the debate forum is stupid Options

[rawtheekuh]

no offense. half the topics are related to religion, and every topic eventually turns into a stupid bashing session. i think people should earn their right to participate in the debate section.
the debate forum is just turning into a dumping ground. (well, it has been for a while.)

[brooklyneast05]

how about you make some other topics then?


i don't disagree with you completely though.

[rawtheekuh]

well, i'm doing that right now aren't i?
and everyone's gonna be bitching like, "WAH YOUR BASHING CB *sob*"
so i think we should restrict the debate forum to people who've proven themselves worthy debaters or just kick out all the stupid people from the debate forum.

[Tung]

I like you. You got pix?

[Melissa]

um.

i think it should just be moderated. people making stupid comments and/or bashing should be banned from it or warned.

idk.

http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=139053

maybe it should also only be open to official members, too?

[brooklyneast05]

well, i'm doing that right now aren't i?

i meant why don't you make some non-religion debate threads.

[Tung]

If you want change, be the change.

Although that's a cliche thing to say. Also that nobody really knows you, and your complaints and words aren't as strong as say a person like brooklyneast05 for example. Be more active and to the community. It's the truth. I don't think much people are going to care about what you say. It's just how life is. If you aren't "in", then your out.

[rawtheekuh]

shit, people know me. i'm radhika!

[illriginal]

If you want change, be the change.

Although that's a cliche thing to say. Also that nobody really knows you, and your complaints and words aren't as strong as say a person like brooklyneast05 for example. Be more active and to the community. It's the truth. I don't think much people are going to care about what you say. It's just how life is. If you aren't "in", then your out.

Well you know Nosex is gonna be havin butt sex with this new guy or girl, whatever.

[Tung]

shit, people know me. i'm radhika!

so why aren't you using your old cb name name? Btw aren't you the girl that dated Anil?

[brooklyneast05]

shit, people know me. i'm radhika!

hi radhika. i'm jc


i still think though that if you want to see other threads there, you should make some. i agree there is a lot of religion ones, but those also seem to get a lot of discussion.

i'd like new different debate threads to reply in, but i'm just out of ideas it seems.

[Heathasm]

If you want change, be the change.

Although that's a cliche thing to say. Also that nobody really knows you, and your complaints and words aren't as strong as say a person like brooklyneast05 for example. Be more active and to the community. It's the truth. I don't think much people are going to care about what you say. It's just how life is. If you aren't "in", then your out.

being active in the community and being in the "in crowd" aren't the same thing but whatever i think your outlook on who matters and who doesnt is completely f**ked up.

anyway. i dont know if debate is an active enough forum to start forcing people to go through some kind of process of proving themselves to post there . . . the place would be completely dead after doing that

[Tung]

being active in the community and being in the "in crowd" aren't the same thing but whatever i think your outlook on who matters and who doesnt is completely f**ked up.

anyway. i dont know if debate is an active enough forum to start forcing people to go through some kind of process of proving themselves to post there . . . the place would be completely dead after doing that

My idea isn't completely f**ked up. In fact it isn't even my idea. It's the damn truth you know damn well it is here around cB. Nobody gives a two cent shit if say someone with reputation or some admin post a Feedback topic on what you guys thought about so and so, compare to some person with 1 post who post the same feedback. Which thread would get the more positive posts? Sorry, but it's the honest truth.

[Heathasm]

My idea isn't completely f**ked up. In fact it isn't even my idea. It's the damn truth you know damn well it is here around cB. Nobody gives a two cent shit if say someone with reputation or some admin post a Feedback topic on what you guys thought about so and so, compare to some person with 1 post who post the same feedback. Which thread would get the more positive posts? Sorry, but it's the honest truth.

i was just pointing out that you can have a lot of posts and not be in the "in crowd"-and what i got from your post is that only the "in crowd" matters. isnt that what you were saying?

of course i know that if you only have 1 post and run to the feedback forum that noone is going to give a shit. on that i agree.

