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Request for input on Off Topic (politics/religion/moderation)

NSX Prime

NSX Prime

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After extended discussion in this thread http://www.nsxprime.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119189 and a lot of sleeping on it, I set queenlives up as a moderator for Off Topic. Prior to the discussion and input from folks in that thread I was inclined to ban political and religious discussion entirely because it seemed that increasingly it was not possible for such discussions to take place without turning ugly and I felt it had a negative impact on the site.

At the time I said I'd ask for input after a month but I decided to give it longer so queenlives had some time to figure out how to approach moderation and get any existing "problem" threads under control. During that time I know he has spent time evaluating his approach to moderation, as well as trying to get inside my head a bit to understand how I want the site to operate.

Now it has been a couple months and I am curious to know people's opinion on a couple things:

1) Have you seen the nature of political / religious discussion changing from a negative, hostile and combative tone to one of curiosity and intelligent discussion even among those of differing beliefs?

This is not something I expect to happen over night, but it has been long enough now that I expect people to at least see evidence of change even if it isn't all the way to where we want it yet. If you have a strong opinion either way, can you post links to one or two threads you think support your opinion? I have only skimmed a few threads in Off Topic in the past month or more so I'm not really familiar with all the latest discussions.


2) Is it working out to have a moderator specifically for that section?

Do you think it has had a positive, negative, or neutral impact? Can you give examples?

If anyone is inclined to say negative, first please step back and consider whether that is an objective evaluation or you are just upset because you had a good political / religious rant going and found it squelched. :wink: I specifically challenged him to turn around the level of discourse in Off Topic, and as such expected a few bruised egos.

However if anyone thinks the moderation has been truly unfair given the ground rules (treading lightly on religion/politics and avoiding negative or combative comments in favor of intellectual curiosity and respectful debate) please contact me with details either in this thread or privately and I will look into it.

Thanks for your input and working to make NSX Prime a better place.
 
1) In over 25 years of online forum communication, I don't think I've ever seen a politics/religion thread not devolve to a flame war. I'm no angel here either; I've certainly flamed my share. I think the "tread lightly" admonition is working out well.

2) It's hard to tell the effect Hal is having -- maybe just having a moderator keeps everything a little cooler. The only place I recall where he stepped in was in the electrocution thread. Otherwise, people are behaving themselves fairly well.

'prime has always been a place that's an order of magnitude more mature than the usual online fora, and especially car related ones. I think the members are more important in keeping a civil community, but having a moderator doesn't hurt too much either.
 
flaminio said:
1) In over 25 years of online forum communication, I don't think I've ever seen a politics/religion thread not devolve to a flame war. I'm no angel here either; I've certainly flamed my share. I think the "tread lightly" admonition is working out well.

2) It's hard to tell the effect Hal is having -- maybe just having a moderator keeps everything a little cooler. The only place I recall where he stepped in was in the electrocution thread. Otherwise, people are behaving themselves fairly well.

'prime has always been a place that's an order of magnitude more mature than the usual online fora, and especially car related ones. I think the members are more important in keeping a civil community, but having a moderator doesn't hurt too much either.
Click to expand...

+1 and I'm long winded so why bore you? Well played and nice work Hal in the busiest forum.
 
1). I don't even bother clicking on any thread that has to do with politics or religion. They are always hot topics and seem to bring out the worst in people. I guess I would just like to keep my 'head in the sand' and keep an unbiased view of folks on here rather than have my opinion jaded by finding out thier thoughts on those subjects. Once something is written and I read it, for better or worse, it shapes my image of them. Sometimes that isn't always a good thing so I'll keep myself from following those threads.
2). Quite honestly, I haven't really noticed any difference in the 'Off Topic' since Hal has taken over. That can be considered a good thing though. Kinda like in sports. The best games that are umpired or refered are the ones you don't know the ref's or ump's are even there.
 
Maybe we could set up a "back room" where we could go off on topics? members could be given a web address for a Secret room where little is taboo.
 
steveny said:
Maybe we could set up a "back room" where we could go off on topics? members could be given a web address for a Secret room where little is taboo.
Click to expand...

there is the chat room. Hal has been prunning the posts.I do agree that an individuals posts should only be modified by the author.any post seen as not passing muster should be removed in its entirety.I am ok with moderation in this forum because the whole internet with its inherent freedoms is available for all to use.What gets me laughing is that some folks seem to get pissed about free speach ect on prime simply because they want to be here,but remember ,that is because of some of the rather smart expert viewpoints that our members donate to the site.Those experts don't enjoy drivel or huge cut and paste rants.If I could force anything on prime it would be the requirement of posters to post only thier own ideas,with the ocasional footnotes as support.
 
