Thread: Inappropriate comments

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

I think this is the "rule" in question:
"post or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;"

The questions still begs: Where are the standards coming from? What I find objectionable you may not. What is unlawful in the US may not be in Belgium, etc...

My position stands: Sensorship is a slippery slope. Of course there are things that on their face violate the terms of service, but we are not talking of them.

Here is the best sensorship I know of: You read what you like and ignore the other stuff, I'll read what I like and ignore the other stuff. Makes things really easy.

Simply using a word like "objectionable" leaves things to interpretation.

True - but I think this is where ReardenSteel's point about multiple mods from around the world comes into play. Also, if the language chosen was explicit and specifically outlawed certain words/phrases/whatever that would be highly ineffective as it would imply that anything not specifically banned was OK. There has to be scope for judgement in any code of conduct, and the inclusion of the specific language you have indicated allows for that scope.

Every community (whether online or in the real world) has somehow to establish its own code of conduct and determine what is and is not acceptable. Personally I think the SPR Mods have collectively done a bang-up job on that front.

Another great thing about this place is that we can disagree on a great many things while still maintaining respect for each other and each others' views.

While I never use it on other forums, does this forum have an ignore feature?

If so simply let it be known when you find someone offensive that your ignore list is about to grow. Once enough people start ignoring a behavior...it self regulates.

Personally I find unwritten rules work the best. A gentleman knows these rules and how to steer some of us lessers in the right direction.

If someone threatened to ignore me, I would take heed, for if that person is regularly sharing good stuff, I want to be able to engage him/her.

Those that do not care about this sort of thing will sort out in the wash soon enough

Originally Posted by welshwizard

What many of us often forget is that besides speaking different languages, there are also major cultural differences. What may be deemed acceptable behaviour in one part of the world would definitely not be in another. When all is said and done it is the World Wide Web. Even in the English speaking world there are wide variations in attitude to what constitutes good manners. In the UK and I am sure the USA also, age and family background has a marked effect.

I don't buy into that notion! I really don't. I have taken social anthropology classes, lived in a few places, and ultimately have come to the conclusion that being a man in a gentlemanly manor is pretty much a universal condition. Morals aside, and how people communicate face to face may be different - but no so much when it comes to typing...

Though I have to admit some cultures are more direct than others - it doesn't mean they are necessarily more Juvenal or prone to being aggressive or "potty mouthed" lol .

Originally Posted by earcutter

Though I have to admit some cultures are more direct than others. But it doesn't mean they are necessarily more Juvenal or prone to being aggressive or "potty mouthed" lol .

I agree. But some cultures are SO direct that it sparks anger or rage in others. I could tell stories.

Tone, as we know is an art, at best, in the typed word. This seems to create the most problems on the forums I frequent.

Potty mouth trash talk....that is another thing. My name has drawn some in the past...and I typically roll with it because I'm tough like that. In the end we all need to decide how thick our skin is and act accordingly. Personally, can appreciate both sides of the table, but I'm a guest here (a new one, at that) so I hope to show some respect

For what it is worth I selected the name 'unit' about 12 years ago as a mathematical homage to the smallest component that bears the attributes of what it represents.

That is how I see it...we are all components of a discussion and when someone fails to respect EVERYONE equally (or when one starts to believe they are more than someone else)...that is usually when problems arise.

Originally Posted by unit

I agree. But some cultures are SO direct that it sparks anger or rage in others. I could tell stories.

Tone, as we know is an art, at best, in the typed word. This seems to create the most problems on the forums I frequent.

Potty mouth trash talk....that is another thing. My name has drawn some in the past...and I typically roll with it because I'm tough like that. In the end we all need to decide how thick our skin is and act accordingly. Personally, can appreciate both sides of the table, but I'm a guest here (a new one, at that) so I hope to show some respect

Tone is a hard one... but I'll say this. I have gotten into some very heated battles here on SRP. Especially when it comes to Econ - I get excitable. In the end - knowing that people are engaged is all that really matters, and after a few posts bantering - most of those I have bantered with have agreed to disagree. No hard feelings. That is being a gentleman I think. I still respect the person(s) though I might not see eye-to-eye.

But as a great example as to what it is to not be a gentleman - I was responding to a mans post - I even hit "reply with quote." After that man saw my post - rather than argue the point, or concede that he lost - he edited his post making it look like I took a little part of his post rather than the whole, and went to town on him... His little edit changed the entire tone of his post after the fact. (cute trick)

Then he had the audacity quote me - and tell me to relax LOL!

That - is no gentleman! Matter a fact - his changing tone after the fact made me lose all respect for him !

Jumping into this kinda late, but I think this is a great topic.

