Consider banning politics

Started by bwv 1080, February 07, 2019, 04:24:24 AM

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Gurn Blanston

Well, politics and religion are not going to be banned, so let's get that out of the way up front. We are, in most cases, mature, well-rounded adults and should be able to maneuver around the occasional obstacle to our sensibilities without losing our minds. I am sorry to see BWV 1080 leave, but people come and go here all the time, and for less understandable reasons than being fed up with the political situation being thrown up at them.

That said, let me take a moment to remind you all, especially those (the majority by now) who weren't here back in the days when prohibition was attempted. There wasn't a thread on the board which hadn't devolved into a morass of political muck (against GW Bush (Dickhead Cheney, actually) in those days). When these discussions were banned, the result was stultifying on all conversation, as though an intellectual blanket had been thrown over the members. So it was decided to allow political and religious discussion in The Diner. And while those threads have been largely unmoderated, they have managed for 15 years to give an outlet to people. I think this policy has proven its worth.

It is true, however, that there are some people who simply can't leave it alone and want to continue discussions outside of the prescribed area. I have deleted more than a few posts which were out of bounds, although they have been a small blot on the larger scheme of things. Instead of pointing fingers and carrying on about it ad infinitum, take a minute to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are guilty. The moderators here are as hands-off as you could ask, but that comes with a price. If you don't want to be policed, then police yourself. I'm not at all happy that a member felt compelled to leave, it may or not have been justified, but the fact that he felt it was makes it de facto true.

Thanks,
Gurn  8)
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Ghost of Baron Scarpia

Well put. I am not in favour of banning political or religious posts or threads, but confining them to the diner seems like a sensible policy.

SurprisedByBeauty

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on February 07, 2019, 07:19:32 PM
Well, politics and religion are not going to be banned, so let's get that out of the way up front. We are, in most cases, mature, well-rounded adults and should be able to maneuver around the occasional obstacle to our sensibilities without losing our minds. I am sorry to see BWV 1080 leave, but people come and go here all the time, and for less understandable reasons than being fed up with the political situation being thrown up at them.

That said, let me take a moment to remind you all, especially those (the majority by now) who weren't here back in the days when prohibition was attempted. There wasn't a thread on the board which hadn't devolved into a morass of political muck (against GW Bush (Dickhead Cheney, actually) in those days). When these discussions were banned, the result was stultifying on all conversation, as though an intellectual blanket had been thrown over the members. So it was decided to allow political and religious discussion in The Diner. And while those threads have been largely unmoderated, they have managed for 15 years to give an outlet to people. I think this policy has proven its worth.

It is true, however, that there are some people who simply can't leave it alone and want to continue discussions outside of the prescribed area. I have deleted more than a few posts which were out of bounds, although they have been a small blot on the larger scheme of things. Instead of pointing fingers and carrying on about it ad infinitum, take a minute to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you are guilty. The moderators here are as hands-off as you could ask, but that comes with a price. If you don't want to be policed, then police yourself. I'm not at all happy that a member felt compelled to leave, it may or not have been justified, but the fact that he felt it was makes it de facto true.

Thanks,
Gurn  8)

Hear hear. That's exactly what needed to be said.

We are here for a common purpose; more often than not we can get along; when things heat up we often know how to climb down... (I know I've had to send out many an apology in private messages, especially in my early years on this forum, when I would let thing get under my skin) ...and in any case banning religion (and politics) in a forum discussing music, half of which was and plenty of which remains explicitly religious (or political) would make little sense. Banning either would be tantamount that we have given up even trying to be a generally civil community. Not that we always are -- but I think we are always trying and not doing so bad a job at it, either.

david johnson

politics = the bane of civilization   :P

SurprisedByBeauty

Quote from: david johnson on February 09, 2019, 12:44:45 AM
politics = the bane of civilization   :P

Politics: n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage.

(Ambrose Bierce)

But also that which makes civilization possible. So we're stuck. :-)

Ken B

Quote from: david johnson on February 09, 2019, 12:44:45 AM
politics = the bane of civilization   :P
"Politics is the continuation of war by other means."

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: SurprisedByBeauty on February 09, 2019, 01:01:31 AM

Politics: n. A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles.

(Ambrose Bierce)

I love that, really. Very Twainish in nature...  :)

8)
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Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

Ken B

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on February 09, 2019, 07:12:19 AM
I love that, really. Very Twainish in nature...  :)

8)
The Devil's Dictionary is a fabulous book.

Egotist (n.) A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.


SurprisedByBeauty

Quote from: Gurn Blanston on February 09, 2019, 07:12:19 AM
I love that, really. Very Twainish in nature...  :)

8)

Bierce, Twain and Mencken are triplets separated at birth. Excellent sense of terse, wry humor and intelligence.

Cynic. (n.) blackguard whose faulty vision makes him see things as they are - as opposed to how they ought to be.

Pockets. (n.) cradle of motivation, grave of conscience. (I'm paraphrasing, but I think I get them more or less right.)

Gurn Blanston

Quote from: Ken B on February 09, 2019, 07:36:52 AM
The Devil's Dictionary is a fabulous book.

Egotist (n.) A person of low taste, more interested in himself than in me.
Quote from: SurprisedByBeauty on February 09, 2019, 07:42:44 AM
Bierce, Twain and Mencken are triplets separated at birth. Excellent sense of terse, wry humor and intelligence.

