Soapbox Issue

[DougJones43]

I've been having a real problem with something on the site lately, and rather than continuing to try and fend off these posts each time they happen, I've decided to bring it here. I feel that posts telling other people what they should think/feel/expect/appreciate/etc. have become far too commonplace, and I don't really understand why this isn't something the moderators don't try to discourage. To me, it's the ultimate form of condescension - telling somebody else the proper way they "should" live their life.

 

Here is a prime example that kind of irked me in the "Winning Season" thread:

 

Maybe we should be grateful we were even in the race. Maybe we should take a look at where we live, because some of us, not all of the comments, are starting to sound like we live on the north side of Chicago. And that is not a compliment nor is it something we should be proud of. Brewer/Wisconsinites are loyal. Let's not start to whine and complain. We are better than that.

I apologize for singling out this one poster, because this kind of stuff happens a lot. I'm sure I've been guilty of it as well. Everybody has their opinions, and the problem is not just one-sided. There have also been instances of people telling others that they shouldn't be satisfied with certain things the Brewers have done. People have been told that if they choose to be upset or boo, their priorities in life aren't in order. What gives anybody the right to tell somebody what importance they should place on anything?

 

The fact is there really isn't a right or wrong point-of-view, just different. If there were no "glass half full" people, the world would probably be too negative. If there were no "glass half empty" people, the world might be too complacent and progressive change might not happen.

 

As always, it is not my site, nor my decision to make. I'd like to see how others feel about this, and whether or not the moderators would like to step in. I've been involved in numerous disagreements involving this issue, and it has dragged perfectly good discussions into the muck. I don't want that to happen anymore, but I also don't want to sit back and be lectured about my outlook on sports, and life.

[Brian the Automator]

You shouldn't worry about these things.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding. I share your point of view, but it's a very difficult thing to moderate, as are some of the more borderline condescending remarks. The quote you highlighted is an ad hominem argument, and is one of the things I try to discourage on the site when I see it. I'm not going to start issuing strikes for that kind of thing unless it starts to dominate conversation, but ad hominem arguments are logical fallacies, and people who want to be taken seriously shouldn't take these types of positions.

[1992casey]

I share your point of view, but it's a very difficult thing to moderate, as are some of the more borderline condescending remarks.

I'd classify the percentage of condescensions that are difficult to moderate as somewhere between 'many' and 'most'. http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/wink.gif I don't think the one mentioned above would have tripped my trigger, but that's not to say that it shouldn't have.

[mothershipconnection]

I think the fine line here is between criticism of a single poster, or just a vent. If an article is posted about fan disappointment and someone says they don't get all the anger and think people should be happy that the team has made progress and isn't in the Selig days, it's an innocent vent and acceptable statement of their opinion. Now, if an individual poster starts the same discussion and another person says he's an idiot who needs to live in reality and get a clue, we have a problem.

 

The problem with moderating this is divorcing the content from the delivery and evaluating what brought the statement about.