[Tung]

Sorry I made the error of trying to say the "in crowd". When I said "in" I meant, people who people actually knew to some extent, and not some random person with 1 post. Of course someone who isn't mostly liked or in the "in crowd" is still going to have a reputation and his/her feedback would still be relevant no matter what.

[rawtheekuh]

so why aren't you using your old cb name name? Btw aren't you the girl that dated Anil?

LOL dated anil? hellllll no. that's nasty. anil's my buddy and everything, but i would never date him. and i don't like my old cb name. D:

OK guys seriously let's stay on topic.
HOW are we going to solve the problem with the debate forum? i think we should have moderators clear out all the current threads and start new ones. they should make it exclusive and people can ask permission from the mods to use the forum. the mods can say yes, but if the member does anything stupid continually, they get kicked out. simple enough.

[Heathasm]

i still think though that if you want to see other threads there, you should make some. i agree there is a lot of religion ones, but those also seem to get a lot of discussion.

didnt trish do that already? i dont think it worked out very well because most of the topics she made werent posted in.

i think the fact of the matter is that nobody knows how/cares to talk about advanced debate topics except for maybe...4 people?

[rawtheekuh]

so then why let EVERYONE in the debate forum?

[Tung]

Because then by your standards only about 5-6 people will be able to meet those. And that forum will be totally dead and unactive? Although it would make the quality of the forum much better, but I don't think debating over numerous topics with only 5-6 people will do any good.

If you want to debate, go to a real debate forum. cB just doesn't have many highly intellectual people.

[rawtheekuh]

then get rid of the debate forum.

[Tung]

things don't work like that anil's gf. cb is a democracy.

[MissHygienic]

so then why let EVERYONE in the debate forum?

Usually, if people don't want to post or read the Debate forum, they won't and they don't. Suffice it to say, I see no reason why it should be restricted to the handful of people. I feel like you should do the same and not read the religion topics if you despite them so much. CreateBlog is a community, and I doubt we are going to cater to you.

[Heathasm]

so then why let EVERYONE in the debate forum?

because cb needs to stay active. only hardcore members are going to go through a process to be able to post in debate and thats not that many people.

i think a better solution would be to have the mods moderate the debate forum and ban members, from debate forums only, who are posting irrelevant comments, topics, etc

[brooklyneast05]

i think a better solution would be to have the mods moderate the debate forum and ban members, from debate forums only, who are posting irrelevant comments, topics, etc

agreed

[Tung]

i think a better solution would be to have the mods moderate the debate forum and ban members, from debate forums only, who are posting irrelevant comments, topics, etc

but isn't that what the mods should already be doing in the first place if i'm mistaken?

[Melissa]

I still think there should be debate mods.

There're people in the debate forum who spam and make it extremely hard to follow an actual debate by just arguing with each other about something that usually has nothing to do with th original topic.

I don't think it should be as restricted as some people want it, but it really should be more moderated than it is.

[rawtheekuh]

things don't work like that anil's gf. cb is a democracy.

uhm, since when? are the moderators elected by the members now? i thought the admins controlled everything. ever heard of the tyranny of the majority?

Usually, if people don't want to post or read the Debate forum, they won't and they don't. Suffice it to say, I see no reason why it should be restricted to the handful of people.

but shouldn't we be encouraging thoughtful, quality posts that will get people engaged and FORCE them to think about their positions and what they're going to say?

[Tung]

I still think there should be debate mods.

Then might as well have a Picture mod, a Fashion Mod, a Relationship Mod, etc. There's spam and stupid post everywhere. And that's what People Staff, and Head Staff, and sometimes Admins are suppose to do. Mod these forums.

[Heathasm]

but isn't that already what the mods should already be doing in the first place if i'm mistaken?

i dont know . . . if there are multiple religion threads then they should all be merged and put into a pinned topic or something and add to the rules "NO MORE RELIGION THREADS PLS" and only make new religion threads when the pages reach the maximum get what im sayin.

[Tung]

i dont know . . . if there are multiple religion threads then they should all be merged and put into a pinned topic or something and add to the rules "NO MORE RELIGION THREADS PLS" and only make new religion threads when the pages reach the maximum get what im sayin.

