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Should the MOA forum introduce a new "Politics and Motorcycling" sub-forum?

Should MOA forum add new "Politics & Motorcycling" sub-forum?

  • MOA forum should add "Politics & Motorcycling" sub-forum

    Votes: 10 10.9%
  • MOA forum should remain as it is without new sub-forum

    Votes: 65 70.7%
  • I don't care

    Votes: 17 18.5%

  • Total voters
    92
On another bike forum that has a designated politics sub-forum, I saw the enmity and rancor spill out to the regular part of the forum. The two "antagonists" argued on the sub-forum and then it spilled out into the regular part of the forum, both posting contraire for no other reason than they disliked each other. It was pathetic and the moderators eventually quashed both of them.

I don't envy moderators that have to deal with a political (or anything goes) sub-forum. That will be a full-time (round-the-clock) job for at least two, maybe three moderators.
 
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As Forum Liaison back in the day, I had a front-row seat for both the "Don't go there" forum, and the "Tavern on the Screen."

Here is the fact: people pay $50 per year for the right to post here. Non-members can read many of the forums for free, but they can't post.

With that $50 comes a couple of expectations:

1) A level of decorum that you don't always see in "free" forums

2) A level of service with regard to moderation.

On point 2, you simply would not believe what happens in the background, the endless private messages complaining about this thing or that, along with the expectation for the volunteer moderator to do something about it. It truly is a total buzz kill for our treasured volunteers.

Trust me, it may seem reasonable to expect all participants to be adults in discussions like these, but there are many MANY childish people who either troll to feed their narcissism or whine incessantly when they are offended.

I hope this answers your questions.

Ian


Once again Ian comes through with a small reality check.
While I used to say that something like this was just a click on the delete key away, my perspective has changed. I want to invite people to join an organization composed of thoughtful, intelligent people from vastly different backgrounds who are drawn together by a common joy of riding our motorcycles. Certainly there should be an awareness of the extremes of opinions that go along with this as well as the fact that you just about can't say anything without ruffling some feathers. But we seem to have lost thee level of diplomacy and common sense that I thought we had forty years ago.
I'm done now.
 
The only way I could possibly support a political subforum would be with a requirement that posters on the forum use their real names instead of cute handles to hide behind. Having people actually know who posted nonsense would go a long ways toward limiting it. As a general rule I tend to disregard folks who are afraid to identify themselves.
 
But we seem to have lost thee level of diplomacy and common sense that I thought we had forty years ago.
I'm done now.

I think the anonymity of the internet is partly to blame. I think the demons in people are more likely to be set free when they are just an avatar: an unknown, and possibly unknowable person.

I think a group of people sitting around a table, even drinking in a bar, will treat each other with more respect than those same people scattered across the width of the internet, and hiding behind the anonymity it allows.

Another reason is the polarization of the USA. I can't recall, in my almost 70 years, of any time when the country was this polarized. Sure doing the youth rebellion of the 60s, but that was mostly between generations.
 
The only way I could possibly support a political subforum would be with a requirement that posters on the forum use their real names instead of cute handles to hide behind. Having people actually know who posted nonsense would go a long ways toward limiting it. As a general rule I tend to disregard folks who are afraid to identify themselves.

If it has to happen... this is the way to make it work.

"travel'n" John
... cute handle above precedes real first name! Last name changes or twin brother claimed upon finding trouble.
 
The only way I could possibly support a political subforum would be with a requirement that posters on the forum use their real names instead of cute handles to hide behind. Having people actually know who posted nonsense would go a long ways toward limiting it. As a general rule I tend to disregard folks who are afraid to identify themselves.

I agree that this would help keep people civil, but it would be cumbersome to enforce and only partially effective. How do we know that PGlaves is not a Rooski BOT?
 
I agree that this would help keep people civil, but it would be cumbersome to enforce and only partially effective. How do we know that PGlaves is not a Rooski BOT?

Simple: he’s not on a Ural! He could be a Chinese hoaxster on a G310 tho.
:)

Best,
DeVern
 
I agree that this would help keep people civil, but it would be cumbersome to enforce and only partially effective. How do we know that PGlaves is not a Rooski BOT?

That is a valid point.

However, I will take it in a different direction..........any post would be subject to moderation that may require subject matter expertise beyond what the moderators possess. Say, Climate Science, Federal Fiscal policy, Physics, Thermodynamics, etc.........pontifications are offered on all these topics on a daily basis and "fact" seems to be determined by majority vote of an echo chamber. It would be an impossible situation for any moderator. If the moderator corrects the discussion, he's stifling conversation (from one perspective). If he allows the discussion, he alienates the members with learned knowledge.

