Ban Politics from the forum

Use this board for general non-cycling-related chat, or to introduce yourself to the forum.

Politics Too Contentious, Time to Stop!

Poll ended at 9 Dec 2016, 8:33am

No more political threads
9
50%
Politics behind a closed door, opt in only, largely unmoderated
9
50%
 
Total votes: 18

User avatar
cycleruk
Posts: 6065
Joined: 17 Jan 2009, 9:30pm
Location: Lancashire

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by cycleruk »

I wouldn't mind so much if all this political chit chat would make a halfpence worth bit of difference to the real world. People who it could effect/influence won't be reading this forum.
As Confucius said - for a happy world don't discuss politics or religion. :roll:
You'll never know if you don't try it.
User avatar
Audax67
Posts: 6001
Joined: 25 Aug 2011, 9:02am
Location: Alsace, France
Contact:

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by Audax67 »

I don't see how there could be any objection to having a separate area: those who don't want to see politics would be spared the dread sight, those who do would be accommodated. To say you don't want politics even in a separate area strikes me as selfish.

But hey, there's always YACF, which is a lot funnier too.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
blackbike
Posts: 2492
Joined: 11 Jul 2009, 3:21pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by blackbike »

Audax67 wrote:I don't see how there could be any objection to having a separate area: those who don't want to see politics would be spared the dread sight, those who do would be accommodated. To say you don't want politics even in a separate area strikes me as selfish.

But hey, there's always YACF, which is a lot funnier too.


It strikes me as a bit selfish to want other members to be hived off to a separate area just because some people would prefer not even to know of the existence of some threads.

If you don't like to know about what topics others choose to discuss, go elsewhere. That would solve your problem without impacting on others who choose to chat about what they find mutually interesting.
irc
Posts: 5192
Joined: 3 Dec 2008, 2:22pm
Location: glasgow

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by irc »

661-Pete wrote:Now I'm not so sure. Like many who voted Brexit, I suspect, I'm capable of changing my mind.


And vice versa.

https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/uk/ ... rt-remain/
tyreon
Posts: 936
Joined: 4 Oct 2012, 4:39pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by tyreon »

Morin Sid.
Mornin Harry.

One hour passes.

Weather mightn't be too good.
Say that again.

Another hour passes...and the shop is closed.

Tick tock,time passes.

And then we die!
mercalia
Posts: 14630
Joined: 22 Sep 2013, 10:03pm
Location: london South

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by mercalia »

maybe have a corner in this group pointing to a teatotallers section like they do with touring re camping?
User avatar
NUKe
Posts: 4161
Joined: 23 Apr 2007, 11:07pm
Location: Suffolk

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by NUKe »

There have been people recently who seem drawn to the forum to espouse extreme political views. fortunately moderation seems to have wormed these leaches out. I think we have to remember this forum is funded by the Cycling UK to promote cycling and not as platform for extreme political views of either the left the right or for that matter the liberal middle.

Several member of this forum have completely different views to my own, as many of my friends do, and I would love to argue with you over a pint, but I sometimes think the debate gets a little overheated on here and I know I cant change any ones mind so I tend to avoid the political debates.
NUKe
_____________________________________
User avatar
661-Pete
Posts: 10593
Joined: 22 Nov 2012, 8:45pm
Location: Sussex

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by 661-Pete »

irc wrote:And vice versa.
I knew it! Like a red rag to a google....
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
Flinders
Posts: 3023
Joined: 10 Mar 2009, 6:47pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by Flinders »

Two bad options. I'm not voting for either.
A separate section, maybe.
User avatar
meic
Posts: 19355
Joined: 1 Feb 2007, 9:37pm
Location: Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen)

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by meic »

and I know I cant change any ones mind
I dont agree with that.
I reckon if you are planning for a total conversion of somebody from one extreme to another then that would be optimistic. I find that I leave most of the debates better informed than when I enter them and that is in equal measure from those I am arguing against and those who are arguing alongside me.
Yma o Hyd
Psamathe
Posts: 17650
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by Psamathe »

NUKe wrote:..and I know I cant change any ones mind....

For me it's not about "changing minds" (i.e. not from being a Remain supporter to being a Leave supporter). It's more about becoming aware of different views, different reasons and different facts. I regularly find my opinions "moving" as I learn more and understand things better and that better understanding comes from discussing and reading as others draw my attention to information. People talk about "nobody ever changes their mind" but they do, but maybe not radically and maybe not quickly. I certainly hold different views now from those I held as a youngster and those changed views were largely from discussing and learning more and people pointing out additional information, different aspects, misunderstandings, etc. is a major part of that.

