Respect

[Alynna Lis Eachann]

In light of the heated and less-than-kind disagreements of late, and at the risk of being both repetitive and too late in asking:

This is a Discussion Forum, not a Mud-Slinging Forum. Please show respect for your fellow Watchers when posting replies. Name-calling, insults and similar personal attacks are not acceptable.

If you have an issue with somebody, feel free to PM them and try to resolve it. If you can't go that road, that's what moderators and admins are for. I'm not asking for political correctness, moderated views or anything along those lines. I just want everyone to consider if what you are posting is something you would not be ashamed to say to someone's face.

[edited for spelling]

[ChoChiyo]

While not bailing out of KW, I do feel the need to take a break from the Think Tank for a while....my brain hurts.

I'm sorry if I was offensive to anyone. I sincerely tried NOT to be while trying to maintain my personal integrity with regard to my views, beliefs, morals, and values.

[danlo]

Well, you do have to think here. And, as everyone knows, thinking leads to brain damage.

[High Lord Tolkien]

While not bailing out of KW, I do feel the need to take a break from the Think Tank for a while....my brain hurts.

I'm sorry if I was offensive to anyone.

If it means anything to you I enjoyed our "jousting" and though I felt your passion I was never offended.
I even learned a few things doublechecking before posting!

I hope my sometime abrasive posting didn't rub you the wrong way either.

[Nathan]

It seems that some recent posts (particularly in the drafting thread) have been specifically designed to cause anger and annoyance. While this is a very effective way to argue - an undisciplined enemy makes mistakes - it is not an effective way to debate.

The purpose of a debate is to convince others that your viewpoint is the right one, it's doubtful someone is going to be willing to listen to your viewpoint if you deliberately insult or mock them. I often have to change what I've written when I find I'm being insulting (I sometimes automatically do it without even realising), and I rarely have a debate in vocal format that doesn't end up with the two parties insulting one another's viewpoints and, normally. character, appearance, sexual preference etc.

The advantage of a text-based forum is that you can think long and hard about what you're going to say, and judge it to best get your point across. Don't waste it guys.

[Edge]

Very well said, Nathan.

[Avatar]

Well said indeed, Nathan.

Alynna, thanks for posting this Announcement. I think it's something that has been needed for a while now, but for some reason, I put it off, thinking that bar the occasional, we're usually pretty good in here. Typically, as soon as I'm away a couple of days, my assumption gets proved false once again.

To end off here, I just want to reiterate what Alynna said.

As you all know, pretty much the only rule I've ever tried or needed to keep in effect here is that we never stoop to personal attacks. Pretty much everything else is allowable, so I don't think we can, or should, compromise on this one.

C'mon folks. *shakes head*

--Avatar

[Avatar]

All that said, now I've had a chance to carefully read over everything thats been said in the last few days, to be honest, I don't think it was actually all that bad.

A minor lapse in fact, and while some may think it indicative of a general collapse, I don't think we're quite there yet. Certainly seems no severe damage has been done to anybody's morale, and I don't think we're on the verge of offensive posting anarchy just yet.

Actually, I think everybody involved seems to have maintained fairly well.

This by no means invalidates this thread though. Everything said in it is not only true, but important, and something we should all keep in mind, especially Nathan's remark about taking the time to judge your own post before you make it.

I'm really glad that it wasn't actually as bad as I feared it would be. Keep it cool folks, but keep it up.

Stay Safe
--Avatar

[Gadget nee Jemcheeta]

See... I go away for a couple of weeks... and.....

[Avatar]

You should never have left. And it's about time you were back.

--A

[kevinswatch]

This midi should be played in the background of the Think Tank on an endless loop:

Click Here To Listen

-jay

[Avatar]

It wouldn't affect those of us who keep the sound off.

--A

[Revan]

Well, you do have to think here. And, as everyone knows, thinking leads to brain damage.

So does dropping babies on the head... a lesson my mom had difficultly learning...

This is kevinswatch people, arguments and threats shouldn't go on here. The next person to threaten or argue with someone else, I will shoot.

But seriously, if you want to insult someone, you've got Jar Jar and the Ewoks, is there really anything that could be as bad as them?

Keep the peace.

[Avatar]

Hey, I was dropped on the head. What are you saying?

--A

[High Lord Tolkien]

This midi should be played in the background of the Think Tank on an endless loop:

Click Here To Listen

-jay

Nothing makes me more angry and agressive than midi-tunes!

[I'm Murrin]

Wow, people are still using midis?

[Avatar]

I'm not sure whether or not the fact that we can't even keep a serious thread like this on-topic for even a page is a good sign, or a bad one. What a great place.

--Avatar

[I'm Murrin]

Oh, er, right, the topic:

Don't call each other names, you morons!


I kid, I kid. Heh. I know I slipped a little in my recent argument with Dennis, before he left. I do try to restrain myself, but sometimes resorting to these things can be difficult to resist - it's so tempting to just say "you're an idiot" and be done with it. I'm sure most posters here don't mean to upset or offend anyone with anything they post, but we're all human, and we all make mistakes from time to time. What matters is that we keep this in mind while debating, and don't take things too personally.

[Avatar]

Agreed. (And just BTW, I wasn't complaining about the O-T, in fact, I was celebrating it more than anything else.)

In general, I don't think anybody suffers any lasting damage from an occasional upset. In fact, I think we get over it pretty damn quick here, which is a really good thing.

Don't think anybody will argue that this has to be one of the most polite, intelligent and civilised debate forums that there are. And I think that the relatively small amount of real conflict that we enjoy is a testimony to our collective sense, if nothing else.

--A

[I'm Murrin]

(And just BTW, I wasn't complaining about the O-T, in fact, I was celebrating it more than anything else.)

Heh, yeah I got that - partly I made my previous post because it amused me that my only contribution be something irrelevant and off-topic, heh.