BLUE Touchpaper

I've been around these forums for some time now, I have been 'battered' by some (no names), supported by others, I have knocked some, others have knocked me...................BUT...................

I remember stevemonkseaton (I think that was his handle (?!)) but I think he was 'pushed away' by someone or more than one.

He was a major contributor and we have lost him, can I suggest that we invite him back ? oo-err ! We are missing input !

We can't always agree !

V

I'm sure that Steve, would return to the fold if he so wished; though his views on certain subjects did rub some people up the wrong way, I always thought that he often had a valid point, but was probably hounded by the 'Thought Police' to tow the righteous line. 
Any member should have the right to express their views rightly or wrongly, that is the point of a Forum, if some take offence then that is purely subjective, get over it we're all adults here.... hopefully.

Yes Flip, I agree with all that you have said, there are many differing views out there and I for one certainly don't agree with them all !

V

I direct everyone to Stephen Fry's piece on people taking offence.   Excellent.

Vicino wrote:I've been around these forums for some time now, I have been 'battered' by some (no names), supported by others, I have knocked some, others have knocked me...................BUT...................I remember stevemonkseaton (I think that was his handle (?!)) but I think he was 'pushed away' by someone or more than one.He was a major contributor and we have lost him, can I suggest that we invite him back ? oo-err ! We are missing input !

We can't always agree !

V

I deleted a post from Steve, just a post, but he took it to heart. He was not banned, so was welcome to carry on in here and no problem with that.
If you want to go back to the nasties we had over the road, then please feel free, albeit there is so little information coming out from there.
No Flip there are no "thought police".
There is very little moderation on this forum, apart from to spammers etc and people trying to sell trousers etc.
I do hope Steve will come back, as you say, he did contribute a lot.

Geotherm wrote:

I deleted a post from Steve, just a post, but he took it to heart. He was not banned, so was welcome to carry on in here and no problem with that.If you want to go back to the nasties we had over the road, then please feel free, albeit there is so little information coming out from there.No Flip there are no "thought police".There is very little moderation on this forum, apart from to spammers etc and people trying to sell trousers etc.I do hope Steve will come back, as you say, he did contribute a lot.

Thanks Geo,

I for one, do not wish to go back to the nastiness of the old forum.  It was utterly childish and most unpleasant and the reason that countless people left.  I think that we could all do with a little self-policing.  If we wouldn't say something to someone's face, why would we think it is okay to do so on a public forum?  All most of us want is to be treated with a little respect and common courtesy.  With all of the horrible news coming out almost daily from all over the globe, I think we all could try to do our part to imbue a bit of grace in our interactions with others.

Geo if you insist that ''No Flip there are no "thought police".'' then I suggest you read some previous contentious post and witness first hand the mental bullying applied by some members to alter individuals views and call into question their point of view. 
In any society virtual or otherwise, people will hold opposing views, often strongly; some resort to personal attacks to refute such claims, others will argue until they are blue in the face over their held belief/opinion whether right or wrong. 
My personal point of view is that everyone has a right to express them whether you believe or agree with as each is a justified as the other. Personal attacks are another thing entirely, but don't try to tell us that some members of this forum do not wish to be perceived as 'Holier than Thou' and set up camp on the moral high ground.

Folks,

we have so much help and assistance for people here, for me....... say what you want (within reason) try not to be personal. There are times that I have written things that people have mis-construed as something other than wit and repartee. Keep calm, and try to help others !



But equally, let's not just be 'bland' !!


V

Flip wrote:Geo if you insist that ''No Flip there are no "thought police".'' then I suggest you read some previous contentious post and witness first hand the mental bullying applied by some members to alter individuals views and call into question their point of view. In any society virtual or otherwise, people will hold opposing views, often strongly; some resort to personal attacks to refute such claims, others will argue until they are blue in the face over their held belief/opinion whether right or wrong. My personal point of view is that everyone has a right to express them whether you believe or agree with as each is a justified as the other. Personal attacks are another thing entirely, but don't try to tell us that some members of this forum do not wish to be perceived as 'Holier than Thou' and set up camp on the moral high ground.

Flip.

The post I deleted was a personal attack on another member.
You made one on me, saying I had no experience of different food to Italy in another posting somewhere, but went completely quiet when I told you how many countries I had eaten in and the different types of food.