I get what you're saying. And it's also said on the debate forum.

# PLEASE, search before making new topics--especially popular topics like "God" and "Abortion" etc.
# PLEASE, read through the thread or at least a couple pages before posting. We have to maintain a certain level of maturity in here.

uhm, since when? are the moderators elected by the members now? i thought the admins controlled everything. ever heard of the tyranny of the majority?

Since as long as I can remember. But of course it's the decision of the current staff members to pick who gets on staff, but hiring is a democracy. People's influences are heavily favored in picking the mods. Like when we have topics like CB IS HIRING, people would post suggestions, and their obligated sometimes or pressured to putting theses people who are suggested on staff. Or that's how it seems like.

[pandora]

Honestly guys, I don't know if this is just me but as a mod I tend to care more about what newcomers think than people who have been here longer. If newcomers are posting in feedback saying something isnt right, then that could be a possible reason why more newcomers arent sticking around. I'm not saying that the debate forum is like a contributing factor to people not sticking around, i'm just saying that this person obviously has an outsider's point of view and i think it should be a valued perspective.

[brooklyneast05]

yeah but no one here is a newcomer

[Insurmountable]

I don't think its a bad idea to have just mods that stick around in debate, although we really shouldn't need it. We should have good enough people staff that go in there and mod it. I mean its part of the community center. Sometimes I just think people don't have the guts to go in there because they are scared to get bashed at. I do think it does get under moderated though.

Anyway, I remember a while back we were going to restrict it to people that were "smart" enough, but it got thrown out. Maybe we just need someone that is well respected in debate to be a good people staff for it.

Also for multiple topics, after 6 months people are free to make another topic that was similar. If any sooner than that then it should just be merged, I think the older topics should be closed though so it never is a problem for them to get bumped up to the front page again. I think if its a constant thing where someone is making multiple topics and not searching then they should get at least a verbal warning for it and later a warning if they don't stop. Its just common courtesy.

In the end, I think if you don't like the topics that are being discussed more in, just ignore them and post in the other topics that interest you. Or make new topics.


Honestly, I don't see anything wrong with the "new comer" opinion. Actually I don't see anything different from their opinion than the opinion of some people that have been here for a couple of years. We've had discussions about the debate forum and what should change to make it better, but do these ideas ever fall through? No.

[rawtheekuh]

well, we're not discussing the hiring process for mods (which is fucked up, imo, but that's a different issue) but rather, what we can do about the quality of the debate forum.

i say making it exclusive to certain members will do the trick. also, teaching people about different types of rhetorical devices (ad hominem, slippery slope, etc) to help evaluate their arguments before they post them.

[pandora]

i was just replying to what tung and heather were talking about.

[Tung]

Yeah I see where you coming from Trish, but not everyone here is like you. And if they are, they are just being homerish.

[Insurmountable]

i say making it exclusive to certain members will do the trick. also, teaching people about different types of rhetorical devices (ad hominem, slippery slope, etc) to help evaluate their arguments before they post them.

We had this idea in the past, but it didn't go through because then we would be restricting it to only a hand full of people. And if new members come around and see that there is some test to be able to post their valued opinion in debate then they may just turn around and leave because meeting the goal.


EDIT>>>
older topic:
http://www.createblog.com/forums/index.php...ebate&st=25

[pandora]

and most of the time it's the more active members that are causing trouble in there

[Insurmountable]

Well of course its more active members, thats what is making createblog's community right now. Sure the more active members can be harsh from time to time, but in debate its usually because someone didn't follow the rules and they're taking the time to tell the person how stupid they are.

Sure they need to cut the shit and just ignore them, but hey its a forum. One person posts and we reply back to them.

[Heathasm]

i dont know if anyone has actually been banned from the debate forum, have they?

and i think that topics that are really beaten like a dead horse such as "god" should just be pinned so that its easier to just close any duplicates

[pandora]

Im just sayin it'd be pointless to restrict it in this case because half the people causing problems are more active people. So what kind of people are we supposed to keep out of those forums? I mean what's the criteria here?

