the debate forum is stupid Options

[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.