Political Forum Closed (1 Viewer)

[quick-hands]

you can't go.....all the plants are gonna die.

As long as the pot plants live it's cool.

they won't. who is gonna water them

All the plants are gonna die!

youtu.be

 

[AAABatteries]

I have since reconsidered that idea, and now think that the key to good discussions is making copious use of the ignore function. By shutting the PSF down, we are essentially forcing everybody in that forum to put everybody else in that forum on ignore. This is a decent solution, but arguably goes a little far. If we ever open the PSF back up, I would propose this rule: Anytime someone comments about another poster instead of commenting about the topic at hand, that person shall be forced to permanently ignore the poster they commented about. In my fantasy, that would solve the issue and we'd all live happily ever after. (Maybe we'll never know, and maybe that's for the best.)

It "worked" for me. I had a lot of PSF regulars on ignore - ~25% of the remaining posts were replies to people I had on ignore so that was annoying but the rest was usually decent discussion by folks on both sides who didn't engage in the bickering, name calling and being part of the emoji gang who couldn't shoot straight.

 

[Summer Wheat]

My viewpoint is every single person here right now in this thread, who is attempting to game or inch or workaround a way to get politics back on the table ( and yes, even inexplicably another Staff member is doing it too in this thread) are also advocating, knowingly or unknowingly, for a "reboot" of a pathway that makes Joe suffer.

Maybe some people that liked discussing politics want the PSF to come back in a less toxic way that does NOT make Joe suffer. I don't know if it's even possible but I certainly don't want Joe to suffer given that he provides all of the forums for free to all of us. But I like the political discussions and I learned a ton from the PSF, and a lot came from people on the other side of the political spectrum. Frankly I will miss that but I respect Joe's decision.

Laying a guilt trip on people is wrong. As far as I'm concerned most of us have good intentions.

Look at the pinned warnings since 2019, look at all the warnings,

It is not possible, it has not been for a long time. Actually it has lasted longer than I thought it would.

I am going to check out the FFA more for sure. Hopefully everyone kicks back and lets go of all the hostility that was in the PSF.

As the stuff we talked about there was totally out of our control anyway. Hopefully we can help each other more with real life issues.

 

[drunken slob]

About damn time

 

[ekbeats]

Good move Joe. My parents’ generation had it right when they said, “Don’t talk about politics or religion.” I think people across the country are starting to realize this.

 

[shuke]

I am probably the villian in many people's eyes. My posts draw out more toxicity than any other poster and I don't shy away from responding. I may have been the only person defending Kavanaugh early on and was ruthlessly attacked for it. But that view probably represented 40 percent of the population.
I voice a lot of views which many people in here find repulsive, but imho they are principled in justice and equality. Should that opinion not be voiced in order to create harmony? I think not. As much as I hate the politics of the left as they go against the core values I believe are necessary for a fair and justice system of governance, I don't hold things personally against a poster. I have voiced the opinion many times that it is the personalization that is the real problem in political discourse. But many in here take my rants against leftist ideology as personal. I disagree that it is, but that is how it is taken.
I don't have a solution. But I don't think this current direction where 40 percent of the population have opinions must be silenced is healthy. I see the whole war on 'disinformation' and 'hate' as means to silence a large part of the population. As much as the PSF was a good attempt, there is such intolerance in the current political environment that makes it impossible to civilly discuss issues. You can see it every day on our college campuses when conservative speaker tries to talk.

Hint: both sides are being silenced here.

 

[jamny]

If anyone is willing to start a subreddit, I'd be happy to help.
I was looking into doing it but I would want to use a new handle since my current one is very public.
You need to be on at least a month and have like 50 karma to start a subreddit so that prevented me from just going that route.

 

[dkp993]

If anyone is willing to start a subreddit, I'd be happy to help.
I was looking into doing it but I would want to use a new handle since my current one is very public.
You need to be on at least a month and have like 50 karma to start a subreddit so that prevented me from just going that route.

What’s Reddit?

