Debates Section Pole...Kepp it or Lose it?

[Aurielius]

LP, just curious.... Are you beginning to feel a bit, I don't know... derailed?:unsure:

 

I was...but now I am not. Pulled it right back in my own, little brain. :thumbsup:

 

That being said...I have a family with which I would like to spend some time. So....See you in the funny papers.

Does that mean you can be found in Dogpatch? :whistling:

[Lisnpuppy]

I think also....it may be a good idea when one is responding to a post...not to use derogatory terms to put the post down. Saying you disagree or the post is not meaningful or something like that is fine.

 

However I think it doesn't do anyone good and serves to get hackles up to say something like..

 

To think that is so stupid...

To say that you don't agree is stupid

Its stupid not to think...

 

please replace stupid with any other like term. I read something like that and it just makes me want to scream. The person to which you are responding no doubt feels the same.

 

Personally I think it would be a good idea for us ALL take a good look when we re-read our post to maybe use some other wording?

 

Thank you.

[Nintii]

@Nintii, ok wave on pal. :biggrin: And just so you know, there are only three people on my "ignore" list. So I am still seeing an awful lot of the nonsense I would rather miss. Not exactly sticking my head in the sand. Am banging it against the wall a lot in order not to respond inappropriately though... :wallbash:

 

You've taken the time to respond and so I'd like to return the courtesy.

 

Perhaps if I explained where I was coming from ... a few years ago (3 or 4 I cannot remember), I was a menber of Bethesda and while reading the posts one day I came across a post where one guy was telling a new member something like this ... "Listen,

don't rock the boat, say and do this and that and then stick to me because if so and so (and he mentioned the guys name for all to see), sees you with me then "you're in" ... well that just disgusted me.

Have people no shame, and to post that where everybody could see it ... I felt sick to the stomach, and that's what I'm afraid is going to happen here ...

 

If I say that I didn't understand where you are coming from then I'd be lying ... I really do get your point ...

What I like about you is that you encourage or discourage people with comments like ... Well done keep it up ... No, I couldn't see where you were going with that ... or something along those lines ... this is constructive criticism and this is what people need ... a kind word or a word said in a motherly tone of correction can do wonders ... and I'd be the first to stand in line to get my shot or dose or whatever you call it ... but let's not be ugly about it and hurt people.

 

@ Ginnyfizz ... I agree wholeheartedly.

 

@ the ignored ... (maybe I'm one and I couldn't care), you are valuable because you make me think, but this is where things are headed ... try tweaking the way you do things, even if it's a little ... and no I don't mean conform and change your viewpoint to satisfy others ... thank you so much for hearing me out.

Edited October 6, 2011 by Nintii

[Balagor]

This in no offense, and meant as a friendly prank (with a hint of seriousness) :tongue:

Its funny with you Americans. You don´t like bad words. When I watch Jon Stewart I hear only a lot of BIP.....BIP......BIP, but fortunately I got subtitels so I can read all his bad words. :woot:

We even got a swear filter here on The Nexus, so no "dirty comes through" (Roger Waters)

Funny thing is, there is no limit to how bad a sentence one can create with only nice words, It´s just a matter of mixing the superlatives in the right way. :devil:

Perhaps a "proper sentence" filter is needed on The Nexus :excl:

 

EDIT: Wonder how DK televison translates all the BIP´s to the swear words I read. Perhaps they got an exclusive translation from Mr. Stewart himself :biggrin:

[Kendo 2]

@ Nintii

Here's my take on the 'ignored user' issue. There are 2.5 million members on Nexus. I'm ignoring three of them because (in my opinion) I think they have obnoxious posting habits. Think of it as having a splinter in your finger. You can look at it, you can scratch it with your fingernail. Do you leave the splinter in your finger or do you get the eyebrow tweasers and pull it out? I have simply pulled the splinter out of my finger, nothing more.