docjohn said:
there is the chat room. Hal has been prunning the posts.I do agree that an individuals posts should only be modified by the author.any post seen as not passing muster should be removed in its entirety.I am ok with moderation in this forum because the whole internet with its inherent freedoms is available for all to use.What gets me laughing is that some folks seem to get pissed about free speach ect on prime simply because they want to be here,but remember ,that is because of some of the rather smart expert viewpoints that our members donate to the site.Those experts don't enjoy drivel or huge cut and paste rants.If I could force anything on prime it would be the requirement of posters to post only thier own ideas,with the ocasional footnotes as support.
Click to expand...

I agree and kinda feel that there is the chat room. Hal has been prunning the posts.I do agree that an individuals posts should only be modified by the author.any post seen as not passing muster should be removed in its entirety.I am ok with moderation in this forum because the whole internet with its inherent freedoms is available for all to use.What gets me laughing is that some folks seem to get pissed about free speach ect on prime simply because they want to be here,but remember ,that is because of some of the rather smart expert viewpoints that our members donate to the site.Those experts don't enjoy drivel or huge cut and paste rants.If I could force anything on prime it would be the requirement of posters to post only thier own ideas,with the ocasional footnotes as support:biggrin:
 
2. It would appear, without any empirical data, that the addition of an Off Topic moderator has brought a new sense of decorum to the section. But I'm not sure if...

1. ..that may just be due to members knowing that "there's a new Sheriff in town" and that they are policing their own online behavior.

I have been put off by the vitriolic manner which some people feel that they must present their viewpoint in Off Topic and I am glad that there is a moderator. Has the presence of a moderator been responsible for any perceived positive changes? It's difficult to know.
 
I'd say there's been a slight improvement. Part of that is probably due to moderation, part of it just because the election is over.

There are still postings that are crude and/or mean-spirited. Please PM me if you'd like examples.

I wouldn't mind seeing more strict moderation, but I realize I may be in the minority.
 
A couple things:

A) I'd say that QL is doing a super job, mostly because he seems to be a genuinely decent fella trying to be even handed.

B) Every site with forums needs an OT forum, just to keep the shit out of the kitchen. IMO as long as the Hubub does not rise to the level where it spills out into the other fora, mission accomplished.

C) I frequent another site where the OT forum is allowed to get slightly more politically rambunctious that it is here, but with very firm application of a single simple rule: Absolutely no personal attacks are allowed.

That is; It is perfectly acceptable to say something like "Your argument/post/opinion is stupid/ill conceived/ lame/wrong"...

....But in no case is it ever acceptable to say "You are stupid/an A-hole/retarded".

Violators of those rules are dealt with harshly, losing their OT privileges.

It seems to work.
 
lrsudog said:
A couple things:

A) I'd say that QL is doing a super job, mostly because he seems to be a genuinely decent fella trying to be even handed.

B) Every site with forums needs an OT forum, just to keep the shit out of the kitchen. IMO as long as the Hubub does not rise to the level where it spills out into the other fora, mission accomplished.

C) I frequent another site where the OT forum is allowed to get slightly more politically rambunctious that it is here, but with very firm application of a single simple rule: Absolutely no personal attacks are allowed.

That is; It is perfectly acceptable to say something like "Your argument/post/opinion is stupid/ill conceived/ lame/wrong"...

....But in no case is it ever acceptable to say "You are stupid/an A-hole/retarded".

Violators of those rules are dealt with harshly, losing their OT privileges.

It seems to work.
Click to expand...

Ditto.
 
swerve said:
easier yet- no politics or religion- period.
Click to expand...
At the very least, could we have a "no politics or religion in avatars or signatures" policy?

I avoid the off-topic section altogether on days when I don't care to read about politics here, but avatars spread it across the whole site.
 
Tom239 said:
At the very least, could we have a "no politics or religion in avatars or signatures" policy?

I avoid the off-topic section altogether on days when I don't care to read about politics here, but avatars spread it across the whole site.
Click to expand...

Can you post links to the profile of anyone you have seen using a political or religious avatar? I will take a look. If it's just one or two I'll probably deal with individually instead of posting new rules as I think that is clearly against the spirit of the existing rules of the site.
 
I think your will find that if a "No politics/no religion" policy is put in place, the result will be inevitable intrusions of both into the other "on topic" fora.

Off topic fora generally exists on sites like this as the "outside", as in "Okay fellas, take it outside".
 

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