 

[dkp993]

If anyone is willing to start a subreddit, I'd be happy to help.
I was looking into doing it but I would want to use a new handle since my current one is very public.
You need to be on at least a month and have like 50 karma to start a subreddit so that prevented me from just going that route.

What’s Reddit?

In case it wasn’t clear, I’m kidding.

 

[ekbeats]

Hey - I want to apologize to a few people in here. @-fish, @Rich Conway , and @Coach Beard. At times we didn’t get along, but this much is true - I always respected your arguments and your intelligence. Hopefully we can do a reset as we venture into the FFA.

 

[GordonGekko]

Again, I hope the PSF never returns and I hope all it's threads, topics, content ( and Yes, even all mine too) and the entire section gets deleted and nuked from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

For now, we're not going to nuke it completely. Mostly because there are some good posts and threads. And to be honest, I don't have the time to sift through the whole thing making decisions on what to keep. So for now, it'll just stay locked but still there. That might change in the future. Thanks again, to you and everyone else as well for the kind words.

Something to consider, food for thought, is that a locked PSF but still visible will give many of the consistent bad faith actors the belief that it will come back, just like the "laughing emoji"

The same people who trashed the FFA in 2015 will simply trash the FFA in 2023. Because nothing has really changed. The same polarizing very public exhausting political figure will be prominent in 2023 like 2015 and it's going to drive the worst elements from the PSF into a frenzy. Until then, like it's been shown, especially with the laughing emoji situation, some people will lay low for a while, test the edges, and see how far they can go without getting banned, and the repeat their dirty ugly pattern. It's just how they are and it's what they've proven what they'll do over time.

In effect, your problem is still present.

If I was standing in front of a collective of you @Joe Bryant , @Memphis Foundry and everyone under the @FBG Moderator banner, I'd say the best course would be to hide from public view the entire PSF, if you won't delete it or it's too logistically difficult to delete it. And then every violation should get a minimum one year ban. If you want to set the tone for zero politics, you'll have to hit bad faith actors fast and hard and very publicly.

I mean look at the laughing emoji situation. You tried to appeal to people here as adults. Now I recognize it was not everyone that was the problem, it was still a problem. Even though you asked and allowed it to go up for discussion, look what happened. You wanted to see the best in other people, you put it back as a feature, and it got abused again. Those people were, in effect, spitting in your face. Why will the FFA be any different once the same crew of toxic people decide to hit the FFA in 2023 like in 2015?

I saw that @Memphis Foundry posted and pinned in the locked PSF. He said he wants to protect the FFA and the Staff sentiment is to protect the FFA. OK, so here's the thing. You only have two real choices. Kill the platform underneath people or start handing out some specific permanent bannings for impact and as a deterrent. Anything other that those two options just takes you back to the problems from 2015. I don't see a desire to wipe out the platform, so you don't really have a choice here.

In effect, if you are unwilling to hand out some permanent bans, the problems you want to escape will return. The same toxic people who abused the laughing emoji again, even after you warned them and told them to stop, are just going to wait until the dust settles here, and just start into their same crap all over again. The proof is that they've done it before, again and again, hence all the posts and talks you've had over years asking people to act like adults. The worst of them didn't listen to you then, why will they do that now?

The need to permanently ban some people is inevitable. The only question is how much more damage will those people get to inflict before it happens.

What will help is not seeing it as "firing" people off the forums for good, but that those toxic people "quit" on basic community values, you are simply validating their poor choices in the exit.

Something I've said often before is I never want to say "Be Better", I'd rather just do my best to set an example. No one needs to say "Be Better" if they are consistently setting a good example. So, to that end, notice the same people who keep saying "Be Better" and virtue signaling, but never show that in their examples in public over time. Those are the ones where purging them is going to be inevitable.

I'd say "Test It" and I predict you'll like the end result, next time someone talks politics and they know better, just hand them a one year ban. And if they've been a consistent problem, hand them a lifetime permanent ban. Tell people in public that you just handed out a one year ban or a permanent ban. See what happens. The reaction won't be the same as you've gotten before. If you want to save the FFA, the worst people here need to know the cheap games they play are over.