The indivduals I'm ignoring are in no way affected by this tactic. They are free to continue on, doing what they do. They simply can't do it to me. I'm bulletproof. They can quote me, call me names, tell me how stupid and wrong I am on every post I make. I'll never know about it because I'm not reading their posts. Those indivduals are irrelevant to anything I want to discuss or debate. They don't exist.

Can someone do the same to me? YES. We still live in a relatively free country and people can somewhat do as they please. For all I know, you'll never see this post because you're ingnoring ME. And that's cool. I'm not arrogant enough to demand that people pay attention to me or that they MUST engage me in a debate or discussion in these threads. IF I did, it would mean that I get some level of sick validation by participating. It might even mean that I have a control issue or that I'm insecure. Whatever.

 

The reason I addressed this to you is you voiced a concern that there might something more to ignoring some members than there really is. There isn't. It is simply my way of removing a source of irritation so I can participate in the debates unencumbered.

[Nintii]

@ Kendo 2 ... ok then (not that you asked my approval) I understand ... I have also been annoyed with it (and myself for being a right royal pain in the moosh koosh) ... but as long as people respect our "fraternising with the enemy" ... this is an individual thing ... I'm now going to press my reset button ... *pressing button* ... aaaaahh peace with the world :thumbsup:

[Maigrets]

I voted to keep the Debates section, but rename it the Discussion forum.....just not Opinion forum. :thumbsup:

 

I read the topics here most days, or at least the subjects that interest me even if I don't post. I do agree with a previous suggestion that it would be better named Open Discussion as long as people keep to the rules and respect others ideas. This seems to be the big issue though.

 

The thing that mainly interests me here is how differently people view many subjects and sometimes personal experience can be a valuable addition when considering that many things cannot be found in fact, figures and dry statistics.

 

Speaking for myself I would prefer to read about people's experiences regarding the subjects presented as well as the facts where possible. My eyes tend to glaze over when people cite quotes and references to pages and pages of outside links, but then it's my choice whether or not to read them. I usually don't, especially when it's politics or of no other interest to me.

 

The Debates area as it is will never be true to it's name as it's supposed to be because we all come from different walks of life, cultures and experience. Facts and statistics are well and good, but I find it less enlightening than real discussion and differing points of view. How many times have people linked to pages with the so the called facts and another poster comes along and links to another with differing facts and findings?

 

Sometimes people quote things as they see them and search out texts reflecting their own views and I for one don't believe all I read. Truth is not always set in stone and can change depending on new discoveries, events and at times people's perception of said truth. Even newspapers differ from one to the next on details, as do web pages.

 

@ the ignore button advocates,

I'm aware lisnpuppy didn't bring up the subject of the "Ignore" button as the OP, but I find the mention of it, and particularly the extent it has been quite insulting. Showing that kind of attitude publicly will do more to discourage people from taking part as it shows exactly how some people think of others and how worthless their posts seem to be viewed. One shouldn't wonder why there are so few new people who take part in discussions and others who have left because of it.

 

I would also like to point out that some of the people posting in this thread who are talking about the evils of personal attacks and derailing threads are the very ones who have been guilty of it themselves. Many times over. The Debates section is dominated by a few and like it or not it's the truth. There are people I vehemently disagree with but I still read their posts, or not as I choose. I just restrain myself from reacting to them publicly most times.

 

There is a report button which should be used more than it is when posters are personally attacked which we all know happens frequently, and usually against the same persons in particular. I can only imagine what it must be like for the Moderators having to wade through some of the threads and that they lock out of control topics. If people didn't respond in kind and let troublemakers have their five minutes of fame they may well just fade away by natural attrition as unlikely as that may be.

 

The only time I would use the Ignore button is if they sent me personal messages that I found offensive or to continue an argument for the sake of it,and that has happened in the past. But then that's my choice, just as it is to read the Debates section in the first place. If I chose to "Ignore" posters because I didn't like what they had to say or because I didn't like them there would be little left for me to read.

