If that's a thing you're thinking or wondering, know that we hold all our users to our general guidelines and policies, the ones you have agreed to when registering, and any we add or adapt (always with a notice) as we go.However, every now and then, we may give a certain user a little more slack than another, or intentionally choose to answer one person before another.
Please understand that not only do we have a right to do this, this is ultimately about equity: about the fact that we all are not the same people in the same circumstances, with the same needs. We aim here to serve everyone equally, but because you're not all the same person, sometimes that means one user or situation getting something -- namely, our time -- that another does not. Most often, this is simply about someone's situation or circumstances being more dire, or earnestly needing a more immediate answer.
That's something we have to make judgment calls with, and we ask you to extend us trust about. We can't ask users to decide when and if they and others are those special circumstances because...well, people with basic head colds go to the emergency room.
They do. And even sitting right next to someone with half their leg broken off, sometimes they figure their sniffly-nose IS an emergency, as much as someone's half-a-leg left. In a word, when people feel panicked or worries, they will often feel their situation is an emergency, or more of one than someone else's, and often people's judgment on that isn't so hot. Just like people who work in an ER are, we're pretty educated around here to know what truly is an immediate crisis and what is not, and what does or does not need immediate attention. Figuring that out, and knowing how to best do that, is part of our job.
Sometimes too, whoever is around staff-wise either doesn't have the education, capacity or ability to handle certain questions. Or, may just feel like they don't have enough energy left to give a post the attention and focus it deserves, or don't feel comfortable starting a discussion with a user they know they won't be back later to finish, or to support that user with. That stuff, too, informs our choices.
We know it can feel crummy when one person gets time or attention you want that you don't, or they get it first, but that is just how it goes sometimes. We're hoping that when this happens, we can have your patience, cooperation and understanding that we absolutely will -- and usually still very quickly! -- get to you, too, and do our level best when we do to best serve your needs within our capacity. Thanks.