 

[Alex P Keaton]

I'm totally on "board" with this. I spent too much time in there anyways.

And for those of you calling out "the bad guys" and "trolls", I don't think you realize that you're part of the problem. Most of us were, including myself.

And @squistion - you called for banning or suspending posters instead of getting rid of the PSF, but I don't think you realize that you most likely would be on the outside looking in yourself. Just like me. But that's the cognitive dissonance that I'm referring too. Be careful what you wish for - you just might get it.

Anyways, the PSF will not be missed by this poster and I completely understand the decision to shut it down.

BR - I’ll miss hearing your views on politics. Really enjoyed our discussions, even when we disagreed.

This news was about as shocking to me as finding out that my son had to be reminded to turn his homework in on time. Nobody is perfect, especially me. I can say that of the FBG threads that have been the biggest net positive impact on me….zero have been in the PSF.

I hope that we will still be able to handle having highly informative threads that build off the best knowledge in this community……the FFA Russia/Ukraine topic is great, the original & non-political Covid thread was possibly the best source of info around in the earliest days of Covid before it all became political.

I’ve made some good friends in this place. If killing the PSF is what it takes to keep the rest of the forums around…….then I’m 100% on board. It’s your business Joe — thank you for providing us this entire community. With all its flaws, this is still a special place.

 

[skol asylum]

Wow. Just saw this. Admittedly I don't come here that often any more but I don't think was a good idea at all. If there wwre issues with personal attacks by members those members should be disciplined appropriately including timeouts and bannings for repeat offenses. We live in a world where politics and policy and discussion of said politics and policy is an integrated and integral part of life. Shutting this forum down will just lead to discussions popping up in the FFA which will lead to more bannings which will accelerate the death of an already dying social media platform - message boards. As Ive always said, your site, your rules. I will always view this action as a big mistake. Like it or not we get the world we have, which includes messy things like arguments about politics, and not the ones we necessarily want. RIP to this forum. Hopefully the FFA won't be joining it's twin brother in the ground shortly after.

 

[John Maddens Lunchbox]

Ask yourself this, did you come out of the political forum in a better mood than when you ventured in?

I didn’t.

This.
Like many others it became futile trying.

2016 was a turning point for civility, but it had been building for years.

Joe is a saint for trying to bring balance to the force. Its a shame we couldnt make it work. Politics is important when discussed in good faith with the desire to learn and get better.

 

[Rubiobot]

I hate that the PSF is closed but @Joe Bryant didn't have a choice. As I posted earlier, if it was me I would have done the same thing. It simply became too toxic.

 

[Ministry of Pain]

Please use this thread if you want to discuss the closing of the Political Forum.
Do not use this to continue insulting other posters.
Please keep it civil and focused on where folks can maybe continue this type of discussion in other places on the internet.
Or if possible, I'd encourage folks to get out and do actual work that will make a difference. Volunteer for campaigns, work to educate, help with causes. That kind of thing can make an actual difference instead of typing about something.

-And on that note Joe, I stopped posting in the PSF and have worked with several at the local level here in Palm Beach, FL and the Treasure Coast where I can make a real difference in a State where a large influx of people from mostly left leaning states like New York have flooded in here permanently due to horribly run governments where they came from.

-The irony is when they still want to try and elect an official that is similar let's say to where they are fleeing from in New York as an example. We all know who runs the biggest 30 cities in America, they're run by 1 party. The people who don't live in these places are not as amped up on the mainstream media brainwashing blitz

The PSF I thought was started to clean up the FFA but all it did from my notes is divide the forums up even more and turn folks tribal

I don't speak for everyone but thanks for trying Joe. You and I do not always see eye to eye BUT i have always admired your work, your Cheatsheets/FBG site and I like when you start lively football discussions in the shark pool.

Cheers!

