Seriously thoughtful Let's be civil, please

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

Really Kenny? You are ready for the pedophile priest And the pope cover up threads? You are ready for the G W. Bush was a mass murder threads?

You are comfortable with those threads taking up space on a forum for ebooks?

This is not about freedom of speech, this is a privately owned forum, and your speech, whether you like it or not, is limited here. You can spout any political or religious diatribe almost anywhere you want, but the ownership of this forum has every right to limit what topics are discussed here.

The discussions where the line is drawn for the betterment of mobileread, and it's users.

Yes. I believe in free speech. I believe everyone can behave as adults and follow the guidelines. If not they can be warned and then banned. It's quite simple really.

[Donnageddon]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Yes. I believe in free speech. I believe everyone can behave as adults and follow the guidelines. If not they can be warned and then banned. It's quite simple really.

Of course, you believe in freedom of speech, but this is NOT about freedom of speech.

And of course the mods will draw the line concerning the rules of mobileread. BUT there is a line, and again, the discussion is where that line can be most effectively, and for mods sake, efficiently drawn, for an ebook forum.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

Of course, you believe in freedom of speech, but this is NOT about freedom of speech.

And of course the mods will draw the line concerning the rules of mobileread. BUT there is a line, and again, the discussion is where that line can be most effectively, and for mods sake, efficiently drawn, for an ebook forum.

And that is up to them, not you.

Are you thinking someone is going to force you to participate in those threads or something? Why would it even matter to you if you don't read them?

[Donnageddon]

I am going to leave this thread as it stands before I get uncivilized.

Have fun, Kenny.

[desertgrandma]

Originally Posted by Donnageddon

I am going to leave this thread as it stands before I get uncivilized.

Have fun, Kenny.

Thank you for your posts here, Donnageddon.

You spoke most eloquently on the reasons I tried to give for not having political or religious discussions here on MobileRead.

Apparently, the consensus seems to favor the right of those who wish to pursue the right of "free speech for everyone regardless of how it might cause flame wars unless, of course, its something I disagree with".......

As for not looking at specific threads? Bull. I should be able to look at any thread on this board without having to read inflammatory and offensive crap.

We aren't talking about jokes here, folks. We're talking about differing ideological stands.

No country, no religion, no political party is free of blame for something.

Except, of course, "Mobilita Republica"............please see post #1:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...ublica&page=25

[FizzyWater]

I'll be honest, I think the tone of some posters on even non-political threads lately have been ... unfriendly ... at the very least. As a couple other folks have mentioned here, the posts on the DRM (or the agency publishing model) threads can get downright nasty. I've spent a lot less time here than I used to because I just don't want to see people get piled on for having an opinion.

So I appreciate the reminder to be civil - to discuss the comments, not the commenters. If I've helped share any of the recent negativity, I'd be glad to apologize here and now.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by desertgrandma

As for not looking at specific threads? Bull. I should be able to look at any thread on this board without having to read inflammatory and offensive crap.

The problem being how you define "inflammatory and offensive." If you include "anything that someone can potentially disagree with" it would not leave much that could be discussed. What you may conciser "inflammatory and offensive crap" may be the central interest of the other poster and to them perfectly mainstream.

If there will be no anti-US military posts, then I hope that you'll agree that there should also be no pro-US military posts, either-- I've seen you make a few of those.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I'll be honest, I think the tone of some posters on even non-political threads lately have been ... unfriendly ... at the very least. As a couple other folks have mentioned here, the posts on the DRM (or the agency publishing model) threads can get downright nasty. I've spent a lot less time here than I used to because I just don't want to see people get piled on for having an opinion.

So I appreciate the reminder to be civil - to discuss the comments, not the commenters. If I've helped share any of the recent negativity, I'd be glad to apologize here and now.

to everything FizzyWater said. Especially the last line!

