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Uh, they didn't like photography, either, because they thought it "stole your soul."
That's something that certain pre-modern (African, maybe Native American) tribes believed, I think. Certainly, in American/European culture, that was not the norm in photography history.
That's something that certain pre-modern (African, maybe Native American) tribes believed, I think. Certainly, in American/European culture, that was not the norm in photography history.
My understanding is that Americans liked portrait photography a great deal. They liked it better than the "effete" oil portraits that the gentry favored.
There are a ton of Civil War portraits of young soldiers. And of presidents. I don't know where the poster got the idea that Americans were ever afraid of photography.
I am not sure if my great grandparents would be afraid of DNA testing. My great grandmother did have a bit of a scandalous past, but her later life was stable and upstanding. There was a secret in her life that my mother, her granddaughter did not discover until she (my mom) was past 50. In fact there was another secret my mother discovered, but it would never have cropped up in DNA testing.
What I regret most fully, is that my dad died well before DNA testing was available. I would have loved to have learned more about his family.
I read up to this
"They are marketing a product-- you. These tests are inexpensive to appeal to the masses, but these companies don't make their money off of the genetic test, but rather from your name itself and your genetic information which they will eventually sell. Yep, they are selling your body and you gave it over to them. Shoot, sounded like a good idea at the time!"
and then stopped. I am not interested in reading why some random poster thinks all these DNA testing companies have hidden and nefarious motives. This happens 3 or 4 times a month at minimum. I also knew PAUK would author a thorough rebuttal of whatever claims you were making.......which she did.
And that is where the sources come in. No, they are not necessary for the majority of posts, but if you are going to cut against the grain, cross swords, disagree, with the reason the forum exists (we all like genealogy and the science behind genetic relationships) than be prepared to back up your opinions with citations.
Length of posts matter too. A short post warning about privacy and DNA testing is very different than a long lecture about a topic that forum regulars know more about than yourself.
Ahhh....I understand. Thank you for your tips and input. I will be doing better!
Your entire original post was condescending. You spoke as though you knew better than anyone else here and the only reason someone would take a DNA test if they didn't know about these really important things that only you could enlighten us about. I get that you've claimed that wasn't your intention, but that's how it came across so you can hardly be shocked if the response you got was similar. "I am only writing what I know to be true" is far more condescending than my response that what you know to be true is false - that was just a factual statement.
Okay, I originally wrote one thing that didn't have to do with the topic, when you have written paragraphs and paragraphs.
Well, it's true. Like I say, you're new here and instead of considering that maybe the people you're addressing have been here for years and might know more about this than you do, you speak to us as though we're ignorant and you need to inform us immediately because there's no other reason one would take a DNA test.
Whenever there's an "attack" there's a "victim". That's how attacks work. Yep, that was a little condescending, but so is "I can only hope I don't really have to explain this one to you" and "If you are still confused about what constitutes a personal attack, then I can't help you anymore." Every single one of your posts (starting with the very first one) is dripping with condescension but because you deny it, and cover it with passive aggressively polite terms and smiley faces, you think you're getting away with it and making me look like the bad guy.
If you think I've broken forum rules, report me. That's what the report button is for. Let the mods and admins deal with it, that's what they are for (and generally, even they will tell you that).
I do not have the energy to address the rest.
Good grief....can we just start over? Truce. I'm leaving this thread.
My view is that Kindness Matters, while new, was giving their opinion on where our DNA tests are headed for future generations because they have knowledge in the insurance field and know they want to get their hands on our tests now but aren't. They're saying to give it time, our data could be sold in 50 years if it still exists.
When we read here, we read with whatever mood we have. Since Kindness Matters is new, they do not know how to take PA2UK's replies. PA2UK is trying to tell Kindness Matters that it isn't an issue right now and why. Yes, we see posts pop up like that regularly here from people that don't want to test for that very reason.
I've tested. I'm not worried about it right now. It's not a big deal to most of us that have tested. In a few years if things change, I will delete my results from all of the databases as that's my option.
Kindness Matters I assume you haven't done DNA? As you said in your reply, you really don't have to because some of your relatives have. If one of your relatives commit a crime, LE uploads to GEDmatch or FTDNA they may be arrested if relatives have tested but as PA2UK said, it's only 2 databases out of a handful.
I find that whole genealogy thing silly. People are who they are, look to the future, not the past. Whatever your ancestors did or didn't do was neither your fault nor your merit. So, who cares...
I find that whole genealogy thing silly. People are who they are, look to the future, not the past. Whatever your ancestors did or didn't do was neither your fault nor your merit. So, who cares...
I see that you are in Europe. I suspect you have a different view of things because you most likely live in or near where your ancestors lived. Many of us in America don't know much about where our ancestors came from -- many of us are such a mix of peoples that the families have lost track of the past. So we find it very interesting to learn where our people came from.
I see that you are in Europe. I suspect you have a different view of things because you most likely live in or near where your ancestors lived. Many of us in America don't know much about where our ancestors came from -- many of us are such a mix of peoples that the families have lost track of the past. So we find it very interesting to learn where our people came from.
So, you know, and then what? You are American and never will be anything else.
I find that whole genealogy thing silly. People are who they are, look to the future, not the past. Whatever your ancestors did or didn't do was neither your fault nor your merit. So, who cares...
I think it's a general curiosity for some. People enjoy all sorts of hobbies and activities, some collect antiques or stamps or coins, some do arts and crafts, etc. and while many could look at those things and call them "silly", I say to each their own. As long as your are not hurting or harming me, go at it.
I see genealogy or family tree constructing as a type of a puzzle, where all of the pieces of the puzzle are out there somewhere and you just have to find them. Obviously I wasn't adopted and know who my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents are/were and knowing who and where my ancestors came from doesn't change who I am, you're right about that, but calling something silly, just because you don't care........is well, silly!
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You are American and never will be anything else.
