Lessons Learned

[rockgremlin]

In light of last week's debaucle, I think it would be a good idea to lay down a few ground rules around here. I enjoy a forum where free and open discussion is encouraged. However, free and open discussion is not a license to spew offensive dialogue. Please do not give me this crap about limiting your right to free speech, because that is bull crap. In real life, we all exercise moderation in what we say to one another. This forum is no different. The following are a few rules that I would like to see honored. Feel free to add or edit.

1. No personal attacks (name-calling directed at certain individuals, or groups of individuals).
2. No trashing on other's beliefs (religious, political, etc)
3. No trolling or flame-baiting (posting a topic with the intent to offend, or get a reaction).

In short, play nice, and respect the beliefs and ideas of others.

Is this asking too much?

[stefan]

Nope, not at all. Sounds more than reasonable to me.

[derstuka]

Is this asking too much?

Honestly, yes, I believe some of what you are asking is asking too much. If we do as you recommend, many debates will be eliminated. Some of us just started talking about religion and creation, and now the thread is locked. No flaming was going on there. I wasn't attacking anybody in general, just stating things as I see it. Sure, we can respect others beliefs, that is fine, and we do not need to call everybody a dumbass; however, time to time, it may be deemed necessary if they are acting like one.

Just because some people act out of line is no need to punish everyone...or is it??? There are so many topics out there that are offensive to others, yet they are real world topics that many of us may want to discuss. Some may not like my view on immigration, does that mean that we cannot talk about that? What is your view? Opinions and viewpoints are subjective for most everyone.

[stefan]

Is this asking too much?

Honestly, yes, I believe some of what you are asking is asking too much. If we do as you recommend, many debates will be eliminated. Some of us just started talking about religion and creation, and now the thread is locked. No flaming was going on there. I wasn't attacking anybody in general, just stating things as I see it. Sure, we can respect others beliefs, that is fine, and we do not need to call everybody a dumbass; however, time to time, it may be deemed necessary if they are acting like one.

:
Opinions and viewpoints are subjective for most everyone.

i took the "trashing" of beliefs and ideas to be just that...."trashing." i think you can have a very critical debate getting into the nitty gritty, without trashing. it means playing nice and working hard to write clearly, thoughtfully, and politely, without resorting to proof by emotional ammunition. the problem is that sometimes emotion gets the better of people. if someone is acting out, you can put them in their place cordially, if they continue, ignore them. it's better not to feed their fire. plus there is more incentive to play nice if everyone plays nice.

isn't this what you are talking about rockgremlin?

[rockgremlin]

i took the "trashing" of beliefs and ideas to be just that...."trashing." i think you can have a very critical debate getting into the nitty gritty, without trashing. it means playing nice and working hard to write clearly, thoughtfully, and politely, without resorting to proof by emotional ammunition.

EXACTLY!

[Iceaxe]

Is this asking too much?

YES!!!

[derstuka]

How about a limiter that only allows us use of so many "dumbass" remarks a year?? If you run out, then you are SOL, or you can buy more cuss words with "uutah dollars!" I love it!

[rockgremlin]

How about a limiter that only allows us use of so many "dumbass" remarks a year?? If you run out, then you are SOL, or you can buy more cuss words with "uutah dollars!" I love it!

[Sombeech]

3. flame-baiting (posting a topic with the intent to offend, or get a reaction).

I've been guilty of this, and decided to stop a few days ago. Luckily, I've got "being on drugs" as my alibi. But seriously, I'm not going to do it anymore.

[Iceaxe]

How about a limiter that only allows us use of so many "dumbass" remarks a year?? If you run out, then you are SOL, or you can buy more cuss words with "uutah dollars!" I love it!

Where do I send the check.....

.

[stefan]

Where do I send the check.....

[Scott P]

Ok, lesson learned for me. No more flaming, and don't take other's post seriously, and I need to lighten up. Mild jokes are OK, but nothing extremely offensive.

Is this asking too much?

Not from me.

