should politics be banned on the forum?

[Jdsk]

Nobody knows how many people who read something without commenting altered their view or took a view when they hadn't before. There must be some who hadn't previously known something was an issue.

Nobody knows, indeed. I imagine nobody reads some of the very long posts right through either

I think discussing issues is about more than "changing somebodies views". Sometimes somebody might change their views but sometimes people might (slightly) adjust their views as often it's not an x or y extreme but a continuum. Even making people aware of the views of others is useful (even if they don't agree with those views or place lower priority on some aspects).

Well said, Ian.

I've learnt lots of things in this forum that aren't related to servicing our HPVs, and it's great to read other people's views, especially when they're different.

Jonathan

[al_yrpal]

There are all shades of opinions here and its informative to see how others from totally different communities and backgrounds view things. I dont think you would hear such a wide range of views freely expressed in the pub so in that respect its useful even if it has little to do with our pastime.
Does what is said here change my views?
Sometimes it makes me investigate things to become better informed.

Al

[Tangled Metal]

Nobody knows how many people who read something without commenting altered their view or took a view when they hadn't before. There must be some who hadn't previously known something was an issue.

Nobody knows, indeed. I imagine nobody reads some of the very long posts right through either

That'll be my posts, I'm not sure I read then through neither!!

[NUKe]

yet another thread in the gutter looking up at the drains

[Cyril Haearn]

Not sure I talk to my chums about politics much. I guess most of us have similar views and are primarily interested in what happens in our leafy suburb

[VinceLedge]

I am loving the polite commenting and mild insults on this thread and the forum in general, it is such a refreshing change to many discussions on other social media, where after any initial disagreement posters descend to an amazing exchange of insults which is not PC and can be very educational

[Vorpal]

This thread has been pruned considerably. If people cannot argue nicely, it will be locked.

Instead of posting comments about how the mods don't remove insults or insulting people in turn, *please* report insults & personal attacks.

[thirdcrank]

This is interesting in a weird sort of way. Or should I say insightful

[Vorpal]

This is interesting in a weird sort of way. Or should I say insightful

The quoting post was removed, so I'm afraid your went with it. The results mean that the posts were retained in a moderator-only area of the forum.

[Cyril Haearn]

Can't be sure what was deleted and why. I called myself a left-whinger, at least that was not deleted, +1
..
Perhaps material that is to be deleted could be marked grey or italic, and left visible for a few hours, so we know what is not allowed?

Otherwise I regret that the situation reminds me a bit of sex education for teenagers, where one carefully avoids talking about what one is trying to talk about

[mjr]

Instead of posting comments about how the mods don't remove insults or insulting people in turn, *please* report insults & personal attacks.

I did both. Most get closed without noticeable edit, except for one today.

[mjr]

Perhaps material that is deleted could be marked grey or italic, and left visible for a few hours, so we know what is not allowed?

If the disapproval and warnings system was used, rather than perverting the system by moving posts to a private board, I think it would notify posters of their infractions so they might learn from them. Instead, the current misuse of phpbb means offenders rarely notice their offences and carry on spewing bile and overloading mods.

[Pebble]

I am loving the polite commenting and mild insults on this thread and the forum in general, it is such a refreshing change to many discussions on other social media, where after any initial disagreement posters descend to an amazing exchange of insults which is not PC and can be very educational

It is indeed a nice little forum, a rare sunny glade in a big bad internet. Hope it is kept that way.

[Vorpal]

Instead of posting comments about how the mods don't remove insults or insulting people in turn, *please* report insults & personal attacks.

I did both. Most get closed without noticeable edit, except for one today.

A number of posts have been edited on this thread over the last few days, but there are only a couple of reports in the logs,
Something may have been lost in software changes?

[mjr]

,
Something may have been lost in software changes?

It is possible. The closures are not on my "manage notifications" tab. I don't know if mods can prevent the notification, as one in particular must be fed up with PMs about his refusals to remove personal attacks.