About users with hidden agendas

The real problem with aggressive and insulting posters, with trolls and “experts” issuing absolute pronouncements when they have a total of 20 posts and joined last month is that good folks who have posted and contributed kind and valuable advice and input just go elsewhere. Casually useful threads never get started. The last thing I need is to post an observation only to be attacked by some dude with his Humperdink integrated and he just discovered Harbeths and proclaims them the final word. Agressively.

Ive discovered the sooner you take a bully to the woodshed the better. The community benefits rather than the community being abandoned. Im sure aim not the only one who has seen the sparsity of interesting threads being started because of the same two or three people crashing every party. Ask a question about which tube someone prefers in their preamp and you get the usual “tubes suck”, “buy Tektons”, “you are an idiot if you arent using a magenta fuse”, “try chucks contact enhancer on the pins” and my favorite….”you wont hear any difference because they measure the same according to Amir”. Not to mention the amateur scientists and conspiracy nuts.

And no, it isnt censorship…its a standard of behavior to honor or simply move on….good people move on first, bad people move on later once theyve sucked the life out.

well said @ghasley 

on the active mcintosh post i called out an argumentative user with 65 posts in 60 days since joining... zero marketplace feedback, zero sales or purchases, country of origin listed as 'n/a'... 5-6-7 posts in a row, piss piss piss on mcintosh, picking fights with longstanding users here ... so tired of this...

dunno if tammy is away... 

@jjss49 

Tammy and Audiogon have an opportunity to reclaim the high ground…or not. If they do so, at least initially, the forums will be slower. They should stay the course though. Pick the weeds, things look sparse until the desired growth has time to fill in. Listen, I love oldhvymec 60-70 % of the time and the other times he needs the penalty box. In my experience, formerly tough guys have to find their new identity when life evolves and they can no longer clear out the bar for the hell of it. Some hard standards of decorum will help. Or not.

I doubt the site WANTS to ban people. It’s bad for business to lock out potential customers. But any business has to maintain a certain degree of decorum to avoid turning customers off and them leaving of their own accord. We need to be glad there is a forum at all. Moderating it has to be considered an expense. More automation would help. So I think I get it. I would not hold out hope though that there would ever be any constraints in place that censure people just because somebody does not like what they say about this or that hifi topic. Other things may be more important or sensitive. Censoring is bad for business and people have a right to say what they want but not to expect no consequences either good or bad. It is what is it. Gotta just make the best of it. Nobody is required to take anything from a "bully". In some cases, like with certain personality disorders, resistance may be futile and best thing is to just ignore. Or flag posts or threads if one must. That is the mechanism provided. Just use discretion. Not liking someone or what they say alone is not a good reason to censor. Is the post even potentially harmful, threatening, ominous or just outright dishonest in some way? Different story. If one cares then it is their job to help mind the shop when needed. It’s an imperfect world, what can you say? Be tolerant but stand up for what is "right". Off soapbox.....cheers!

@ghasley +1000

@mapman : I can assure you the vast majority of those people have zero intentions to buy or sell anything here. the "potential" part is close to zero. They are here for the mayhem in the forums only.