Hot Potatoes: Too Hot for DoD?

[mayor]

As discussed in a previous thread, there is a demand for a hot potatoes forum. I do NOT want General Chit Chat cluttered with debates on religion and politics. We'll turn away too many people who would otherwise just be looking for a nice place to chat about their kids, shopping, husbands, blah blah blah.

So, what to do about Hot Potatoes? Well, lets start by taking an informal poll.

If we have enough people that want it, who is going to moderate it? I need some volunteers with a proven track record of NOT getting in heated arguments with others. And someone who can tolerate the kind of stuff we have been seeing.

With that said, on with the show...

Mayor

[mayfly]

Ok, I have a few thoughts on this subject, but I am in a crabby mood, so be warned before reading! Later I may die in shame and have to come back and edit!!!


I am so shocked and surprised at the opinions I have heard about the Hot Potatoes. Good grief, why go there if you hate it?? I am SHOCKED! I hear members say they are not going to be a member (POUTING!) over a forum they don't have to go to at all, but keep being drawn there to argue. I think Hot Potatoes should come back, and those that enjoy it should enjoy it and quit complaining! Half of the people there are LOVING every minute of their debate, they WANT to be right! So if you don't want to talk to them, don't go to that forum. Don't let them offend you, for pete's sake. Picture it like debate class, people who don't want to argue do not Join That Class. I personally found it very interesting, though the more wordy posts got skipped because I simply do not have the time to read them. Some people nit-pick and debate every point, which is fine, its a debate forum. But the short concise posts were what caught my eye. So absolutely, keep it! Then people have a place to go to debate/fight, whatever they want. Some poor mod does have to moderate and make sure there is no name calling (maybe the mayor should mod it?)

[Jennifer M.]

I keep glancing back to the title at the top of my web browser...

DealTalk - Save Money, Have Fun!

Personally I didn't see anyone saving money in HP and I know they weren't having much fun!!

[angusmcgee]

I originally argued for the HP forum to be removed.

In my post, I said that an forum that actually makes people literally HATE other posters is counter productive and shouldn't exist. Especially on a site where people go to look for bargains, etc.

Many of us go in there, and enjoy the back and forth. However, it very quickly spirals out of control..

You post your opinion, someone counters.. You can't just let that go, so you up the ante. So does the other poster.

That's how it works..

It goes back and forth until feelings are hurt.

To say "If you don't like it, don't go in there" is easier said than done for those of us who actually go in there. It's like a magnet.

However, I believe in democracy.

If the majority of DoD posters want it back, I'd agree to that.

I'll abstain from voting in the above poll.

[Twinplets]

Originally Posted by angusmcgee

Many of us go in there, and enjoy the back and forth. However, it very quickly spirals out of control..
You post your opinion, someone counters.. You can't just let that go, so you up the ante. So does the other poster.
That's how it works..

Perhaps if it didn't work that way, but people restrained from those posts which made things spiral out of control, there wouldn't have been so many hurt feelings. I had no trouble deciding not to write heated arguments in response to things people posted that "got my goat", or if I did write it I wouldn't post it, but just delete it without sending. It was very hard sometimes not to post some of those responses, I'll admit, but being "right" wasn't worth fighting a fight that couldn't be won.

[cashhound]

I'd like to see the return of HP. I enjoyed reading most of the posts...until they got out of control. I refrained from posting MANY times.

I'd like to see the political stuff kept out of GCC. HP seems to be the best solution.

[freesurfer]

I enjoyed it but it got to the point of who could attack who. Discuss the issue but not the person. I rarely had much to say intelligent wise lol, but did enjoy the forum!!

[bwsmom]

I suppose when it's all said and done, I'd like to see HP return. However, not only is there going to have to be a completely impartial mod with a heart of gold, skin of steel and a robot-like composure, there are going to have to be new and tighter restrictions and rules, IMHO.

One thing that really got to me was the blatant lies that people would post like they were breaking news, all for the sake of inflaming the masses. Over and over and over again we saw inflammatory posts that we were able to prove were completely false, but the OP was never held accountable. Another board that Angus is on gives people a two-week suspension for too many inflammatory posts. I think something like that should be instilled here.

Also, I got really tired of hearing how anytime anyone would post something left of center, "all the conservatives would jump on that person/post". We have a right to defend ourselves, our political beliefs and our President. We should be afforded the same courtesies that every other member expects and receives, and not have to hear about how we're always "ganging up" on people. Besides, when people post false or misleading information, it's our responsibility to set things straight.

