Drawn out of lurk-mode
As some of you have noticed, I've taken a few months holiday from ehMac, but this topic has brought me back.
Abstract: While I sympathize with the Mayor's desire to keep his site friendly and helpful (like Canada), attempting to do so by stifling dissent and debate about contentious issues is doomed to failure; either by success in creating a puerile play school, or by failure in the creation of an informational dictatorship. What is a worthwhile is to provide members who don't enjoy the, admittedly sometimes messy chaos of metaphysical melée an easy means of avoiding stepping in someone else's bile, while maintaining a forum where people can disagree, sometimes rancourously, and do so without fear of offending some delicate flower of innocence. I think this can, and has on other sites, been accomplished by establishing a forum for that purpose.
Two of my other on-line-hangouts have succeeded in this regard. Arstechnica has a forum called "The Battlefront" and our own MacDoc's MAGIC site has "The Pub" with it's lightly moderated 'rowdy' rules. I think something like that could work well here at ehMac; if you're easily offended or don't like arguments, just stay out of that forum. And if, like me, you like to argue (and generally don't take it personally when someone takes a shot at you with some characters on a screen), jump in and do yer worst; just remember to restore your civilized veneer when you leave the room. Think of it as a virtual 'Fight Club.'
I've been a member here for over 7 years, and I've enjoyed some very engaging discussions with many of you. I doubt there's anyone here I couldn't find something substantive over which we disagree. And yet, there's no one I've interacted with here I wouldn't genuinely enjoy meeting in person.
Perhaps I'm socially maladjusted, but I like to argue. I intentionally take up contrary positions (often ones I don't seriously adhere to) just to enjoy the thrust and parry of intellectual disagreement. Some may consider it rude, and the fact that I've been forced to change my positions as the result of disagreements I've had here and elsewhere online may be taken by some as evidence of some fundamental personal weakness, but I genuinely enjoy loosing an argument.
What I don't appreciate (and what has precipitated my self-inflicted absence of late) is an overweening moderator who's desperately afraid someone's feelings may be hurt. But to be fair, the Mayor has been very up front and as consistent as any mortal could be expected to be about his posting guidelines, so I shouldn't complain about the occasional banning. So I strongly suggest the Mayor consider setting up a 'battlefront' or 'Pub' like form where those of us who choose to do so can argue without fear of being banned for calling someone out for posting an idiotic position (and I'm happy to admit I'm likely to be the first to the mat).
This is not to say that such a forum should be an unmoderated free-for-all. Any threatening posts, or hateful stuff should still be grounds for banning. And, as I've alluded to above, regardless of how heated disagreements may get in the ring, participants should be expected to remain civil and respectful outside of that context.
So that's my suggestion. Such a forum might even get folks like Beej back.
Cheers