I have said often and with with great sincerity that Gateworld has some of the best Mods on the internet and I still believe that. HOWEVER, there's only so much the Mods can do within the boundaries of the forum rules and then, as they like to say, the rest is up to us and unfortunately, that burden is too much to bear for many some of us.
Gateworld, as a forum, used to be a wonderful place to hang. There were dozens of great discussions- some serious, some not, some in between- and everyone came here to have fun and share in the Joy That is Stargate and maybe, incidentally, spin off onto some other "joyful" things as well. I won't say that it was ALL rainbows and puppydogs, but the atmosphere was a lot lighter and folks more or less got along... or at least didn't go out of their way en masse to attack others.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, there was a paradigm shift. Gateworld is no longer as carefree and joyous as it used to be. The atmosphere is a lot more hostile and instead of being open and welcoming, it has the attitude of a city under siege: angry and suspicious and unrelenting. Conversations are no longer open, they're polarized: pro and anti threads are everywhere and people will ATTACK you for being one or the other. Not just debate the points, not offer alternative viewpoints, but flat-out attack individuals and groups on a very personal and hateful level just for having a different opinion. I wouldn't say the pro/anti threads are the cause of it, though; the pro and anti threads were created more or less because a civil conversation couldn't be carried out in a more generalized thread without it devolving into a pitched battle between sides with each group getting nastier and more bitter as the thread progressed until it ceased being about the show entirely and became about being "right" or "wrong". This is an attitude which has become more and more prominent over the past year or so.
Gateworld is no longer about coming to share views and exchange ideas, it's about proving you're right and everyone else is wrong. Further, it's about flaming those who are "wrong" back to the bedrock, even if it means trampling over their "protected" threads to do so. After all, they're WRONG, and if they're too stupid to know it then they should be beaten over the head with it and attacked until they either admit the error of their ways or are driven off the forum entirely.
Intolerance is the watchword of the day. It's no longer enough to allow people to have their own views; in fact, people aren't allowed to have their own views unless they agree with the Majority and the Majority has decided that Stargate is a Great Good Thing. Anyone who dares to imply that there's anything wrong with the show gets flamed... and deserves it because, of course, they're WRONG. There is no difference between "Fact" and "Opinion": if the Majority thinks something then it must be TRUE and everyone has to agree or suffer the consequences.
The Mods have done what they can, but an ever-increasing number of people have learned to toe the line so well that they can attack others without technically breaking the rules of the forum, leaving the Mods powerless to do anything. There's also the fact that most of the people engaging in this sort of behavior frankly don't give a damn and will continue to attack and belittle others no matter how often they get mod snipped or lectured. Add to that the sheer overwhelmingness of it all- instead of being isolated to one or two threads it's a more or less constant and ongoing war at every level (and in varying degrees of seriousness)- and I have to ask: where is it all going? And why?
WHY can't people be free to express their feelings ABOUT THE SHOW without it becoming a personal attack? WHY do people feel compelled to go out of their way to start trouble? WHY can't people leave well enough alone? And what, exactly, are you all hoping to accomplish with this? Do you want a board where only good things are ever said? Where only ONE OTP exists? Where freedom of speech is only granted to those who agree with you and all others are banned?
I'm pretty sure that isn't the sort of forum Darren had in mind when he started this place, but try as hard as the mods might, that's exactly what we're heading towards right now. I've seen an increasing number of people complaining about the hatred, the hostility and the hypocrisy that is consuming Gateworld and I've seen more and more people who are flat-out leaving the forum or sticking to a few "safe" threads because they can't deal with the attitudes and negative atmosphere- and by negative, I don't mean "anti" I mean anyone who is intolerant of all others.
As nice as it would be to think that we, as a whole, could get over petty differences and treat one another with respect, at this point that simply isn't possible. The problem isn't getting better, it's getting WORSE. If Gateworld is to remain the free and open place it's supposed to be, I feel very strongly that something has to be done to insure that.
