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So you are made boss of the politics section. What rules do you enact, repeal or change?

omgcat

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There would be 4 hard rules:

-No shit posting (all posts must have a point and a valid argument)
-No attitude (post your argument without appeals to emotion)
-No wrong questions (divisive posts are encouraged; bigotry will be argued against rationally)
-No ad hominem/character attacks (we discuss events and ideas; not someones perceived character)


I mostly agree with this, I am sick of the constant "you're a communist/Marxist/socialist/racist/fascist" thrown around. like I was arguing that wearings masks helps people, posted links to medical and engineering journals to back up my claims, and was immediately dismissed as being a "marxist". these kinds of ad hominem attacks just lead to more, because how am i supposed to respond to "you're a communist that loves to kill babies"? Some people here are clearly doing work to cite their sources, give more information when asked about claims, and try to refrain from personal attacks, and others flat out don't and just ruin the threads.

I'm not sure i agree with the "no wrong questions" point as some questions are CLEARLY bait. for example there was a thread close to "if you support abortion why don't you support me not wearing a mask?" clearly baiting people into an argument about the morality of abortion, but disguised as a thread about mask wearing. it was a shitshow.

That's my 2c.
 

tabzer

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I personally don't think it anything should be done. I mean as long as it stays on topic and People are not being maliciously attacked personally and it does not spill out the other parts of the forum. ..

I mean I don't want to look at a 3ds Luma Thread and it be 3 pages of the election.
People can just ignore the Political section, just like you would areas you don't look at


I kind of agree with this. Except that I'm not particularly bothered by personal attacks to the point that I particularly need someone to step in to save me. I can play the game, and I like games. Unfortunately, gaming the moderation staff has become apart of that. Trigger someone to say something that will get them banned or suspended, and you win! If a comment is technically against the rules, you can report it, even though you intentionally baited the person.

I would definitely not want to be in charge.

I don't normally post in politics, because I every time I see it, I think everyone is stupid. Then come November when I keep seeing in my Content Feed: "Joe Biden Wins - Becomes 46th president of the United States"

It was nice bait. It got me hooked. I played. And I plan on seeing it through.

With a slower moving Switch scene, waiting for Android 10/Q to reach stability for mainstream deployment, waiting to get ahold of a PS5--speculating about the election is a pastime that I enjoy. Who else will call people out on the presumption that the election is decided? Fun fun fun.
 

The Catboy

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I don't think taking away the points from politics is going to discourage anything. Maybe if people could spend points to post in politics, that'd be fun. But you'd be catering exclusively to populism. You can't have a pretty politics section because politics are not pretty.

There is a handy ignore function if you want to silence opposing views, and posts are generally moderated, and punishable. I don't know what kind of special protections one would desire that aren't already there. If there is a special LGBT section where the moderator can be chosen amongst the community and enforce rules about being LGBT friendly then that might be an approach. I don't think people should be silenced, forum wide, because they express a disinterest, or even disdain, of LGBT lifestyle.
It’s not really “special protection” for LGBT+ members, just a request to not be treated like shit and those treating members like shit be dealt with at an actual decent reaction time to reports and don’t come random unnecessary debate from the staff. Simply put, we are asking for regular respect that should be expected and upheld by the staff, but apparently that’s asking “special treatment.” :glare:
 

tabzer

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just a request to not be treated like shit

those treating members like shit be dealt with at an actual decent reaction time

random unnecessary debate from the staff

These are three separate issues wadded together as one. So it gets a little confusing.

It'd be nice if people weren't shitty. But that's what some people want to be.

those treating members like shit be dealt with at an actual decent reaction time

So, you'd like faster reaction times on moderation? That's something you can request of the site. Idk how moderation staff is selected, but more moderators or longer hours is probably what would need to happen in order to accommodate.

random unnecessary debate from the staff

Now, this is were things get a little confusing. Are you upset that admins/moderators are participating in conversation in which they don't share your views?

Or...

Is it when you report a post, and moderators PM you directly? Or even talk about the complaint openly on the thread?

There is little context for me to understand.
 

