The Republican Thunderdome

I was not blaming you and was surprised at your apparent hostility towards me. I try to do right, as I guess you do in your own way, but I am a failure.

It's because you (and others) suggested it and we have talked about tone that I felt that I should share the issue with the forum (I wish we could move almost all discussion from behind closed doors and involve the whole community if possible in policy -- I am an old socialist, you know). That said, IT IS news-worthy. I was not intending to threaten. I feel that closing threads should be last resort, and that it's better to agree to standards of behaviour that don't lead to it. Often laws are required when consideration and courtesy fail. Anyway, it seem my intent has not been clear in the other thread or here
I have been speaking about retiring as an admin and moving away from the site, and thinking that time has come. I was not meaning to threaten but felt it my responsibility to share (a warning at best). 18 years here, and I started as moderator years go, and it seems people really just don't understand my intent often, and I can only blame that on myself for not being clear over the years. I like to amicably talk things out and come to agreements and share ideas. I do believe that a big part of good moderating is mediation, but my attempts at diplomacy too often fail.

As a moderator people expect action of you, complain when you try and when you don't. A lot of expecation on me, but it seems people often don't care about making it easier on the mods to not HAVE to be or be asked to step in. Ideally, a forum moderates itself. It's not a school playground. We are mostly rational adults that form a community. A dysfunctional one perhaps.

I do feel like there is alack of charitability sometimes here when it comes to intent and trying to make things easier and more welcoming for others (and sometimes that has been from myself).

Anyway, I don't like the more political threads here and generally prefer to stay out of them. That said, I have enjoyed talking politics at some forums like Project Reason ages ago, but it it can be very demanding (especially with the standards of argumentation and evidence there, reminds me of being in university again) and I am no news junkie.

I do wish we could all try to get along but it is very divisive world (at least i hope this Prog community can be more harmonious despite the differences in tastes, and some preference dissonance to consonance).

Anyway, i will leave it to my betters to decide on what action to take.

^ Very glad to hear that, and I also consider you to be a friend. It's a juggling act and hard to find the right balance, and you can't please everyone. I just hope people by now who has interacted with me for years in an at all personal way realise that I generally mean well even if I go about things ineptly. Okay, sometimes I have been quite the prick (being a prick can be too much fun)... ;) I don't want to see these forums neutered by politeness either, if you know what I mean. That's not invigorating or much fun. And there is something to be said for righteous anger and indignation. And many sure do deserve their comeuppance.

Edited by Logan - May 30 2024 at 21:27

Atavachron wrote: ^ He can say whatever he wants, even his supporters don't believe a word he says.   But that's because they want a lying psychopath in office. Our best hope is all the Independents with minds and patriotism.   But it is a wonderful day and I will take it !

^ I just think these exaggerated assumptions are not helpful to the discussion, and neither is dehumanizing the enemy. Call him "Orange Hitler" all you want, if it floats your boat (EDIT: addressing various members here, not you specifically), but it does not help your cause one bit. If anything, it plays into his hands ("see, they're demonizing me!").

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - May 31 2024 at 01:32

RFK should learn about the benefits of gargling with salt water before he seriously considers throwing his hat in the ring. How can you be president when you sound worse than Harvey Fierstein.

I'm under the impression that Atavarchon tends to get easily triggered by people expressing political views different to his.

Sadly, yes. And it makes me cringe, that with all this negativity all around, some would rather express their frustration by politician's bad decisions by furiously ranting about it on a prog rock forum as opposed to proper anger management.

That's not an excuse.

Edited by Hrychu - June 02 2024 at 01:19

The best way to fight ignorance is to use a superior weapon. By copying your opponent's dirty tricks: using the same slurs, passive aggressive ad hominem attacks, egotistic tone, angry mannerisms, the aforementioned dehumanization, that they use to convince gullible people that they're right about whatever BS they want to sell, you're gonna end up with an endless loop of "Duck season! Rabbit season! Duck season! Rabbit season! Duck season! Rabbit season!" et al.

Instead, I'd suggest you use logical arguments, common sense, and references from reliable sources that are not politically biased or conspiracy theory influenced, in order to counter the opponent's logical fallacies so that your arguments can be without a doubt considered to have more weight by whoever is reading your posts.

Also, that angry tone you've used clearly won't make the readers perceive you as an open chill friendly person, with whom they'd gladly hang out with.

I mean, I can speak for myself but as someone who doesn't know you in person, judging by your posts in this thread alone, you made yourself look like an egocentric grump who lacks empathy, constantly complains angrily about stuff he doesn't like and sucks big time at anger management. Certainly not the kind of person I would like to have as a friend.