The rules, as they stand right now, aren't enough. People are still getting hurt and it isn't just a matter of being "too sensitive". The nasties out there are wielding the rules like weapons and cutting down others while remaining untouched, themselves. Either new and stricter rules dictating proper forum behavior need to be laid out- in detail- or harsher punishments need to be found for those who DO break the rules. Preferably both. I know it's hard to know where to draw the line, but I think it would be worth the effort to sit down and figure out where a NEW line should be drawn because the old one isn't working anymore.
Yes, you can go on about making Gateworld "too restrictive" and yes, you can preach about the dangers of inhibiting "freedom of speech", but riddle me this, Batman: Can you honestly say that Gateworld is as friendly and welcoming now as it was a year ago? Two years ago? Three? Blame size if you want to, blame changes within the show itself, but even taking that into consideration, does it truly warrant the kind of behavior that is becoming dominant on the forum? And do you truly WANT this kind of behavior to become dominant?
Gateworld will probably never be as great as it was "back in the day", but it might be nice if it was a little less hateful. Speaking for myself, I feel as if I'm constantly on the defensive when I'm posting in the on topic sections and even when I'm in threads that are supposed to be "protected" I remain tense because I know that NOWHERE is truly safe anymore. That isn't how I want to feel and I'm pretty sure that isn't the atmosphere Gateworld wants to project. As it stands, however, most of my friends are on this forum, which makes it tough to leave, despite the increasing nastiness. It used to be that as disenfranchised as I was with the show, I still loved fandom. That isn't true anymore. In fact, if I COULD find another forum as diverse and well-modded as Gateworld, I'd leave in a heartbeat. Yes, I can still have fun here and you can be damn sure I try very hard to have as much fun as I can, but the fact that I have to TRY to have fun is very telling, in my opinion.
This is ALL just my opinion, of course, and I'm sure there are many who'll disagree (and a few who will undoubtedly disagree violently) but, as Daniel said, this just happens to be how I see it. Comments? Suggestions?
Gateworld, as a forum, used to be a wonderful place to hang. There were dozens of great discussions- some serious, some not, some in between- and everyone came here to have fun and share in the Joy That is Stargate and maybe, incidentally, spin off onto some other "joyful" things as well. I won't say that it was ALL rainbows and puppydogs, but the atmosphere was a lot lighter and folks more or less got along... or at least didn't go out of their way en masse to attack others.
Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, there was a paradigm shift. Gateworld is no longer as carefree and joyous as it used to be. The atmosphere is a lot more hostile and instead of being open and welcoming, it has the attitude of a city under siege: angry and suspicious and unrelenting. Conversations are no longer open, they're polarized: pro and anti threads are everywhere and people will ATTACK you for being one or the other. Not just debate the points, not offer alternative viewpoints, but flat-out attack individuals and groups on a very personal and hateful level just for having a different opinion. I wouldn't say the pro/anti threads are the cause of it, though; the pro and anti threads were created more or less because a civil conversation couldn't be carried out in a more generalized thread without it devolving into a pitched battle between sides with each group getting nastier and more bitter as the thread progressed until it ceased being about the show entirely and became about being "right" or "wrong". This is an attitude which has become more and more prominent over the past year or so.
Gateworld is no longer about coming to share views and exchange ideas, it's about proving you're right and everyone else is wrong. Further, it's about flaming those who are "wrong" back to the bedrock, even if it means trampling over their "protected" threads to do so. After all, they're WRONG, and if they're too stupid to know it then they should be beaten over the head with it and attacked until they either admit the error of their ways or are driven off the forum entirely.
Intolerance is the watchword of the day. It's no longer enough to allow people to have their own views; in fact, people aren't allowed to have their own views unless they agree with the Majority and the Majority has decided that Stargate is a Great Good Thing. Anyone who dares to imply that there's anything wrong with the show gets flamed... and deserves it because, of course, they're WRONG. There is no difference between "Fact" and "Opinion": if the Majority thinks something then it must be TRUE and everyone has to agree or suffer the consequences.