 

[JIslander]

Please use this thread if you want to discuss the closing of the Political Forum.
Do not use this to continue insulting other posters.
Please keep it civil and focused on where folks can maybe continue this type of discussion in other places on the internet.
Or if possible, I'd encourage folks to get out and do actual work that will make a difference. Volunteer for campaigns, work to educate, help with causes. That kind of thing can make an actual difference instead of typing about something.

-And on that note Joe, I stopped posting in the PSF and have worked with several at the local level here in Palm Beach, FL and the Treasure Coast where I can make a real difference in a State where a large influx of people from mostly left leaning states like New York have flooded in here permanently due to horribly run governments where they came from.

-The irony is when they still want to try and elect an official that is similar let's say to where they are fleeing from in New York as an example. We all know who runs the biggest 30 cities in America, they're run by 1 party. The people who don't live in these places are not as amped up on the mainstream media brainwashing blitz

The PSF I thought was started to clean up the FFA but it all it did from my notes is divide the forums up even more and turn folks tribal

I don't speak for everyone but thanks for trying Joe. You and I do not always see eye to eye BUT i have always admired your work, your Cheatsheets/FBG site and I like when you start lively football discussions in the shark pool.

Cheers!

Dude! I'm in NYC Fla, I mean Palm Beach too! Just made the move official -- wife and I too looking at means to assist the homeless and homeless youth out of foster care--

 

[quick-hands]

my wife wants to know who I'm gonna argue with now?

 

[Captain Cranks]

Just created a discord for some politics, yoga pants, and other things that aren't appropriate here. I say some politics, because I don't want to foster another social media enragement apparatus. There will be little to no tolerance for ad hominem attacks, sweeping generalizations, and anecdotes used to vilify the other side. This could still serve as a nice place to discuss larger scale stuff like the Ukraine War, elections, inflation, etc.

Link

 

[ChicoCat]

I feel there were a couple threads in there that had really good info (Ukraine War thread was money). I also learned alot on the thread; particularly from opposing points of view. That being said, a number of sites do eliminate the ability to comment on a (presumably) incediary story....and politics seems to be nothing but that these days. I'm not privvy to all the behind the scenes and all the effort that goes into policing this forum.....but I do feel that , if they don't bring the open Political Forum back, the site would benefit from maybe several generalized moderator formed pinned political threads - ("2022 Mid Terms"/"2024 Election") with the idea that these are the only threads in which politics can be talked and no other threads can be added.

 

[Joe Bryant]

I feel there were a couple threads in there that had really good info (Ukraine War thread was money). I also learned alot on the thread; particularly from opposing points of view. That being said, a number of sites do eliminate the ability to comment on a (presumably) incediary story....and politics seems to be nothing but that these days. I'm not privvy to all the behind the scenes and all the effort that goes into policing this forum.....but I do feel that , if they don't bring the open Political Forum back, the site would benefit from maybe several generalized moderator formed pinned political threads - ("2022 Mid Terms"/"2024 Election") with the idea that these are the only threads in which politics can be talked and no other threads can be added.

Thanks. We considered a single political thread in the FFA but chose not to do that.

1. I don't want any politics in the FFA.
2. I think it would turn into the same thing we had in the political forum with the snark and condescension and accusations of bad faith. Just in one thread. Which might be even worse.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

Just created a subreddit for some politics, yoga pants, and other things that aren't appropriate here. I say some politics, because I don't want to foster another social media enragement apparatus. There will be little to no tolerance for ad hominem attacks, sweeping generalizations, and anecdotes used to vilify the other side. This could still serve as a nice place to discuss larger scale stuff like the Ukraine War, elections, inflation, etc.

Link

I think Maurile said not to use FBG in the title.

 

[culdeus]

The PSF was great because it housed the most deplorable people imaginable and tended to keep them out of the FFA. I can't imagine the reason why you don't just ban the deplorables and leave things be as a honey pot. Could it be one of the owners was an OG Q Pizzagater? Nah.

