Discussion On A Possible Forum Rule
Nemesis_Zero
Old European Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 75Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
Old European Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 75Members, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
In the sense of this forum, I would like to discuss a possible rule I'd like to enforce from now on:
<span style='color:white'>***Updated to clarify.***</span>
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->All negative statements that are aimed at another discussing persons <span style='color:white'>or groups</span> education, morale, or intelligence are considered insults and thus prohibited.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I got this idea from the more political discussions, in which many started declaring people of other opinion as flat out illiterate. Check the Upcoming War thread for lots of examples from all sides.
Now, while some of you may believe that some other trails of thought only can be grounded on ignorance, this isn't the backpatting, but the discussions forum, and thus, other opinions have to be at least given the equal opportunity of being represented as your own notions. This includes respecting the people representing those ideas.
Otherwise, I can't see how we can retain a non-hostile environment in here. We currently see the biggest discussion in this forum degrading into namecalling, and in all honesty, I'd like to see that changed.
Please note that by this, I do not mean to limit rethorically used sarcasm, nor will I start editing posts because 'someone could be offended'. Unless the notion attacked is either known to be held by a big group, or has been taken up by one of the participants of the discussion at hand, there is no need to defend it.
Anyway, this is the discussion forum, after all. What are your thoughts on this?
<span style='color:white'>***Updated to clarify.***</span>
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->All negative statements that are aimed at another discussing persons <span style='color:white'>or groups</span> education, morale, or intelligence are considered insults and thus prohibited.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I got this idea from the more political discussions, in which many started declaring people of other opinion as flat out illiterate. Check the Upcoming War thread for lots of examples from all sides.
Now, while some of you may believe that some other trails of thought only can be grounded on ignorance, this isn't the backpatting, but the discussions forum, and thus, other opinions have to be at least given the equal opportunity of being represented as your own notions. This includes respecting the people representing those ideas.
Otherwise, I can't see how we can retain a non-hostile environment in here. We currently see the biggest discussion in this forum degrading into namecalling, and in all honesty, I'd like to see that changed.
Please note that by this, I do not mean to limit rethorically used sarcasm, nor will I start editing posts because 'someone could be offended'. Unless the notion attacked is either known to be held by a big group, or has been taken up by one of the participants of the discussion at hand, there is no need to defend it.
Anyway, this is the discussion forum, after all. What are your thoughts on this?
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
All jokes aside, I'd like to see a stricter no-harrassment policy enforced throughout all forums. Any attacks at another forum-goer will result in an immediate nuclear attack.
Let me check...
Yes.
[edit]Seriously, I'm specifically aiming this at this forum because one doesn't have to adress a certain member to become insulting in here: It's possible to insult five participants by labelling 'anti-war' protestors as illiterate.
Thus, this becomes a little bigger a problem in here than in the rest of the boards, and this forum isn't exactely something I'd like to dictate rules on, I'm just too involved in many discussions.[/edit]
(I hope I haven't been guilty of that. Please point it out if I do <!--emo&:(--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif'><!--endemo--> )
Well, compare the first five pages of the 'Upcoming War' discussion with the current posts. There is definetely an increase in hostility, and I'd like to get that under control as long as it's still possible.
i would also like to suggest another bit of (what should be) common sense netiqutte and that is
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->all of your issues with a particular person's post stay in that thread. ie don't refer to a particular post in an insulting way in a completely different topic.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I would hope that this is common sense, but there may be people out there who need to be reminded
It seems to me that a lot of our forum goers (and people in general) have this tendency to think along the lines of, "others must earn my respect before I give it to them". I'll freely admit that I used to hold the same belief. In fact, it wasn't until about 10 years ago that I learned how misguided this line of thought really was.
The truth is, <i>everyone</i> deserves my respect, <i>until they do something that causes them to lose that respect</i>. It's really that simple. Assuming that any given person (eg: a forum goer, a stranger on the street, etc.) is not worthy of your respect is not only slighting the other person, it could also deprive you of the possibility of learning something valuable from that person.
I hate to sound like an old man, but I've been there. If people really took the time to think this issue through, I can almost guarantee that they would come to the same conclusion. Hopefully, by me relating my own experience, some of you may re-examine how you treat others, if not for others' sake, then for your own.
Now, this is probably not the thread to bring this up, but what the hell. Look, I'm not what people would call a 'patriot', nor am I particularly proud of America, its governmental policies or practices, its pre-secondary educational system, or its rampant commercialism, but lately, I have become rather disgusted with the elitist 'American-bashing' that rears its ugly head on these forums far too frequently. Personally, I don't care if you like America as an entity or not, but to lump any one of us who happens to live here into some broad-based stereotypical category such as "lazy", "overweight", or "poorly-educated" is in itself an exercise in intolerance and ignorance. There are those of us who have undertaken to educate ourselves through the best means possible (often well beyond whatever public or private institutions offer us), and there are those of us who have traveled beyond our borders without behaving like the stereotypical American tourist. I understand perfectly that there are those who have made horrible examples (I have witnessed many outside of the states myself), but do not assume that those you meet here are the same in any way. As far as I'm concerned, this practice is no better than racism or sexism. It's nationalism and exclusion at its worst. It's almost become accepted when it applies to Americans, and I find this truly deplorable.
Same. Sometimes for fun, too.
I was considering making a topic on this myself. Amen, brotha! <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Same. Sometimes for fun, too. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
yumyum sarcasm!
The truth is, <i>everyone</i> deserves my respect, <i>until they do something that causes them to lose that respect</i>. It's really that simple. Assuming that any given person (eg: a forum goer, a stranger on the street, etc.) is not worthy of your respect is not only slighting the other person, it could also deprive you of the possibility of learning something valuable from that person.
[...] <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
100% agreement from me to both Nem's idea and the above thing I quoted. Sarcasm and other rhetorical arguments have their place; insults do not. So long as it is enforced fairly (which, although I don't expect it to ever be a problem, I will still emphasize), I'd like to see this enforced quite literally ASAP.
As I said, this is aimed at insults, not argumentative strategies.
OK, I'll wait for 24 more hours, if nobody with severe objections steps up till then, I'll rewrite the FAQ to incorporate the new rule.
"U R DUMB"
"^ I'm with stupid"
"WTH? Learn to read and type, dumb ****"
"Hahahaha, excuse me while I stop laughing"
"R U 'special' educated?"
etc
etc
etc
But don't the forum moderators already get to torch these flamable items?
/me thinks of the Suggestion and Ideas forum
"OMG NEVER POST THIS YOU STUPID CS MORON POO FACE. YOU ARe TEH DUMB. GO AWAY.
/MEH HATES TEH CS OMGORZZZZZ. YOU ARE TEEEHH NUB!"
Its frustrating to see this like all the time.
So, im an advocate of this =D
I believe your the mod of the Suggestion forum huh Nem ? ... Such bad karma...
This isn't exactely flaming in the classical sense, which is why I was reluctant to editing peoples posts on it, but it can be very insulting.
Just to let you know in advance, I usually try to flame the quote, not the poster or group.