangerous cult leaders and dictators talk. Alright, let’s just call it naturopathy—how much is that gonna cost me, "doc"?

I see that with every stone thrown, they wait for it to finish you off, and they get more and more annoyed seeing you lift your head instead of bowing it—hoping it’ll finally be shattered for good. So they throw sharper and sharper stones to finally put an end to you. There’s no word for this kind of verbal stoning.

I see it more like people throwing styrofoam balls, convinced they’re hurling steel ones. The group effect just makes them even more ridiculous and ineffective.

Sorry if that came off as condescending

I’d invite you to reread your message—it’s perfectly condescending. Really, read it carefully again.

I don’t quite get the point of your comment. You’re upset about moralizing remarks on your Japan travel journal, yet here you are doing the same to me. You acknowledge that I might be "upset," but you also understand the person who reported it... If I didn’t read your messages in full, I’d almost think you agree with everyone.

I’ll say it again—I don’t know how many times I’ve already said it: the obvious move would’ve been for the snitch to handle this differently, whether by discussing it privately or publicly. But strangely, you and others keep ignoring this argument, even though it’s just common sense. It was undeniably the best solution.

What leaves me even more puzzled is the controversy that followed (even though, paradoxically, I’m contributing to it)

If this "controversy" were truly absurd, no one would be feeding into it—everyone would just ignore it. You’re feeding into it yourself because, deep down, you might think it has some merit worth discussing, even if groupthink forces you to see it negatively.

It started because I spoke up—few reacted to something that deserved discussion, something that stemmed from a cowardly, pointless act, even in a game with no stakes. I noticed the deletion while tallying up the points. Some even started defending the snitch (the message I got from VF suggests there were multiple reports), while others, only concerned with saving the contest, stayed indifferent. I didn’t back down in the face of that hostility and apathy combined.

But here’s the thing—I ran into a group (or maybe *I* ran into them, take your pick). In a context where a "longtime member" of VF (sorry, I love that term—it’s not mine) who clearly enjoys a special status among a small circle here took a dislike to me for reasons I don’t know, I made accusations. This member had already started following me across several threads, always to say something disparaging or negative. Seriously, I have no idea why—I’d never even talked to them before. When I started participating in the photo contest, this member, who seems to spend their time handing out gold stars and demerits despite not even participating, took even more of a dislike to me, even begging others to back them up because it was unbearable to them that I might take part.

Sure, I’ll never know who the snitch(es) is/are, but I’m convinced it’s not entirely unrelated. Maybe I’m wrong, but I really don’t think so. What’s undeniable is that the members of said group clearly recognized each other—they chimed in one after another, almost always against me, of course. Even more surprising, one of them, who holds an even more revered status here because she comments on *so* many threads, came to "put me in my place" with the tone of someone divinely appointed, despite not having participated in either of the two threads until then. Maybe she reads everything, maybe someone called her in for backup—I don’t know.

Of course, the focus is on how the report probably came from some random passerby (and not the other way around, obviously) and that *my* reaction is the problem (and nothing else, obviously). What a collective determination to only consider one possibility and not the other—it’s almost admirable!

So I kept standing my ground, which didn’t go over well. And I’ll keep doing it when necessary 😊

Good evening,

If I didn’t read your messages in their entirety, I might almost end up believing you agree with everyone

In reality, that’s more or less the case. Honestly.

You’re feeding into it yourself because, deep down, you might find that it has a meaning worth discussing, even if the group dynamic forces you to see it negatively

I was following this controversy with a somewhat distracted eye, though I was surprised. What pushed me to intervene (but did I really do the right thing? I’m still wondering) was your reaction to Kola’s message: where you saw condescension, I saw someone saying, "The photo wasn’t removed because of you, but because of the photo itself," someone saying, "There were clumsy moves, but look, they were probably just that—clumsy." My perception was that she was trying to defuse the debate and put things into perspective. Unfortunately, it backfired. Same for me—I didn’t manage to make myself understood. 🙁

It’s my reaction that’s the problem (and nothing else, obviously).

Personally, your reaction doesn’t bother me (except on one point). I would’ve been just as upset to find out my photo had been removed. And yes, in your shoes, I would’ve preferred they talk to me about it instead of just reporting it. What surprised me more was your decision to stop keeping track of the points.

Sure, I’ll never know who the informer(s) is/are, but I’m convinced it’s not entirely unrelated.

