Your Chance To Change The DC Forum For The Better

[Direckshun]

Hey folks. Regular DCers, and everybody else.

This past weekend I asked the forum what makes DC a cesspool in their eyes.

There were many answers. Some was that too many people are stupid. Some were that there are extremist conspiracy types that make discussion difficult.

But the overwhelming answer is that too many people act like recalcitrant assholes who too often shit on people instead of promoting a discussion.

So I thought I'd throw an idea out there. I brought this up for the mod team, and they told me that if I put it before the people and DC was interested, we could get something moving.

This is a suggestion for potentially increasing the quality of posting in ChiefsPlanet's DC forum. As we all know, this place is legitimately a cesspool. We all know it is, we all agree it's a mess of haters and idiots and conspiracy assholes.

For ten-plus years, ChiefsPlanet policy towards that forum is "light" moderation, which means the best possible course of action is to let the maniacs eat themselves, but mostly to just keep that shit out of the Lounge (which I don't blame the mod team for, not one bit). That policy has permitted the DC forum to be pretty rough for most posters to participate. And the few that do participate regularly aren't that big on it. We have a pretty high turnover rate in the forum.

A new suggestion: temporarily test out a new policy, which is that of elevated moderation. There's not a lot you can do about stupid people (myself included), or folks with extreme views, but there is plenty we can do about people just acting like assholes to be assholes. For a small period of time (like six months, or even three months), ChiefsPlanet could implement an Asshole Ban on DC, meaning everybody in that forum must be respectful, and refrain from simply shitting on people, at the risk of something like a 1-month DC ban.

That may require more moderation, which much of the mod team would be unwilling to do because, c'mon, this place is a cesspool. As a result, this forum would casually elect a DC Asshole Panel, which would be a four-person board (two liberals/Democrats, two conservatives/Republicans) who regular the forum and can signal instances of assholery to the mods for a temp ban. In order for the panel to officially tip off a mod, three of the four members must agree that the Planeteer in question is in fact acting like a genuine asshole.

All of this is a complicated way of saying that DC doesn't just have to be a trashcan to keep the Lounge clean. I've been on (and am on) other boards where the political forum is a thriving exchange of ideas. And I don't mean to rob DC of its sarcasm, wit, or ribald humor. Just the blatant assholery from all sides that makes it occasionally tough to bear.

I send this suggestion up for your consideration. The poll above will stand for a week. (I would like it if a mod could sticky this thread? Too much to ask?) At the end of the week, if we at least have a plurality in favor of testing an Asshole Patrol, we'll take the next steps which would include selecting which members we'd like to serve on it.

Poll forthcoming.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by La literatura

When he said in jest that pete's wife was a whore?

Dude, come on Zack's intent was clear. It wasn't in jest. It went on in several threads and over multiple posts. Zack admitted his desire was to insult pete. Zack didn't do anything that others haven't done and it wasn't against the rules.

I have about 4-5 people in here that give me personal chit for no reason. They will respond to a benign post with venom about me personally. Everyone here has seen this over the top BS. No big deal to me because if I don't respect you, you can't insult me. But, lurkers read this and go WTF. I'm not posting in there.

I'm in favor of not allowing personal insults. You can call their position stupid, idiotic whatever. But, the getting personal is over the line if you want more people to post in here.

[Brainiac]

I voted "no".

I don't have a problem with the light moderation of the DC forum.

[frazod]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Dude, come on Zack's intent was clear. It wasn't in jest. It went on in several threads and over multiple posts. Zack admitted his desire was to insult pete. Zack didn't do anything that others haven't done and it wasn't against the rules.

I have about 4-5 people in here that give me personal chit for no reason. They will respond to a benign post with venom about me personally. Everyone here has seen this over the top BS. No big deal to me because if I don't respect you, you can't insult me. But, lurkers read this and go WTF. I'm not posting in there.

I'm in favor of not allowing personal insults. You can call their position stupid, idiotic whatever. But, the getting personal is over the line if you want more people to post in here.

Decent people shouldn't post here - they'd be happier posting somewhere else.

[Radar Chief]

Why don’t you take this idea and drown it in antifreeze then go sodomize yourself with a flaming AIDs cactus.

[Bowser]

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Why don’t you take this idea and drown it in antifreeze then go sodomize yourself with a flaming AIDs cactus.

*puts RC down as "maybe"*

[blaise]

That seems like a sucky idea.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by frazod

Decent people shouldn't post here - they'd be happier posting somewhere else.

Insert the Groucho Marx country club quote here.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by Mr. Flopnuts

Link?

It was in the thread where pete said Obamacare would cost families 20,000 or something. Zach said he heard Pete's wife is a "cum slurping whore."

[Branden Albert's Huge Balls]

Don't change anything.

I come over here a few times a month, get scared and run off.

It's like venturing into an area with mobs 20 levels above me in an MMO.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by GoWalrus

Don't change anything.

I come over here a few times a month, get scared and run off.

I'll admit, I didn't think that was an asset of the forum.

[scott free]

Good luck regulating civility, any attempt at that would either fail miserably or lead to all kinds of crazy rules that would kill any discussion at all.

Bad idea.

[La literatura]

I'm in favor of doing something to promote civility and strong discussion, but not an asshole ban. Perhaps a black mark for the worst, and a different mark for those who have promoted such positive aims.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Direckshun

I'll admit, I didn't think that was an asset of the forum.

The people who like the way things are are not going to vote for change. The only way to make this forum better for the overall good of Chiefsplanet is by changing the rules, not by popular vote.

[blaise]

I take it back. I would like to see this happen, and I would like to see who the panel members are and what they do. Mostly for comedic effect down the road.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

The people who like the way things are are not going to vote for change. The only way to make this forum better for the overall good of Chiefsplanet is by changing the rules, not by popular vote.

You're going to have to tightly define what is being an asshole if you want to do it. I mean, I said, no, but I know of three here that are particularly egregious. So I am not saying I like that.