 

[Stealthycat]

I'll never understand going to a political forum and blocking a bunch of people ........... I mean the entire point is reading other people's point of view/opinions ? blocking people leads to echo chamber it seemed to me

 

[GordonGekko]

.... We live in a world where politics and policy and discussion of said politics and policy is an integrated and integral part of life. Shutting this forum down will just lead to discussions popping up in the FFA which will lead to more bannings which will accelerate the death of an already dying social media platform - message boards. As Ive always said, your site, your rules. I will always view this action as a big mistake....

That's one way to look at it.

Another way to look at it is some permanent bans are inevitable, and if they happen, maybe 40-70 people who used to post might be encouraged to come out of the woodwork and return and be active again in the community. Removing clearly toxic people who carry no love for actual community values is never a loss. NEVER.

This community is like a "house" that has many rooms in it. In 2015, clearly there was a major problem and it rooted from the same small handful of bad faith actors. Instead of "fumigating", the solution appeared to be to not deal with the "infestation" in the house and just try to shove it all in one room in the corner. Now the door to that room is locked, but the infestation is still there. So what's changed beyond a lock on the door and the infestation attempting to game/chip away/scheme at getting the door opened again?

Speaking plainly, if those permanent bans had been handed out in 2015 ( and then bans to their aliases as soon as they popped up), maybe in these 7-8 years, this place wouldn't have lost how many countless people who left quietly because they didn't want to deal with the infestation.

I don't see this as complicated. It only takes one child to go into a swimming pool, unload their bowels, and turn the community swimming pool into a toilet. And then no one else wants to go to the pool ever again.

If the goal is to save what's left of the FFA for the future, there is really only one practical path left -

1) Tell everyone that the PSF is closed for good and will never return. It will stop the complaining, scheming and "chipping" to bring back the same crap that drove so many people away. It wasn't everyone that created the problem, but nothing good comes of talking about politics when this place is designed to support an actual business and brand, that has nothing to do with politics in the first place, so that people who work here can put food on the table for their children.

2) Tell everyone that there is now a ZERO TOLERANCE on political discussion period.

3) Anyone who talks politics and breaks that rule gets a one year banning for each instance. Anyone who is talks politics and breaks that rule and they've been a consistent long term problem and have shown over and over that they have zero regard for community values gets a permanent lifetime banning. Any FBG Staff member who talks politics out in the open here and under the brand banner loses their job. Zero tolerance.

Everything I'm saying is inevitable. It can happen today or it can happen in 2023 ( just a repeat of the 2015 cesspool), when the FFA is used like a toilet by the consistently worst elements of bad faith actors here, it's just a question of the level of carnage on the community created and inflicted first.

Locking the door doesn't clean out the infestation. Fumigating is the only solution. Once people recognize that this is all inevitable, then there is nothing left to argue about.

 

[Captain Cranks]

Lol

 

[djmich]

Wow,

I'll never understand going to a political forum and blocking a bunch of people ........... I mean the entire point is reading other people's point of view/opinions ? blocking people leads to echo chamber it seemed to me

You weren’t blocking the viewpoint as much the ******* expressing them (which is why we’re now at this place).

I’ve been connected to this place for 20ish years, although my participation was much spottier than others I’ll miss it some, but much less than previously as the dynamic went to crap.

Shout out to posters like @bigbottom and @fatguyinalittlecoat who were always constructive and @IvanKaramazov who was brilliant. And @rockaction who was occasionally brilliant, sometimes incomprehensible and always entertaining.

 

[quick-hands]

does anyone think some sort of conspiracy is afoot? FBG PSF shut down on same day Elon Musk takes over Twitter. what are the powers that be hiding?

 

[ZADO]

Venturing into the political forum was like a drug you know is bad for you, but you still crave it .

An accident that you know will be bad to see but you cant look away either.

show

 

[GoBirds]

does anyone think some sort of conspiracy is afoot? FBG PSF shut down on same day Elon Musk takes over Twitter. what are the powers that be hiding?

Just 2 weeks before red wave mid terms and shortly after Tim stormed off, so many conspiracies in play.

