Politics and stuff

[Bruce Wayne]

As some of the longer term members know, we've had long-running discussions about the merits of political threads on GOT as they tend to result in disagreements and in-fighting amongst Blues.

They, and other similarly 'hot' topics, do tend to be discussed however, so we're going to trial putting them all into the upgraded member lounge, where moderation is more relaxed on account of it being primarily used by members who have shown a willingness to support the site.

Threads that will be put there include topics such as politics, religion, guns and so on. Any existing threads on these topics will be moved over to the upgraded lounge by Sunday evening.

 

[Clint Planet]

No offence but you know that reports will decrease with this arrangement. This isnt experiment but a calculated move. A bit dissapointed here.

Wow. I actually agree with FinnFan.

 

[roydo]

No offence but you know that reports will decrease with this arrangement. This isnt experiment but a calculated move. A bit dissapointed here.

lollollol

We dont actually get that many reports for posts in the various political threads.

edit. Ireland and Merican guns get shut too quickly for them.

 

[magicjuan]

pol¦it|ics1

[ˈpɒlɪtɪks]

NOUN

the activities associated with the governance of a country or area, especially the debate between parties having power:

"the party quickly gained influence in French politics" ·

[More]

synonyms: government · local government · affairs of state ·

activities aimed at improving someone's status or increasing power within an organization:

"yet another discussion of office politics and personalities"

particularly definition #2. Oh the irony.

The moderation and closing of threads would indicate that system was working, or was it taking too much of a mods time and effort to police? If so then is the wish for an 'ale house' of cat gifs and inoffensive cap doffing with no need for moderation, the end game? If not, what is the point of having a non football section?
If this was a proper ale house and the manager said you can't talk about that or this in the bar, but pay me x amount and you can in the snug, what would the reaction be? Limiting free speech to those who can afford it?

Experiment perhaps but it smacks of idle arrogance, blackmail and profiteering. And all so soon after Trump was sworn in....

 

[Boss_Blue]

lollollol

We dont actually get that many reports for posts in the various political threads.

Genuine question - why close them then?

 

[Woolly Blue]

How am I supposed to know who the blatant racists are without the politics threads?

Upgraded members will do their best to remember to post on any members profile who seems to be racist. Join the "Profile Posts Clique" abd enter a whole new world.

As some of the longer term members know, we've had long-running discussions about the merits of political threads on GOT as they tend to result in disagreements and in-fighting amongst Blues.

They, and other similarly 'hot' topics, do tend to be discussed however, so we're going to trial putting them all into the upgraded member lounge, where moderation is more relaxed on account of it being primarily used by members who have shown a willingness to support the site.

Threads that will be put there include topics such as politics, religion, guns and so on. Any existing threads on these topics will be moved over to the upgraded lounge by Sunday evening.

You know my thought on the political threads, I don't know if this approach will work, but I understand and support the rationale behind it. If it's possible, I'd suggest threads which start off, at least, as more current affairs than mainstream politics be given a chance to breathe in the Ale House, and, if they start to move into a left/right debate, then close them and restart them in the Upgraded Lounge.

But having typed all that, I'm aware that's much easier said than done.

 

[Boss_Blue]

Ah, just seen the edit.

 

[jal123]

Genuine question - why close them then?

Exactly.

Close the threads that cause you so much bother, not the ones that basically moderate themselves

 

[Ruairi77]

I don't mind signing up but it will kill off any decent conversation in my opinion.
The Brexit thread was ridiculous but most of the thread was Bruce Wayne arguing with Joey and pete, till Bruce shut it down.
This is one of the few places I can find differing opinions, an escape from the echo chamber. If you start charging for it, it'll die.
I don't mind paying but it's worth remembering that hits increase ad revenue.
Keep the threads open please.

 

[roydo]

Genuine question - why close them then?

Mainly when they have run their course and 2 or 3 posters are endlessly lobbing the ball back over the net to each other. Like the EU one for example.

Like when all that catches fire again, I am sure a new thread will appear, based on the deal we get, or dont, etc etc. But the original thread was Yes or No. That was back in last summer.

Trumps still open, think a few others too.

If anyone wants a locked thread opened, (they get auto closed after a period iirc), then drop a mod a pm with a request to do so. Usually, they get bumped.

 

[Clint Planet]

Believe it or not, this is an experiment designed to reduce conflict on the site.

Political discussion is conflict. If it isn't, there's something wrong. But, as much as I find certain views on here incomprehensible or even repulsive, I can't see how they don't add to the value of this little place, overall. Even if we may never be won over to the other side's views (and I don't even think that is impossible - I know one friend who was completely into the Grammar School argument but now hates the idea), it doesn't mean discussion should be banned. I mean, are we children?

I suppose, in the end, this site hopes to exist to discuss whether Deu is better than Lennon or if the Holy Trinity was better than Steven-Bracewell-Reid-Sheedy but it'll also descend into all sorts of bull spoken by clueless teds on all manner of things Evertonian.

It's much the same with the politics threads. Of course it gets childish and personal at times but I really do think this site is much the better for being able to talk ideas over, not least because this is - in my view - a dangerous time when certain views which might hold sway on the terraces need to be openly challenged.

 

[roydo]

Exactly.

Close the threads that cause you so much bother, not the ones that basically moderate themselves

But they dont cause us that much bother.

Its just a trial to see if the general tone of the Ale House can be a bit less fraught. Which more than a few posters have commented on.

To extend @magicjuan analogy, its seeing if the general conversation in the pub can be less dominated by a few topics that have been done to death.

 

[Clint Planet]

Like the EU one for example.

And what harm was that thread actually doing? Less harm than the Mods deciding to start banning open discussion, I'd say.

 

[Seanjd]

I would say perhaps 50% of the reports we get emanate from these kind of threads. This is an experiment to try and reduce that number.

lollollol

We dont actually get that many reports for posts in the various political threads.

Who to believe?

 

[jal123]

But they dont cause us that much bother.

Its just a trial to see if the general tone of the Ale House can be a bit less fraught. Which more than a few posters have commented on.

To extend @magicjuan analogy, its seeing if the general conversation in the pub can be less dominated by a few topics that have been done to death.

I'll be following your 'experiment' with interest, then.

 

[Tubey]

This keeps coming up, and it comes back to the same thing - you can't censor it, because it's too wide a definition. So it creeps back in, and rightfully so.

What do you want people to do in here, just talk about cheese pasties ad nauseum? Hell, even that is political if someone dares mention the price of them.

I appreciate it causes work for the mods, but ultimately it is the forum users talking about what they want to talk about - if work comes from that, it should just be considered part of the job. Attempting to censor it is, in my view, ill-advised and can't possibly work, because people want to talk about the world around them and that is politics. Personally I'd prefer if the solution was about effective moderation of it rather than just trying to jib it off altogether.