Forum - View topicSoapboxing Moderation
|
Goto page Previous 1, 2 |
| Author | Message | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Teriyaki Terrier
 Posts: 5689 |
|
|||
Interesting information. Your probably wondering why I asked though. I was just curious how ANN defined soap boxing and so others could see the definition as well. Now there is a set in stone definition in place so hopefully this reduces the confusion about soap boxing in general. |
||||
|
||||
|
abunai
Old Regular
 Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
|
|||
|
Not to cavil, but a few important points:
1. You may consider my definition of "soapboxing" to be my clear position on the subject, but I am not the boss here. There is only one person here who sets the official policy bottom line -- that is tempest. You may, however, draw whatever conclusions you like from the fact that no other moderators or admins, or tempest himself, have yet disagreed with my definition. 2. No definition is "set in stone". Forum rules and interpretations thereof are a constantly evolving system, as with any social milieu. Make permanent rules, and stagnation becomes inevitable. Thus, any definition or rules interpretation you see here will last only until a circumstance arises that necessitates a new version. For the time being, though, that definition will do -- until something better comes along. - abunai |
||||
|
||||
|
Xanas
Posts: 2058 |
|
|||
|
I think this may warrant a future discussion of forum rules between moderators/etc. here.
I think "soapboxing" has been taken to mean "making the thread go on a tangent for too long on a related subject." I'm not going to claim we were 100% on topic in the threads I've been involved with but the discussions were related to the topic insofar as they started based on the topic and posts present in the topic. I can't help that issues are connected and the natural flow of human conversation tends to be moving from one thing to another as relations are found. This can be a problem if a thread is about a problem someone has or something someone needs advice with or if it deters those discussing the actual subject from continuing. I don't think that applied in either of the cases here personally, but I understand that's up to interpretation. I say this seems more like the definition because it seems to follow Keonyn's use of the rule a lot better than the one provided above. I do not think anyone can say that I don't listen or respond to others arguments. It seems to be the responding back and forth that annoys greatly, and it applied both in the prior thread I brought up as well as a more recent thread. |
||||
|
||||
Keonyn
 Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
|
|||
|
The soapboxing guideline is presented to present specific users for consistently singling out every topic that pertains to their personal crusades and attempting to dominate it to turn it in to their own lecture grounds. I'm sorry, but whenever fansubs crop up you take over the thread and continue to toss out your banter about rights and turn every single topic about it in to the exact same thing in which you lecture and refuse to acknowledge the other side or give any ground.
At some point you simply have to give in to the fact that not everyone agrees with you, and if you're just going to repeat yourself over and over then that line of discussion has run its course. Otherwise these threads will go on forever and this discussion will go one forever. You've been dominating these threads with these same lectures for years now. I'm not saying you can't speak your mind, but there comes a point when you need to simply acknowledge there are opposing viewpoints and give it a rest. When it gets to the point when it's the same rhetoric repeated endlessly then it's time to clear the stage and let the rest of those involved move on. |
||||
|
||||
|
Xanas
Posts: 2058 |
|
|||
|
Keonyn, you aren't alone in your feelings that some arguments are circular. I recognize that. But I'm not alone in believing that sometimes we do make some progress in discussion, even if not progress in the way that any particular person would prefer. I'm also not alone in finding the discussions generally interesting or people wouldn't reply.
There are some people who I've pretty much hashed things out with and you won't see me reply to them hardly at all (Mohawk52 and CCSYueh come to mind). The positions between me and them haven't budged and those discussions don't go anywhere so they don't interest me and I don't interest them. But those people who responded to me recently were all interested. You can read their own words on this and find that they definitely had a lot to say and a lot of replies to make on various points I made. If I repeat myself it's because there are new people and new threads about the same problems with new people posting. And yes there is some repetition due to misunderstanding (on my side and the other parties). I don't try to bring any of my opinions into threads where the context has nothing at all to do with them. Some of us are interested in small talk or discussions about shows we like and writing reviews. Some of us are interested in ideas, philosophy, etc. and like to debate. News items are probably the most important place to have debates. This world doesn't lack for discussion of issues in any area. That's why the internet is fantastic. Have you ever said of anything that you wish people were more ignorant? I don't know about you but I wish more people were aware of anime. I wish more people were aware of the importance that fans have in supporting what they value. And I wish more people were focused on the most effective ways of convincing and encouraging people and not just using and lobbying for others to force them to do it. |
||||
|
||||
|
Keonyn
Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
|
|||
|
Well, also keep in mind that obviously there are those that feel you are soapboxing and are tired of your endless political and rights rants. My involvement and warnings in those discussions were the direct result of a large number of complaints/reports being sent my way. I didn't act because I suddenly decided that I felt like it, I acted because information that was coming my way clearly presented a need.
|
||||
|
||||
|
Xanas
Posts: 2058 |
|
|||
|
Hmm.
Well if anyone happens to bother reading this that is one of those who complained you can PM me if you really don't like the discussion and I'll be quiet so you can post or enjoy the silence. But I am kind of concerned that those who want to silence others would go about doing it first by going to moderators. You will only ever see me complain about anyone if they are being hateful. They'd have to be pretty hateful at that, given I can understand some of that. Seeing an opinion I don't like repeated isn't something I'd be using the report post button for. To each his own I suppose. Although I kind of question use of forums and reading extremely controversial thread topics if one really hates discussions about rights. |
||||
|
||||
|
Keonyn
Subscriber Posts: 5567 Location: Coon Rapids, MN |
|
|||
|
Well, all I can suggest is to know when to call it quits. Eventually the argument just has to reach a point where all has been said that can be said and things will just repeat from that point. Again, I'm not saying "Don't you ever post about this again", I'm just saying use some practical restraint and step back when it's clear things are going nowhere. I can tell you're passionate about it, and while I don't agree with what you say I respect your devotion to your belief. If the opportunity shows up again to discuss the topic then feel free, you're more than welcome to do so, just try to acknowledge when it is no longer going anywhere.
Thinking on it, I may just send a PM in the future in these situations with most but the more notorious users (you're not one of them). I understand that since the rule has no solid defined boundaries that it can be hard to realize people are perceiving you this way. I know you're not trying to be a problem, so I certainly see there may be a better way to handle it than a public declaration without a chance to discuss it. And trust me, I realize some people abuse the report function simply because they don't like what people have to say. I wade through plenty of reports where people are reporting others as trolls and soapboxers when it really doesn't apply and they simply don't like being argued with. I always take that in to account when I read reports and I reject plenty of reports when that is obviously the case. |
||||
|
||||
|
Xanas
Posts: 2058 |
|
|||
|
Thanks, I appreciate your PM idea. I really would prefer it and will hold off a bit if the topic is on a tangent for too long or the argument seems circular in some way at that point.
In this case I think we were definitely going somewhere, but it wasn't on topic as we got pretty far from the article's context. That's natural in a discussion but it's undesirable for it to go on long since it can discourage discussion of the actual topic. |
||||
|
||||
 |
All times are GMT - 5 Hours |
|
|
|
Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group