Rot in the forum

[Jenny-Toons]

I have noticed a few people that like to throw out "hot button" words trying to start a "debate" where they don't listen and just continually say they are right when someone takes the bait. It's a frustrating thing to watch. The negative attitude kinda resonates out every time they reply to something. I wish saying something to these types would help but...it really just does no good.

Exactly, and these are the same types who misunderstand your words in the first place. They're also the ones to ignite the "debates" that close threads down. Not because of conflicting opinions but because of attitudes. A lot of the closed threads DID have conflicting opinions, but they're told in a civil manner. It's until the one or two users show up with that attitude problem and cause the chaos.

I still don't know where the "too old to make comics" thing is coming from. As far as I'm concern, there's more people in their late 20s - early 40s in the forums than there are younger people. As far as I'm aware, most people either vent directly to each other based on the words spoken, regardless of age.

[JRHoch]

29! You are so, so, so...young.

[snailienz]

When you are in fandoms that are full of toddlers you feel older than you are i guess. ;w;

[Cavechan]

On the Discord thing, out of respect for others I am not going to name names or anything, but I will say I have definitely seen at least one person on a Discord that would complain a lot about the Tapas forum and say some vile things. It seems their experience was much different from my own because this forum seems pretty normal. There will always be a time where you don't agree with the actions of the mods or whatever and I encourage conversations at those times. Ask questions, send private messages. Oh and try not to be an ass when you do it because people will then take you more seriously. Just my two cents.

On the issue of trolling, @mariusthered, if you saw my posts in the comic thread as trolling, then I apologize. That was ten billion percent not my intention. I can say I have no interest in trolling, I hate people who troll, and was just making a joke.

edit: I'm also going to add on that I am sorry if you thought I was making fun of the comic because of the way you created it. Again, that was not my intention. My intention was to make fun of the character models themselves and not the effort you put into making the comic. If it came off that way, then I am very, very sorry.

[JRHoch]

I won't even say my age!

[mariusthered]

thanks to all the people who have taken part so far in this thread. when i came back to my computer I expected to need a tin hat ready for the hail of bullets, but instead I am humbled. (and no i'm not doing this for attention that should go to making the forum more pleasant)

yes I can be a silly sod joking around and on my flip side i can be straight to the point and honest in my opinions. but it is never my intention to offend and if I even do please just pm me and lets sort it out.

[JRHoch]

You should be allowed to be stupid on a forum. No one here is composing their thesis.

[vothnthorvaldson]

That's a shame, but that's happening on every forum. I don't remember having been on any relatively large forum that did not have private groups badmouthing specific people, and other groups bashing said groups, spies in all groups, etc. That's always like that. There are always a percentage of aggressive cowards. I'm younger than you, but still, I met that for the first time in the very beginning of ICQ. I remember when it got an option for more than two people to speak, my first moderation job became all the sudden way more difficult.

What I find particularily problematic and unusual on this forum is the percentage of people refusing discussion. It's a forum, but too many people are only there to state their opinion like if it was a fact and leave or even flag when someone is giving a different opinion.

That's where I don't get this forum. Usually, these private groups complaining about forum users happen because people need to get a frustration out, that they could not express on the forum. But here, it does not seem that it's the people who get shut up/ mistreated on the forum who complain, but rather the ones who are already responsible for the bad atmosphere. Disgusting, but still, we can't do much about it, so I would say, ignore and just take from that that you are more brave than these people.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but...I'm not sure those things count as 'rot in the forum'. If anything, that's 'rot in the discord, accompanied by occasional disturbances in the forum'.

As people have said many times before, this is a relatively calm and uneventful place for an internet forum (the replies so far in this thread only reinforce my point...anywhere else, the discord 'backstabbers' would already be here defending themselves and causing a riot).

Anyway, I have a sharp eye for conflict, and even I have to agree that this place is * unnaturally * peaceful. Instances of true unrest and anger are few and far between, and usually limited to the actions of one relatively unknown person (which is why they're often simply called 'trolls' in later discussions about their behavior).

And then, REAL disagreements between known forumers usually resolve themselves or just fizzle out into obscurity. Back in my early days on a different forum, you knew who hated who and how many enemies you'd made; that kind of stuff was obvious. But here, despite what people believe they've done to others, it's hard to tell whether there are any true vendettas going at all. =/

[AceRagz]

While that is a valid point though these days once something goes up on the internet its there for good for the most part so just own up to it. Wayback machine is one of those reasons most things stay online.

[JRHoch]

Don't worry, if you ever become famous I will testify against you. I have all the dirt!

[vothnthorvaldson]

Yes, but it's peaceful because we cannot discuss things. All the threads that get a bit interesting because of actual exchange of opinion are getting closed as soon as there is one or 2 problematic messages, even if all the other ones are fine and leading to an healthy discussion.
That's not an healthy way to get peace.

Now, I do understand it's a difficult balance to obtain. I only can think of two or three examples of relatively large forums that kept a good balance between peacefulness and freedom of speech for years in my 25 years using forums. And honestly it's becoming harder and harder, with forum users tolerating less and less divergent opinions. I must sound like an old idiot but well... it does seems to be a trend, doesnt it?

[JRHoch]

I came from the Shadow Realm.

first emooji, I want that.

How do I get it?

[Jenny-Toons]

But is that really a bad thing? I mean, you did just bring some peace to the thread

[punkarsenic]

i go away for like five minutes... what happened here?? im presuming some posts disappered (asking purely bc i wanna keep up w the drama)

[Humbug]

ps2: i just earned the "first emoji" award. Why is that a thing?!

Coz we live in an era of gold stars and participation trophies baby.

[DokiDokiTsuna]

All the threads that get a bit interesting because of actual exchange of opinion are getting closed as soon as there is one or 2 problematic messages, even if all the other ones are fine and leading to an healthy discussion.

I understand that; I've even seen it happen...but on the other hand, I've gone out of my way to present controversial subjects and even to be antagonistic at times, and I haven't found myself 'silenced' yet. If this forum were as anti-free-speech as all that, I would think I would have been banned months ago (although I won't deny that it's a fear of mine...in the back of my mind... 6v6; ).

Maybe I'm just the exception to the rule. '_' Maybe I'm not as much of a rabble-rouser as I imagine. ^^ But I do think, despite how restrictive this forum is many ways, there is precedence for tolerance and diversity of ideas, and potential for growth in both areas. But, as with all things, change will come slowly...

[joannekwan]

A couple of months back I got flagged on a comment to @skicoak. It was a pretty innocuous comment, part of our usual playful routine, but some OTHER people, not involved with the conversation, got offended and complained.

I think that's another issue that is applicable to this particular forum. Posts are hidden once they're flagged twice so it's pretty easy for 2 like-minded people to disrupt casual exchanges. I think some people can be too quick to flag too. For me, if I don't like what's being said, I'll just scroll past it, unless there are obvious derogatory slurs and such being slung.

Personally all of the posts I've ever flagged were just from spam bots.

[AceRagz]

I feel there has been a lot of tolerance on this forum and it's great. There was only one time I can say without a doubt there was zero tolerance was when someone interrupted everyone's debate to toss out all her anger she had on a subject that had been building up for sometime and even admittedly she said from other forums and took it out on people on this forum. Even going as far as saying we had to follow her specific set of rules in order to properly dislike the subject we were debating.

[Maps]

For starters, you are never too old to ever quit anything you love. I’m glad we have such a vast array of people from different places, ages, and walks of life.
It’s the people who are bitching behind the scenes that hold something bitter in themselves, and hopefully they can sort it out.
I hope you don’t leave the community.