[Special Mod Thread] V.3.0

[abomvubuso]

Hey folks! Now that we've moved from LJ to DW, I think we need a new Mod Thread. It's where members of the community could file complaints and offer feedback to the community staff.

This thread will be exclusively used for reporting and discussing the Rules, any possible violations thereof (see community profile for a list of the rules), and staff decisions. Also, to (hopefully) settle conflicts between members away from the other posts.

A link to this thread will be displayed in the community profile and on the community sidebar.

You may feel free to report anything that you consider disruptive to the debate on TalkPolitics, or propose relevant actions by the moderators, or approve or protest about actions taken, or just give any opinions on staff decisions, the Rules themselves, or the community in general. Or you could directly message any or all of the mods, if you prefer things to stay between you and the staff (we could also screen threads here once the issue has been settled, if you request so).

Finally, to remind of the Yellow/Red Card system. While official warnings are something we occasionally use with utmost reluctance, they are sometimes needed as a relatively diplomatic yet very explicit tool for extinguishing passions and/or systematic disruptive behaviour. However we do believe the members are able to moderate themselves for the most part, so we trust that this system will continue to gather dust as it has done for most of the 9 years of the community's existence (wow, how fast time flies, eh?)

Anyway. Let's proceed with our political discussions, shall we?

Thanks for your attention! :)

Comments

[kiaa]

What's with the deleted comments on several recent posts? I smell a mega-flounce.

[mahnmut]

It is.

[kiaa]

Someone we knew?

No, don't tell me. I think I can guess who it was.

[mahnmut]

You guessed right.

[kiaa]

Damned drama queens.

[garote]

Very glad to see the move away from LJ even more complete. I'm noticing now that my old journal has been festooned with banner ads not of my making...

[halialkers]

How am I to do substantive snark free comments when I can write a lengthy multi-paragraph post people are free to microscope in on two sentences of and write snark about only those two sentences, repeatedly ignore the other 99% of the post, and then insist that they be given what they do not give to others?

Shouldn't substantive civil engagement be a two way street or is it a case where only one person does anything like that and the other people are free to act in whatever fashion they please and demand what they deliberately refuse to do themselves be done for them when they do not do it themselves?

Or am I seeing things in the imperfectly subjective view of someone mistaking that for objective and it's more complicated than that? Because this too is my experience, especially with my roommates and I wouldn't be shocked if things I've taken for granted in some ways do not fit in others and that my anger sees what I want to see and not what's actually there?

[fridi]

Apologies for my short responses. I'm a bit pressed by time limits as of now, which may've prompted my one-liners that may've sounded dismissive. I appreciate the time and effort you're putting into your responses - even the snarky ones. I hope to have the time and inspiration to respond properly soon.

[halialkers]

That I understand very well, and I've been stressed a lot with offline things in ways that amplified the snark at the expense of anything more substantive than something more loaded with snark than is helpful. For that part of my own issues I apologize.

[fridi]

Don't sweat it, it's nothing that can't be amended.

[mahnmut]

Seconding what Fridi said here. You said I've been doing what you're describing here, which was a shock to me. I thought I had been pretty diligent in responding in substance whenever possible, but now I'm learning that I've been systematically abusing the two-way nature of conversations of substance. I might have to look more closely into this.

In turn, you may have to look into the way you address people's criticism of the US. Please note that responding to it with a "but Europe does it too" is not the constructive approach. It's a sort of tu quoque, one that you've been engaging in for quite a while - and that is what I call a pattern. Just my two cents.

[halialkers]

I will look into that as like I said, I'm pretty sure that like most people I'm seeing what I want to see, as opposed to what's actually there. Most people do that, I'm just one of the few who acknowledges the prospect, if a day late and a dollar short. O.X

[mahnmut]

Just to add that the fact I'm not responding to your lengthy comments doesn't mean I'm not reading them, or appreciating the points made in them. There can be many reasons that one may not feel like responding in kind at a given moment, and the essence of your comments may not necessarily have anything to do with it. Time constraints are a factor like Fridi mentioned. Also, I've found the art of stepping away from the forums whenever I'm not in the mood for them, rather than lashing out at interlocutors instead (like I used to do when I was younger). You know, taking a step back when I notice I'm not going the right way. You should try that too, it's liberating.

[halialkers]

I will give that a try and see what comes of it.

