The Politicization of Misc.

[Caliburn24]

Freedom is good, regulation is bad. I hold this truth to be self-evident across all message boards both foreign and domestic.

Tightly modded boards where you can only post certain topics and keep your replies tightly on topic are extremely boring. Loosely modded boards where people have freedom to post almost whatever they want are much, much more fun.

 

[John Picard]

Freedom is good, regulation is bad. I hold this truth to be self-evident across all message boards both foreign and domestic.

Tightly modded boards where you can only post certain topics and keep your replies tightly on topic are extremely boring. Loosely modded boards where people have freedom to post almost whatever they want are much, much more fun.

If you do not like how the board is moderated, then perhaps this is not the forum for you.

 

[Spot's Meow]

I don't think we have much political discussion going on here in Misc. anyway. It seems like there are just a couple of people who keep trying to bring up silly useless topics to try and see how far they can go before the mods once again crack down on politics in this forum. I don't bother participating or taking the bait in their little game, I just roll my eyes and move along.

 

[Kestra]

I'm not crazy about it, but it's nice to be able to have "serious" topics in here every once in awhile. It breaks up the monotony of threads about poop and love life issues.

I think we're due for another poop thread. I haven't posted one in a while.

Don't you dare!

 

[RoJoHen]

I'm not crazy about it, but it's nice to be able to have "serious" topics in here every once in awhile. It breaks up the monotony of threads about poop and love life issues.

I think we're due for another poop thread. I haven't posted one in a while.

Don't you dare!

You love them. Don't pretend you don't.

 

[Kestra]

I hate them because I'll only be able to ignore them for so long before I see that everyone's posting in it so it must be interesting, or a poster that I think is interesting and funny will post in the thread, and then I just have to open the thread and read it. And I regret it every time.

 

[John Picard]

I think we're due for another poop thread. I haven't posted one in a while.

Don't you dare!

You love them. Don't pretend you don't.

Start a thread about having a poopy love life. That will kill two birds with one stone for Kestra

 

[snakespeare]

I also oppose political avatars and names. There are so many different people who like Star Trek. And there are so many other places on the internet for people to fight. Why do it here?

For example, someone has an avatar that is nothing kore than the word IDIOT with the logo of the Obama 2008 campaign in place of the letter "O". That is just trolling. It's asking for a fight. If I were to call the Prime Minister of Great Britain an idiot, wouldn't the British people have a right to be pissed at me? Obviously, the criticism is no more intelligent than Vessini's dismissal of Plato and Aristotle, but why do I have to see it? Why do I have to look at Rush Limbaugh's face? It's not fair, because I would NEVER do such a thing to them.

I think they are trying to take advantage of your toleration.

I really like this messageboard, but it is becoming impossible to read any of the topics without the interference and noise of someone's politic anger expressed in their avatars and names.

So, if they don't change the rules, I will have no choice but to become a similar person. I will change my name to some hardline liberal, and make an avatar against gaybashing. Fair?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Freedom is good, regulation is bad. I hold this truth to be self-evident across all message boards both foreign and domestic.

It's not an issue of freedoms, since you're here on a voluntary basis. You don't have "rights", only privileges.

Tightly modded boards where you can only post certain topics and keep your replies tightly on topic are extremely boring. Loosely modded boards where people have freedom to post almost whatever they want are much, much more fun.

I tend to lean that way, but I've seen loosely moderated boards that suck too. This place is ultimately here to serve the people here, but people differ with what they want, so it is a balancing act.

 

[SeerSGB]

I also oppose political avatars and names. There are so many different people who like Star Trek. And there are so many other places on the internet for people to fight. Why do it here?

That one does get in my craw sometimes. Feels like baiting to me, especially some of the more blatant examples over the last few months to a year.

As for the bigger question: I think we have to look at the motives of the poster making the thread. Are they legitimately looking for a debate, or are they just wanting to spew talking points and rile up the "other side" without have to worry about taking a [digital] spanking and called out on being a idiot the way they would in TNZ? Or are they trying to bait a certain group or person into responding in a way outside the limits allowed by Misc. and thereby getting the mods to do the "dirty work" for the original poster by warning/banning the "target" of the bait.

 

[Nerys Ghemor]

Freedom is good, regulation is bad. I hold this truth to be self-evident across all message boards both foreign and domestic.

It's not an issue of freedoms, since you're here on a voluntary basis. You don't have "rights", only privileges.

Bingo. This is private property, not run under the auspices of any government. When you are here, it's akin to being a guest in someone else's home. If you don't follow the rules of the homeowners, they reserve the right to make you choose between obeying and leaving. Or even kicking you out right away if they just don't feel like putting up with it. It's not even a democracy; any "democratic" or "appeal" rights are a courtesy extended to visitors that can be revoked at any time.

As for political avatars and names (and I would VERY much like to add sigs to the list)...I think the key test there should be if the sig or avatar is there to insult people or not. I can think of some people with political names who are NOT doing it to be mean, and I wouldn't tell them to change. On the other hand, I've seen quite the number that ARE meant to insult or belittle people, and I don't care for that one bit.

 

[137th Gebirg]

To the OP - I don't mind as long as people don't get sycophantic about shit.

 

[Holdfast]

In theory, I like the concept of political topics in Misc.
In practice, most of them are teh same shit-flinging as in TNZ, except the shit has pretty wrapping paper in Misc.

For me, the theory wins out though, because I can always choose not to read them.

 

[snakespeare]

Granted, but if we also choose to turn off avatars and sigs, then we miss out on a lot of things that were supposed to be fun.

 

[Marc]

Granted, but if we also choose to turn off avatars and sigs, then we miss out on a lot of things that were supposed to be fun.

Well it's simple than - just have the avatars and sigs with overly political overtones removed.

 

[Kestra]

Granted, but if we also choose to turn off avatars and sigs, then we miss out on a lot of things that were supposed to be fun.

You can block individual avs, I think. I don't remember how I've done it, but I know I have. Maybe it wasn't with the board software.

 

[T'Bonz]

In theory, I like the concept of political topics in Misc.
In practice, most of them are teh same shit-flinging as in TNZ, except the shit has pretty wrapping paper in Misc.

Bingo.

 

[StarryEyed]

I'd rather take political discussions to TNZ but the lack of moderation there made that place a dumping ground for "thread bombs" and all kinds of childish nonsense. You can't have a serious dialog in there. Misc is better because of moderation.

 

[Lord Garth]

This is as good of a chance to ask as any and one of the better openings to do so. Say "TNZ" topics were to be deemed TNZ Only? What would happen in 2012 if someone, for example, wants to start a thread about the US Presidential Election?

Though it's two years away, TrekBBS is at a stage in its lifetime now where that probably won't make much of a difference.

 

[Roger Wilco]

I've never understood what some people's problem with TNZ is, on every other message board I participate in, there's a "special" TNZ-like section where all political (/and other controversial) discussion gets moved into and it works fine.

If I were to call the Prime Minister of Great Britain an idiot, wouldn't the British people have a right to be pissed at me?

Meh, I think most Britons would simply agree with you on that.