The Catboy

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These are three separate issues wadded together as one. So it gets a little confusing.
They aren't really that separate considering they are all simple requests for actual respect.
It'd be nice if people weren't shitty. But that's what some people want to be.
So, you'd like faster reaction times on moderation? That's something you can request of the site. Idk how moderation staff is selected, but more moderators or longer hours is probably what would need to happen in order to accommodate.
So, you'd like faster reaction times on moderation? That's something you can request of the site. Idk how moderation staff is selected, but more moderators or longer hours is probably what would need to happen in order to accommodate.
I understand people are going to be shitty but that doesn't mean they can't be dealt with. There are literally rules against being shitty towards other members. But more often than not those who are being shitty towards LGBT+ members don't really get dealt with by the staff. Often times it takes hours to even days before a report is dealt with and it often takes multiple members reporting the same post before staff members actually step in and remove the post. Or in some cases, some staff members have stepped in and literally did nothing about the posts and just continued contributing to the thread. The issue here is that members who are saying stuff seem to either not be dealt with by the staff or it takes forever for there to be staff intervention, thus allowing the thread(s) to continue. Worth noting the staff are actually volunteers that work their own hours, there's no strict time when they need to be working or anything like that. Although more moderation would be nice or at least faster moderation because there have been times when damn near the entire staff have been online and reports still don't seem to go anywhere.




Now, this is were things get a little confusing. Are you upset that admins/moderators are participating in conversation in which they don't share your views?

Or...

Is it when you report a post, and moderators PM you directly? Or even talk about the complaint openly on the thread?

There is little context for me to understand.
Out of respect, I won't call out these members on the forums because even though I have personal issues with them, I still respect them. That being said, there have been members of the staff that have stepped into threads and proceeded to start debating LGBT+ members as to what constitutes a post that violates the rules. The issue with these debates is that the staff member literally doesn't listen to the member and instead of taking time to understand the issue, they pretty much just act like their stance is the right one by default. Now I've talked to staff members in private and it's gone nowhere, so really the most I can do is keep trying but that really just seems wrong for staff members to not listen to users when they are having issues with other users.
 
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FAST6191

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That being said, there have been members of the staff that have stepped into threads and proceeded to start debating LGBT+ members as to what constitutes a post that violates the rules.

------------
The issue with these debates is that the staff member literally doesn't listen to the member and instead of taking time to understand the issue, they pretty much just act like their stance is the right one by default. Now I've talked to staff members in private and it's gone nowhere, so really the most I can do is keep trying but that really just seems wrong for staff members to not listen to users when they are having issues with other users.

There are many debatable scenarios, indeed I posed several I had seen before on the site, that got popular elsewhere or were ripped from the headlines, as an earlier thought exercise but have had no comment thus far on any of said scenarios.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/so-you-...u-enact-repeal-or-change.578434/#post-9289031
Any reading thus far can pick any they like (most should be self contained and but a few paragraphs long), or if the background section is questionable then by all means go for that as well/instead.

Now the not listening bit is a different charge. Having spoken to most, if not all, the moderating staff and participated in debates on any number of things (granted I am not actually a moderator so don't see all of them) I struggle to see this happening but I suppose I can't exclude it.

There have been cases where you and I debate things. For instance that Persona thread a while back wherein fictional gay characters engaged in some rather forward behaviour and in doing so made some other characters uncomfortable. I believe you welcomed its removal under the auspices of "harmful stereotypes" where I find that absolutely ridiculous and would even go so far as to say it is demeaning to the gays that one would presume to censor such things (which do happen in real life) under the auspices of them being too weak to take not even a joke but a story. Now we have a debate it seems.

Alternatively if quoting/linking and framing a debate is too close to questioning decisions for your taste then anonymise things a bit, and reframe it to show how you reckon it should be handled.

I think post count shouldn't increase nor should XP from likes in this section. It won't solve most problems but at least it might at least help cut down the people who pretty much only post in this section and possibly encourage them to actually take part in the rest of the community. The ultimate goal is just to cut back on the people who join just to argue in this section.
Is that going to do anything at all? I have seldom seen anybody claim to chase that likes and XP stuff, especially among the more controversial posters in this section.

I am all for removing XP and likes as a function entirely from the site but that is a probably a different discussion.

Though it seems something that could be subject to an experiment.
 

The Catboy

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There are many debatable scenarios, indeed I posed several I had seen before on the site, that got popular elsewhere or were ripped from the headlines, as an earlier thought exercise but have had no comment thus far on any of said scenarios.
https://gbatemp.net/threads/so-you-...u-enact-repeal-or-change.578434/#post-9289031
Any reading thus far can pick any they like (most should be self contained and but a few paragraphs long), or if the background section is questionable then by all means go for that as well/instead.

Now the not listening bit is a different charge. Having spoken to most, if not all, the moderating staff and participated in debates on any number of things (granted I am not actually a moderator so don't see all of them) I struggle to see this happening but I suppose I can't exclude it.