Personally, I don't like censorship. I don't like it when people type that $&"&%#%! garabage (lest it is in comical gest). I don't like it when people refrain from something because they don't want to "ruin" an impression with someone. With all that standing, I completely accept a system of rules and regulations when visiting an area.

Just like Unit said, I too have tough skin. Which means there is probably a few people out there who don't. I feel like those rules are there for those who don't and to keep us numb ones in check. Nothing wrong with a little regulation, and like many have said before in this thread; if that is the itch you need scratched,you can find it elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Cangooner

True - but I think this is where ReardenSteel's point about multiple mods from around the world comes into play. Also, if the language chosen was explicit and specifically outlawed certain words/phrases/whatever that would be highly ineffective as it would imply that anything not specifically banned was OK. There has to be scope for judgement in any code of conduct, and the inclusion of the specific language you have indicated allows for that scope.

Every community (whether online or in the real world) has somehow to establish its own code of conduct and determine what is and is not acceptable. Personally I think the SPR Mods have collectively done a bang-up job on that front.

Another great thing about this place is that we can disagree on a great many things while still maintaining respect for each other and each others' views.

I agree....good bunch of Mods doing a tough job.

Originally Posted by unit

For what it is worth I selected the name 'unit' about 12 years ago as a mathematical homage to the smallest component that bears the attributes of what it represents.

That is how I see it...we are all components of a discussion and when someone fails to respect EVERYONE equally (or when one starts to believe they are more than someone else)...that is usually when problems arise.

Unit in math is one thing. Where I worked it was a police car, on the streets it was a body part. What if I found your screen name "Objectionable"? What then?

Along the slide we go.

Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

I'd actually like to think that every part of this site would allow for discussions with friends in public. I feel that the whole site is a discussion with friends in public. Guess it depends on who you and your friends are and where their boundaries are. I myself have used the word 'shit' and feel it should be allowed, I wouldn't have a problem using that word in public. Even the 'F' word was used repeatedly on a 4PM AM Radio National ABC program (Phillip Adams) only a week or so ago. I believe there was a warning that the interview contained 'naughty words'. I wouldn't use the 'F' word here, not without cartoon like asterisks, hash symbols etc.

I think my point might be that we all may have completely different ideas about what language is appropriate, and a lot of that would be a cultural thing, and a demographic thing, etc, but we probably all know what topics would be off limits. Stephen Fry's 'Planet Words' series was excellent in the episode where it dealt with swearing...

In my 64 years on this planet there has been a definite coarsening of the culture. In the late '50s and early '60s comedian Lenny Bruce went to jail for using obscenity in his stage act. Twenty years later people were listening to Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy using the same language, or worse, and they were 'stars.'

I think it must depend on age, background ..... I was a street kid and used foul language from my early teens. OTOH, even in my young manhood, doing ironwork in an all male world, I did not use that language in front of children at all, or women who I was not intimate with. Certainly not in front of my mother or sister.

When I began going to AA meetings in the 1980s I was surprised, and offended, at the foul language routinely used in meetings in front of ladies. I couldn't be too offended though because it soon became apparent that the fairer sex used the same language in many cases.

Now I find myself working with three different men who are all 30 years old. So they grew up in the years when film and what have you loosed realism on society and they do not find it incongruous to use the 'F' word in front of men women, children. It is almost used by them as punctuation. Every other word. I don't think they could speak without it.

I find it sad that this is what the world has come to ...... at least the world I live in. I remember reading somewhere, many years ago, that obscenity and profanity ..... there is a difference ..... were used by people who lacked a vocabulary sufficient to express themselves. Anyway ..... the policy at SRP is to keep it clean. A little oasis in a polluted culture isn't a bad thing.

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

I think this is the "rule" in question:
"post or otherwise make available any Content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable;"

The questions still begs: Where are the standards coming from? What I find objectionable you may not. What is unlawful in the US may not be in Belgium, etc...

The standards come from a group of mods trying their very best at applying the rules on this site.
We are a diverse group, and some of our discussions on certain topics can get lenghty

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

My position stands: Sensorship is a slippery slope. Of course there are things that on their face violate the terms of service, but we are not talking of them.

Sensorship is indeed a slippery slope, but I have a hard time seeing that what we are discussing falls under that term.
A set of rules on a privately owned net-forum is not sencorship.
I would call that responsible ownership more than anything.
Rules surround us in all parts of our life.
Wether implied or expressed.

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

Here is the best sensorship I know of: You read what you like and ignore the other stuff, I'll read what I like and ignore the other stuff. Makes things really easy.

Then again, how would you know not to read a certain post due to undesirable content before you have actually read it?

Originally Posted by Mvcrash

Simply using a word like "objectionable" leaves things to interpretation.

Yes, it does