Baba wants to rant...

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

I would like to get something off my chest if I may.

If there is one thing that really gets me down in life it is the stifling of free speech, be that at an International level perpetrated by governments or at a social level perpetrated by my friend who always interrupts people to tell them they are wrong.

There has been a recent trend on these forums where there has been almost a clamour by certain parties to close some threads. I’m not talking about threads that have been closed by mods, it’s up to them to interpret forum policy as they see fit. I’m talking about the calls to close threads by “regular” users, and there are two main reasons that I’ve been seeing lately; one is when a thread has gone “off-topic” and the other is at the slightest sign of (usually imagined) conflict.

About the former, I would like to say this: I’m not sure what the official definition is for “off-topic” in terms of netiquette, but to me it is similar to hijacking. For example, if in the middle of a thread about Windows, I make a post asking why my car’s not working. What many people here seem to think off-topic is (and they may be right) if a thread about someone’s favourite colour eventually gets round to someone’s favourite smell. To me, that is not off-topic but a natural progression and evolution of a conversation and I see no reason to close a thread because of it. If the original poster makes a request that the thread is moved back to topic, all well and good. The O.P. is the owner of the thread and we should respect his or her wishes.

The second reason is the main reason I am posting this. In the school-yard, there are only two types of people. The first group are your friends who laugh at everything you say. The second group is the bullies who beat you up no matter what you say. In the adult world, life is (unfortunately) not as cut-and-dried. There are times when you disagree with your best friend, but that does not mean he automatically becomes your worst enemy. There are times you will be finding yourself agreeing with your worst enemy, but he does not suddenly become your best friend. If two people find themselves at opposing sides of a discussion, it doesn’t mean they’ve suddenly fallen out. Nor does it mean, unless the thread has descended into insults, that the thread should be closed. Everyone is entitled to disagree with someone else’s opinions. It’s not a sign of disrespect or hostility and anyone who says otherwise is plain wrong and they have made an enemy out of me.

Thanks for listening.

 

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

and rant you shall young baba! good points well put i thought.

 

I agree Baba and nice post btw

The official line is that threads are only closed as a last resort. In other words we would only close a thread that had got out of hand and was detrimental to the karma of the site.

I suppose that if you believe in freedom of speech then you should also consider the point of view of the member that is asking for a given thread to be closed. If a thread is upsetting for a member then we may close it on their request, if it is felt that it has run it's life and everyone has had a chance to express their views. However, as I said, this would be rare and very much a last option.

 

Excellent points, Baba.

There does seem to be a lack of individual expression for fear of offending someone. Truly, I do think it's the dominance of moral relativism active today. The concept of right and wrong left up for individuals to decide? No wonder everyone gets upset over everything! Surely, offending someone in today's world is easily managed -- and sadly, the amount of people with thin skin seems to be growing daily. However, the mere substance of debate and disagreement defines individual idealogy -- and often leads to the betterment of both parties.

We *do* live in a world of greys, but that doesn't mean that all things are watered-down and even. There is a moral/ethical scale, although to state *that* inflames some greatly. Like it or not, but part of being an adult is dealing with people you can't get along with, but doing so in a manner that is respectful to the other person. My parents taught me this, as well as other things -- by word AND deed. In today's society, I see too many parents allowing their kids to learn nothing but greed and entitlement -- since they provide the example of this behavior. Teenage Wasteland, indeed

 

LMAO, Welcome to the site Fortch, I like you already .

 

although im one of the guys who ask for a thread to be closed (in this case it was freddy's on TE) it was because i was hoping to continue being a part of TE at that time. But good points as we are all allowed a opinon on matters...

 

My car isn’t working due to a problem with the immobiliser but I am hoping that the garage can fix it soon, and at a reasonable price…

Only messing Baba

Nice post, enjoyed the rant!

 

Fair enough Zimbo, and TBH, that thread was one of the ones I was referring to (although there have been a few others lately). But that is my point exactly, the only person who said anything in that thread even remotely anti-TE was Freddy. There is no reason, from the contents of that thread, that you couldn't have continued to be a part of TE, there was not any kind of TE/CF feud brewing so closing the thread seemed to me to be completely over the top.

 

You cheeky bugger .

 

now that im reading it again maybe i did blow over the top!

 

Just to put my 2 cents worth in, Rostros, Baba knows jack about cars. Fortch is the one you should be asking.



Nice points though and very well put too.

 

Err that last bit Baba "thanks for listening?? shouldn't that be thanks for reading my long post. Also next time you post can you choose a different Font, one that's easier to look at!

Monkey

 

If you disagree with my choice of post, I think this thread should be closed! Seriously, I typed it in Word at work so I looked like I was busy and forgot to change the font when I pasted it.

Pedant!

 

haha trust me baba I have offended my fair share of people here by being open and honest in my opinions, and seeing a thread through to the end

some people just cant handle that

 

OK, Monkey, I changed the font. Does that suit? Or would you prefer Wingdings?

 

lol nice one Baba