Geotherm wrote:Flip.The post I deleted was a personal attack on another member.

Yes, this was exactly the kind of post I was referring to myself.  I remember it well and felt slightly sickened that we were starting to see the old pattern of behavior emerge on our "friendly" forum.  Differing opinions are important, valuable and most welcome.  Personal attacks are altogether another matter.

OK - either dementia has kicked in at a ridiculously young age or I missed that thread. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Admin wrote:OK - either dementia has kicked in at a ridiculously young age or I missed that thread. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Pages 7/8 in food and drink ....... "nuts" thread

Thanks Geo. I can't see a problem to be honest. No-one has been banned. If any of us write a 'provocative' post we should be man/woman enough to take it on the chin if others get upset and move on.
I am now going to look for Stephen Fry's piece on people taking offence as recommended by Modi!

Thank God for that Penny. Agree with all that 100% I do think that we have some 'precious' people  on here that take too much to heart.
By the way you will enjoy the Steven Fry piece.

I am still astonished by some flippant remarks regarding a "thought police", mental bullying... Who is accusing whom? In view of all the existing evidence and the comments made by several members! those accusations sound more like "seeing the speck of dust in the others' eyes and not the beam in your own". 
Penny, I should comment at this stage, that there is a big difference between a "provocative" post, which is welcome, as it can generate an interesting and informative discussion and an insulting or "offensive" one, which is the type of post other members and myself refer to. There is a long history about those unfortunate posts - which always originate from the same group of people - and I do not need to tell anyone how destructive they can be.
As for Stephen Fry's quote, not everyone appreciates it and it has caused opposite reactions, such as this one http://groupthink.kinja.com/stephen-frys-offensive-quote-is-total-bullshit-1488222909 I must add that I am not an admirer of this person and I find his language and some of his thoughts offensive and biased.  In any case, his mockery of Stephen Hawkings does not make him, in my opinion, a valid role model.
Summing up, what we need to do is not to argue about what may be, or may not be, "offensive". Through self moderation, it is possible to keep this forum a good place - which does not mean a "bland" - place to be in.
As for Steve... He only needs to learn how to moderate his own writings and to be respectful towards others. And this is a simple rule which applies to everyone in a civilized world. When anyone has to start insulting others, it is because that person has lost the argument and does not want to take it "on the chin", as suggested.

Surely Gala 'Moderation' is subjective and depends on one's own taught or perceived boundaries, so you are simply suggesting going by your own standards of acceptable behaviour within this forum. Don't get me wrong you may have very high standards and low tolerances, which is truly admirable, BUT don't expect others to have the same limits or values, diversity is what makes a society, hence my expression 'Thought Police'.  
Like Penny says ''If any of us write a 'provocative' post we should be man/woman enough to take it on the chin if others get upset and move on''.

Elementary good manners and respect for others are normal boundaries in any public forum. It is not a matter of Moderation, and, although I am a Moderator, I never excercise any power or influence on its contents. As any other member does, I give my opinion or share my knowledge in topics which interest me. As I have said before, one thing is a "provocative" post and a different thing an insulting one. And, unfortunately, this has happened before and should be avoided in the future. I do not think that everyone should be consulting a manual on protocol and good manners before posting an answer, but there is some basic courtesy which should be respected. And discussing topics, even controversial ones, has always been accepted. 'Thought Police"? I am afraid it only exists in your imagination... Censorship? Where have you seen that? Do you see posts systematically deleted or members banned like in other Forums? As Geo stated, there was only one deletion of a highly insulting post and fellow members have seen the contents, which were unacceptable. If that is what you call the "Thought Police", I am afraid that you are misinterpreting the meaning of the expression.

I refer to the person who invented the saying ..... Orwell's concept of "thought policing" derived from and had much to do with his own "power of facing unpleasant facts", as he referred to it, and his willingness to criticize society's prevailing ideas—which often brought him into conflict with others and what he called their "smelly little orthodoxies"
Also ''The term "Thought Police", by extension, has come to refer to real or perceived enforcement of ideological correctness, or preemptive policing where a person is apprehended in anticipation of the possibility that they may commit a crime, in any modern or historical contexts'' in this case offence.

Right, Flip. You may start a new thread on the topic "Down with Big Brother", whoever he or she may be... I promise you I will not even participate in it. This is already bordering paranoia!