Definition: Safe Haven = A place of refuge or security.

For many, what you're about to read might be obvious, but for many, based on what I've been reading lately in the forum is not so obvious. So why don't we just refresh our memory a little.

It's necessary from time to time, on every aspect of life, to take a step back from all the chaos and go back to the basics. Taking time to ponder about purpose and reasons is always a good thing that actually helps us to stay well grounded and balanced.

Sometimes I read through the threads of this place and I think that we don't fully appreciate the value of being part of this safe haven that was actually created to empower us as a community. We argue about petty things, discredit each other, over criticize everyone and at the end we don't realize that things like that just makes us weaker as a community.

We don't realize that if we don't take this place seriously, our chances of getting good products and services would be very unlikely. This place gives sources a reason to become better and more competitive; why? Because our voice matters. It matters as long as we, the community, keep on getting stronger, closer and tighter. This place keeps all sources with the knowledge and understanding that we are the reason of their business and that they exist because of us, the Iron Community.

Imagine what it would be if there was not a place like this. The scamming, the stealing, the faking would be the norm for all of us. But this system makes it all easier for all of us, as long as we do the things that are needed to be done for this to work.

Let's review and revise some of the important things that we need to be aware of and practice in order for this place to keep on working toward us.

1: Reviews

This place is not just a place to find where to buy from. You can find a place to buy from with a simple Google search. This place has a ranking system in place that feeds from honest reviews and votes. So this place is not a place to find just where to buy, but to inform you of the best places to buy from and why. That can only be accomplished if we take the reviews system seriously. Don't buy and leave it at that like you don't care what happens after that. Your honest review and experiences will keep the sources working to better themselves on every aspect and at the end that's beneficial for all of us. You have a responsibility to yourself and to the community to express your experience in a logical, intelligent and reasonable way. Reviews will keep the pressure constant on the sources and they will act to better themselves if they want to stay in business and if they don't care it will ultimately show up by sinking in the ranks.
Don't review out of spite or for any alternate reason. I don't like to see dumb and senseless reviews on good sources. If you have an issue with a source try to take care of it privately first, because maybe your issue has a very simple solution and there's no need to stain the page of a good and reputable source. For me and for many, this is a lifestyle, we invest a great deal of money buying from these sources and maybe this person who only bought 2 bottles of Test to never buy again left a stain on a good source page that's been there for us for a long time. I just think that's unfair.

2: Transparency

Do things for the right reasons. Sources are NOT our enemies. We are all in the same boat and we are all part of the same community. Sometimes we as customers become very angry (maybe is the over usage of Tren) and unfair at very good sources for very petty insignificant stuff. Sometimes you can see flagrant hoaring and reverse scamming towards the sources and that should not be. It weakens us as a community and karma should be deducted from members being unfair to the sources. At the same time sources should be always straightforward with the community on every aspect instead of lying. Things like creating tracking numbers for orders that are not even close to be ready or giving fake dates of delivery that's shady and we know it's a trick to buy time. Things like that just makes things difficult for everyone. I prefer to have the truth even if it's bad, because honesty has a lot of value to me. Lying takes us nowhere but down.

There are parameters that justify a bad review, things like:

• Excessive tardiness. Always taking in to consideration how things are going at the moment. Sources do not control the carriers or the customs among other things. Be reasonable about the nature of this business and it's operational difficulties. This is not Amazon, nor there is a Prime membership, think about what you are ordering!

• Being ghosted. If a source took your money and after a reasonable time (several weeks) and several contact attempts there's no response, only then with solid proof you have to present your case to the community and to the BFG or mods. A few days is not a reasonable time. Sometimes there are unexpected issues on the sources side. Be patient and try to communicate with the source.
  (Note for the sources: It's important to answer messages in a timely manner. More than 48hrs to answer a message is not acceptable. Most sources are able to answer within 24hrs.)

• Getting fake gear. Saying that "I didn't feel like it was legit" is not evidence. Blood work will always show the numbers. To make an accusation of illegitimate gear, it needs to come with evidence, if you're not willing to pay for the evidence you should not make such an accusation, even more when we are talking about good, tried and true sources. But if you have real proof, then that's a different story, we need to see that proof. Present your case with clarity and logic. Down voting a sources because "It didn't work like I thought it would" is not a valid or justified reason to down vote a good source. Actually it's stupid and you are ruin it for the rest of us. There's a difference between objective and subjective. Be objective.

3: Sense of community

You might see many members exposing other members for shady behavior or actions and you might think ill of them. But in reality these brothers truly understand the importance of keeping this place in check and honest. I actually have to thank them because they have the balls to do what's right for the place. We all need develop a sense of belonging to this community, because you/we do belong in here.
There are places inside the forum where almost everything goes, but be serious and respect the places where seriousness and respect is due.

At last but not least important; Don't stray away from the herd. You will see many sources, usually new ones, inviting you to become part of a Facebook group, Instagram group, Telegram group or other platform type of re-grouping, where "re-grouping" is the key word. Think of this: A herd of water buffaloes is strong and impenetrable as long as all of them stay in the herd. If one of them stray from the herd the lions soon will get to that one and at that point it's all over for that lone buffalo. It's exactly the same in here. Once you leave the coverage of the community you are on your own and you'll become prey. Keep the discussion and the activity inside the forum, write the PM's through the forum, do all the communication through the forum; but why? You may ask. This way you empower the community, you make us stronger as a whole. You indirectly will force all the sources to take this community seriously by playing in our ground not theirs. They will see you as part of a bigger organism. That way they understand that we have the power as a whole to either make them or break them.

Remember that your reputation through the threads, reviews and relations within the community will ultimately give you credibility or not. Make your words count towards you and towards the community. Nobody will take the words of a clown seriously... well, except for Pennywise from the movie It. If he was here I would definitely take him very seriously. Lol!!!

But in all seriousness;

This is our safe haven brothers, our place of refuge or security. Where we belong. Let's take good care of this place and appreciate it's value, let's take good care of each other and lets take good care of the sources, those few sources that are putting in the work and are willing to go the distance for us, those are priceless and we want them around in the long run.

Sincere respect to all my brothers in the iron community.

(I don't claim to be an authority in this forum, I'm just a brother who cares about this safe haven and the people in it. NO HOMO.)