What’s up with PR?

[Dr. Jones]

Whenever you advocate for more censorship, or more enforcement via fiat, you immediately lose the high ground, moral standing, and any sense of personal credibility. In short..... It's undignified and morally flimsy.

Using the ignore button or hoping someone gets banned is basically equal to putting a big "I can't control myself" sign around your neck and blaming someone else for that failure on your part. You should want to be challenged. You should want your ideas debated. And you should expect a public square like that forum to be where one can come and debate hard topics publicly. No thin skin, no censorship, no small minded bubble-like rooms to hide in. Be a man, and stand behind your ideas. .

If there is one thing I would recommend it would be to remove the reactions via emoji. Make people talk, or they can stay quiet in their corner.

My vote.... Keep it open.

Eh I think it’s silly to call out anyone’s manhood on an Internet forum. But that’s just me.

Since your calling back to yesterday's post in a passive aggressive way, I'll add this. I didn't call out anyone's manhood. You are adding perception and specificity to what I actually said.

I am speaking generally about the ability we all have to "stand behind your ideas". The turn of phrase could have easily been applied similarly by saying..... Have the courage of your convictions to stand behind your words and ideas. And not behind an ignore button or a reaction emoji under a post. Both are undignified IMO.

 

[Rivercard]

When you place someone on ignore, the reply exists. You are just choosing to not allow yourself to be challenged by ideas that differ from your own personal world view.

I only have 1 person on ignore. If his posts contained actual "ideas" he would not be on ignore.

 

[jf-08]

I have everyone on ignore

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[Covert Rain]

I only have 1 person on ignore. If his posts contained actual "ideas" he would not be on ignore.

This right here is the issue. To generally assume people are putting you on ignore because they don't want you to challenge them or stand behind what they say is extremely presumptuous. For that to be true you are assuming that you are always honestly engaging, not trolling or everything you say has value and you should be heard. That is pretty narcissistic if not unhinged.

 

[TJ]

I have everyone on ignore

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I’ve always wondered if I could put myself on ignore

 

[BooksOrangePlanet]

nobody is afraid of anybody challenging their ideas - i ignore liars and a-holes in real life too - if you're one of the most ignored people on the board it's not a them thing it's a you thing - crying and attacking the character of those who choose to ignore you is the real weakness - real men would just move along

 

[jbjarko]

This right here is the issue. To generally assume people are putting you on ignore because they don't want you to challenge them or stand behind what they say is extremely presumptuous. For that to be true you are assuming that you are always honestly engaging, not trolling or everything you say has value and you should be heard. That is pretty narcissistic if not unhinged.

This...this right here.

I too, only have 1 on ignore.

 

[82CardsGrad]

You, as a man, have the choice to walk away. You, as a man, have a choice to not reply. Ignoring is not the same...... And no one is requiring you to read it, or respond for that matter. You are choosing to have a bot do it for you.

When you place someone on ignore, the reply exists. You are just choosing to not allow yourself to be challenged by ideas that differ from your own personal world view. It is blaming others for your lack of self control. You can slice the almond as thin as you want but the fact remains that it is much easier from a psychological perspective to blame others for your actions and choices than it is to deny the reality that you may have something to address within yourself.

A real man in this scenario would do what PDX & Oaken did. They owned their choices and I respect that.

I never, as in ever align with Jonesy...until now.

As for me, I have never once used the ignore option. There are less than a handful of posters who I simply don't trust to be credible posters, so I simply don't engage with them - or try very hard not to.
Regardless, I enter this place knowing very few of us actually "know" one another, and very few of us will ever meet face-to-face. Further, I take the position that there is nothing said on this board that will ever change an opinion, though, I am someone who can admit to being "influenced" to a degree, by showing up and being part of this whacky place.

But to be certain, I try to never take anything said here, personally. And if I feel myself being tugged in that direction, I bail. 15 years ago or so, I was a different person and a different poster. Today, while I respect many of those that inhabit this place, I can't say that I do so to the point where comments made in any forum would cause me to sink into the abyss and begin flailing & launching personal attacks.
This might place me in the minority - especially with respect to the P&R Forum... However, I truly believe ASFN and the P&R Forum would be better off if everyone took a similar approach.

 

[Covert Rain]

This...this right here.

I too, only have 1 on ignore.

I don't have a long list. I think I had 3 people total and now just one. I think that was the most I have ever had in 20 years. I don't ignore people because they challenge me or I don't stand behind my convictions. I ignore people because they are trolls, can't have an intellectually honest conversation and not worth my time or energy.

 

[Dr. Jones]

You, as a man, have the choice to walk away. You, as a man, have a choice to not reply. Ignoring is not the same...... And no one is requiring you to read it, or respond for that matter. You are choosing to have a bot do it for you.

