Debate Symposium Closure

[Dark Bun 681]

As one of the more notorious users of that section, I'll leave my two cents.

While I disagree with closing the hell pit, I think it is a reasonable option given the circumstances. The mods here have every right to shape the community they host, and if that means cracking down dissenting opinions, then so be it. I'd say about 80-90% of all the conversations in that section devolved into smugness competitions (which I didn't mind) or deliberate bad faith. That being said the remaining 10% are the ones I'll miss. There is definitely some value in having a section where users can hash it out, there just needs to be rules to skin off the emotions put into it and the cull the people who are only interested in posting inflammatory/click-baity garbage.

I'll happily go be mildly provocative in other sections now. Stay gold people. 

[Goat-kun 2,527]

12 hours ago, BornAgainBrony said:

Yeah, I can see how signing up to crew your "ship" to hunt down the whale that bit you is a much more balanced way to spend my time than the people who bicker about Luna.

Just because you hate fanclubs more than you hate a political party, doesn't mean the former topic actually induces more aggressive behavior than the latter.

I am the sea monster

 

Anyhow, fan clubs are fine. People who like Luna are fine. The stereotypical Luna fanboy here serves to demonstrate that the dichotomy between the pit and the rest of the forums is false. Fandom drama is no better than debate pit drama, thus people who cheer such staff moves should hurry up and find another hill to die on before we're caught in another one.

[NiceVillains 244]

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 7:51 PM, Luna the Great of all the Russias said:

@NiceVillains

I am not sure if you care, but I have saved your threads "Democratic Communism, Revolution, Socialism. Capitalism" as well as "Behavioral and environmental determinism exist"; if you want, I could PM you the content of those threads as it appears you spent quite a bit of time typing those (assuming you do not have the content of your posts saved elsewhere).

Naw its fine. My ideas of politics keeps changing, and that's part of why my knowledge stays with me because I want to make sure I am right whenever I participate but also like operating on limited information, but also sometimes need to read material anyways because some people just for some reason can't explain it in their own words why they think x is true. But yeah went on a little tangent there lol.

On ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2020 at 1:46 PM, Scar said:

The debate section caused constant problems. Nobody can deny that. Why anyone would be here only for that one section is beyond me. If you want politics, go elsewhere. Thats pretty much what Jeric said. 

Because ponies are chill (other forums can have more vitriol or bias), forums are slower paced than chatrooms like discord, helps to generate larger ideas sometimes and people can actually read those larger ideas, on discord people are just like 'tl;dr lets argue with this wrong person over here with short fast responses instead' lol.

 

Edited October 17, 2020 by NiceVillains

[Dabmanz 2,139]

Its always been a part of the forum that I rarely visited. I have had civil discussion with people in there. Though I would avoid certain topics or stuff I didn't feel completely knowledgeable about. I have heard stories of it being really toxic. I can see why some might be sad its gone but I can also understand why it was removed. 

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

3 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

Anyhow, fan clubs are fine. People who like Luna are fine. The stereotypical Luna fanboy here serves to demonstrate that the dichotomy between the pit and the rest of the forums is false. Fandom drama is no better than debate pit drama, thus people who cheer such staff moves should hurry up and find another hill to die on before we're caught in another one.

We've got a pretty big excuse to have insane fandom drama right now on the scale of the Twilicorn and Derpy conflicts, yet in the era of "Pony Life," things are considerably quiet. Definitely more quiet than DS was, and DS only had a population of around 20 regular users.

Also, "Slippery-slope" is a logical fallacy and there are none I've witnessed cling to it more frequently and religiously than people who see every form of censorship as being comparable to 1984.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

4 hours ago, BornAgainBrony said:

We've got a pretty big excuse to have insane fandom drama right now on the scale of the Twilicorn and Derpy conflicts, yet in the era of "Pony Life," things are considerably quiet. Definitely more quiet than DS was, and DS only had a population of around 20 regular users.

