Fictionkin
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As much as I love debates, I haven't the time to actually participate myself at this time. Even when I do, I'm pretty practiced at remaining civil thanks to my Wikipedia editing days (stuff can get crazy in the talk pages), my forum mod days, and my more recent time in the Tumblr social justice circle (which as some of you know can be quite maddening, especially when you know the issue is not black and white like sjws like to think it they are >_>).
But I check back places I mod very frequently, and I have always been a very quick reader, so it is not hard for me to spot when something is going amiss.
As for the rules, they look good to me! They would definitely work well as standards and guidelines for when it is time for mod intervention
But I check back places I mod very frequently, and I have always been a very quick reader, so it is not hard for me to spot when something is going amiss.
As for the rules, they look good to me! They would definitely work well as standards and guidelines for when it is time for mod intervention
Kaito-Fox said:
Most likely it's better to play it safe. I usually organize the forum (at least in part) through my own intuition.
However, if any of you have any protests about the playing it safe idea or organizing suggestions, feel free to state them.I think using common sense and erring on the side of caution (i.e. "playing it safe") probably really is all you can do. As Elsa said, she and other staff can move/rearrange topics at will, so if a thread is in the wrong place it can be swapped in or out.
Topics that are liable to get heated or controversial generally fall into the following categories:
Topics where beliefs are potentially questioned, e.g. Religion topics, Spiritual vs Psychological topics.
Topics about social issues and minority groups, e.g. LGBT issues topics, Racism topics
Topics about very personal and possibly upsetting issues, e.g. Mental health topics, Abuse topics
Any one of those topics could potentially start out in another forum area as a more benign discussion but end up being swapped into the Heated Debates forum if it started to become too intense, or, if the objective of the thread in the first place was to generate debate or play devil's advocate about a sensitive issue, then that kind of thing would most likely be placed directly in the debate forum to begin with.
I don't think there's any golden rule or mathematical formula that could determine exactly which topics belong in there and which are fine outside, but I think we could use our best judgement and if we're wrong it really isn't hard for an admin to move the topic into the right place.
Topics that are liable to get heated or controversial generally fall into the following categories:
Topics where beliefs are potentially questioned, e.g. Religion topics, Spiritual vs Psychological topics.
Topics about social issues and minority groups, e.g. LGBT issues topics, Racism topics
Topics about very personal and possibly upsetting issues, e.g. Mental health topics, Abuse topics
Any one of those topics could potentially start out in another forum area as a more benign discussion but end up being swapped into the Heated Debates forum if it started to become too intense, or, if the objective of the thread in the first place was to generate debate or play devil's advocate about a sensitive issue, then that kind of thing would most likely be placed directly in the debate forum to begin with.
I don't think there's any golden rule or mathematical formula that could determine exactly which topics belong in there and which are fine outside, but I think we could use our best judgement and if we're wrong it really isn't hard for an admin to move the topic into the right place.
If the criteria for access pass is that topics contain (or have the potential to contain) information of a sensitive, controversial or potentially upsetting nature, then it should probably be protected in the same way.
So far, we really haven't had any trouble with topics getting out of hand or members making personal attacks, as far as I've seen. But there's definitely an overlap between social justice/political topics and debate topics, so it makes sense to cover them in the same way ^^
So far, we really haven't had any trouble with topics getting out of hand or members making personal attacks, as far as I've seen. But there's definitely an overlap between social justice/political topics and debate topics, so it makes sense to cover them in the same way ^^
*Nods* Given that spirituality, as a broad concept, is so central to many people here in terms of their experiences, I think most topics dealing with it will generally be non-confrontational because they'll tend to be less interrogative and more just 'talk about your experiences/what this means to you'.
And then you can just nudge any topics that roam into debate territory into the Heated Debates forum, right?
Besides, if you put the whole forum for spirituality in the Access Pass are it sorta makes it feel like Spiritual kin are less welcome/more closely scrutinised than Psychological kin, and that's definitely not a sentiment that reflects this forum.
And then you can just nudge any topics that roam into debate territory into the Heated Debates forum, right?
Besides, if you put the whole forum for spirituality in the Access Pass are it sorta makes it feel like Spiritual kin are less welcome/more closely scrutinised than Psychological kin, and that's definitely not a sentiment that reflects this forum.