Posters ready to disrupt

Allsorts I've noticed fewer people posting on the news and politics thread recently and I think it's because the tone of so many threads becomes aggressive and personal. It makes me think we have lost the ability to debate in a civilised way which is very sad. Of course people will have different views but fgs challenge the views don't insult the person making them!

A sad reflection, but yes. It's unnecessary to become quite so aggressive and overbearing.

You're right * Allsorts*, that it is a discussion thread, and there's no need for anyone to adopt a such a fierce manner.
I'm quaking in my boots sometimes.

Could we also try to leave posts up unless they're really beyond the pale? We seem to have lots deleted lately which, tbh having read them before deletion, seemed completely unnecessary and reflected badly on the person who posted. Leave posts up. If they're offensive I think we should be able to see them to judge for ourselves.

It’s not just on this thread that some posters are aggressive intolerant. Usually the same people.

I do not engage with a couple of posters anymore, there is little point when all they want is an online fight.

I think it is a shame when carefully thought out posts with reasoning and evidence get a one line agressively negative response without any attempt to provide any reasoning or evidence for a different viewpoint.
I also dislike the "Rachel from accounts" and "two tier Keir" posts, because I think it reduces the importance of the discussion and detracts from the seriousness of politics in the world in which we live.

I'm not sure anyone really wants to disrupt things though. Or even fight. We all muddy the waters in our own way.
In my opinion, it's simply about being courteous.

I agree Allsorts, this is why I have decided not to come on here as often as I did and others no longer come on at all.

What thread are you talking about though ? It says ‘this thread’ but not sure which one you mean?
I avoid the news and politics not because I don’t have strong feelings I do, but I don’t want to get into online fights and I probably would.

foxie48

Could we also try to leave posts up unless they're really beyond the pale? We seem to have lots deleted lately which, tbh having read them before deletion, seemed completely unnecessary and reflected badly on the person who posted. Leave posts up. If they're offensive I think we should be able to see them to judge for ourselves.

That’s up to the individual poster as to report or not depending on how they feel.
Some may prefer to leave posts in place and not say anything, some will leave posts in place and go in for a long spat on the thread and some will decide to report.
I choose to report some and leave others in place, it all depends on what’s been written. I believe that reporting a post has a definite place on forums as if unchecked, certain posters take it as liberty hall to indulge in personal insults and whatever brand of racist comments they enjoy.

I try not to report except for the trolls, but I don't think not reporting is what GN want, they request that people report posts that break guidelines.

Personally, I have observed hostility in all manner of different posts.
For example, someone might have started a thread about an AC attitude towards their parent……..a comment is made on that topic……..and then another person comments quite vehemently towards that previous comment. It is quite demoralising at times.

I agree Allsorts, we should value difference, that's what makes discussion interesting. But courtesy and respect should be paramount.

I think people should remember that this is not a forum for rational debate - it is not the Oxford Union but an on-line scrum in the manner of all internet chat rooms on contentious subjects.

Boz

I think people should remember that this is not a forum for rational debate - it is not the Oxford Union but an on-line scrum in the manner of all internet chat rooms on contentious subjects.

Unfortunately!

Fortunately it hasn't yet descended to the level of some.

That did make me laugh Boz.
We can't however just expect GN to be a free for all though, it generally won't be us who deal with the repercussions it will be MN/GN.

Boz

I think people should remember that this is not a forum for rational debate - it is not the Oxford Union but an on-line scrum in the manner of all internet chat rooms on contentious subjects.

Nice try! 🏉 😆

Mamie I think politicians have always been given nicknames, some more polite than others.

I find "Rachel from accounts" quite funny, perhaps you've never seen 'Colin from Accounts?' 😁

Apparently 'tempers are becoming frayed' according to one poster but it's just an online forum, it's not Real Life, folks.

Boz I think posters do get told off if they introduce a degree of levity or do not approach subjects with sufficient gravity and depth of intellectual debate
Yet we are not as bad as the House of Commons (are we?)

Sadly, I think it is possibly a reflection of the world in which we live, which seems to so full of anger, ridiculing and belittling.

We see it shown so much by some people in positions of power and authority who should know better, so some people unfortunately think that that anger, belittling and ridiculing is the way to go rather than reasoned discussion.

Boz I think posters do get told off if they introduce a degree of levity or do not approach subjects with sufficient gravity and depth of intellectual debate.

Oops, yes, Allira, I probably have a yellow card already on this serious thread! Sorry. 🏉

Well - there's an admission on here of reporting posts.....

..which I find surprising - because I've never yet seen any post anywhere on Gransnet that I think deserves reporting.

But I do note that some "reporting" is happening just because A has a different personal opinion to B - even though A has done nothing wrong and not said a word out of place.

It's called "censorship".

As an aside, I do like posters who have that refreshing ability to laugh at themselves every so often.

There are some really boring opinionated posters but I suppose that’s life, isn’t it? At least it gives you a laugh from time to time at how angry and nasty some of them get.Thank heavens we don’t have to meet them in real life.
Having said that, I think the vast majority seem to be kind lovely people.Thank goodness.