The Axe Falls

[Amskeptic]

...... but let's figure out where.

Here is my idea. Instead of censoring people who do not seem to understand (and please, thoughtfully consider that there are people who *do not understand*, who *can not perceive*, their effects upon others) that they are beset with toxic communication skills, I would like to play out here on the Itinerant Air-Cooled Forum an experiment in marketing democracy. I want to see this experiment play itself out and the results will illuminate themselves in real time.

Free Speech goes back to 2006 and had a nice evolution in the beginning, I am loyal to its many years and the intelligent thoughtful and stimulating adult discussions. The most recent flavor has caused me great consternation and I have listened to many people who have offered solutions quite at odds with each other. Some say "ban!" some say "practice what you preach!"

How about this?
Free Speech shall be wrested back from the run-amok, I shall moderate it henceforth and demand my definition of adult conversation.
Meanwhile, we can have a forum just below Free Speech, TeaTurk? Turkeetea? OneWorldGovernment? for all those who enjoy and demand his unique gifts.
Over time, we can see where the vitality of public discourse flows.

If you would like to deeply talk sense to me, please PM me. That includes you, RussellK, I am lost and confused about what principles and results you would like to see.
Colin

[hambone]

I dig the experiment, but moderators must be chosen carefully, lest the experiment runs amok. Take back Free Speech please.
A personal sub-forum is kinda strange. I guess if it's what the people want...perhaps a vote is in order? That's how democracies work.
I honor your brutal attempts at unification VS isolation. Only time and a battered flag will show the results. Spare the rod?

[Amskeptic]

Spare the rod?

Yes, they must be lubricated AND maintained with strict tight clearances or they will likely throw themselves to pieces.
Colin

[glasseye]

.
Free Speech shall be wrested back from the run-amok, I shall moderate it henceforth and demand my definition of adult conversation.

[turk]

[turk]

Here's the "funny" part, (oops, didn't mean it quite that way - no laughing! - giggle - SHUT UP!): there was/is no difference in moderation, before, during, and after the turk months. No one was banned. No one was even warned they would be. A lot of discussion was had. Nobody "won" anything, -oh except one person claimed to have, but they made their claim in the third person(s)' hearsay, so they didn't answer the bet correctly, a "simple" mistake no doubt -, and about the same volume of comments/interest in the forum occurred before, during, and after. Remarkable. Not.
*edit - one person was warned with banning. I forgot to mention that*

[Amskeptic]

Here's the "funny" part, there was/is no difference in moderation, before, during, and after the turk months.

Exactly. Now you know.
Colin

[hambone]

When you see a man in uniform screaming "NICE TITS!!!!" to every passerby, it leaves an indelible mark. Etc. etc.
Who moderates the moderator?

[Ritter]

When you see a man in uniform screaming "NICE TITS!!!!" to every passerby, it leaves an indelible mark.

You know my my dad? Horrified as a child.

[Amskeptic]

Who moderates the moderator . . . .?

When the marketplace decides not to buy what is being sold . . . .

[dtrumbo]

When the marketplace decides not to buy what is being sold . . . .

Give that man a kewpie doll!

As long as just one of us allows themselves to be baited into the fray, the fray will continue. The nearly complete departure of the community from the free speech forum is evidence that most of us don't care for the current offering. In a real $$$-driven market, the proprietor could no longer stay in business with such a slim margin. However in this case, even one person responding will keep this going indefinitely. We have only ourselves to blame.

[ruckman101]

Ach! I resemble that remark.

neal

[steve74baywin]

As long as just one of us allows themselves to be baited into the fray, the fray will continue. The nearly complete departure of the community from the free speech forum is evidence that most of us don't care for the current offering. In a real $$$-driven market, the proprietor could no longer stay in business with such a slim margin. However in this case, even one person responding will keep this going indefinitely. We have only ourselves to blame.

Dtrumbo, I agree, but would like to add to this comment some. "

departure of the community from the free speech forum is evidence that most of us don't care for the current offering"

Is that a sign that some don't really want Free Speech? As one who has participated there for long periods on and off since the first day, I'd have to say that sometimes when people start to get jerked, and then tensions start, then complaints, many time the first thing before the tension and getting jerked is that one or more people were not in agreement with them, then the shit starts. They really aren't ready for free speech. They seem to really be getting mad at the opinion of the person. Sometimes there are the other reason as mentioned here the last few days, however, if what the person was saying was in agreement with what they believe, I bet they wouldn't be complaining.

[airkooledchris]

As one who has participated there for long periods on and off since the first day, I'd have to say that sometimes when people start to get jerked, and then tensions start, then complaints, many time the first thing before the tension and getting jerked is that one or more people were not in agreement with them, then the shit starts. They really aren't ready for free speech. They seem to really be getting mad at the opinion of the person. Sometimes there are the other reason as mentioned here the last few days, however, if what the person was saying was in agreement with what they believe, I bet they wouldn't be complaining.

of course the same could be said for people and posts just like this - in that I doubt anyone would be backing "them" up if they weren't in agreement with a lot of what "they" believe.

to me - if "they" had the exact same way of defending "their" points of view and was simply on the other side of the political line, it would still be 95% as irritating as it has been.

it's not the opinion - it is the manner in which it is expressed and (even more so) the volume at which it's been done at. then again nobody said free speech was supposed to be a welcoming environment and maybe if you can't deal with the current offering you shouldn't bother coming to the IAC board. (which is what id say should be the policy if this was a free speech forum first and a community of like minded VW folks secondly or not at all.)

[steve74baywin]

of course the same could be said for people and posts just like this - in that I doubt anyone would be backing "them" up if they weren't in agreement with a lot of what "they" believe.

to me - if "they" had the exact same way of defending "their" points of view and was simply on the other side of the political line, it would still be 95% as irritating as it has been.

it's not the opinion - it is the manner in which it is expressed and (even more so) the volume at which it's been done at. then again nobody said free speech was supposed to be a welcoming environment and maybe if you can't deal with the current offering you shouldn't bother coming to the IAC board. (which is what id say should be the policy if this was a free speech forum first and a community of like minded VW folks secondly or not at all.)

More possibilities, yep