 

[Joe Bryant]

does anyone think some sort of conspiracy is afoot? FBG PSF shut down on same day Elon Musk takes over Twitter. what are the powers that be hiding?

Shhhhhh...

 

[Van Dyman]

There was some really intelligent, informative discussion in the PSF. It's unfortunate that the sheer volume of bad stuff obscured the good, because the good in there was really, really good. It will be missed.

Another thing that always amused me was how easy it was for us to compartmentalize PSF disagreements (as long as they were respectful). People could vehemently disagree about policy or cultural stuff in the PSF then 10 minutes later they'd be bro'ing out, high-fiving, and laughing together just like old friends in the FFA or Shark Pool.

 

[squistion]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

 

[CGRdrJoe]

cliff notes: if you have something political to post you just send it via pm to @shuke hth

 

[Rubiobot]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

No chance this would be allowed.

 

[Van Dyman]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

Mess around and find out?

 

[dgreen]

My kids have had moments when they've had some pretty nasty back and forth. Treated each other horribly. Especially in the car! Why was it always in the car?!?! I'd repeatedly tell them to stop yelling at each other and stop talking to each other in such mean, nasty ways. Of course, they'd keep going because they had arguments to win and everyone needs to know how right they are and how unfair and irrational the other person was being. Eventually, I'd get so fed up with it that I'd yell, "No more talking! None of you are allowed to make any noises the rest of the way home!" And, interestingly, they'd obey and stop talking. Total silence. I've always wondered why they wouldn't obey the "Be nice to each other" command in those moments but they would obey the "No talking" command.

I'm not sure why that came to my mind nor why I shared it in this thread.

 

[Van Dyman]

My kids have had moments when they've had some pretty nasty back and forth. Treated each other horribly. Especially in the car! Why was it always in the car?!?! I'd repeatedly tell them to stop yelling at each other and stop talking to each other in such mean, nasty ways. Of course, they'd keep going because they had arguments to win and everyone needs to know how right they are and how unfair and irrational the other person was being. Eventually, I'd get so fed up with it that I'd yell, "No more talking! None of you are allowed to make any noises the rest of the way home!" And, interestingly, they'd obey and stop talking. Total silence. I've always wondered why they wouldn't obey the "Be nice to each other" command in those moments but they would obey the "No talking" command.

I'm not sure why that came to my mind nor why I shared it in this thread.

A related tangent...familial arguments often escalate more quickly or devolve to nastier words than disagreements with random strangers. It crossed my mind on several occasions that what looked to some as "vitriol" in the PSF was at least somewhat related to this place being a relatively small, long-standing forum where a lot of the same folks have been interacting each other for 20ish years.

 

[Joe Bryant]

No chance this would be allowed.

Agreed.

 

[squistion]

No chance this would be allowed.

Agreed.

SMH.

So a report of any mass shooting is verboten too?

 

[GoBirds]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

Shocker, should have taken the under on when the regs go politics in this thread.

 

[Boston]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

Shocker, should have taken the under on when the regs go politics in this thread.

The lack of self-awareness of what is going on is amazing.

 

[Ramblin Wreck]

I already see a gray area...what about when a politician or a member of their family is attacked? Isn't that a news item? Or would that be considered politics because of who the victim is?

The reason I ask is that Paul Pelosi, Nancy's husband was attacked in their home by an intruder this morning and is in the hospital (although expected to be recover). Would that be allowed or excluded in the FFA under the "No Politics" ban?

No chance this would be allowed.

Someone is going to insist on learning the hard way though

 

[Captain Cranks]

SMH.

So a report of any mass shooting is verboten too?

There's like zero chance your examples don't instantly turn political.

 

[knowledge dropper]

No chance this would be allowed.

Agreed.

SMH.

So a report of any mass shooting is verboten too?

If in doubt, don’t post it in here. Try to keep it light. Plenty of places to post that stuff.