A real man in this scenario would do what PDX & Oaken did. They owned their choices and I respect that.

nobody is afraid of anybody challenging their ideas - i ignore liars and a-holes in real life too - if you're one of the most ignored people on the board it's not a them thing it's a you thing - crying and attacking the character of those who choose to ignore you is the real weakness - real men would just move along

I guess..... We agree????

I never, as in ever align with Jonesy...until now.

As for me, I have never once used the ignore option. There are less than a handful of posters who I simply don't trust to be credible posters, so I simply don't engage with them - or try very hard not to.
Regardless, I enter this place knowing very few of us actually "know" one another, and very few of us will ever meet face-to-face. Further, I take the position that there is nothing said on this board that will ever change an opinion, though, I am someone who can admit to being "influenced" to a degree, by showing up and being part of this whacky place.

But to be certain, I try to never take anything said here, personally. And if I feel myself being tugged in that direction, I bail. 15 years ago or so, I was a different person and a different poster. Today, while I respect many of those that inhabit this place, I can't say that I do so to the point where comments made in any forum would cause me to sink into the abyss and begin flailing & launching personal attacks.
This might place me in the minority - especially with respect to the P&R Forum... However, I truly believe ASFN and the P&R Forum would be better off if everyone took a similar approach.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Since your calling back to yesterday's post in a passive aggressive way, I'll add this. I didn't call out anyone's manhood. You are adding perception and specificity to what I actually said.

I am speaking generally about the ability we all have to "stand behind your ideas". The turn of phrase could have easily been applied similarly by saying..... Have the courage of your convictions to stand behind your words and ideas. And not behind an ignore button or a reaction emoji under a post. Both are undignified IMO.

I don’t want to get into an argument but when you type “be a man” you are literally calling out the manhood of people who are doing what you are criticizing. If that’s not your intent maybe find less inflammatory words. Both of your posts were aggressively-aggressively calling out people who choose to use the ignore function.

 

[Covert Rain]

I don’t want to get into an argument but when you type “be a man” you are literally calling out the manhood of people who are doing what you are criticizing. If that’s not your intent maybe find less inflammatory words. Both of your posts were aggressively-aggressively calling out people who choose to use the ignore function.

Something must be wrong with the forums real-man-ometer. I shed 2/3rds of my ignore list and my testosterone levels have not increased.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I never, as in ever align with Jonesy...until now.

As for me, I have never once used the ignore option. There are less than a handful of posters who I simply don't trust to be credible posters, so I simply don't engage with them - or try very hard not to.
Regardless, I enter this place knowing very few of us actually "know" one another, and very few of us will ever meet face-to-face. Further, I take the position that there is nothing said on this board that will ever change an opinion, though, I am someone who can admit to being "influenced" to a degree, by showing up and being part of this whacky place.

But to be certain, I try to never take anything said here, personally. And if I feel myself being tugged in that direction, I bail. 15 years ago or so, I was a different person and a different poster. Today, while I respect many of those that inhabit this place, I can't say that I do so to the point where comments made in any forum would cause me to sink into the abyss and begin flailing & launching personal attacks.
This might place me in the minority - especially with respect to the P&R Forum... However, I truly believe ASFN and the P&R Forum would be better off if everyone took a similar approach.

I can honestly say that my positions on some topics have changed or softened based on discussions on P&R. So I don’t completely agree with your statement. I don’t think it’s common. And I certainly don’t click into the board with that intention.

That said, can’t argue with how you positioned your activity. I am curious though, how many of the political items directly impact your, or your loved one’s rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? I am not asking as a challenge, but am legitimately curious.

The reason I ask is that not every topic on the board impacts each of us to the same degree. And for some of us the topics don’t impact us much at all. For instance, the items that get me to act inappropriately center around antisemitism and anything that can be anti-Hispanic because of the very personal fear they evoke for me and my family. Similarly for dback Jon and Sandan with lgbtq and trans issues. Those are very real, very visceral, very personal topics. Scary topics. I try to give them grace on those tooocs as a result. Similarly, I’ve modified my approach with items regarding the police knowing Shane is a good man and can meander into P&R.

 

[Russ Smith]

So the kid in the back seat with their sibling holding their finger inches from their face saying "i'm not touching you" is the one with the issue not the one doing the harassing.

 

[UncleChris]

I have everyone on ignore

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Saw Three Dog Night in 1970, front row-center seats, at the Chicago Auditorium Theater.and yes, they performed "One."

AWESOME Concert. !!!!!

 

[oaken1]

Oh.... I agree with this completely.

