Da_Ish
(?)Community Member
Offline
- Posted: Thu, 24 Mar 2005 02:29:52 +0000
UPDATE: After taking into account your responses and talking with Noraboo, I no longer support this idea, as it contradicts the purpose of Gaia. Um... nothing much more to say. Let this thread die peacefully.
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Da_Ish
I propose that my idea will solve three problems:
(1) Cleaning up the forums
(2) Deciding what belongs in ED
(3) Making the right people happy
Cleaning up the forums
Flaming is a powerful form of social control, and individuals who are flamed seem to learn the hard way what is socially appropriate/inappropriate within a specific online community. It even appears that being flamed has a powerful emotional effect on the person who misbehaves.
I believe that "Get the ******** out" is an appropriate response to "Should i purchase wings or no?" in ED. If somebody is incapable of understanding the meaning of then there is something seriously wrong with respect to literacy and following basic instructions. If someone is unable to follow written instructions or understand written words, then they should not be allowed to use the internet. Obviously, they have not read the TOS and we can assume they are incapable of doing so.
A alternative explanation to this may be that the majority of ED is filled with threads that do not belong in ED, and new users that see this think it is okay to post similar off-topic chatter. I read one thread where the user said something along the lines of, Unfortunately, because of the no-flaming rule enforced long ago, ED regulars are forced to answer politely with something like
I do not think this type of response would have the same effect as "Get the ******** out" or "Reported, a*****e." Not only does a harsh response ensure that the new user does not make the same mistake, but it sets an example for lurking new users. A new user who has yet to post will see that what type of behavior is inappropriate, and would not want to be flamed. Hence, they will move to a friendlier place like the Chatterbox.
Deciding what belongs in ED
Deciding what kind of threads are appropriate in ED is an ill-defined problem and escapes formalization. Some topics are intrinsically interesting and would generate extended discussion, such as homosexuality and abortion (if they were not an endlessly repeated topics), while other normally-uninteresting topics are made interesting by their form of presentation and good argumentation. However, what makes something intellectually interesting and what constitutes good argumentation cannot be formalized in hard rules or universal equations. We cannot write a computer program that generates interesting topics or that can provide good argumentation for the possibility or impossibility of God.
The understanding of what is ED-appropriate is implicit cultural knowledge. ED topics share some similarities�family resemblances�with each other, but there is no "essence" of what makes something ED-worthy. Hence, there may be some disagreements in what counts as an ED topic due to differing backgrounds and educational experiences.
Despite this, a possible way to decide what is appropriate for ED is to let the people decide. Inappropriate topics would lead to social rejection. If somebody creates a non-mainstream topic that has merit, but that the general public does not recognize, then flaming will force the thread-creator to provide good argumentation for his views. If s/he belongs in ED, then s/he will survive this initial onslaught.
Making the right people happy
Gaians who post in the appropriate forums and are able to follow rules should be made happy, while Gaians who cause trouble and are incapable of being responsible internet users should be chastised. Allowing "flaming" will let e.g. ED regulars fulfill their urge to rebuke the n00bs, while performing a useful social function.
In conclusion, forum rules should be relaxed to allow users to post things like "Get the ******** out of my ED," and even creative pictures to correct inappropriate behavior. I would rather be entertained by a Voltron of Scathing Intellectual Wit than be stupefied by an army of idiots.
(1) Cleaning up the forums
(2) Deciding what belongs in ED
(3) Making the right people happy
Wikipedia
Social control refers to social mechanisms that regulate individual and group behaviour, in terms of greater sanctions and rewards. It may also designate the processes of informal social control such as custom and formal social control such as law of deviant behavior which falls beyond the bounds set by social norms. Social control is present in all societies, if only in the control mechanisms used to prevent its establishment in anarchic situations.
...
Traditional society uses mostly informal social control embedded in its customary culture relying on socialization of its members to establish social order.
...
Traditional society uses mostly informal social control embedded in its customary culture relying on socialization of its members to establish social order.
Cleaning up the forums
Flaming is a powerful form of social control, and individuals who are flamed seem to learn the hard way what is socially appropriate/inappropriate within a specific online community. It even appears that being flamed has a powerful emotional effect on the person who misbehaves.
I believe that "Get the ******** out" is an appropriate response to "Should i purchase wings or no?" in ED. If somebody is incapable of understanding the meaning of
Quote:
Extended Discussion. This is where users can discuss serious subjects and carry on extended debates.
A alternative explanation to this may be that the majority of ED is filled with threads that do not belong in ED, and new users that see this think it is okay to post similar off-topic chatter. I read one thread where the user said something along the lines of,
Quote:
every1 is making threads so i will to
Quote:
This thread does not belong in ED, it belongs in Chatterbox. please stop bumping it up and let this thread die. thanks. wink
I do not think this type of response would have the same effect as "Get the ******** out" or "Reported, a*****e." Not only does a harsh response ensure that the new user does not make the same mistake, but it sets an example for lurking new users. A new user who has yet to post will see that what type of behavior is inappropriate, and would not want to be flamed. Hence, they will move to a friendlier place like the Chatterbox.
Deciding what belongs in ED
Deciding what kind of threads are appropriate in ED is an ill-defined problem and escapes formalization. Some topics are intrinsically interesting and would generate extended discussion, such as homosexuality and abortion (if they were not an endlessly repeated topics), while other normally-uninteresting topics are made interesting by their form of presentation and good argumentation. However, what makes something intellectually interesting and what constitutes good argumentation cannot be formalized in hard rules or universal equations. We cannot write a computer program that generates interesting topics or that can provide good argumentation for the possibility or impossibility of God.
The understanding of what is ED-appropriate is implicit cultural knowledge. ED topics share some similarities�family resemblances�with each other, but there is no "essence" of what makes something ED-worthy. Hence, there may be some disagreements in what counts as an ED topic due to differing backgrounds and educational experiences.
Despite this, a possible way to decide what is appropriate for ED is to let the people decide. Inappropriate topics would lead to social rejection. If somebody creates a non-mainstream topic that has merit, but that the general public does not recognize, then flaming will force the thread-creator to provide good argumentation for his views. If s/he belongs in ED, then s/he will survive this initial onslaught.
Making the right people happy
Gaians who post in the appropriate forums and are able to follow rules should be made happy, while Gaians who cause trouble and are incapable of being responsible internet users should be chastised. Allowing "flaming" will let e.g. ED regulars fulfill their urge to rebuke the n00bs, while performing a useful social function.
In conclusion, forum rules should be relaxed to allow users to post things like "Get the ******** out of my ED," and even creative pictures to correct inappropriate behavior. I would rather be entertained by a Voltron of Scathing Intellectual Wit than be stupefied by an army of idiots.