 

[Captain Cranks]

Just created a subreddit for some politics, yoga pants, and other things that aren't appropriate here. I say some politics, because I don't want to foster another social media enragement apparatus. There will be little to no tolerance for ad hominem attacks, sweeping generalizations, and anecdotes used to vilify the other side. This could still serve as a nice place to discuss larger scale stuff like the Ukraine War, elections, inflation, etc.

Link

I've got this set up as a closed community where only approved members can post. I'm not really sure what the approval process entails, so there will be a bit of a learning curve here. I'd like to have balanced moderation, so if there's a moderate conservative who would like to volunteer, let me know.

 

[GordonGekko]

My kids have had moments when they've had some pretty nasty back and forth. Treated each other horribly. Especially in the car! Why was it always in the car?!?! I'd repeatedly tell them to stop yelling at each other and stop talking to each other in such mean, nasty ways. Of course, they'd keep going because they had arguments to win and everyone needs to know how right they are and how unfair and irrational the other person was being. Eventually, I'd get so fed up with it that I'd yell, "No more talking! None of you are allowed to make any noises the rest of the way home!" And, interestingly, they'd obey and stop talking. Total silence. I've always wondered why they wouldn't obey the "Be nice to each other" command in those moments but they would obey the "No talking" command.

I'm not sure why that came to my mind nor why I shared it in this thread.

What some people are not really understanding here is that unless something changes, the Free For All will eventually get shut down.

The same toxic crap from 2015 will re-erupt in 2023 in these forums as long as the same toxic long standing bad faith actors are allowed to remain. They've trashed the place before, they'll trash the place again. It's happened for years. They are told officially to stop. Then they back off for a little while, test the edges, and go right back to it. Over and over.

There are a lot of good posters in the FFA who have done nothing wrong. And they'll eventually lose the FFA otherwise.

I've said this before, in the most technical sense, it's a "trade"

Good honest decent people who operate in good faith who bolt over the endless repugnance, in the most technical sense, aren't "leaving". The continued enabling of bad faith actors are traded for them. It's a "deal" where 8-10 people have their behavior left alone at the expense of the departure of how many dozens or even a hundred or more good people.

People can be adults and stop with the games. Or they can get purged. And rock bottom solid, I fully believe if there is a purge, the forums, esp the FFA, will see a return of many long time old voices that help to enrich the community and operate to actual positive community values.

 

[dkp993]

Got Jury Duty today. So that means sitting around all day waiting to get called in. Aka a perfect day to kill time in the PSF.

 

[Van Dyman]

My kids have had moments when they've had some pretty nasty back and forth. Treated each other horribly. Especially in the car! Why was it always in the car?!?! I'd repeatedly tell them to stop yelling at each other and stop talking to each other in such mean, nasty ways. Of course, they'd keep going because they had arguments to win and everyone needs to know how right they are and how unfair and irrational the other person was being. Eventually, I'd get so fed up with it that I'd yell, "No more talking! None of you are allowed to make any noises the rest of the way home!" And, interestingly, they'd obey and stop talking. Total silence. I've always wondered why they wouldn't obey the "Be nice to each other" command in those moments but they would obey the "No talking" command.

I'm not sure why that came to my mind nor why I shared it in this thread.

What some people are not really understanding here is that unless something changes, the Free For All will eventually get shut down.

Yeah, ya think? At the rate some folks are going, we're probably about an hour away from getting "Looking for Leagues" shut down.

 

[jamny]

Just created a subreddit for some politics, yoga pants, and other things that aren't appropriate here. I say some politics, because I don't want to foster another social media enragement apparatus. There will be little to no tolerance for ad hominem attacks, sweeping generalizations, and anecdotes used to vilify the other side. This could still serve as a nice place to discuss larger scale stuff like the Ukraine War, elections, inflation, etc.

Link

I've got this set up as a closed community where only approved members can post. I'm not really sure what the approval process entails, so there will be a bit of a learning curve here. I'd like to have balanced moderation, so if there's a moderate conservative who would like to volunteer, let me know.

As has been mentioned, Joe asked politely that any reference to FBG be kept out of any alternate discussion boards. I'd be willing to help out but not if it goes against that request.