[Insurmountable]

^I think that's a good idea. To just pin the topics that are most active and get multiple topics with the same subject. It could be easier to just close and delete the topics.


And no, I don't believe anyone has ever been banned from the debate forum. I don't think its necessary. A proper verbal warning, raised warning, and then mod preview should be good, at least I would hope.

Im just sayin it'd be pointless to restrict it in this case because half the people causing problems are more active people. So what kind of people are we supposed to keep out of those forums? I mean what's the criteria here?

It's the new people that are going in the debate forum and saying something stupid or bringing up the same point someone else did, and the regular members are retaliating.

[illriginal]

i dont know . . . if there are multiple religion threads then they should all be merged and put into a pinned topic or something and add to the rules "NO MORE RELIGION THREADS PLS" and only make new religion threads when the pages reach the maximum get what im sayin.

sub forum of religion/philosophy within the debate forum? And I would encourage other religious people to post an informative thread about the religion they embrace and study. I wouldn't mind learning something new, I'm sure some of us would agree that knowledge of religion would be beneficial for the forum, just for better understanding at least.

[Heathasm]

^I think that's a good idea. To just pin the topics that are most active and get multiple topics with the same subject. It could be easier to just close and delete the topics.
And no, I don't believe anyone has ever been banned from the debate forum. I don't think its necessary. A proper verbal warning, raised warning, and then mod preview should be good, at least I would hope.

well im not saying banned perm.
but you're right something like a mod preview in just the debate forum for people who are acting a fool would be better. its really just all about the staff enforcing it a little bit more than they have been since thats what they are supposed to do anyway. (just for the record im not saying the staff is slacking its an easy thing to over look, the debate forum)

[rawtheekuh]

that's the thing, i'm not a newcomer. i was actually a mod at one point.
my old user was radhikaeatsraman. i'm radhika.

[brooklyneast05]

sub forum of religion/philosophy within the debate forum?

[Tung]

that's the thing, i'm not a newcomer. i was actually a mod at one point.
my old user was radhikaeatsraman. i'm radhika.

Okay Radhika. I think we already established that 20 minutes ago.

well im not saying banned perm.
but you're right something like a mod preview in just the debate forum for people who are acting a fool would be better. its really just all about the staff enforcing it a little bit more than they have been

Then maybe you should post this in moderator performances. And how the mods aren't doing a good job at being consistent and actually modding the CC.

[Heathasm]

sub forum of religion/philosophy within the debate forum? And I would encourage other religious people to post an informative thread about the religion they embrace and study. I wouldn't mind learning something new, I'm sure some of us would agree that knowledge would be beneficial for the forum.

true true this could also work

[karmakiller]

I think we need to treat the debate forum like any other forum. If someone is bashing someone in the Lounge should they be banned from the Lounge? I don't think that's fair. If someone wants to bash someone, then they will. Not many newcomers go into the Debate forum. Honestly, I don't blame them. If I was new here and didn't know anyone, I wouldn't be posting in those topics. Then if we ban members who aren't new here and members who are new here don't go in there, the debate forum will die.

[pandora]

I'm not sure you can restrict a mod preview to one forum. But I think we can make the entire debate forum a queue so that we have to approve all things being posted in there by all members.


and i didnt say you were new, again i was just replying to what others were saying.

It's the new people that are going in the debate forum and saying something stupid or bringing up the same point someone else did, and the regular members are retaliating.

I don't agree with that.

[Insurmountable]

that's the thing, i'm not a newcomer. i was actually a mod at one point.
my old user was radhikaeatsraman. i'm radhika.

hey I know you, welcome back

Subforums, I'm not to sure. I think its actually taking the debate forum to far. Maybe start out with pinned topics titled Religion and then have links of each topic title going to the topics there are. And maybe we need to clean out debate and start merging topics and making v.1 and v.2 topics.