And now all the drama has magically disappear forever and G5 era will be all friendship and harmony

4 hours ago, BornAgainBrony said:

Also, "Slippery-slope" is a logical fallacy and there are none I've witnessed cling to it more frequently and religiously than people who see every form of censorship as being comparable to 1984.

We're interacting the same way here like we were in the pit. Show discussion won't be any different.  I imagine that the same goes for the rest of our debating buddies. It's just that instead of socialism we'll be talking about the diversity of G5 characters. Good days ahead.

[Splashee 28,560]

I have made about 3-4 posts in the Debate forum, usually stating I don't have an opinion. However, I do have one, I don't feel the need to fight for it. Especially not here, a forum about MLP FIM. I am happy for the change, mainly hoping the people that always keep getting offended, and push the topics way outside the borders of the debate section, need to calm down, and focus on other things while they are here. I am sure there are other places where you can voice opinions about stuff. Even the current president of the US has a place where he can talk online about politics, and other delicate things.

[Kyoshi Frost Wolf 41,288]

I will also say that I am not convinced in the slightest that this closure is going to solve a much deeper problem on this site. People saying mean things to each other in debate threads is one thing, but what I seen was something far more problematic and direct. I get this feeling that the closure of the DP will resolve nothing in that regard.

[BornAgainBrony 2,397]

4 hours ago, Goat-kun said:

And now all the drama has magically disappear forever and G5 era will be all friendship and harmony

So the current situation conveniently just doesn't count.

[Twisted Cyclone 🚓 6,257]

Good riddance. All it created was a toxic and hostile environment to some people.

[Goat-kun 2,527]

11 hours ago, BornAgainBrony said:

So the current situation conveniently just doesn't count.

I consider this a partial remission of a chronic disease Since we know its history and its triggers there is no reason to believe that it won't return in all its glory.

[Fluttershyfan94 5,742]

I don't really get it, never actually participated in debate symposium as I had no interest in it. Yet to take it away because of those reasons while having been on this website for well as long as the site as existed having not been an issue has me think there is another reason. Negativity, hostility has no place in debates as such that should have been sent to a moderator and be moderated however if you refer to disagreeing with you or having viewpoints you deem offensive well that makes no sense to me. 

Though I do see where Jeric is coming from and I agree with, from what I have seen on it there is no debate simply people with different worldviews refusing to try to understand each other. Which is why the hostility, if anything this says more about the forums inability to discuss things so I guess like society in that regard. Of course as you can read, I do disagree with this but I do agree with the op as that is also why I never participated in that forum. Though debates are needed in society, otherwise we can't learn from each other.

Edited October 18, 2020 by Fluttershyfan94

[Splashee 28,560]

9 minutes ago, Fluttershyfan94 said:

moderator and be moderated however if you refer to disagreeing with you or having viewpoints you deem offensive well that makes no sense to me. 

It had been going on since the early summer, with people getting upset over what others are saying or reacting. It is not visible since it gets moderated away. But I guess the moderating team has grown tried of the same drama, which can probably not be stopped so easily. However, moderating away a comment does have another effect, and you will just have more and more people upset from both sides.

It seems reacting with a smile, or a yay, or any reaction to a post with a difficult intent might be enough to hurt people, but it is not against the rules to react.

I still think everyone deserves to have an opinion without getting censored, but in these times, even I might get upset if someone mentions politics! And I care so much about politics 

[Tom Gallagher 33,581]

I agree with this completely. I never personally went into the Debate area but from what I’m aware of, it has held the responsibility of being the section that forces the most people to leave. I know a few users who either temporarily or completely left because of a debate that they had, presumably in that section.

I think of this place as a way to spread Friendship to one another and to talk about the show or whatever else is on our minds that is safe to talk about. Debating about the messed-up things that go on in this world is more suited to some other forum that is not this one. I also think of this forum as being an escape. An escape from what goes on in the world, especially in this day and age, which is why I’d rather not delve into political debates because that’s exactly what I want to avoid. Me being the die-hard brony I am, all I want to see here is friends being made, not enemies. If you’re going to commit to arguing with people, then you have no right to be here. All I want is for every user on here to be happy and I think that will be a lot easier now that debates will be removed. 