There have been cases where you and I debate things. For instance that Persona thread a while back wherein fictional gay characters engaged in some rather forward behaviour and in doing so made some other characters uncomfortable. I believe you welcomed its removal under the auspices of "harmful stereotypes" where I find that absolutely ridiculous and would even go so far as to say it is demeaning to the gays that one would presume to censor such things (which do happen in real life) under the auspices of them being too weak to take not even a joke but a story. Now we have a debate it seems.

Alternatively if quoting/linking and framing a debate is too close to questioning decisions for your taste then anonymise things a bit, and reframe it to show how you reckon it should be handled.


Is that going to do anything at all? I have seldom seen anybody claim to chase that likes and XP stuff, especially among the more controversial posters in this section.

I am all for removing XP and likes as a function entirely from the site but that is a probably a different discussion.

Though it seems something that could be subject to an experiment.
Debating over the ethics of a homophobic scene in a game is kind of a different topic, but I can see where you are coming from on that one. What I am more referring to is comments that have been directed at members that sparked an unnecessary debate that drags on for far too long before staff intervention. I really can't find an example because they have either been removed or would require digging and that's not worth the time and effort to find very specific posts.
Now as for my suggestion, it's just a suggestion. Do I think it will fix anything? Not really. Do I think it's worth suggesting for the possibility that maybe it might do something? Yes. I am really just trying to help give suggestions to making this place a better place, so I am trying my best here.
 
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Flame

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As a mod we cant win no matter what we do. people want to teach, learn, grow but at the same time what a section of people banned because of reason. teach them why your reason is correct. some people here can write a good simple guide on how to hack a console. but cant debate on simple ideas together.

we have some members who just doesn't leave this section, even don't know what nintendo does. but for some reason the person who loves nintendo comes here reads the comments which that member post about. than gets mad. just add them to your ignore list or debate them civil and give good reason why your ideas are better then theirs.

end of the day a mod is a person too. they make mistake, wrong judgment. mods have jobs, life. how many mods should they be. who should be a mod.

imo a person should only post in this section if they a already mod, because if you are a member than the future chance of them becoming mod becomes zero. in my opinion.

one of the best poems which people should read:-

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist

Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist

Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist

Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew

Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me
 
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I would shut down any political forum as this is a game site and we come here to see game news/content. We see plenty of political bs in every other site we visit whether it be government, identity or well, any other political ideologies.
 

elk1007

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I would shut down any political forum as this is a game site and we come here to see game news/content. We see plenty of political bs in every other site we visit whether it be government, identity or well, any other political ideologies.

Users choose to visit this forum. They can stick to games if they want to. I like the fact that a gaming website has different forums; it allows people with common interests to find more common interests.
 

tabzer

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Maybe politics threads can be kept for those who like to argue/discuss and just kept off of the main page's content feed. (Or make it elective/off by default) I don't know if it's worthwhile.

They aren't really that separate considering they are all simple requests for actual respect.

TBF, I don't find your behavior to be particularly respectable. Maybe you are reaping what you sow? In the short time I noticed you, you went from being upset about being the target of people's disrespect, to being happy to play bandwagon social games in attempt to dehumanize others. I don't have sympathy for people who are being manipulative.
 

The Catboy

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Maybe politics threads can be kept for those who like to argue/discuss and just kept off of the main page's content feed. (Or make it elective/off by default) I don't know if it's worthwhile.



TBF, I don't find your behavior to be particularly respectable. Maybe you are reaping what you sow? In the short time I noticed you, you went from being upset about being the target of people's disrespect, to being happy to play bandwagon social games in attempt to dehumanize others. I don't have sympathy for people who are being manipulative.
Excuse me, what? At what point did I do any of that?
 
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Beware

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Politics is not bigotry and when you have people routinely spouting xenophobia, transphobia, and anti-science you have not created an “open forum,” you’ve created a violent and unsafe place for a significant chunk of your users. Either moderate it in a reasonable way that seeks to actually build an inclusive community or get rid of it and accept the 0.001% of users who will be pissed they can’t pretend their bigotry is a debate.
 
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blakeana

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delete the section altogether because you mfers don't deserve any debate zone 💀 on a serious basis as much as i love free speech i think unironically cheering for an authoritarian regime (RUS, PRC...) should be banned - this isn't the place for you to cherish your beloved leader, you gor VK/Weibo for that shit.
 

ital

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The fact that all of the mods are obviously NPCs (ie Supporters Of The Current Thing) kind of negates any idea of free discussion or the consideration of contrasting views outside the mainstream narrative.

Source: Their previous behavior.
 

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