And I do appreciate time constraints being a factor and how much of one they can be. So apologies for not considering that until it was pointed out to me. O.X

[abomvubuso]

"When I was younger" -- Hahah, you think you're old, eh? You haven't seen old! ;)

[mahnmut]

Alright, grandpa!

[fridi]

Oh, you kids.

[abomvubuso]

I'm not sure if you're looking for advice here, or you're asking us to enforce a rule. I'd rather prefer the folks involved sort this out on their own without us having to resort to forceful means - and fortunately, I notice you guys have been sorting the issue out here on this thread anyway. I hope that'll be helpful.

[halialkers]

I was looking for advice here as I prefer that, honestly, to having mods enforce rules if it can be avoided. As I do working out issues likewise.

I hope so too.

[johnny9fingers]

Right. I've been having a look around.

We need to translate some of these discussions into a different format. YouTube? The next stage is putting these debates to a wider group of people. It is an invitation only forum, but maybe we could do with a larger audience? A YouTube channel could pay for our alcohol addictions if we made it pointy enough.

:)

[abomvubuso]

I sense there's a proposal coming up. We're all ears! :)

Btw, it's not an invitation only forum. It's an open forum.

[johnny9fingers]

Well, since I've been on a few forums associated with my work (such as it is) and the most buoyant ones are the ones which have a YouTube presence in some form.

I'm just looking into it ATM. But maybe you guys should start a T_P YouTube page just as a holder awaiting translation. Let's make sure we can exploit any opportunities that may come our way. But looking at some of the longer discussions, they read like scripts. Would folk be prepared to record some of their OP's and comments (on a phone or webcam) so we can edit and splice them together as they are on the page? Maybe try some rough test edits and see if they work? Just to see if it is a possible. Not sure about editing as that isn't exactly part of my skill-set, but I do think that some of the debates on here, if put into a format of talking heads, would be slightly better than the stuff we get from our normal media.

Especially if we keep the swearing in. :)

It's an idea. Take it and run with it if it appeals. :)

[abomvubuso]

Well, you could present the idea in some detail to the community, and see where it goes.

[mahnmut]

Here are my thoughts. The comm is not that active, you've probably seen it with a group with many members and lots of daily input, where such an additional platform would make much more sense. There are roughly two-dozen people active here, and I doubt even a couple of them would be bothered to make the effort to transfer their input into videos, and that includes you.

[johnny9fingers]

These are valid criticisms. Time presses for all.
We are no longer that active as a comm. I feel like the last guest at a party.

It’s all Dido’s Lament from here on in I guess; but some of us, to mix out cultural metaphors, will always rage against the dying of the light. Or look for different ways out, or ways of transforming things for the better.

If it is about time investment I shall think on. Can we do a mini T_P in twitter mode? Difficult for someone as wordy as me, but...

If the full-blown discussion page is currently too time-intensive do we just accept that long form debates are out of fashion, given leisure-time limitations?

[mahnmut]

Frankly, I fear that a comm that's not too active compared to other platforms anyway, would get even more diluted if it spread onto several platforms. On the other hand, it could really benefit from the extra exposition, and possibly attract more folks from other platforms. What are your thoughts?

[johnny9fingers]

Maybe a talking heads in a virtual pub sort of thing but on cam. Gather two or three of us together online and just read a post, and the comments underneath to a cam/phone/whatever.
Collate, rough edit and see if it acts as clickbait? This sounds like awful marketingspeak, but a diversity of easily understandable accents from folk would be an advantage. Incomprehensible Geordie or Glaswegian may not actually be a benefit.

If only we had Malcolm Tucker.

[mahnmut]

Sounds like an awful lot of work to me, but what do I know, I'm a chronic procrastinator.

[johnny9fingers]

A one-off youtube attention generator may be worth our time.

[arhalvaztrirjournal]

Treatment for suicidal depression horribly misfired so badly to a point I came far closer than I already was at the time.

It has me currently homeless, with medication that works instead of spiking my symptoms up astronomically to a point I became intolerable to be around.

I will be back in Louisiana soon-ish and able to make things work.

The last few months have been hell. But.....always better chances.

[abomvubuso]

It's horrible that you've had to go through all this. But better times will come, be sure of this! I'm crossing my fingers for you, bud... <3

[nairiporter]

I hope the worst part is already behind you.