[Sparrow]

Most of the posters I would regard as overly contentious apparently see themselves as the victims - and they consider themselves the aggrieved parties in the subsequent fallout of the discussions they participate in.

If they can be that unknowing of the way their posts are perceived; maybe I too am in a state of blissful ignorance, and my posts might also be driving fellow MRers to distraction .

What is the best way to let people know they may be unwittingly stepping on other folks' toes, without making them feel they're being censored and victimised to an extent other people aren't?

[Darqref]

I'd like to point out one byproduct of closing threads: After one day, they no longer show on the "today's threads" searches. Of course one can manually search for older posts, but many of us regularly don't. When I've been away for more than a day, I check what's on the front page, and the just go through the "daily search" routine.

It might be worth some way of extending the reach of a closed thread, by posting a separate weekly list of stuff that got closed. At least then I might see controversial stuff that I just happened to miss, especially if it was a thread I looked at once several days ago but not since it turned ugly.

And, on a nit-picking note, if we can't mention anything about the wars, how do we answer the questions we get from folks on duty in various deserts about their readers and books?

We all seem to love Baen Books - but one of the scariest displays I've ever seen was on Baen's Bar during the week after 911. people I at least sorta respected posted lots of inflammatory statements, and then magnified off each other. Jim closed the whole Bar for a week, just to cool things off, just took the whole thing offline. When we were allowed back on, everyone was rather embarrassed by the raw emotion displayed (at least, they said they were in what was posted....)

[GraceKrispy]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

*snip*

If they can be that unknowing of the way their posts are perceived; maybe I too am in a state of blissful ignorance, and my posts might also be driving fellow MRers to distraction .
*snip*

The only thing that distracts me about you is that you changed your avatar. Itʻs disturbing to me, as you are not one who changes frequently (unlike me).
And not a bird in sight! (just the product of a bird)

Iʻm guessing my own annoying habits have more to do with my avoidance of anything serious rather than my participation in them. I am quite serious in my job and when necessary, I donʻt see MR as a platform for my opinions and ideas beyond the superficial. And perhaps that is a fault all its own.

[Sparrow]

Originally Posted by GraceKrispy

The only thing that distracts me about you is that you changed your avatar. Itʻs disturbing to me, as you are not one who changes frequently (unlike me).
And not a bird in sight! (just the product of a bird)

OT - I was trying to start a trend , making your avatar the book you're reading at the time. But it isn't catching on , probably because it changes too often as you say. I think I'll revert to a more static one soon.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Darqref

And, on a nit-picking note, if we can't mention anything about the wars, how do we answer the questions we get from folks on duty in various deserts about their readers and books?

Why would the job you are doing at the moment be relevant as to asking a question about readers and books (other than geographic restrictions, of course?) People don't say "I'm a plumber posting from under a house and want to ask a question about ebooks."

[GeoffC]

as a thread asking for civility, it sure proved to be a little controversial....

now


I have chocolate, anyone want any .... ?

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Most of the posters I would regard as overly contentious apparently see themselves as the victims - and they consider themselves the aggrieved parties in the subsequent fallout of the discussions they participate in.

If they can be that unknowing of the way their posts are perceived; maybe I too am in a state of blissful ignorance, and my posts might also be driving fellow MRers to distraction .

What is the best way to let people know they may be unwittingly stepping on other folks' toes, without making them feel they're being censored and victimised to an extent other people aren't?

It's all in the WAY you say it. And without faces and body language and with the international language differences it makes subtlety very difficult.

It is always best to state thing from your own perspective and to restate if needed.

"I feel that you are a bit over the top." or

"It seems like you are saying....is that right?"

Best thing is to not take any of it personally. I know I am no angel in many cases but I working to try and step back from any of those topics I have strong feelings/attachment to and know that people are not always going to agree we me, nor I with them. Nor would I want that. As Pshrynk says I welcome discussions that give me an opportunity to consider other's perspectives and to possibly learn something or god-forbid even change my mind.