[Heathasm]

I'm not sure you can restrict a mod preview to one forum. But I think we can make the entire debate forum a queue so that we have to approve all things being posted in there by all members.

i did think that there would be some kind of issue like that. i guess its just a matter is it really worth it to make the debate forum a queue

im starting to like ill's suggestion more and more though

[Insurmountable]

Making the whole debate section a big queue. I think its taking away from this being a forum and just letting people post their opinions. Debates are heated discussions and if were stopping people from posting in there then I think its just going to die slowly.

I mean if people are posting a lot and then people forget to go and check the queue to accept/reject posts; members will get aggravated.

[illriginal]

true true this could also work

I believe we should break down the debate forum to different topics... just to keep things more clean, if that makes any sense. Such as science, philosophy/religion, politics, society (maybe somethin more general/broad) etc...

[pandora]

A debate isn't a discussion here you just state your opinion though. I think a lot of people forget that. There has to be actual debating to be a debate.

[rawtheekuh]

thank you, holly. i like being back.
and i agree with you, trish. we need to make it crystal clear to people that they need to BACK UP their opinions with facts.

but i think the last thing we need are more subforums.

[libertie]

Hi Radhika. Long time no see.

About the debate forum, I don't go in there nearly as much as I used to, but maybe that's because a lot of the topics in there are pretty much the same.

Honestly, though, rather than restricting access to the debate forum, why don't those of you who spend a lot of time in there tell us what kinds of posts/topics you would and would not like to see? Perhaps we could write up a stricter set of rules just for that forum.

Also, just throwing this out there, but.. Similar to how MOTM "moderates" the VIP lounge but doesn't have backstage access.. Perhaps debate forum moderators? I know, I know, it's a crazy idea, but there are people who could do it. So.. maybe? I don't know, I'm just throwing ideas out because we've been talking about how much people hate the debate forum for a long time, and the thing is.. What do we DO? It's clear that we need stricter rules and better enforcement, so why not let those who are more passionate about posting in the forum take care of it, under supervision of the regular moderators? *shrug*

[Insurmountable]

Also, just throwing this out there, but.. Similar to how MOTM "moderates" the VIP lounge but doesn't have backstage access.. Perhaps debate forum moderators? I know, I know, it's a crazy idea, but there are people who could do it. So.. maybe? I don't know, I'm just throwing ideas out because we've been talking about how much people hate the debate forum for a long time, and the thing is.. What do we DO? It's clear that we need stricter rules and better enforcement, so why not let those who are more passionate about posting in the forum take care of it, under supervision of the regular moderators? *shrug*

I like this idea, but I still think our people staff should be able to do this as well.

[libertie]

^Oh I definitely agree. I just figure that the debate forum alone needs a BIT more attention than most forums, and we shouldn't require our people staff to live there. Keep an eye on things, oversee the debate forum mods, etc., but those who moderate the debate forum can keep the forum the way they want it (to an extent).

edit; Anyone who were to take this would basically have no requirements other than to display a mature attitude in that forum over a certain period of time. No requirements for post count, ppd, regular activity, etc. This would exist to help them, not for them to help us. That's why I wouldn't consider this position a "regular mod" position.

[Tung]

I don't agree with having a specific mod for debate forum. Current mods right now should be able to do this already.

why should debate needs more attention than any other? i think all forums should be equally modded. i mean lounge has more drama and spam and relationship also. just because we "treasure" the debate forum, doesn't mean it's actually better than the other forums.

[illriginal]

I don't agree with having a specific mod for debate forum. Current mods right now should be able to do this already.

why should debate needs more attention than any other? i think all forums should be equally modded. i mean lounge has more drama and spam and relationship also. just because we "treasure" the debate forum, doesn't mean it's actually better than the other forums.

I think it's because debates tend to become personal, which lead to personal attacks, then a flame war, then the thread goes to shit without finishing the debate and havin no closure

[libertie]

I edited - my big issue about this is that it's an "if you guys want to take matters into your own hands" kind of thing.

This would not exist for them to help US because we're lazy or can't handle it. It's so they can get what they want and see to it that it's handled the way they want it to be handled.

edit again; The debate forum needs more attention because in order to keep things at a mature level, it needs stricter rules. Therefore those rules need to be enforced more strictly, and thusly the debate forum requires a bit more effort to be looked after.