Lastly, there has to be an equality in admonition. As I mentioned in another thread, it was always the conservatives getting publicly admonished by the mods. When we complained, we got "oh, we moderate everyone...you just don't see the moderating we do to others." Either you moderate everyone publicly, or moderate everyone privately. If you're going to moderate the conservatives in a public manner, you've got to do it to the rest of the members too. That's only fair.

Sorry to be so lengthy in my post, but I think the only way HP can come back successfully is with some major changes - which will make things better for everyone, not just the perceived "underdog".

[jeskibuff]

I'm solidly in the "yes" column. Most of what B'mom said is where I stand, but I'm a bit softer on the moderation issue. I was a bit out of the loop during the last escalation, so I may be missing some of the vitals on all of what happened.

The vomiting of propaganda is the biggest issue I had with HP. I think that if you can't defend your propaganda by answering honest questions about it, you should be restricted from being able to post for a while. The propaganda is what incensed people so much in the beginning that HP was created to remove the controversy from GCC.

Whatever the case, I think the "hidden forum" is a good idea. Those who express interest in controversial dialogue can be directed on how to enter the forum. Those who want to be removed as far away from it as possible will hardly know it exists.

But bring it back, Mayor!

By the way...what have statistics shown recently? Have the number of posts decreased? I know I have been posting less since HP was yanked.

[luvmetender]

Originally Posted by bwsmom

One thing that really got to me was the blatant lies that people would post like they were breaking news, all for the sake of inflaming the masses.

As long as people continue to see opinions that differ from their own as "blatant lies" I don't think the forum will be a constructive place to debate the issues.

And a note to mayor. Just before you locked the other post about this issue, you said that since I didn't think the HP forum was a good idea in the first place, then I should not have been posting in it at all. Since I am not able to respond there, I will do so here.

That would be like telling a member of a community that opposed developers from building a shopping mall in their neighborhood, (and it was built anyway) that she shouldn't shop there.

[Mouse7088]

Here's my 2¢...I think HP should be brought back because the "attacking" is going to spill over to the other forums (at every little turn no doubt)....that was evident in the "other" thread. I also am getting pretty sick of seeing the "mods" being bashed at every turn....ok...one mod to be honest. Heck, I wouldn't have stepped foot in there to moderate squat because it was going to tick SOMEONE off to the point of "questioning" imaginary motives! Ya'll...and yeah, I do mean a handful of you HP regulars, need someone in there that just makes simple posts stating "I moved this post, I deleted this post, etc"...no further explanation attached because that just gets a mod accused of being unbiased...either that or a "ghost" mod (a casper of a username that all of the mods have access to use in the HP forum), that way none of ya have a friggin' target.....heck, if I was Joel I'm afraid I'd be tempted to letcha all just go for each others throat without ANYONE stepping in to answer all that darn "report this post" nonsense, cries of "He/she should be banned", I demand an apology bologna...so many of ya friggin' cry for a mod to step in...AND THEN when they do you're first in line to shout "foul"...I say if you want to debate to the death, go for it...soon Mayor won't have to shut the forum...you will have killed it yourselves.

[mayor]

Originally Posted by luvmetender

That would be like telling a member of a community that opposed developers from building a shopping mall in their neighborhood, (and it was built anyway) that she shouldn't shop there.

Poor analogy. If you didn't want a McDonalds down the street because you would never eat there, why would you eat there if they built one in spite of your opinion?

Mayor

[Mouse7088]

Just wanted to add one more little thing...it would stay a discussion forum if many ppl. didn't turn it into a debate. Personally, I think all of us love to throw out our own argument now and then...we'd be lost in that forum if we DIDN'T have someone w/ an opposing view.

[mayfly]

I hate to say this, but even if someone floods it with propoganda, well it is the hot potatoes forum. One can't honestly say that it is a free (within the TOS rules) speech forum yet say this or that can't be posted. So what if there are lies! In my opinion half of what is on the news is lies or slanted anyway. We read what we want to read, we respond to what we want. Personally, when I see lies, I laugh just like I do when I see an Enquirer cover. And if the topic draws you in, and you post, how can you be upset about it? It was your personal choice to even read it.

[jsalba]

Originally Posted by mayor

Poor analogy. If you didn't want a McDonalds down the street because you would never eat there, why would you eat there if they built one in spite of your opinion?

Mayor

I kind of liked her analogy. But anyhow, luv is a member of these boards and can be a pain in the butt sometimes like many of us. I thought your post to her in GCC forum was a bit insulting and unkind. You ask that your moderators remain neutral as much as possible.. y'know? I'm not trying to be mean, promise. I just don't agree with how you handled your thoughts on this one.