Censorship and SB..how far are we going to take this???

[JeffG]

Is this what is being requested - the right to be nasty and make personal attacks on other people? I thought it was just about the content. If it's more than that I very much doubt it would work at all.

It is about content, but one follows the other.

So either you allow the content and manage the outcome or manage the content to force an outcome.

Why isn't it possible just to allow people to talk about what they want, or post funny stories/cartoons etc - but refrain from nastiness or personal attacks? That's how it works in real life most places.

Why do people keep whining about "Oh why is everyone nasty on the internet?"


Its like that...always has. always will

Get over it and move on.

 

[Kim]

It is about content, but one follows the other.

So either you allow the content and manage the outcome or manage the content to force an outcome.

And until now SB has managed the content to force the outcome. I thought what was under discussion was allowing the content and managing the outcome in an opt-in area.

I realize that there will always be nastiness but that's no reason just to ignore it and "move on". There will always be bar-fights too and bouncers will always throw people out of clubs and bars for that sort of behaviour. No reason why the same can't happen here.
People will soon get the message - it's not rocket science.

 

[H2Andy]

everyone on this thread has expressed their opinions

and i am sorry to say you're all wrong (except me) (that goes without saying) (also, "you" generally doesn't include "me")

s.t.f.u and give me some beer

 

[JeffG]

everyone on this thread has expressed their opinions

and i am sorry to say you're all wrong (except me) (that goes without saying) (also, "you" generally doesn't include "me")

s.t.f.u and give me some beer

bite me, you stroke.

 

[H2Andy]

if you buy me some beer

 

[jepuskar]

I dont see how loosening up the language/discussions leads to personal attacks??

If a member of the board can't participate in a discussion, no matter how controversial it is, without attacking another member(s)...then they are the ones who have the problem..not the topic/language.

If I post something about <pick your most sensitive topic and insert here> and you cant argue/state your opinions for or against without attacking me...YOU have a problem. Not me. So why should those of who can maintain composure and civility be penalized for those who cant?

Also, if I decide to utilize a foul smelling word...as long as it is describing something, a situation, event, etc...without directing it at someone....how bad is that?

A personal attack is a personal attack no matter if I use a foul word or not...like caca. I can just as easily attack you without saying caca or poo poo.

Now I must say...this thread is starting to get old and I'm tired of having to explain the point that the awesome OP made in the first place.

We could go round and round on this subject till your air runs out.

 

[JeffG]

I dont see how loosening up the language/discussions leads to personal attacks??

Yes...being told you are wrong by 6 or 7 people on a subject that you are passionate about usually goes over really well.

It happens today on SB.

It just that the threads get closed when they hit that level.

 

[daniel f aleman]

It is about content, but one follows the other.

So either you allow the content and manage the outcome or manage the content to force an outcome.

This, of course is the crux of censorship, which of the two paths does management choose? If it's the latter, we move on to another site...

 

[GreenDiverDown]

I just hope Ash was not banned because I need to ask him about a ping pong table. I really need the smart people around here, even the rude ones, as a resource.

Not banned... not yet.

But I have been told what I can and can't talk about. So, pardon me if I don't get too worked up about whether or not I can use a profanity... talk about religion or politics... or show pics of myself in a speedo. IMHO, open discussion of scuba... even when done in a manner that is well within the TOS... is now being threatened. Without free and open discussion this board's a sham and I don't want to be part of that.


Here's my last scubaboard tip, Catherine... It's called Table Tennis... not Ping Pong.
Guide to Choosing a Table Tennis Table

Rude? Really? Hmm... sorry.

 

[Cave Diver]

I think sometimes we expect too much of the mods ... they're only human, after all.

If you take any random group of people and give them a gun, some will never use it, some will use it judiciously, and some will look for reasons to use it.

Mods aren't any different. Of course, they are not randomly chosen ... mods are selected based on the "personality" they project through their postings. But as we all know, Internet personalities don't always show the true person behind the keyboard.

Rules ... no matter how well-written ... are always subject to interpretation. And the actions of any given mod will be based on their interpretation of what they believe their job to be, based on those rules. Whatever the outward appearance, I think that all of the mods act in what they believe to be the best interest of ScubaBoard ... as they interpret those interests to be. I also think that Pete, and the admins, try to give mods as much latitude as possible ... as a statement of trust.

Where there are more than one human doing any given job, there will never be complete consistency. Put 50 or so of them doing the same job ... on a forum where the job involves dealing with a large number of other humans ... and expecting consistency is unreasonable. The only way to achieve that would be a complete absense of moderation.

And I'd be careful to wish for that ... it only works (to a degree) on forums that are small, close-knit, and where for the most part the participants know that sooner or later they'll be spending "face-time" with the other folks on the forum.

ScubaBoard simply doesn't have that dynamic.

The Anonymous Poster example we've seen right here in this thread should be a clue what would happen if the mods lightened up as you ask ... there would be a segment of users who would quickly find ways to use that freedom to be as disruptive as they possibly could be ... up to the point where the freedom would have to either be removed or the results would overwhelm the ability of everyone else to have any reasonable conversation.

Hence my comment above ... if we all behaved like adults, the mods job would be easy ... they'd be able to treat us like adults.

What you're asking for has been tried, to one degree or another ... it always ends up in a train wreck.

The inconsistency and tight moderation aggravates me sometimes too ... but, to be honest, I think it beats the alternative ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

While I agree with your sentiments, I think there is a flaw in the reasoning. As you noted above (indicated in bold) different people will behave in different ways.

So to say "if everyone behaves like adults" is a flawed statement. No two adults behave the same and what is acceptable to one may not be to another. Take Jep for example...