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New Soapy, New Rules

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evkl

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Hi!

We're going to be revamping the Soap Box to allow more aggressive debate.

What do you like about the current rules? What don't you like? If you could have it your way, how would you run it?

Let's keep this discussion civil, at least. But I wanna hear your thoughts.

-evkl (& the Soap Box crew)
 
(Please note that this new, more aggressive soap box will be a subforum of a new forum, with stricter rules on flaming and insult)
 
We will add a disclaimer, but we would still like input on the rules.
 
I really enjoy the fact that there's going to be a separation of 'discussing the news' and 'heated debates about issues.' That being said...I think those stricter rules that were mentioned are an absolute must for the new section, as well as harsher punishments for those who break the rules. Perhaps a 'one-strike' policy (ie one warning, then you're out of the thread)?
 
We're probably going to simply use the infraction system for discussion of the news.
 
I love this idea. I've been holding back because I don't want to get banned (because as far as I can tell a few people have been for going too far). As it is, if I had a more exact outline of what was allowed so I would know what kind of debate was allowed and just GO FOR IT, I would be very happy.
 
So long as these;
The Seven Principles (aka the Soap Box Bill of Rights)
1. Members are entitled to their opinions, even controversial ones, and to posting them.
2. Members are entitled to make relevant criticism of other users during a debate.
3. Members are entitled to the basic courtesy of reasonably readable posts.
4. Members are entitled to not being victim of deliberate attempts at antagonizing them, or threats of violence
5. Members and their opinions are entitled to not being referred to by insulting nicknames.
6. Members are entitled to a discussion free of insulting or demeaning generalizations.
7. Members are entitled to having their fellow posters respect the original topic of threads they create.

are still in affect than it is a great idea.
 
Okay, but we add principle 8: Izumoshep is expressly banned from quoting, mentioning or otherwise making reference to the written rules. Is that okay? :p

(Kidding, obviously. We'd never make a rule against a single user...but man, do you love quoting those rules! :-D)
 
Okay, but we add principle 8: Izumoshep is expressly banned from quoting, mentioning or otherwise making reference to the written rules. Is that okay? :p

(Kidding, obviously. We'd never make a rule against a single user...but man, do you love quoting those rules! :-D)

lol, i like semantics
 
I thought I noticed something like that :p
 
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So long as these;
The Seven Principles (aka the Soap Box Bill of Rights)
1. Members are entitled to their opinions, even controversial ones, and to posting them.
2. Members are entitled to make relevant, constructive, and not overly brutal criticism of other users during a debate.
3. Members are entitled to the basic courtesy of reasonably readable posts.
4. Members are entitled to not being victim of deliberate attempts at antagonizing them, or threats of violence
5. Members and their opinions are entitled to not being referred to by insulting nicknames.
6. Members are entitled to a discussion free of insulting or demeaning generalizations.
7. Members are entitled to having their fellow posters respect the original topic of threads they create.

are still in affect than it is a great idea.

I never thought I'd say this, but Izumoshep is correct. (But I took the liberty of amending one of those rules)
 
Keep the Bill of Rights, explicitly add "no ad hominem" in some fashion, and then let us go at each others' throats.
 
If we're going to be making it a "let people at each other's throat" forum, it's unlikely that we'll be adding rules, you know...
 
If we're going to be making it a "let people at each other's throat" forum, it's unlikely that we'll be adding rules, you know...

Not a "let people at each other's throat" subforum... I'm a little too criticism-sensitive for that.

What's the new subforum going to be called?
 
I think that the most important rule of the Soap Box should be:

Have debates, do whatever you need, but don't hold the opinions of anyone against them outside of the Soap Box. If you can't do this, you shouldn't be here.

Also, I think that some of the rules that are currently in place restrict debate (if someone doesn't like what someone says, they should debate it instead of asking for the person to be warned, within reason of course). Just my thoughts.

If we're going to be making it a "let people at each other's throat" forum, it's unlikely that we'll be adding rules, you know...

Honestly, I would be in favor of a forum such as this, as long as people could keep it contained to that forum without letting it cause issues outside of that forum. I do think that a few rules should be made though, such as not allowing users to personally call out a user for an attack.

i.e. If a person has issues with a particular religion, they should be able to state it, even if it's generalized. In a good debate, the people who actually are a part of that religion will be able to come back and say "excuse me, but your generalization is incorrect, because I know many people who are not like what you just said. (and then give examples)."

A person on the other hand should never be allowed to say something like "you know, you really are a fucking asshole Satoshi-kun (using my own name here as an example), because you support abortion, you baby killer!"
 
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I definitely like that idea, Sato.
 
I support the idea wholeheartedly, for reasons obvious to anyone who's seen me around on this forum.
 
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