I have decided.......

[Indofred]

After a brief chat with a gentleman who shall remain nameless, I have decided:

A - If I can't debate without using mud slinging and insults, I don't deserve to be in a debate

B - If I can't debate without providing links to back up my opinion or position, I don't deserve to be in a debate

C - If I can't do effective research and find evidence to support my position, I don't deserve to be in a debate.

The question is; can other posters do the same so we can clean up the forum without the assistance of the moderation team?

Opinion?

 

[Circe]

Is this about the vanished threads?

Why not put your threads into the Conspiracy Theory section?

Now, I don't know the history of your posting and maybe it was someone else, but it seems to me once the Templars come into it or the Illuminati, it probably should go into conspiracy theories, right?

In "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco, one of the main characters, an editor, says that it's easy to tell which authors are mad. If they are mad, somehow within the first half-hour of conversation, the Templars will come up.

But in this novel, the Templars and the Illuminati turn out to be real...........sort of real, in a way. Real because they think they are real. Wonderful book.

 

[Circe]

After a brief chat with a gentleman who shall remain nameless, I have decided:

A - If I can't debate without using mud slinging and insults, I don't deserve to be in a debate

B - If I can't debate without providing links to back up my opinion or position, I don't deserve to be in a debate

C - If I can't do effective research and find evidence to support my position, I don't deserve to be in a debate.

I'd say only A is essential. From my point of view. I think most people can ignore the occasional Reptilian that creeps into a discussion.......unless a discussion of alien invasion often becomes disruptive.

And as for backing up opinions, I was once on a forum with a guy called "avocadolover" who regularly posted 40 screen proofs that President Bush and Queen Elizabeth were 1) related and 2) in a family drug pushing business to get the world addicted to mind-control drugs. I remember he did very long genealogy tables.......

So I'm not sure backing up his arguments was better, in that case.

 

[sealadaigh]

After a brief chat with a gentleman who shall remain nameless, I have decided:

A - If I can't debate without using mud slinging and insults, I don't deserve to be in a debate

B - If I can't debate without providing links to back up my opinion or position, I don't deserve to be in a debate

C - If I can't do effective research and find evidence to support my position, I don't deserve to be in a debate.

The question is; can other posters do the same so we can clean up the forum without the assistance of the moderation team?

Opinion?

sounds good to me. i would say "reliable sources" instead of links, however.

also, i think you have to allow for some free form though in the expression of ideas. there are a lot of things out there thaat do not necessarily have proofs but do have probabilities. a lot of my thought works on math, probability, and wondering about selective advantage. cut us bizarre people some slack...LOL.

and a polite digression, within limits, doesn't hurt.

maybe actually a better name for this board would be "the clean discussion zone" that incorporates the same rules.

 

[oldfart]

After a brief chat with a gentleman who shall remain nameless, I have decided:

A - If I can't debate without using mud slinging and insults, I don't deserve to be in a debate

Personally I think that a well-worded putdown in an appropriate situation is a work of art. In this spirit I would suggest the following:
1. No use of obscenities, ethnic slurs, etc.
2. Use ad hominems only in direct reply to ad hominems.
3. Criticize ideas and statements, not people (as in "that's a stupid argument" instead of "You're stupid")

B - If I can't debate without providing links to back up my opinion or position, I don't deserve to be in a debate
C - If I can't do effective research and find evidence to support my position, I don't deserve to be in a debate.

I'm not a fan of long cut-and-paste opinion pieces. Statistical sources is another story. Everyone using a link should briefly explain its contents in situ and weave it into the argument.

The question is; can other posters do the same so we can clean up the forum without the assistance of the moderation team?

No, but it's a good idea to clean up our own posting anyway. Personally I don't give a flying f*** about what the crazies think. I post for other people who have not drunk the koolaid.

Opinion?[/QUOTE]

 

[Indofred]

As with the constitution, the OP may need the odd tweek.

Solid links to back up a position, not some biased rubbish from commies r us, muslimswilltakeover theworld.com or Jewsarefantasticregardlessofhowmanybabiestheymurder.israel.
Oh, or anything from George Galloway.

Long C +P is always bad news, snips from a link are fine.

So, this is to be my debating style on most of the forum except flame zone, where, as frustrations seem to be vented and suggesting links to a poster and a diseased prostitute's genitals is commonly deemed acceptable.
However, I will attempt to use classical poetry in my put downs in that forum.

 

[sealadaigh]

As with the constitution, the OP may need the odd tweek.

Solid links to back up a position, not some biased rubbish from commies r us, muslimswilltakeover theworld.com or Jewsarefantasticregardlessofhowmanybabiestheymurder.israel.
Oh, or anything from George Galloway.

Long C +P is always bad news, snips from a link are fine.

So, this is to be my debating style on most of the forum except flame zone, where, as frustrations seem to be vented and suggesting links to a poster and a diseased prostitute's genitals is commonly deemed acceptable.
However, I will attempt to use classical poetry in my put downs in that forum.

LOLO...it is hard to switch back and forth sometimes as you may forget your style in a particular forum. i guess i am lucky in that i carry the polite style to the trash forums for the most part and not v.v.

 

[Indofred]

As with the constitution, the OP may need the odd tweek.

Solid links to back up a position, not some biased rubbish from commies r us, muslimswilltakeover theworld.com or Jewsarefantasticregardlessofhowmanybabiestheymurder.israel.
Oh, or anything from George Galloway.

Long C +P is always bad news, snips from a link are fine.

So, this is to be my debating style on most of the forum except flame zone, where, as frustrations seem to be vented and suggesting links to a poster and a diseased prostitute's genitals is commonly deemed acceptable.
However, I will attempt to use classical poetry in my put downs in that forum.

LOLO...it is hard to switch back and forth sometimes as you may forget your style in a particular forum. i guess i am lucky in that i carry the polite style to the trash forums for the most part and not v.v.

This is true but mine is simply a way of putting forward my position. The position on a subjuct stays the same on all forums.
That position has been changed when posters are good enough to offer arguements I can't counter.
If I can't defend my position, I'm either wrong or to stupid to defend it.
Either wsy, I have to consider the possibility I'm wrong.

 

[Circe]

I would suggest the following:
1. No use of obscenities, ethnic slurs, etc.
2. Use ad hominems only in direct reply to ad hominems.
3. Criticize ideas and statements, not people (as in "that's a stupid argument" instead of "You're stupid")

Can't agree with 2 and 3. Calling names is calling names even when you are calling names BACK.

And calling someone's thoughts stupid is simply a supposedly clever (BOR-ing) way to call him/her a name without getting thread-banned. It's rude; it's supposed to be rude; who needs these types? It's a major life challenge to get rid of enemies as fast as possible. DON'T hang around hoping enemies will improve: just trash them! In a long life I can say they never, never, never, never, never become nice. People who insult other people in public are just mean to the bone and need to be put in the garbage can; put the lid on the can, carry out to the curb.

I post for other people who have not drunk the koolaid.

Opinion?

What flavor of Koolaid are you referring to, the raspberry or the blueberry?