I hate internet bunfights and flamewars. I don’t like reading them. I’ve spent too much of my life doing so already. I particularly dislike leaving a thread for a few days, coming back and discovering that one has developed in my absence.
As you all know, Club Troppo tries to be a “civil” blog. It means we prefer people to say “by golly, jimbo, I think you’re wrong old boy” rather than enthusiastic invective of the “you’re an idiot, a fraud, a rotten mongrel” variety.
If you feel you need to respond to a post or a commenter in such a fashion, do so elsewhere. There are other sites who will accept such behaviour and if you’re really keen you can get a free blog at Wordpress.com or similar and rant to your heart’s content.
Otherwise I am quite happy to lock threads, edit or delete comments, all that jazz, to try and retain order. I believe I have the broad support of the other Troppo Triumvirates in this regard.
If you feel you are maligned by this policy, that “the other bloke started it”, you may be saddened to learn that I just don’t care. I greatly prefer smooth and polite discussion to assuming any quasi-judicial role on such minor matters. I am prepared to be autocratic if it suits the circumstances, as the blog remains private property where effective authority rests with Ken, Nicholas and I11. Jacques: Though strictly, it’s Ken’s baby, so it’s less of a Triumvirate and more of a client-agent thing. [↩]. If you dislike the policy, you are again most welcome to publish those views someplace else. I’m not interested.
But but but they always start it first and I’m as pure as the driven snow – until I get pissed on. Furthermore I can prove dairy products do not liquify in my mouth.
Yeah, I can see where you’re coming from Jacques. Often a fine line to measure and cut between the descent from vigorous debate to entertaining WWF antics to just plain playground nastiness. Especially when much of the subject matter tends to attract very informed and opinionated blokes. It’s gotta be the tavern keeper’s call.
I once suggested over at Cap’n Quiggan’s place, a thread devoted only to insults that could be quarantined off from the rest of the discourse and just visited like our ancestors used to visit Bedlam.
Probably not a good move for Troppo but I reckon there’s a market niche for it out there.
Now I’m off to play delicate, witty and refined word games at Boynton’s place.
I think blog threads are like some people driving cars. If you meet them in the street they are most likely to be polite and reasonable. Once behind the wheel, or in front of the computer they can become abusive and nasty.\
I guess that’s the nature of blogs where anyone can comment with anonimity. Even I got abused, and unlike Troppo my blog is not one that is that much read.
Mood counts for a lot when one is blogging, moderating or commenting. When one’s limbic system is aroused, rationality tends to take leave and otherwise mild-mannerered Mr. Goofy’s transmogrify into Mr. Wheelers (a la Disney cartoon of the 1950′s), as Guido suggests.
Web logs are a relatively new medium and a certain amount of slack needs to be cut. Blogs are not a public forum with kiddies present like church or town hall. We click to come here of our own adult volition. Otherwise, potential Bards, Rimbauds or Baudelaires will post their bowdlerised or censored missives elsewhere. While persistent pests, trolls and imbeciles need to be dealt with, those whose ideas are tinged with occasional vulgarity or ad hominums etc. would be best dealt with, with a quiet word before being creatively crushed. Capt’n Quiggin sails an interesting ship, but he’s too much of an Ahabian control freak to have the odd bit of piratin’ fun; in my world’s best practice, humble opinion.
“… If rape or arson, poison, or the knife
Has wove no pleasing patterns in the stuff
Of this drab canvas we accept as life
It is because we are not bold enough! ”
Chuck Baudelaire.
I think Ken would rather be a trimvirate. He’s not good on his own you see – even on a day to day basis he keeps me around – just in case. You lot are actually useful – so a threesome it is!
This and the above is Jen accidently logged on as Ken – the kids are watching unbearable afternoon TV and I’ve retreated to Ken’s currently vacant play place.
Yes, it seemed awfully Caesaresque there for a moment Jen.
Always a pertinent advisory to state one’s acceptable behavioural standards, Jacques, but what brought on this one? Have I missed something spicy?
There’s been a few threads which have irked me lately. Plus it was late at night and I was having trouble sleeping (again).