And this forum is unusual on the internet in that people (mostly) offer polite and mostly constructive discussion - a credit to the forum and the participants.

And even if minds or attitudes don't change, being more aware of the reasons others hold differing views makes one appreciate their stance more even if you don't agree with it.

Ian
Psamathe
Posts: 17650
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by Psamathe »

Flinders wrote:Two bad options. I'm not voting for either.
A separate section, maybe.

Likewise. It is designed as a self proving survey because it is based on the (in my view) incorrect assumption that there is a problem. If there is a problem it's with people continually starting threads like this (and duplicate discussions in different threads - like this).

Ian
SpannerGeek
Posts: 722
Joined: 12 Nov 2015, 2:16pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by SpannerGeek »

Psamathe wrote:
Flinders wrote:Two bad options. I'm not voting for either.
A separate section, maybe.

Likewise. It is designed as a self proving survey because it is based on the (in my view) incorrect assumption that there is a problem. If there is a problem it's with people continually starting threads like this (and duplicate discussions in different threads - like this).

Ian


You can choose to abstain. You have that luxury in a democracy when given a binary choice.

Unfortunately other forum members can't choose not to see extreme and bigoted views portrayed on this forum. Like the other day, when members we defending the use of the word 'Paki'. Extreme, violent and pornographic depictions are not allowed on television because they offend people .

The 'don't watch if you don't want to be offended' trope cuts no ice there either. It shouldn't do here. Many people have already said they are offended by such topics. The worst if all is that these extreme views can't even be challenged because of the abuse of the Report system and knee jerk moderation.
AlaninWales
Posts: 1626
Joined: 26 Oct 2012, 1:47pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by AlaninWales »

SpannerGeek wrote:
Psamathe wrote:
Flinders wrote:Two bad options. I'm not voting for either.
A separate section, maybe.

Likewise. It is designed as a self proving survey because it is based on the (in my view) incorrect assumption that there is a problem. If there is a problem it's with people continually starting threads like this (and duplicate discussions in different threads - like this).

Ian


You can choose to abstain. You have that luxury in a democracy when given a binary choice.

Unfortunately other forum members can't choose not to see extreme and bigoted views portrayed on this forum. Like the other day, when members we defending the use of the word 'Paki'. Extreme, violent and pornographic depictions are not allowed on television because they offend people .

The 'don't watch if you don't want to be offended' trope cuts no ice there either. It shouldn't do here. Many people have already said they are offended by such topics. The worst if all is that these extreme views can't even be challenged because of the abuse of the Report system and knee jerk moderation.

I haven't seen any "Extreme, violent and pornographic depictions" on the forum (and would have reported them if I had). Have the Mods been having problems with these and are they related to people making political points? Or is that a straw-man you pulled from the haystack?

Ditto the "paki" and the blacking up discussions: Some people asked (IMO genuinely uncertain, but if not the question can easily be treated as such) why these were still offensive. They were answered (effectively - again IMO). Neither constituted 'political' discussion (so I am not sure why they get pulled into threads about banning or side-lining political discussions - apart from more straw targets perhaps). Both were educational for some.

If people are offended because some people are not aware of such issues then (a) these people are incredibly thin skinned and (b) they will never achieve universal understanding of what offends them, because they are too offended to explain!
Last edited by AlaninWales on 8 Dec 2016, 5:21pm, edited 1 time in total.
Psamathe
Posts: 17650
Joined: 10 Jan 2014, 8:56pm

Re: Ban Politics from the forum

Post by Psamathe »

SpannerGeek wrote:[...
The 'don't watch if you don't want to be offended' trope cuts no ice there either. It shouldn't do here. Many people have already said they are offended by such topics. The worst if all is that these extreme views can't even be challenged because of the abuse of the Report system and knee jerk moderation.

If people make inappropriate posts/start inappropriate threads then expect them to be deleted (and I'd expect repeat offenders to be banned).

But I've not seen this "abuse of the Report system" nor the "knee jerk moderation" you keep suggesting is happening (and I'm fairly active in the current affairs discussions).

If there have been a few people needing moderation then it must be a very small minority and given the number of participants, the widely differing views and the contentious subjects discussed I think the general standard of discussion reflects very well on the forum, the participants (mostly) and the moderators.

Ian
Post Reply