[DirkHammergate]

In light of last week's debaucle, I think it would be a good idea to lay down a few ground rules around here. I enjoy a forum where free and open discussion is encouraged. However, free and open discussion is not a license to spew offensive dialogue. Please do not give me this crap about limiting your right to free speech, because that is bull crap. In real life, we all exercise moderation in what we say to one another. This forum is no different. The following are a few rules that I would like to see honored. Feel free to add or edit.

1. No personal attacks (name-calling directed at certain individuals, or groups of individuals).
2. No trashing on other's beliefs (religious, political, etc)
3. No trolling or flame-baiting (posting a topic with the intent to offend, or get a reaction).

In short, play nice, and respect the beliefs and ideas of others.

Is this asking too much?

Damn it to Hell, what did I miss?

[DirkHammergate]

Damn it to Hell, what did I miss?

Oh yea, the LA Times DNA article and it got locked..... See what happens when I go on Vacation?

[TreeHugger]

Wow, gone a week and I missed out on so much!

I just read through the locked threads and, honestly, they seemed ok to me.... well, other than the blatent hatred thrown by Jamis and Scott toward each other. There was interesting dialogue and was done, generally, in an appropriate way. There are those whose first reaction is, "whoa, there's a lot of negativity here" or "it's getting too heated", but what is wrong with an open dialogue on issues that separate people as long as it's done respectfully? Why do we all have to "get along"? Why cant we have a discussion of opposing viewpoints, especially on timeless topics such as environmentalism and religion? Personally, I enjoy reading, and participating in, these threads, and I guess I"ll have to get my daily fix of intellectual, interesting debate on the mmba board since it's not allowed here.

I would make a suggestion, if these topics are really seen as a problem: to avoid people bringing up controversial topics at all, maybe get rid of the General forum and keep this site about playing outdoors.

[Iceaxe]

I would make a suggestion, if these topics are really seen as a problem: to avoid people bringing up controversial topics at all, maybe get rid of the General forum and keep this site about playing outdoors.

I agree..... I think locking the threads was bullshit..... I would much prefer to see a timeout given to those who can't play nice. There was some very useful dialoge and information in some of those threads.

[derstuka]

I agree..... I think locking the threads was bullshit.....

[accadacca]

I"ll have to get my daily fix of intellectual, interesting debate on the mmba board since it's not allowed here.

Look, the main topic that set this whole thing off was open for 8 days...where were you? Then several others got started just to piss people off and mix things up more. They were just personal attacks and they got old. Sure we can have some conversation and people can disagree for shits sake. When people just start acting like their 13, that's when it gets old and we pull the plug.

Hey Fred your mom is a cow and I don't like you

Shut up Roger or I'll kick yer ass.

Can people behave and have intelligent respectful dialog? Sure! Is it allowed on uutah? Of course!! Does it always stay respectful. No! Sometimes it turns into rubbish and it just doesn't accomplish anything. And for the record there have only been a few topics that have been locked on here in 19 months. Perhaps one or two before this and these. Just shouldn't make you alarmed as a user.

[Sombeech]

Actually, the biggest thing I noticed, was that TreeHugger is an Outdoorsman! But seriously, congrats on the status change.

You know, we could create a section just for "Flames" that had religion, politics, sexuality, environmental issues, or your favorite photo of Sombeech.

The bad thing is, it wouldn't be contained there. It would be nice to have a "yelling room" for those who needed it once in a while, but it would spill over into all of the topics, when those bitter rivals met up there.

accadacca puts it best when he says this is an outdoors forum. We just try to get out after work, and on the weekends, plan our trips/ask for advice, and show our pictures. Certain issues are unavoidable flames, like when a decision about how public land will be used, yadda yadda yadda.

But you feel like a jerk when you want to ask your former arch enemy for directions.

[TreeHugger]

I"ll have to get my daily fix of intellectual, interesting debate on the mmba board since it's not allowed here.

Look, the main topic that set this whole thing off was open for 8 days...where were you?
.

I was on vacation without a computer, thank you.