Maybe... or maybe not. We all—myself included—sometimes spin stories that are pretty far from reality.

Good evening, I would’ve definitely reacted the same way as you to the deletion of one of my photos, and I understand your anger. However, I don’t think this deletion was aimed at you personally. In my opinion, whoever made that decision simply found the photo shocking—nothing more. What saddens me is both this cowardly "snitching" attitude done behind your back without warning you and this excessive prudishness toward expressions of life. Frankly, there’s no reason to feel targeted by one or more VF members.

Good evening Jean-Michel,

First off, I’m not angry. I obviously wasn’t happy at the time that my photo was censored, but I’ll say it again—I’m no longer bothered by it. VoyageForum isn’t my life. I’m just seeing this through to the end.

Yes, of course, it’s entirely possible this wasn’t personal. That said, it’s not something we can rule out either. Still, you can’t deny: - that a group of members has a very exclusionary and biased reaction to the issue, with a condescending tone, - that some members seem to take on self-appointed "moderator" roles they clearly take very seriously, - and that beyond this situation, one member in particular is constantly hostile toward me for no reason I can see, and they’re defended by the same people.

What surprised me the most was your decision to stop keeping track of the points.

My way of not accepting this approach. Nothing complicated—it even seems logical to me.

Maybe... or maybe not. We all—myself included—sometimes build up stories that are pretty far from reality.

Yes, or not. Until proven otherwise, you don’t have any more evidence than I do for what you’re claiming. Just because the majority tries to invalidate what I’m saying doesn’t mean I’m necessarily wrong. And it doesn’t change the very real hostility a member has toward me.

We receive between 2 and 3 reports per day for this thread.

Should we close it?

The thread will end on its own since the contest finishes today. We’ll move on to the next one in another thread 😉

Have a great day

In the end, I’m in favor of closing this thread where people keep rambling on—it doesn’t leave room for Kate’s new contest.

Thanks

There’s an "unfollow this thread" option, I think, if the ramblings aren’t your thing. Otherwise, you can also report it 😁😒

I support your request on humanitarian grounds: even if ridicule doesn’t kill, we’ve got to save Private Pagaliméro!

Well, look who it is: Trissotin!

I support your request on humanitarian grounds: even if ridicule doesn’t kill, we’ve got to save Private Pagaliméro!

This is exactly the kind of reasoning that comes out of harassers’ mouths. QED

And what do you call it when a member keeps targeting me in messages, obsessively accusing me of all their problems?

(I don’t get social media codes—I don’t see any argument in my two lines, nor, as a result, *Quod Erat Demonstrandum*.)

@Pagaljavab What a circus! I’m spoiled. 😛

Speaking of obsession, it’s possible to factually show that you started sending me hostile messages across several threads when I’d never even spoken to you before—I didn’t even know who you were. "It’s the one who says it who is it"? Come on, show some honesty and dignity, if that’s at all possible.

I don’t know what pleasure you get from acting like a pedantic little boss, handing out gold stars and demerits all over the place (a few people have mentioned it to me), or harassing people when the mood strikes. You probably don’t have much else going on. Anyway, go strut around somewhere else, Trissotin—we’re waiting for you elsewhere.

Hi Joël, I no longer feel like participating in exchanges on VF at all. You must have noticed. But this is just too much!!! The member Pagal mentioned is harassing me—it’s been 3 years now, ever since VF reopened. I didn’t even know him before, and suddenly he appeared out of nowhere. He took a dislike to me for some reason, and ever since, he won’t leave me alone. He provokes me, publicly ridicules me. It’s outright harassment. It got to the point where I deleted all my travel journals, stopped writing new ones, and even stopped joining discussions because I was so tired of his interventions meant to destabilize me. I couldn’t write a single word, as you know, without him jumping in to mock me publicly. And when I started participating in the Photo Contest, he did it again—mocking me. He got what he wanted because I don’t write anymore. I despise him; I haven’t spoken to him in over a year. I ignore his messages. When I see his username pop up in my discussions, I don’t even open his message because I know it’ll be full of spite and venom. I’ve blocked him in my PMs.

This member hides behind his computer screen. There’s a word for that.

I’m taking this opportunity to pay tribute to Noel Godin, who passed away last August. It’s been 21 years since his book came out: "Let’s pie, let’s pie the pompous pickles."