 

@ marharth and Ninti

I tend to agree with most of what you've said in this thread. It should not be a forum for the few but for everyone. I find the opinions of the few who seem to think they have the righteous authority over who can post an elitist attitude I want no further part of.

 

@ The ignored

You have a right to post as much as anyone, within the rules of course, even if others think your opinions or views are worthless. People can ignore me if they wish and it won't bother me. And that's all I have to say here.

 

@ Ninti. I agree with this entirely. You said it much better than I did.

@ the ignored ... (maybe I'm one and I couldn't care), you are valuable because you make me think, but this is where things are headed ... try tweaking the way you do things, even if it's a little ... and no I don't mean conform and change your viewpoint to satisfy others ... thank you so much for hearing me out.

[Kendo 2]

The indivduals I'm ignoring are in no way affected by this tactic. They are free to continue on, doing what they do. They simply can't do it to me.

 

It is simply my way of removing a source of irritation so I can participate in the debates unencumbered.

 

Yep, that's elitist alright. In no way could that ever be construed as egalitarian, as that would mean everyone would be able to post freely. :rolleyes:

[Lisnpuppy]

This in no offense, and meant as a friendly prank (with a hint of seriousness) :tongue:

Its funny with you Americans. You don´t like bad words. When I watch Jon Stewart I hear only a lot of BIP.....BIP......BIP, but fortunately I got subtitels so I can read all his bad words. :woot:

We even got a swear filter here on The Nexus, so no "dirty comes through" (Roger Waters)

Funny thing is, there is no limit to how bad a sentence one can create with only nice words, It´s just a matter of mixing the superlatives in the right way. :devil:

Perhaps a "proper sentence" filter is needed on The Nexus :excl:

 

EDIT: Wonder how DK televison translates all the BIP´s to the swear words I read. Perhaps they got an exclusive translation from Mr. Stewart himself :biggrin:

 

I am not sure if this is about the stupid thing or not, hun. I know you were poking fun but the reason I said this was not to mandate what people say, but because when you put a sentence like that, a lot of folks will assume you are calling THEM stupid. I don't see why when we post here part of that can't be posted civilly. Like you said also...sometimes you can word things so nicely that someone may not realize they have been given the cut direct until much later.

 

As for Maigrets....I think I agree with most of what you have said. You have also probably presented the anti-ignore button main reason better than they have themselves. I still stand by that no one can really know what someone reads or not, unless they respond directly to it.

 

With that I think I have said all I can here. Hopefully this will help but I don't know. The post all seem to be centered about the ignore issue (except you Maigrets and I thank you for your words) and I have no interest in that. I didn't raise this issue, I don't have anyone on it. Hell I don't even know how to do it off the top of my head.

 

I was hoping to make something better out of this. I have no clue if it succeeded or made things worse but I can say I tried.

 

Please know that I respect all of you and hope that you all will post here in the future. I too find it interesting to see what others thing. Just remember as my Mother said, "Someone has a right to be wrong. That doesn't mean you should rub their noses in it."

 

Good Day and Good Luck.

[Balagor]

>snip<

I am not sure if this is about the stupid thing or not, hun.

>snip<

You just used a naughty word. Shame on you :P (tears hair out, she said stupid ) :woot:

Sorry LP, my DK sarcasm got the worse of me. :blush:

Speaking of it sarcasm, fun, jokes, pranks, not taking one self too solemn (can you say that, or would you say seriously?) It helps a lot not to be too seriously about one self, when reading in a debate forum. Putting pride and other emotionel functions aside can also be good. Who says that the poster, you find insulting, is speaking to YOU? Unless we are speaking about a quoting offcause. Then it helps to look at it all with the "joking glasses" on, and think, "okay", "this person must have gone out of bed with the foot in some doggy poo this morning" "and so what"?

In such case I choose not to reply, thus I have been rather silent in the debates lately. There is no need to reply. Nexus Rules does not tell me to reply. I have no pride, that tell me to reply. I just wait and see what comes up next, and hope for the day there will be something of interest and objectivety to reply to.