Date: 01/15/03 01:16:29 PM (modified 01/23/2003)
Name: Your friendly moderator
Email: Click here
Warning : The mail link doesn't work on this post. Just trying to
avoid SPAM. You should find a link to a mail form in the introduction
at the top of the board. I've tested it, and it works fine.
"What is a free speech board? Aren't you free to say what you'd like
on almost any board, as long as you stay civil?" But there's the rub,
if you'll pardon my Shakespearean pretensions. Who's to say what
"civility" is, and what keeps him honest?
We've seen some really bizarre definitions of civility used. On one
board, somebody was banned because he denied that desert dust would
chemically burn its way through shoe leather. This was declared to be
"trolling". In another forum, where some genuine trolling was taking
place, a few of the trollees were warned not to call the trolls
"liars", even though the trolls' favorite method of argument was to lie
about what people had said.
What has gone out the window is common sense. Where we once had
discussions, now we have trials by combat where instead of trying to
make sense, people play politics, and see if they can get those who
disagree with them silenced. Putting a lot of vague rules in place
just makes it easier for a moderator to find a excuse to cave in, and
silence somebody. Just declare what he is saying to be "uncivil".
That's not what a discussion should be. What is a free speech forum?
A free speech forum is an antidote to the poison that political
correctness and political scheming has been to freedom of thought
online. People do not have to be "nice", here. They are free to mouth
off to you, even if they're 100 per cent wrong (and sometimes they
will be). I'll leave the question of whether they're right or wrong
for doing so as a matter between them and the gods. Remember, though,
that you're equally free to mouth off right back.
"Isn't that going to open the door to a lot of childish behavior?"
Yes, of course. But it's also going to open the door to the
possibility of some truly inspired behavior. When you argue your
points, you are free to do so with passion and commitment, and without
apology. You will not be asked to water down your arguments in order
to allow somebody to save face. That's a consideration we extend to
children. Adults should have the freedom to shine, and the courage to
face failure honestly.
"Yeah, but I don't want to talk to idiots". Hey, who does ? But the
answer is simple - just use a mental killfile. If you recognize an
idiot's name, just don't read his post. It's as simple as that.
There are a few rules. Here they are :
We don't deny the fact that some people, groups and sites deserve to be criticised by name or url. And there's a place for that. But that place isn't here. The problem is that if we allowed that, we'd start seeing these back and forth battles where each person or group attacked one thing about the other, after another. It never stops, and it drives out the other content. Worse still, it makes for flamewars which, as a moderator, I would find hard to end in a fair fashion. So let's not go there. You can criticise the ideas you hear elsewhere to your heart's content. Just don't say where you heard them. If people are curious about that, they can take it to private e-mail.
- Don't criticise people, groups, sites, other forums, etc, by name or location, while you're posting on the Soapbox. That's what we set up the Colosseum for.
Common sense does kick in here. If somebody is being manipulative, dishonest, or otherwise obnoxious, yes, you can call him on it, and yes, you can be called on it, yourself. Let's not play lawyer, here, when I said "free speech board", I meant it. So, let's not see the words "off-topic" get overused the way "uncivil" or "offensive" have been in the past, in too many places online.
- Stay on-topic. You don't have to know what you're talking about to post here, though we do encourage it. But you do have to confine yourself to the subject matter.
Hope I didn't scare you off. I'm not a mean guy, but I don't take garbage. And neither should you. Is it going to be a little scary in here, sometimes? Probably. But the same is true of the world outdoors, right? Yet we seek it out. We need a place where we can meet where there's a little less predictability, and a little more freedom.
- Don't break any laws or Bravenet's Terms of Service. You know I can't allow that.
- Don't pester your friendly moderator with silly complaints. Yes, I know the theory. "When in doubt, complain. What do you have to lose?" How about, getting banned from the board just for being a pest?
Note added on : 01/17/03 08:35:08 PM
"No naming names? So when we talk about the beginning of the Imperial
period, we'd better not name Julius Caesar, and when Egypt is
discussed, the names Cleopatra and Herodotus ought to be forgotten
altogether?"
Answer : Do you picture Caesar, Cleopatra or Herodotus dropping by
this board to start a flamewar? I hope the reader will credit me with
more common sense than that, at least until I give him a reason not to.
Obviously, names like these are significant cultural references which
one could not leave out, without gutting more than a few discussions.
What gets us into a bad area is when we start seeing posts like
"here's this weak argument, and I saw it on this website by Raven
Silverflame". What would you be adding to the discussion by naming the
person, aside from the opportunity for a fight, once the little known
Silverflame hears about it? Unlike a public figure, he would have the
time to care.
So, just use a little common sense and appreciate the difference
between talking about historical personages and public figures (and
their cultural and historical impact), and talking about private,
little known individuals.