[Insurmountable]

Of course were not asking our people staff to live in debate, but I mean as Tung said. They should be able to keep an eye out on all the forums. To be honest, I don't think any of our people staff really goes in there. At least when JC was on staff he goes in there a lot and he kept an eye on it. I don't think asking someone else in the community to be a debate staff would be fair. They should just be on people staff, if they show maturity in the debate forum then I'm sure they can keep that level of maturity to moderate other little things around the community forums. As I said like in my first post in here, maybe we just need to hire someone else for people staff that we all see if fit to keep an eye out on the debate forums.


I think the debate forum should be handled as the rest of the community forum. The bashing and crap shouldn't slip by in the other forums. It should be handled the same way.

[Tung]

And forums like Pictures or Relationships shouldn't get more attention? I see alot of bashing and spam in relationships and nobody ever seems to mod them. And it could be way more personal than in debate. like "haha you're an idiot kid, stfu you don't know anything about sex ahhaha" .

[Insurmountable]

^ Yea seriously, relationships gets some harsh bashing from time to time. People asking for simple help and getting told how stupid they are?

[libertie]

*shrug* Like I said, just throwing an idea out there. I figured it wouldn't be accepted very well, so that's fine. I really would like to hear what those who frequent debate think about this.

Other forums are light, and several are a bit more serious. I definitely don't think that some of the bashing that goes on in any of these forums SHOULD be happening. I don't think that debate requires more moderation necessarily than relationships, and it doesn't require that MOST moderation - what I'm saying is that it requires more than a lot of the other forums. Anyway, like I said, we need a more strict set of forum-specific rules (possibly for other forums, too, but right now we're just discussing debate) that need to be more strictly enforced.

I'm sure our people staff can handle it - honestly, I am. I only suggested this as a way of giving them at least some weight on the situation.

[Melissa]

Well, maybe you can make a VIP debate sub-forum within the actual debate forum. The regular forum can stay how it is, but the VIP one will be actual debates. It's hard to have a real debate with every single person in cB voicing an opinion and turning around to bash each other.

It can be application based. Requirements can be a minimum amount of posts by the person in the debate forum, then a mod or someone can look at those posts and if they're acceptable (content based without blatent bashing, etc), they can join the VIP forum.

Just a suggestion.

[Insurmountable]

So have a debate forum for only the Officials? I think its going a little to far. I mean I think it would just be as dead as the VIP lounge, at least the VIP lounge is starting to pick up it looks like though.

[NoSex]

THIS HAS BEEN MY IDEA FOREVER (JUST READ THE OUTLINE, WHAT):Make The Debate Forums Exclusive: An Idea Outlined.

I can not even begin to tell you how many intelligent, capable, and (semi)willing people I have seen come in and (right back) out of the debate threads. Serious participants can easily be discouraged by a board that doesn't handle argumentation maturely and meaningfully. Arguably, debate takes a lot more thought, time, and effort than any other forums in the community center; why not take extra care for the people that devote themselves there? It's not fun working hard, only to have everything you've done spat the f**k on. In fact, that shit sucks - and, it happens all the time in our debate threads. f**king jokers.

[synatribe]

Im sorry, completely off topic but have you guys noticed that this so called "lets get rid of the debate" thread is turning into a debate, .... nvm

ok so personally I think that people use to debate forums to vent and if you act stupid then your going to loose your respect anyway and thats harsh enough, I dont think people should be banned on certain boards because then peopl are going to feel disrespected and not go on the forums and like Tung said if we did what the topic starter wants then we would only have like 4 people in the debate threads

[illriginal]

And forums like Pictures or Relationships shouldn't get more attention? I see alot of bashing and spam in relationships and nobody ever seems to mod them. And it could be way more personal than in debate. like "haha you're an idiot kid, stfu you don't know anything about sex ahhaha" .

Amen brotha.. amen.

[Melissa]

And forums like Pictures or Relationships shouldn't get more attention? I see alot of bashing and spam in relationships and nobody ever seems to mod them. And it could be way more personal than in debate. like "haha you're an idiot kid, stfu you don't know anything about sex ahhaha" .

