[uunix]

There is no reason why we cannot have a topic on covid-19. Lets throw stones at each other, as if it really makes any difference. The old Neckochan was a bit strict with political issues, but this is a place where we are all from different districts of the world and it doesn’t mater if people disagree it’s good to know what’s happening in your neighborhood and others. I’ve enjoyed reading the past debates and lets face it as community we should talk about everything. Yes.. lets talk computers, and if you don’t like talking about the current affairs go look at something fscking else..  Get a grip guys.. no one is immune from the world that is going around now and it’s good to know peoples opinions. Plus we have moved on from BREXIT!

[Irinikus]

What people need to do is harden the f@#ck up. Sometimes each one of us will be offended by someone else, if someone else challenges our core beliefs.

Well, Boo Frickety Hoo, as it's actually a good thing if our beliefs are challenged from time to time!

This doesn't mean personally attacking others, as we've seen happen around here lately!

Let's face it, a belief is only that , a belief!

Think about this: If you say you believe something, what you're really saying is that you don't know. As there's a difference between believing something and knowing something.

A belief is generally not your own thought, but someone else's ideology that you've bought into!

Let's face it, us as people GENERALLY KNOW NOTHING!!!! (All you know is what someone else has told you or what you've read.) Most of what we say or do has been said and done before! (What this world lacks is original thought!) Most people are simply incapable of critical thinking!

My message to everyone is: Question everything!!!!

Just because something's printed in black and white doesn't make it true!!! (Anybody can write a book!)

---

Maybe we should start a special thread, called "The Heated Kitchen", which is unmoderated, where we can all argue to our hearts content. If it gets too hot in the kitchen for you, then just get the f@#ck out, and let the rest of us squabble it out!

A place where you can tell someone, "Hey you! Get the f@#ck out of the kitchen, and rather go and read the SGI Discussion forum", if they get too heated!

[kaigan]

Note: admin hat on, thus the bold text.

As it stands in The Rules™, political discussions are to be prohibited. That said, it's not our intent to censor civil discussion. As there does seem to be some community push for it, a proper forum for this type of discussion is something we can consider.

For the moment, please keep such discussion in General Off-Topic, please keep it civil, and if things start to diverge from the original topic wildly, please either start a new thread or ask a mod/admin to split the thread for you. Once the admin team has been able to have a more detailed discussion, we'll let you know of any changes.

[Irinikus]

@ kaigan, I'll happily respect you request.

Please consider my recommendation for a separate forum, as I've suggested, with a disclaimer attached to it, stating that when you post there, people may disagree with your opinion and challenge it as a result.

People should just realise that when someone challenges your opinion, they're not challenging you as a person. (Or they shouldn't challenge you as a person anyway!)

People shouldn't take things personally, but in a positive, constructive way! (We should all learn to be able laugh at ourselves from time to time!)

Anyway, just a thought!

[commodorejohn]

I think the core problem is, there really isn't that much to say about the disease itself. It cropped up, it exists, people are sick with and/or dying from it, other people are trying to figure out what to do about it. Apart from all the practical implications of a large-scale pandemic the likes of which we haven't seen in the developed world since the sinking of the Titanic was still fresh in everyone's memory, it's not really that interesting unless you're a virologist or an epidemiologist. So conversations inevitably turn to more abstract questions about the situation: who (if anyone) is to blame, who's chasing which ambulances, and what the powers that be should be doing and aren't or shouldn't be doing and are - and that leads right smack into political flamewar territory.

[uunix]

And so the insults start from the beginning.. anyone who wishes to discuss it is condemned to being a virologist or an epidemiologist or even worse an ambulance chaser...  FFS CommadoreJohn.. nice input.. maybe you should just 'walk on' instead of adding your pointless comments..

Man this place is fucking rife with self righteousness.

[commodorejohn]

That wasn't what I was saying at all. My comment was intended as an observation of how such conversations tend to go and why, not as an attempt to cast aspersions on people who do want to discuss it.

[hamei]

Note: admin hat on, thus the bold text.

As it stands in The Rules™, political discussions are to be prohibited. That said, it's not our intent to censor civil discussion.

And THAT, right there, is the problem. What happens is that now ten people can make community-approved statements but as soon as anyone writes out an opposing view, down comes the hammer.

This is hypocritical. Either there should be free discussion or any political statements should be immediately wiped.

Probably the former is the safer approach.

[kaigan]

And THAT, right there, is the problem. What happens is that now ten people can make community-approved statements but as soon as anyone writes out an opposing view, down comes the hammer.

This is hypocritical. Either there should be free discussion or any political statements should be immediately wiped.

Probably the former is the safer approach.

Speaking without the "royal we" for the moment, I agree with that. The current policy seems clear (don't discuss political stuff), but the enforcement has been iffy. I'd like to see free discussion (again, as long as people aren't attacking each other - argue against opinions and arguments, not people). For everyone's sanity, we'd probably want to keep it in a specific area of the forums where those who want to ignore it can more easily do so. I don't personally want to see a thread about selling an Octane get pulled massively off-topic with a discussion about the next US presidential election, just as a theoretical example.

[hamei]

The current policy seems clear (don't discuss political stuff), but the enforcement has been iffy. I'd like to see free discussion (again, as long as people aren't attacking each other - argue against opinions and arguments, not people).

Good luck with making this work. Once upon a time I thought that people, when presented with facts, could adjust their ideas to fit events.

After some years of pursuing this philosophy I now can see I was wrong. Perhaps eleven people in a thousand can actually think. The other 989 will just squabble and/or hurl insults.

The decision of course is up to the site owner but one thing I am sure of - expecting people to act like rational adults is naive :(