It's the easiest way to stop some of the madness that occurs in the forum and thus, makes their jobs easier. My contention is that it hurts everyone's experience and everyone's ability to connect with differing ideas and perspectives.

all the years I have been on this forum and I only have a single user on ignore...and that just started a few months ago.
it still shows me a box saying I am ignoring this user, and gives me the option to view ignored content.
I am an avid reader and its often difficult to bypass a single post on a thread...so I put said user on ignore when after hundreds of posts I recognized they had nothing of value for me....but again, I still have the option to temporarily undo the ignore if I choose.
same if its politics, you can tell by one side of the conversation if the discussion is interesting..and choose to view both sides...or not

 

[UncleChris]

all the years I have been on this forum and I only have a single user on ignore...and that just started a few months ago.
it still shows me a box saying I am ignoring this user, and gives me the option to view ignored content.
I am an avid reader and its often difficult to bypass a single post on a thread...so I put said user on ignore when after hundreds of posts I recognized they had nothing of value for me....but again, I still have the option to temporarily undo the ignore if I choose.
same if its politics, you can tell by one side of the conversation if the discussion is interesting..and choose to view both sides...or not

I've got 3 people on ignore simply because I sometimes lose my self control and write something stupid. I am certainly at no loss by ignoring them (and I don't peek).

 

[SECTION 11]

I have all of you on ignore, but I’m assuming you’re talking about the clown show we have in government.

 

[Weenus O'Baggins]

LOL.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I don't have a long list. I think I had 3 people total and now just one. I think that was the most I have ever had in 20 years. I don't ignore people because they challenge me or I don't stand behind my convictions. I ignore people because they are trolls, can't have an intellectually honest conversation and not worth my time or energy.

This - why in the hell would I continue to engage with bad faith actors when I know they're just going to respond in bad faith? At a certain point, it just becomes sisyphean.

Those trying to insult people into not ignoring are probably the most blocked, funny how that works. Trolls are attention prostitutes (hors blocked, lol) who thrive on engagement - starve them of the attention they so desperately seek.

 

[Russ Smith]

This - why in the hell would I continue to engage with bad faith actors when I know they're just going to respond in bad faith? At a certain point, it just becomes sisyphean.

Those trying to insult people into not ignoring are probably the most blocked, funny how that works. Trolls are attention prostitutes (hors blocked, lol) who thrive on engagement - starve them of the attention they so desperately seek.

Yeah I'm not interested in getting into it again but in the long posts about blocking people is not manly he ended one of them by saying using block or just responding with emotion smileys is not good(forget his exact wording but that was the gist). And then a few posts later he responded to one of my posts with the exact rolling smiley that is what people are talking about. He clearly doesn't mean what he says. I actually responded to that post yesterday but then deleted it.

 

[JohnnyCakes]

I do not tend to engage with anybody who uses the term Nazi or bigot. I know those are the unhinged ones.

#FreshStart

 

[82CardsGrad]

I can honestly say that my positions on some topics have changed or softened based on discussions on P&R. So I don’t completely agree with your statement. I don’t think it’s common. And I certainly don’t click into the board with that intention.

That said, can’t argue with how you positioned your activity. I am curious though, how many of the political items directly impact your, or your loved one’s rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? I am not asking as a challenge, but am legitimately curious.

The reason I ask is that not every topic on the board impacts each of us to the same degree. And for some of us the topics don’t impact us much at all. For instance, the items that get me to act inappropriately center around antisemitism and anything that can be anti-Hispanic because of the very personal fear they evoke for me and my family. Similarly for dback Jon and Sandan with lgbtq and trans issues. Those are very real, very visceral, very personal topics. Scary topics. I try to give them grace on those tooocs as a result. Similarly, I’ve modified my approach with items regarding the police knowing Shane is a good man and can meander into P&R.

I think you know my journey here at ASFN... where I once resembled Johnnycakes and would routinely find myself in personal battles. I certainly wouldn't attribute my political evolution solely to this board as there were a number of other personal life events that, along with the experiences gained through ASFN, all conspired at the perfect time and in the perfect way, to bring me to the point I stand today.
So I totally appreciate how this place can play a role in helping people see "the other side," if of course, people are open and willing to sincerely examine positions in a different light...

In terms of how I am directly impacted, or not, by the political items our society faces and/or that are debated here at ASFN... if I'm being honest, my quick answer would be very few. I mean, I'm no different than everyone else in the sense that the typical, fundamental political footballs that get kicked around each day and certainly, every election cycle, such as: Taxes, Abortion, Guns, Social Security, Healthcare, Immigration, Foreign Affairs, etc...all "impact" me in one way or another. But I guess if I take a more individual/personal view, aside from my faith being constantly slammed, misinterpreted and misunderstood on a regular basis, I can't say much else fits into that category.

I totally appreciate how members like Jon, Sandan and even you and your brother, can feel personally attacked by comments made on this board. And I will not at all attempt to inform you guys as to how you should handle those situations. Just know that in each of these situations, I almost exclusively lean in your collective direction and I despise anyone who uses this board as a means to disrespect who you are or what you represent!

Hope this helps clarify where I'm at...

 

[dreamcastrocks]

If this forum ever does reopen I think we should ban puns.

First offenders should be banned for life

Please don't use the laugh emoji. There's nothing punny about it.

 

[JohnnyCakes]