People aren't complaining about those forums, though. There really isn't a need for change unless there's negative feedback from the people, right? People obviously have a problem with Debate in its current condition, so the mods can either ignore the complaints or do something about it. It seems as if they're choosing to ignore the complaints.

But, yknow Tung, if you have a problem with all the personal bashing in the pictures/relationships/etc forums and feel that the mods aren't doing their job in preventing it, you should really bring it up.

[Tung]

But, yknow Tung, if you have a problem with all the personal bashing in the pictures/relationships/etc forums and feel that the mods aren't doing their job in preventing it, you should really bring it up.

Mods don't give a shit about the minority (us). We are only 1 person out of 1000+. So that's why I don't see why we need to change the debate forum, if it's just a minority of people out of 1000+ people.

I'm just saying this from what I've learned from Jusun and his forum reorganization thread.

[Heathasm]

Mods don't give a shit about the minority (us). We are only 1 person out of 1000+. So that's why I don't see why we need to change the debate forum, if it's just a minority of people out of 1000+ people.

I'm just saying this from what I've learned from Jusun and his forum reorganization thread.

did you not even read this thread? there are mods and admins in here discussing how they can make the members in debate forum more happy by adding on additional moderation

[libertie]

Mods don't give a shit about the minority (us). We are only 1 person out of 1000+. So that's why I don't see why we need to change the debate forum, if it's just a minority of people out of 1000+ people.

I'm just saying this from what I've learned from Jusun and his forum reorganization thread.

Aww, come on Tung, you don't really think that, do you? Rebecca and I (and oh god her more than me) LIVE in the feedback forum, and many of the other mods do as well. We DO want to take everything into consideration and that's why I've spent so much time in here trying to come up with something that would make - not everyone - THESE people happy. Changes to the debate forum affect only those who post regularly in the debate forum, so I'm addressing those people - the minority, not CB as a whole.

Many of the issues that get addressed around here are centered around the general CB "population" and what would make a majority of the members happy. But we all know that it doesn't always work that way, and honestly, you make it seem like we turn into completely different people when we're put on staff. We aren't. We have friends, we have personal problems, we go to school and work. I AM A PERSON AND MY NAME IS ANAKIN. That kind of thing.

But really, that doesn't mean we completely ignore everything that comes through here - quite the contrary, really, we put a lot of time and effort into responding to these things. And against what we might lead you to believe, what we're doing is giving our opinions. No agenda, we aren't ignoring people we don't care about or anything. When we post in here, we're posting as members who DO have a say in this just as much as you guys do. And as I proved with my suggestion to add more moderators to the debate forum, if you guys don't like our ideas, we won't implement them, just like if people don't like ideas you guys bring up.

Just saying.. We're not that much different in that regard.

[pandora]

lets call the WAHmbulance.

[brooklyneast05]

lets call the WAHmbulance.

why?

[pandora]

I just think people are taking what Jusun said out of context, and way too far up the butt.

[brooklyneast05]

seemed like valid input to me

[pandora]

When you remark on something that you're taking completely out of context, how is that valid?

[brooklyneast05]

well it's how tung feels i guess

[pandora]

that means it's valid?

[brooklyneast05]

why wouldn't it be? it's his opinion. it's as valid as anyone elses opinion.

[illriginal]

that means it's valid?

apparently if atheist can take things out of context, it still makes their points valid. so I guess we should just take things out of context at any given time.

[pandora]

you mean it's as valid as anyone elses invalid opinions.

[Melissa]

I'm just wondering - if someone like NoSex or the handful of other people I see in the debate forum that really involve themselves in the actual debate were willing to mod that forum and that forum only, would it really be such a hard thing to do? Maybe try it out for a month? Give them access to mod that forum only and if it's successful, make it permanent, if it's not, then just de-mod them.

Just wondering.

