Banning People who Disagree

[iacas]

Here are the steps of a really lame choose-your-own-adventure story:

Page 1

You come on the forum and disagree with someone else.

From here, do you:

• Behave like an adult? Go to page 2.
• Get a little riled up? Go to page 3.
• Get a lot riled up? Go to page 4.

Page 2

Because the topic interests you, you re-state you case again or phrase it a little differently.

From here, do you:

• Behave like an adult? Re-read this page.
• Get a little riled up? Go to page 3.
• Get a lot riled up? Go to page 4.
• Decide you've had enough? Go to page 5.

Page 3

You restate your case with a mild escalation of words, strategies, and tactics. You're annoyed, partly at yourself for not conveying what you think, and partly at the other person for not understanding what you're saying.

From here, do you:

• Continue at the same agitation level? Re-read this page.
• Get a lot riled up? Go to page 4.
• Decide you've had enough? Go to page 5.

Page 4

You escalate beyond the point at which you're behaving like a mature human being. You're making outlandish or ridiculous statements. You're calling other people names. You're swearing a lot more than is necessary (within broad limits of "necessary"). You're playing the role of the victim.

From here, do you:

• Continue? Re-read this page.
• Calm down a little? Go to page 3.
• Decide you've had enough? Go to page 5.
• Continue to escalate? Go to page 6.

Page 5

Congratulations! You have won the Internets and are either a fine, upstanding citizen of the world… or at least one capable of reeling yourself back in a little! The story ends here. The next time a disagreement occurs, go to page 1, and then try to get to Page 5 even faster.

Page 6

You continue to behave like an utter butthead, doing even more of the things listed on page 4. Often this includes DMing people now, including moderators, and because it's a DM, you feel you can be an even bigger jerk because "the public" won't see what a butthead you're being.

From here, do you:

• Realize that the moderators have had enough? Go to page 7.
• Calm down? Go to page 3 if you flip a coin 5 times in a row and it lands heads up; otherwise go to page 4.
• Decide you've had enough? Go to page 5.

Page 7

You find that you've been given a warning or something. From here, do you:

• Bitch and whine about how "you're being punished for disagreeing?" Go to page 8.
• Wait out your time and use it for reflection? Go to page 5.
• Wait out your time and come out of the restriction or penalty box guns blazing, picking right up where you left off? Re-read this page.

Page 8

Congratulations! You are either having a tremendous brain fart or you're simply incapable of understanding the difference between "I was banned for disagreeing" and the actual reason for which you were banned: either for being a butthead over an extended period of time or an exceptionally buttheaded butthead over a shorter span of time!

[iacas]

I've said before and I'll say again now: I like disagreements. I like discussions. I like it when people can make me think, can challenge me, and can occasionally even convince me to change my mind.

I also understand the difference between fact and opinion, while others seem to take it personally. Opinions aren't things which can be "right" or "wrong" - they're not facts. Only facts can be "right" or "wrong."

This is a discussion forum . The site wouldn't exist - or would be significantly smaller - without disagreement. If anyone thinks that I or @mvmac or any of the moderators simply want a site where everyone agrees with everyone else, you don't know us very well and you're severely underestimating our intelligence. Heck, among the moderator team we don't often agree.

The site has one rule: don't be an asshat. Behave like an adult. Respect others. Disagree all you want… but do so without being an asshat that behaves like a child and disrespects others.

We have never banned anyone, restricted anyone, or otherwise punished anyone for disagreeing. And we have banned or restricted people with whom we've agreed if they disagree with someone else and behave like an asshat.

[Shindig]

The site has one rule: don't be an asshat. Behave like an adult. Respect others. Disagree all you want… but do so without being an asshat that behaves like a child and disrespects others.

This is the major thing that separates this site from... well, pretty much the rest of the internet.

[newtogolf]

This is the major thing that separates this site from... well, pretty much the rest of the internet.

Most sites encourage the asshat, because they generate more responses than the decent people.

[Mac62]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shindig

This is the major thing that separates this site from... well, pretty much the rest of the internet.

Most sites encourage the asshat, because they generate more responses than the decent people.

Problem is, if the asshats are allowed to proceed unchecked, they invariably escalate.

[mvmac]

We have never banned anyone, restricted anyone, or otherwise punished anyone for disagreeing. And we have banned or restricted people with whom we've agreed if they disagree with someone else and behave like an asshat.

Exactly!

And there have been many people that we have had disagreements with while also spending our time giving them advice on their swing threads or being cool with them in other threads. Our disagreements don't "spill over" into other topics/threads.

[Ongle]

Is this thread in my honour?! :)

[Ernest Jones]

Is this thread in my honour?! :)

Lets not be presumptuous, you're not the first asshat, nor shall you be the last. :-P

[iacas]

Is this thread in my honour?! :)

Are you banned? Answer to both: no.

[iacas]

Paging @MuniGrit, who has been reading Pages 7 and 8 lately.

[colin007]

9 minutes ago, iacas said:

Paging @MuniGrit, who has been reading Pages 7 and 8 lately.

Lol I was wondering when this was gonna happen

[dennyjones]

It's a nice thing to give everyone a reminder.   I hadn't seen this and am glad that you and the rest of the management make this a great place to visit. 

[NEhomer]

Awesome OP. Spot on.

I've never found it too difficult to find the scroll wheel on my mouse!