2. speakers
  3. 161141-473

Put that in your pipe(s) and smoke it

I'll say it again: let's seek out the gem's and leave the rest, folks. Ignore the trolls, or be selective of the actual content they bring up - should you choose to reply; it may even hold an unexpected, worthwhile observation or two on a subject that could put into perspective our endeavors here.

More importantly, if we want this forum to allow for free speech and a degree of resilience, some around here should reconsider their liberal urge to hit the 'report' button, because that's the thing that truly annoys me and what I'd call the real trolls around here: the one's feeling offended on grounds I imagine to be so relative to their own agenda, indeed petty in nature, that their reporting a post or thread is likely to see no further inquiry by the admins and is therefore, simply by virtue of being a report alone, put into effect as an actual deletion.

We should be able to hold a conversation without someone feeling taken aback over what is, in the bigger scheme of things, insignificant issues. If not it's an ongoing, sad tendency to shut the mouths of those we don't agree with, or for some other flimsy reason don't like. 
128x128phusis
hilde45's avatar
hilde45
4,974 posts
 
+1 djones51. The "free speech" business is an attempt to cut the OP's original topic short, which attempts to raise the question of norms or best practices. In the OP's view, stifling discussion with the "report" button doesn't allow for a sufficiently vigorous exchange of ideas.  That's a reasonable issue to discuss and debate, itself, but it's not in the arena of "free speech."

When kids get together for an informal game of soccer or touch football, one of the things which gets debated along the way is what the rules are and what the rules should be. It's rare for kids to say, "but that's illegal" in a formal sense -- because appealing to standards beyond the situation of their game is ridiculous. That, I take it, is your point, djones51.
phusis's avatar
phusis OP
1,190 posts
 
@mozartfan --

Here come the mods ready to shut this topic.
I can hear their foot steps now.

My takeaway with the specific cases was some users being ninjas with the 'report'-button, not deletions originally prompted by the admins. 

@nonoise --

To wake up and see my post removed for something so petty, and wrong, was off-putting.

One relates..

@hilde45 --

...  If this thread is so worthless, why take any time to read it or comment upon it? If talking about trolling...is pretty much...trolling, then talking about talking about trolling is...more trolling.

+1

@cal91 --

phusis...I'm glad you clarified your use of the term "liberal", but it did come across as political. ...

English not being my first language is hardly an excuse, but at the time of posting it felt like a "good enough" term to use in the context of my intention. Oh well..

... Political correctness is simply being a decent person.

It can also be playing a converging tune that takes the form of an unfortunate precedence, or as poster @unsound put it:

"There’s nothing wrong with expecting people to be decent to each other. But it’s another thing to invite the thought police."

@hilde45 --

... The "free speech" business is an attempt to cut the OP's original topic short, which attempts to raise the question of norms or best practices. In the OP's view, stifling discussion with the "report" button doesn't allow for a sufficiently vigorous exchange of ideas. That's a reasonable issue to discuss and debate, itself, but it's not in the arena of "free speech."

Eloquently put. 
unsound
7,329 posts
 
 The issue at hand is that, despite conforming to the rules as prescribed by the hosts, that posts are being deleted just because a complaint has been made. When such decisions  are arbitrarily made it potentially negates the purpose and value of the forum.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
Debating whether some use the report button to often has nothing to do with free speech is part of the point, yes,  but I also question this use of these terms "thought police" , "snowflakes " and others used to stifle debate and inject invective. Who are the "thought police"? Tossing the term thought police is in itself policing thought so who are these persons other than all of us. This forum is not a free speech arena as some seem to think and the precedent whether unfortunate or not is a matter of debate as well. 
phusis's avatar
phusis OP
1,190 posts
 
@unsound --

 The issue at hand is that, despite conforming to the rules as prescribed by the hosts, that posts are being deleted just because a complaint has been made. When such decisions  are arbitrarily made it potentially negates the purpose and value of the forum.

Again, exactly. 
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