Cynic. (n.) blackguard whose faulty vision makes him see things as they are - as opposed to how they ought to be.

Pockets. (n.) cradle of motivation, grave of conscience. (I'm paraphrasing, but I think I get them more or less right.)

Of the three, I know Bierce the least, Twin, by far, the best.  Mencken came later than the others but certainly carried on a fine tradition.

I'll check that out, Ken. Good quotes are a handy thing to have on hand. :)

8)
Visit my Haydn blog: HaydnSeek

Haydn: that genius of vulgar music who induces an inordinate thirst for beer - Mily Balakirev (1860)

vandermolen

Quote from: Ghost of Baron Scarpia on February 07, 2019, 07:46:06 PM
Well put. I am not in favour of banning political or religious posts or threads, but confining them to the diner seems like a sensible policy.

I agree with the Ghost's opinion too.
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Dungeon Master

I have no intention of banning the discussion of politics on this forum. It is a legitimate areas of discussion. It is not illegal and does not contravene the rules of the forum (or civilised countries) in any way, so they will stay.

Please discuss politics. Argue politics. Robustly. They deserve to be discussed and argued. But do NOT use the excuse of politics to attack any other member of the forum. You can say "I disagree with your political views". You cannot say "You are an idiot because of your political views". Simple, isn't it?

I wrote the Forum Guidelines many years ago. There is a section on Religion. I will amend it to include politics, as those 2 topics cause the most problems.

cheers
Rob

TMHeimer

Quote from: Mirror Image on February 07, 2019, 06:35:23 PM
As long as a member doesn't get on the grandstand on say the 'listening' thread or a composer thread, then I see no reason why political threads should be banned, especially if the threads and the posts are designated to the right part of the forum. Personally, I never understood why anyone would want to discuss politics on a music forum to begin with, but that's really out of my control and makes no difference in the threads that I like to post in.
I agree. Why would politics enter a discussion on a music forum?  There is "The Diner"-- the correct place. On the Scubaboard forum they call it The Pub. I'm sure most forums have the place for topics not related to that particular forum.
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Mirror Image

I really wish they would --- these threads have done nothing but shown each of us what uncompromising, opinionated a****** we are and I say 'we' as in a collective we because I'm guilty of this on more than one occasion as is everyone else I've seen on those threads.

Rinaldo

Quote from: Mirror Image on May 01, 2020, 07:49:15 PM
I really wish they would --- these threads have done nothing but shown each of us what uncompromising, opinionated a****** we are and I say 'we' as in a collective we because I'm guilty of this on more than one occasion as is everyone else I've seen on those threads.

I heartily disagree, John.

Sure, some threads veer towards ugliness from time to time. But the diverse (at least agewise) makeup of this forum makes for an inspiring and thought provoking reading. Uncompromising? Opinionated? I've seen worse, much worse. Notwithstanding the occasional flare-up, y'all here are a pretty decent bunch.

T. D.

(Only slightly) off-topic, but could someone please clarify how to use the "ignore list"?
I managed to put one offender on ignore, but have not been able to repeat the process.
The "ignore" feature is AFAICT undocumented by the forum software. Does one need to become a paying member to fully enable it?

71 dB

Quote from: T. D. on May 02, 2020, 03:50:10 AM
(Only slightly) off-topic, but could someone please clarify how to use the "ignore list"?
I managed to put one offender on ignore, but have not been able to repeat the process.
The "ignore" feature is AFAICT undocumented by the forum software. Does one need to become a paying member to fully enable it?

You do it this way: Profile => Modify Profile => Buddies / Ignore List => Edit Ignore List => Add To Ignore List => write the name you want to ignore and hit Add

Hopefully that helps.  ;)
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Ratliff

Quote from: 71 dB on May 02, 2020, 04:50:52 AM
You do it this way: Profile => Modify Profile => Buddies / Ignore List => Edit Ignore List => Add To Ignore List => write the name you want to ignore and hit Add

Hopefully that helps.  ;)

Unless he's got you on ignore already. :)

T. D.

Quote from: 71 dB on May 02, 2020, 04:50:52 AM
You do it this way: Profile => Modify Profile => Buddies / Ignore List => Edit Ignore List => Add To Ignore List => write the name you want to ignore and hit Add

Hopefully that helps.  ;)

Thank you! I figured that out once and completely forgot the procedure.
Quote from: Baron Scarpia on May 02, 2020, 06:21:01 AM
Unless he's got you on ignore already. :)

True, that...  :)

MusicTurner

#39
Took me a little while to identify the Ignore function as well, when I found that option convenient recently; I think guidance on this subject could be better, unless there are hidden, guiding remarks somewhere.

I certainly don't think the politics subject should be banned - and discussions seem to be held within the limits of the Diner section, unlike say at a place like TC, where they have had to close musical / allegedly musical threads all the time. I have more or less decided to stay out of those discussions here though, since the persistent cultural differences between the US and Europe (especially Scandinavia & Northern Europe) have become quite obvious to me, and US-related themes tend to dominate. There are however forums, where open, political discussions are held in a less, let's say robust, and more civic manner - Reddit Denmark is one example, believe it or not.