[HeavenSunset 1,867]

I predicted this would happen, a bit of a bummer for me since I actually liked it, I have had many peaceful debates with users on this site, but if I'm going to be honest, some users were also very aggressive towards me 

[NavelColt 22,878]

But where will half our moderation reports come from now? Think of the busywork!

[Goat-kun 2,527]

27 minutes ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

But where will half our moderation reports come from now? Think of the busywork!

Maybe you will be able to make an actual forum event with all that free manpower and tailor some avatar-related resources for the RP section as was promised a thousand years ago

[TheRockASaurus Rex 50,519]

I applaud the staff of MLP Forums.

I’m extremely happy to see the Debate Symposium gone.

It was really nothing but trouble and a pain in the butt.

[NavelColt 22,878]

1 hour ago, Goat-kun said:

Maybe you will be able to make an actual forum event with all that free manpower

* The World Cup, which spands months and has dozens of topics, custom banners and artworks, and this past year, even a few animations.

* Trivia and polls every week, run by one staff member diligently.

* Appreciation topics and impromptu game events.

Keeping in mind, of course, that no one here is paid to do anything. This is a volunteer job that comes after the other tasks of life. 

If you can look at how much effort Jeric and the other staff have poured into events of all kinds over the past two years, and still dismiss them so readily, I don't think you're the sort of person who will ever be satisfied. 

Personally, the overhaul in community focus and events is why I returned after a several years hiatus.

[Stardust 641]

6 minutes ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

Trivia and polls every week

These exist?? Not that i'm a trivia type person I never heard of it (or the other stuff) but i've only been here a few months lol

I enjoy the art contests though and the events where you give and get stuff. So there seems to be good stuff goin on

[NavelColt 22,878]

Just now, flurry said:

These exist?? Not that i'm a trivia type person I never heard of it (or the other stuff) but i've only been here a few months lol

I enjoy the art contests though and the events where you give and get stuff. So there seems to be good stuff goin on

@Ganondorf8 has been making polls and such on the regular for as long as I've been back. They sometimes fall under the radar, so perhaps more promotion is in order, but they are definitely there. Check out the Forum Events subforum. 

[TheRockASaurus Rex 50,519]

14 minutes ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

* The World Cup, which spanded months and had dozens of topics, custom banners and artworks, even a few animations.

* Trivia and polls every week, run by one staff member diligently

* Appreciation topics and impromptu game events

Keeping in mind, of course, that no one here is paid to do anything. This is a volunteer job that comes after the other tasks of life. 

If you can look at how much effort Jeric and the other staff have poured into events of all kinds over the past two years, and still dismiss them so readily, I don't think you're the sort of person who will ever be satisfied. 

Personally, the overhaul in community focus and events is why I returned after a several years hiatus.

I’m looking forward to the World Cup.

[SparklingSquirrels 21,309]

58 minutes ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

Personally, the overhaul in community focus and events is why I returned after a several years hiatus.

Do you think we'll ever get last year's MCM songs? 

[Venomous 18,862]

As stated, we are fully aware that this decision will not be popular. It is alright to express disapproval but it should be done in a respectful manner. To pick on staff about this is unnecessary.

Posts that derail the thread or exhibit abusive behavior will be removed.

Please keep things civil. 

[Ganondorf8 11,259]

5 hours ago, ~C. Discord~ said:

@Ganondorf8 has been making polls and such on the regular for as long as I've been back. They sometimes fall under the radar, so perhaps more promotion is in order, but they are definitely there. Check out the Forum Events subforum. 

I make trivia threads when the event in question comes along (Assuming that I remember to actually make one .) but polls? That's usually not me but then I have created some on rare occasions. Promotions... I could do with that.