[pandora]

I'm just wondering - if someone like NoSex or the handful of other people I see in the debate forum that really involve themselves in the actual debate were willing to mod that forum and that forum only, would it really be such a hard thing to do? Maybe try it out for a month? Give them access to mod that forum only and if it's successful, make it permanent, if it's not, then just end the experiment.

Just wondering.

I'd be willing to at least TRY this for a few weeks and see where it goes, but I still feel as if the people staff should be able to handle this. I don't know where the rest of the staff stands on this though, so I guess we'll wait.

[brooklyneast05]

you mean it's as valid as anyone elses invalid opinions.

mostly i just meant that his opinion wasn't really worthy of bitchy reply.

[pandora]

I thought it was. I guess that's my opinion.

[brooklyneast05]

true story

[pandora]

i would say your face is a true story, but no one has ever seen it, so i can't say for sure if it's true.

[brooklyneast05]

oh ok makes sense

[illriginal]

I'm just wondering - if someone like NoSex or the handful of other people I see in the debate forum that really involve themselves in the actual debate were willing to mod that forum and that forum only, would it really be such a hard thing to do? Maybe try it out for a month? Give them access to mod that forum only and if it's successful, make it permanent, if it's not, then just de-mod them.

Just wondering.

Are you kiddin me? Do you not see how biased and condescending he is? Ha! You'd need a non-biased mod. Keep this forum as democratic as you can possibly keep it, please.

[Melissa]

When I say mod, I mean someone who'll get rid of the extraneous posts (i.e. nquack's inputs that make no sense to begin with). I don't know Nate, but even though he has his mind set in his own beliefs (as do you, Tama), I don't think he would misuse power. People who debate like it when there are contradicting view-points. Otherwise, there'd be no debate, am I right?

But yknow, that's just my opinion.
I'm not as into the debate forum as you and Nate are.

[rawtheekuh]

i like the moderating idea, but who exactly would be doing the moderating? shouldn't there be a set of guidelines as to what a person should be looking for in terms of good/bad debate posts? if there is any bias in a debate mod, we should call them out for it, imo.

[libertie]

Yes, I would like to have a new set of rules for the debate forum before we think about anything else, but I figured this is a possibility for keeping it moderated by allowing SOME of that responsibility to be passed along to people who really care about the debate forum.

But first, what exactly would need to be moderated? We do need stricter debate forum rules.

[Melissa]

Idk. When the topics start to consist of two people going back and forth throwing personal attacks and going completely off-topic - that's something that should be stopped. Maybe a verbal warning, then an actual warning. I know that this goes on in every forum and it's the people staff's job to regulate this, but it seems as if most of the staff members tend to overlook the debate forum, thus letting such arguments go on for pages and pages. That's why I think letting someone interested in debate moderate it (like the people staff moderate the rest of the forums) would be a pretty good idea.

And also, spam should be cut down. Posts that consist of a smiley face or a personal jab or the shit that nquack would post should be... I dont wanna say deleted but... just cut down somehow?

[illriginal]

Idk. When the topics start to consist of two people going back and forth throwing personal attacks and going completely off-topic - that's something that should be stopped. Maybe a verbal warning, then an actual warning. I know that this goes on in every forum and it's the people staff's job to regulate this, but it seems as if most of the staff members tend to overlook the debate forum, thus letting such arguments go on for pages and pages. That's why I think letting someone interested in debate moderate it (like the people staff moderate the rest of the forums) would be a pretty good idea.

And also, spam should be cut down. Posts that consist of a smiley face or a personal jab or the shit that nquack would post should be... I dont wanna say deleted but... just cut down somehow?

Debates can go from consisting evidence to personal views. When you become condescending then things tend to fire up, causing personal attacks, flame wars, hurt feelings etc...

[Melissa]

yeah, but wouldn't it be nice to stop the personal attacks/hurt feelings before they span 3 pages?

[rawtheekuh]

i have an idea that i saw on another forum: on there, they have a subforum called politics & religion that is only visible to certain members (kind of like the VIP lounge) and one has to have a certain number of posts in order to post in that particular subforum.

seems like i'm beating a dead horse, but it works for them really well. they get some really interesting discussions on there.