[Jatsie]

Apparently there isn't enough "content" around here.

I propose that people should brainstorm sensible ideas for new thread topics here, and then someone create appropriate threads for the most popular suggestions - as opposed to just having a ton of hit and miss new threads popping up all over the place.


I don't have any topic suggestions, this is my contribution, so someone else will have to start.

[Squinky]

The afterlife thread looks like it could potentially be interesting. It's got the potential to turn into a big huge flamewar, though, as many religion and spirituality-based forum threads tend to do. Shame, really, considering that I actually enjoy discussing religion and spirituality.

Maybe something philosophy-related?

[Giligan]

What we don't have, and what we should have, is a political thread. Many of these types of threads turn into flamewar, but if kept civil, a good discussion on politics would make this forum all the better. Any thoughts?

[Melanie68]

Originally Posted by Giligan

What we don't have, and what we should have, is a political thread. Many of these types of threads turn into flamewar, but if kept civil, a good discussion on politics would make this forum all the better. Any thoughts?

NO, just no. They cause more problems than they're worth. The occasional political discussion is fine but having a specific political thread invites people who only come to post on politics and even among long time forum members, you can have bad feelings coming about. Long time members of the Just Adventure forums can tell you what a bad idea it is.

I happen to like science discussions myself. [/science geek]

[rlpw]

Every time I open my mouth on this Forum about my opinion I get someone with a reasonable difference of opinion and then I get flamed. I guess I'm just an old Fuddy Duddy with weird ideas. Take for instance when I say I'm socially conservative I mean that as 'I do not like government setting my values and ideologies' not 'I'm a homophobic, bible thumping, racist pig'. People have gotten the notion conservative is a 'Right Wing thing' not a 'Less is more' thing.

[Aj_]

Originally Posted by rlpw

People have gotten the notion conservative is a 'Right Wing thing' not a 'Less is more' thing.

That might be because conservatism is a defense of the status quo, what you're discribing is liberalism. Conservatism usually means economic liberalism, and that's a Right Wing thing. You seem to be definitely on the Right.

Conservatism also means socially and religiously the opposite of liberalism, because in the past and to a certain extent present, that's what the current situation is.

If you describe yourself as a conservative you will want to narrow it down to economics or homophobic, bible thumping, racist is what the other conservatism generally is. It all usually goes together, but not always, and there is also Libertarianism which is similar to economic conservatives that are also socially liberal.

[SSH]

How about a discussion on Prohibition: what level of legality should there be for drugs, if any?

[Aj_]

I think having a thread for your political ideology, and one for your stance on drugs would be good. I think a thread on veil wearing would be interesting, maybe explosive.

People start calling me crazy when I take the libertarian position of everything should be legal, regulated, and taxed. Of course there is always going to be a dangerous black market, but people who want drugs get them. Right now I'm not addicted to anything, I even limited coffee to two mugs or less a day.

[MoriartyL]

Originally Posted by Giligan

What we don't have, and what we should have, is a political thread. Many of these types of threads turn into flamewar, but if kept civil, a good discussion on politics would make this forum all the better. Any thoughts?

For the love of humanity, no! Let me tell you, from experience, how political threads work on the internet. I come on, say something to the effect of "Hi, I'm from Israel.", and one or two people who had previously seemed like nice, intelligent people suddenly launch a neverending succession of personal attacks aimed at me, telling me that I am a fascist oppresive inhuman monster who should be thrown out of my own home and preferably killed at the earliest convenience of the Palestinians. Then I try to defend myself, at which point the attacks start getting nasty. Meanwhile, other forumites who are nice, intelligent people remain silent or agree softly with the attackers so that they won't find themselves at the end of an attack.

The internet is no place for politics.

[colpet]

Originally Posted by Giligan

What we don't have, and what we should have, is a political thread. Many of these types of threads turn into flamewar, but if kept civil, a good discussion on politics would make this forum all the better. Any thoughts?

I'm with Melanie on this one. I don't think it is a good idea. I found that things are different at JA since the forum was introduced there. Sometimes confrontations from that forum would spill over into the other discussions.

[Giligan]

Well, to be perfectly honest, I don't really think that a politcial thread is nowhere near as volatile as religious thread, which is what "Is there an Afterlife" thread is well on its way to being.

[Lucien21]

The absolute last thing we need it a politics/religion forum.

It has completely ruined JA+ forum.

Confrontations are inevitable and it spills over to the whole forum.

NO POLITICS AND RELIGION PLEASE.

[Squinky]

I think I'm starting to outgrow Internet debates.

I got a lot more value out of them back when I was more positivistic in my beliefs. I thought that truth was objective, and that if I couldn't argue my beliefs properly, they weren't worth having at all. What I learned instead was that all a good argument proves is that a person is good at arguing. And that just because a person argued well didn't mean that what they said felt right in my eyes.

These days, I take a more relative view on truth. I believe what I believe because of my personal circumstances - a combination of biology and socialisation. My beliefs make perfect sense to me, but they won't necessarily make sense to anyone else unless they take my entire life experience into account. As a result, I no longer feel that I have anything to prove. I'd rather just practice what I preach rather than sit around arguing, and in the meantime, listen to others speak about their life experiences and seek common ground.

If there's something wrong with what I believe in, I'll find out in due time, through a series of life-altering events. Not through some smartass kid's carefully-crafted yet meaningless text on a screen.

The afterlife thread, at first, was valuable and interesting. I thought it would be cool to hear about what others thought it was like. But then, when people started to feel the need to validate their beliefs by stifling those that opposed them, it got old quickly. I found myself slipping into my old Internet debating habits and hating myself in the process. It took great restraint on my part to just turn around and walk away, once realising how pointless it all was.

At least the pointless, silly threads were fun. "Make love, not war" indeed.

What I'd really like to see, though, are forum threads that are based on discussion, not debate. I'd like to share personal stories and ideas and listen to others do the same. Something like this thread. Anyone remember it? Posting in there led to me actually find a friend on these forums - something infinitely more valuable than the satisfaction of knowing I'm right.

Of course, it's probably not going to happen. But I can dream...

[Marek]

Aww man. I thought this was going to be a thread about brainstorming. (Seriously.)

[Squinky]

Come to think of it, that'd be pretty cool too.

[RLacey]

Wouldn't a brainstorming thread on the subject of brainstorming be a bit like a book entitled "DIY: Teach Yourself to Read"?

[artwking4]

Originally Posted by Marek

Aww man. I thought this was going to be a thread about brainstorming. (Seriously.)

"Have fun storming the brain!"

..... "Think it'll work?"

"It'd take a miracle!"