For a while now, some members of the forum, Dan and myself included, have developed the feeling that General Discussion has become bogged down with unchecked argument threads and with topics that are frankly, asinine.
A few examples of the latter include:
**Have you ever been so bored…
Obama: Looking at Awesome Things (not a bait thread)
General Discussion: Is It Smug In Here?**
-and just about anything and everything to do with Boxxy.
Stuff like that does go a lot of the way toward detracting from topics that I and others feel are what the General Discussion is here for, which includes the discussion of world issues and such.
To help clear up the forum, there’s going to be a program of deleting topics like the ones listed above, and extensive clearouts of select posts in others if they’ve gone off the rails due to a public fight between two members.
This isn’t an attempt to curb the use of humour here, but it would be beneficial to refrain from posting every potentially-humourous thing that could be found on the Internet. We know there are a lot of utterly insane people going about in the world today, but there’s no need to showcase them here.
I cite Steve Buster’s awful “Brokeback Busters” trailer as being an example of something I’d probably delete if it were in the General Discussion.
Well I kinda figured the point of the Off Topic section was to talk about things that are off topic. Besides, random comments about Boxxy is a hell of alot better than some of the political arguments that have broken out in here before. May just be me, but I really don’t see what the big deal is.
“talk about stuff that has nothing to do with ghostbusters”…sure the politics topics rub some people the wrong way, even the silly stuff too, but theres no one holding a gun to anyone’s head, forcing them to read or respond to them. Is there something else behind this?
General discussion should have loads of silly threads. I know Ben has something against Boxxy, but I found that thread to be fairly light hearted compared to the normal tripe some people try to get away with.
Here, fun food for thought. Polite conversation never revolves around politics or religion. That should be adopted here. Okay, talking about the oil spill as a tregic event is one thing for sure, but it turned into an arena for people to just denounce that they don’t like Obama. We get it, you didn’t vote him. Shuddup. It’s annoying, and sure people don’t HAVE to read anything, but you start on with that mentality and soon no body is reading anything and the boards are dead.
Common sense and some skin would go a long way with people.
I don’t want to beat a dead horse but like everyone is saying, the general discussion is for just that, general discussion, i agree it can get out of hand sometimes but theres a reason that i check this place first before other threads. its amusing and believe it or not i have learned about things posted in there than anywhere else.
it seems like personall opinions are getting in the way most of the time and thats a party foul. but then gain its something that you can’t stop happening. dont most of the trends on the site start in the general discussion fourms anyways? Boxxy? Dont steal avatars avitar? just to name a few
Sounds like the beef is with the conduct of some users. I love politician bashing as much as the next guy, but it always seems to turn into personal attacks when opinions differ…but such is life.
Chris, Boxxy started in the chat, it just drifted here :lol: and I am partially to blame for that because I had started using a Boxxy avatar, then others started to :lol:
Actually, I think the view count is fairly high on most of the more controversial threads, even the ones with “Obama bashing.” In the oil thread, Uni alluded to Obama, but AJ actually kept it going by mentioning him again. Did this not instigate further discussion about Obama? You don’t fuel the fire if you want to extinguish it. I see–defending Obama is okay, but criticizing him is not?
In any case, as far as one side is concerned, the opponent never has a legitimate argument, thus the other view always gets dismissed as stupid or irrelevant. This, in turn, never results in a respectful debate. I think you’re wrong in saying that it just turned into an Obama denunciation thread. The problem arose when It turned into a series of personal attacks by both sides.
Although I enjoy it myself, this is why political discussion might ought to be taken off the table–because it can never work out fairly and it naturally devolves into heated personal attacks, instead of having an intelligent conversation. (AJ wasn’t guilty of personal attacks, of course, but he had to know it would go in that direction eventually. It always does.)
Uni would shoot me for writing that, but I have to prove I can think for myself, right?
On the rest of this, you’re right.
(I see you got your dig in on me there, Ben. Naturally, I’m going to defend the silly threads. Those seem like the only places where you *can *have a sense of humor and people get it.)
I have nothing against you Foos, it just didn’t seem that funny to me.
No need to worry about mass deletion, I got some wires crossed whilst communicating with the other members of the mod forum… there isn’t going to be a clearout of the Gen Forum.
Just a suggestion, maybe introduce a “Politics” or “Government Matters” subforum, and be sure to let people know that all political threads should be kept there?
I’m for this idea. EU will hole up in there, at which point we seal it off and pump it full of gas.
Oh dear, I’m doing it again, aren’t I?
I am against deleting threads like the “brokeback to the busters” thread. Just because it’s a bad thread or because Kingpin gets super uncomfortable every time the notion of homosexuality (especially considering his beloved ghostbusters) rears its head doesn’t mean it should be deleted.
EU and many others(not really that many others, almost entirely EU, I only said “others” to be polite, oh wait I’m doing it again) have become so freaking efficient at giving us ammunition and opportunities lately, I can see why you guys feel the need for these measures. But go easy on the moderatin’, I think the fact that the most prolific flamebait has been banned will really ease the tension around here.
Naturally, I’m going to defend the silly threads. Those seem like the only places where you *can *have a sense of humor and people get it.)