The Mods have done what they can, but an ever-increasing number of people have learned to toe the line so well that they can attack others without technically breaking the rules of the forum, leaving the Mods powerless to do anything. There's also the fact that most of the people engaging in this sort of behavior frankly don't give a damn and will continue to attack and belittle others no matter how often they get mod snipped or lectured. Add to that the sheer overwhelmingness of it all- instead of being isolated to one or two threads it's a more or less constant and ongoing war at every level (and in varying degrees of seriousness)- and I have to ask: where is it all going? And why?
WHY can't people be free to express their feelings ABOUT THE SHOW without it becoming a personal attack? WHY do people feel compelled to go out of their way to start trouble? WHY can't people leave well enough alone? And what, exactly, are you all hoping to accomplish with this? Do you want a board where only good things are ever said? Where only ONE OTP exists? Where freedom of speech is only granted to those who agree with you and all others are banned?
I'm pretty sure that isn't the sort of forum Darren had in mind when he started this place, but try as hard as the mods might, that's exactly what we're heading towards right now. I've seen an increasing number of people complaining about the hatred, the hostility and the hypocrisy that is consuming Gateworld and I've seen more and more people who are flat-out leaving the forum or sticking to a few "safe" threads because they can't deal with the attitudes and negative atmosphere- and by negative, I don't mean "anti" I mean anyone who is intolerant of all others.
As nice as it would be to think that we, as a whole, could get over petty differences and treat one another with respect, at this point that simply isn't possible. The problem isn't getting better, it's getting WORSE. If Gateworld is to remain the free and open place it's supposed to be, I feel very strongly that something has to be done to insure that.
The rules, as they stand right now, aren't enough. People are still getting hurt and it isn't just a matter of being "too sensitive". The nasties out there are wielding the rules like weapons and cutting down others while remaining untouched, themselves. Either new and stricter rules dictating proper forum behavior need to be laid out- in detail- or harsher punishments need to be found for those who DO break the rules. Preferably both. I know it's hard to know where to draw the line, but I think it would be worth the effort to sit down and figure out where a NEW line should be drawn because the old one isn't working anymore.
Yes, you can go on about making Gateworld "too restrictive" and yes, you can preach about the dangers of inhibiting "freedom of speech", but riddle me this, Batman: Can you honestly say that Gateworld is as friendly and welcoming now as it was a year ago? Two years ago? Three? Blame size if you want to, blame changes within the show itself, but even taking that into consideration, does it truly warrant the kind of behavior that is becoming dominant on the forum? And do you truly WANT this kind of behavior to become dominant?
Gateworld will probably never be as great as it was "back in the day", but it might be nice if it was a little less hateful. Speaking for myself, I feel as if I'm constantly on the defensive when I'm posting in the on topic sections and even when I'm in threads that are supposed to be "protected" I remain tense because I know that NOWHERE is truly safe anymore. That isn't how I want to feel and I'm pretty sure that isn't the atmosphere Gateworld wants to project. As it stands, however, most of my friends are on this forum, which makes it tough to leave, despite the increasing nastiness. It used to be that as disenfranchised as I was with the show, I still loved fandom. That isn't true anymore. In fact, if I COULD find another forum as diverse and well-modded as Gateworld, I'd leave in a heartbeat. Yes, I can still have fun here and you can be damn sure I try very hard to have as much fun as I can, but the fact that I have to TRY to have fun is very telling, in my opinion.
This is ALL just my opinion, of course, and I'm sure there are many who'll disagree (and a few who will undoubtedly disagree violently) but, as Daniel said, this just happens to be how I see it. Comments? Suggestions?
Undoubtedly, though, that will be the exact sort of reason given for why the rules aren't stricter or more heavily enforced.
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