Yep, we are on very dangerous ground with the current political discourse. Many considerate it sport/spectacle like the gladiators in the Colosseum. Sadly, they fail to consider that the Gladiators were slaves and the spectacle was offered to distract attention from important issues
 
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That is a valid point.

... Say, Climate Science, Federal Fiscal policy, Physics, Thermodynamics, etc.........pontifications are offered on all these topics on a daily basis and "fact" seems to be determined by majority vote of an echo chamber. It would be an impossible situation for any moderator.

Just two cents: It is supposed to be motorcycle-related. You're liable to be pretty far askew if Climate Science & Fiscal Policy gets wrapped around one of dem m/c axles. Jus Sayin :type :ear :bikes

Ciao, HSV-Phil
 
Just two cents: It is supposed to be motorcycle-related. You're liable to be pretty far askew if Climate Science & Fiscal Policy gets wrapped around one of dem m/c axles. Jus Sayin :type :ear :bikes

Ciao, HSV-Phil

Some people feel that a motorcycle is a single track vehicle configured with a thermal engine (reference: the other thread posts which prompted this poll) that uses certain types of fuel. Accordingly, issues pertaining to the configuration of the vehicle, the engine type and fuels are all related.

As I've grown older, I care less about how the power is produced. I want it to be available, I don't want to hear it and I, certainly, don't want to clean chain-lube muck from the rear wheel.
 
The only way I could possibly support a political subforum would be with a requirement that posters on the forum use their real names instead of cute handles to hide behind. Having people actually know who posted nonsense would go a long ways toward limiting it. As a general rule I tend to disregard folks who are afraid to identify themselves.


I am Ronald Prior....I live in Ohio, and i am not afraid of nor ashamed of anything i say. If i do put my foot in my mouth....as i sometimes do.....I will not only admit it, I will apologize for it. The only reason my user name is my membership number and not my [name] it because when i first logged on/joined in.....my first name had already been taken..........at least I think that's what it said.
 
I am Ronald Prior....I live in Ohio, and i am not afraid of nor ashamed of anything i say. If i do put my foot in my mouth....as i sometimes do.....I will not only admit it, I will apologize for it. The only reason my user name is my membership number and not my [name] it because when i first logged on/joined in.....my first name had already been taken..........at least I think that's what it said.

Ron, you always identify yourself in the post. That makes it not an issue. But we have hundreds that don't.
 
I voted to keep it as it is, even though I cause the moderators to spew coffee out their nostrils occasionally :) with some of my comments. I really mean no harm, it is just that I am right, and everyone else is wrong if you don't agree with me :). I think the forum is good just the way it is now, and the mods do a great job (one that I wouldn't want). This is a motorcycle forum, lets keep it that way. Gail
 
I voted to keep it as it is, even though I cause the moderators to spew coffee out their nostrils occasionally :) with some of my comments. I really mean no harm, it is just that I am right, and everyone else is wrong if you don't agree with me :). I think the forum is good just the way it is now, and the mods do a great job (one that I wouldn't want). This is a motorcycle forum, lets keep it that way. Gail

well we must have many similar opinions because I am right too and everyone else is wrong if they don't agree with me as well: In fact I'll bet there are many of us here- clearly a politics forum would not be a problem with all that kumbuyah and similarity of correct opinions
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA RIGHT SURE
 
I think, to be fair, the "I don't care" votes need to be lumped into the "Add new politics sub-forum" votes. With that said, and with so few votes, it looks like about 50 to 20.

Basically, not enough votes to draw any conclusions yet.
 
I think, to be fair, the "I don't care" votes need to be lumped into the "Add new politics sub-forum" votes.

I don't think that's the way polling works...to put their votes in one category or the other changes their vote. Maybe put half the votes in the two other categories...but that's never done either. For those that had hard opinions, it's pretty clear where things are headed. IMO.
 
I don't think that's the way polling works...to put their votes in one category or the other changes their vote. Maybe put half the votes in the two other categories...but that's never done either. For those that had hard opinions, it's pretty clear where things are headed. IMO.
I was trying to be fair, maybe too fair, to the folks who want the new sub-forum. I certainly don't want the new sub-forum.
 
I was trying to be fair, maybe too fair, to the folks who want the new sub-forum. I certainly don't want the new sub-forum.

Ok.......... I have to ask........... if you don’t want the sub forum- why the poll?

OM
 
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