Given all the banning and word censoring and other strange things that are happening on the PinkTruth.com discussion board, I’ve been wondering…
What is the purpose of a discussion board?
That may seem like a strange question at first. Naturally, one would think that a person starts and maintains a discussion board so those with common interests can come together and discuss.
It would seem, however, that in the hands of a controlling person, a discussion board becomes just another vehicle with which to manipulate content and establish arbitrary rules.
What are your thoughts on this? Why do you participate in discussion boards online?
Have you been a member of a board and left because of certain behavior by the administrator (or lack of action?)
Should the administrator of a discussion board feel free to delete posts or otherwise edit content even if it isn’t vulgar, spam, or against published board guidelines?
I’d like your thoughts on this.
I think Tracy’s rules are good, IF she actually followed them. A discussion board should be a place where people can DISCUSS a subject. It ceases to be a true discussion when all dissenting opinions are deleted and their writers banned! A discussion is not if I say something like “Mary Kay sucks” and 25 people reply “I agree!” “You’re right!” “I’m giving you karma for that!!!!” It’s a much truer discussion if someone says “Mary Kay sucks.” and someone can reply “While there are some flaws in Mary Kay, I believe that ……” and someone else might say “I think the whole set-up is bad because……..” As long as people aren’t deteriorating it into a screaming match, an honest exchange of opinions would be what makes a message board successful, in my opinion.
A discussion board is supposed to be someplace to go where you don’t feel censored. People should not be fearful to post whatever they have to say.
The last time I checked, we still live in a free country, where we have the right to go to whatever sites on the Internet we choose. People are being banned from PT simply because they visited or commented on an anti PT site.
Who wants to be part of that kind of community? It’s absolutely ridiculous.
“I wouldn’t belong to any club which would have me as a member” -Groucho Marx (I think)
A discussion board should be just that, a discussion. I find the discussion boards a bit difficult to navigate through so I never spent much time there anyway. But I agree, if only the approved comments of the owner are getting through, I am thinking that defeats the whole purpose.
bitches. MEOWWWWWW
A discussion is not if I say something like “Mary Kay sucks” and 25 people reply “I agree!” “You’re right!” “I’m giving you karma for that!!!!”
LOL, Dana how true that is.
In an alternate universe perhaps a discussion board is a place to gather a large alliance and muster the offensive power necessary to take over the world. Or at least it is a place to get your jollies by having a self-created sense of power and control over some people that you have never even met and will probably never set eyes on. I am thankful for the real discussion boards where I actually learn from others who have a different perspective than I. Imagine that.
To me a discussion board is where one participates in an open and respectful exchange of ideas and opinions. Where one can actually receive advice from a mixed group of people (as in several people posting as themselves vs one person posting as several people).
That is why I love the PinkLighthouse forum. As long as you treat others with respect, you will receive respect in return. People can and do disagree all day long and rarely are there snarky, rude or vulgar responses. Well, not since TC left anyway.
The administrator of a forum is and has to be the final arbiter of what is allowed on the forum. Having said that, it’s been my experience that Laura J, the administrator of the PinkLighthouse forum keeps a level head and doesn’t feel the need to censure opposing viewpoints. She keeps it open and welcoming to all.
I’ve always felt that people stay with a particular forum because they’ve found a group of like minded people. Open, honest and respectful or close minded, dishonest and rude. Your choice.
The administrator of a forum is and has to be the final arbiter of what is allowed on the forum. Having said that, it’s been my experience that Laura J, the administrator of the PinkLighthouse forum keeps a level head and doesn’t feel the need to censure opposing viewpoints. She keeps it open and welcoming to all.
QFT (quoted for truth)
I’ve either been an owner, mod, or member of quite a few boards. Some large and some small. The main point of each one is communication, the sharing of ideas and a way to get to know others of like mind.
What do each have in common? The free will to discuss ideas with little to no censure. Censure usually came when a troll posted things like, “M0dz!!111one U SUK!!11″ With no coherent reason. Or if, and get this, this is the biggy, personal information was posted.
Usually the larger the board, the more hassle. Take the biggest board I have ever been a part of, the World of Warcraft boards. The general discussion moves so fast, very few things stay on the main page for long. The mods can barely keep up too. The WoW boards allowed for people to say what they wanted as long as they didn’t curse, give out private info, or call mods names. You had to stay on topic, IE the right topic, for the right forum, or the post got moved and deleted. If a mod was an ass to you, you had an avenue of emailing and complaining to Blizzard.
Why am I saying all this? Because it was this way even on the small boards. No too out of control flame wars, discussion and questions encouraged, don’t call the mod an idiot without damned good reason.
Netiquette. You are getting to play in someones sandbox, rough-housing is okay, just don’t poke an eye out.
I hope that made sense.
Discussion IMPLIES that there can be two or more sides to a topic.
Therefore, Tracy can’t technically call her board a ‘discussion’ board, since there is only one side of any topic to discuss: Tracy’s.
Claiming that PT has a ‘discussion’ board, in my opinion, is FRAUD.
Where’a good FRAUD investigator when I need one?
Hi! A good forum, glad to join you
I’m the only one in this world. Can please someone join me in this life? Or maybe death…