Racist threads on iTulip

[*T*]

When I joined iTulip, racism really wasn't an issue - or even a question. Within the last year or so, I've noticed a recent trend for the signal-to-noise ratio to get a lot worse, with threads being posted with no other purpose than denigrate one particular group or pit one group against the other, and also some very nice threads getting derailed.

The Ignore function worked for a while but as the frequency of this sort of nonsense increased I find it is no longer enough. In any case, ignore does not work when subscribing for updates by email (as I do). I also see deleted threads through the RSS subscribe function. This is getting distracting and putting me off visiting here -- and I used to post a lot around these parts.

Metalman mentioned a bunch of 'fugees from a certain right-wing site (I don't know which) which may or may not be related the this phenomenon.

Lukester was effectively banned for writing long, rambling, opinioned posts saying the dollar would rally (which it did) and that peak oil was imminent (which is more or less the official iTulip position now).

So, fellow iTulipers, is this all in my mind? If not, FRED - can you please enforce the rules of mutual respect and a welcoming environment, using warnings and bans if necessary?

t

[cjppjc]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthr...594#post200594

[shiny!]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

I agree. I don't like censorship and debate with myself (it's crowded in my mind) whether or not to use the Ignore function. Besides the racism, what I don't like is the increasingly insultive, combative tone in some posts. I treasure iTulip for the brilliance of it's contributors combined with extremely civil discourse that just isn't found in most other forums. I don't want to see iTulip degenerate into "just another forum". If I want to read crude insults I'll go to Zerohedge.

[jiimbergin]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

I agree 100% with both of these posts. The racism and the antagonistic posts are really a pain. If people want to debate, use Bart and Finster as an example about how to do it. Fred please do something before we loose some very good members. At least move this type of debate to Rant and Rave, but that might not help those who get updates by email.

jim

[jk]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

i also agree. not too long ago i pm'd fred about the unfortunate turn taken on a major thread. i would suggest a pm to fred whenever something offensive gets posted. it might be useful, however, if the forum had an automatic function wherein one could click a button to report a possible problem, like amazon's "report abuse" button.

[jpatter666]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Regrettably true. I opened the door on one of the more recent threads (not enough coffee to realize what I'd done -- sorry), was warned off by another member and tried to shut it down, but the door had been opened and we were off and running.

I think a report abuse button is an interesting idea to at least try:
a ) It allows for immediate detailed feedback to FRED instead of having to compose a message and reference the offending item
b ) It allows for better tracking of those individuals who live for this sort of thing

Three possible ways to implement IMO:
a ) all users
b ) subscribing users (+ maybe some selected non-subscribers?)
c ) a selected group

[jk]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Regrettably true. I opened the door on one of the more recent threads (not enough coffee to realize what I'd done -- sorry), was warned off by another member and tried to shut it down, but the door had been opened and we were off and running.

I think a report abuse button is an interesting idea to at least try:
a ) It allows for immediate detailed feedback to FRED instead of having to compose a message and reference the offending item
b ) It allows for better tracking of those individuals who live for this sort of thing

Three possible ways to implement IMO:
a ) all users
b ) subscribing users (+ maybe some selected non-subscribers?)
c ) a selected group

i suggest you pm fred with your post.

[*T*]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

http://www.itulip.com/forums/showthr...594#post200594

Sorry cjppjc -- that totally went over my head. Could you spell out what you mean?

(just to be clear, the OP wasn't aimed at you.)

[reallife]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Since becoming a paying member in 2008 I have the general impression that the ratio of worthwhile threads has dropped into the low single digits. I rarely read an threads other than the few by EJ himself.

[Slimprofits]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Lukester was effectively banned for writing long, rambling, opinioned posts saying the dollar would rally (which it did) and that peak oil was imminent (which is more or less the official iTulip position now).

I'm pretty sure it had much more to do with him making outlandish claims about EJ's already stated positions on "abiotic" and peak oil...

[jpatter666]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Since becoming a paying member in 2008 I have the general impression that the ratio of worthwhile threads has dropped into the low single digits. I rarely read an threads other than the few by EJ himself.

I've found when EJ is personally active on the forums, the worthwhile commentary shoots up; EJ has said he was interesting in trying to be more active on the site and indeed I've seen spurts of this, but they never last long. I imagine he's just got too many irons in the fire....

When not, the worthwhile commentary as you state drops; I also look for postings by select individuals such and bart, finster, symbols, grg55, etc.....

Which brings me around to my biggest request from iTulip forums -- subscribe to user.....

[we_are_toast]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

I've found when EJ is personally active on the forums, the worthwhile commentary shoots up; EJ has said he was interesting in trying to be more active on the site and indeed I've seen spurts of this, but they never last long. I imagine he's just got too many irons in the fire....

When not, the worthwhile commentary as you state drops; I also look for postings by select individuals such and bart, finster, symbols, grg55, etc.....

Which brings me around to my biggest request from iTulip forums -- subscribe to user.....

I agree with everything except the subscribe to user. Some posters continue to take an argumentative and name calling approach to the discussions, which is not only annoying, it wastes time trying to find the good posts. I take particular interest in certain users, and also to users who don't post very often. When a user who doesn't post very often speaks up, I want to know what they found so important that they feel they should say something.

Maybe more self policing? Or more intervention by FRED? I'm not sure what the solution is, but I find myself spending less and less time at iTulip and a diminishing value in it's content.

[FRED]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

The iTulip Forums have a simple code of conduct: Respect.

Comments to other members will be polite and respectful.

Comments will be directed toward the member's views not the member personally.

Treat other members as you would fellow patrons in a friendly neighborhood restaurant.

Lately the community has slid from this code of conduct. The complaints are growing.

In response to the wishes of the community, henceforth FRED -- the role, not the person -- will enforce the iTulip Forums Respect rule aggressively.

Some may call it censorship. So be it.

Our club, our rules.

Peace.

[jpatter666]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

I agree with everything except the subscribe to user. Some posters continue to take an argumentative and name calling approach to the discussions, which is not only annoying, it wastes time trying to find the good posts. I take particular interest in certain users, and also to users who don't post very often. When a user who doesn't post very often speaks up, I want to know what they found so important that they feel they should say something.

Maybe more self policing? Or more intervention by FRED? I'm not sure what the solution is, but I find myself spending less and less time at iTulip and a diminishing value in it's content.

Toast, not sure if we're both saying the same thing? You say you take interest in users who don't post very often -- as do I. I'd sure like to have an automated subscription to those user posts instead of having to perform "find all posts by user" and go through them trying to see what -- if anything -- I missed.

For example, one of my regular searches -- show all EJ postings -- to see what threads EJ has been responding on.....occasionally I catch a few I had no idea he'd been responding on.

If the thread attracts my interest then I start reading the whole thing.

[cjppjc]

Re: Racist threads on iTulip

Sorry cjppjc -- that totally went over my head. Could you spell out what you mean?

(just to be clear, the OP wasn't aimed at you.)

In the interview William Catton said:

"the human organism is still after all just an organism. The human organism is influenced by the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of it's environment."


I then said:

We are much more than just our minds.


The amount of knowledge that we have regarding why we are who we are, is enormous. The links to studies and research do not interest me much. The ideas of Mr Catton do. Instead of being the results of our genetics, maybe we are the results of forces that we cannot really see, or understand. It pains some people to think of themselves as organisms.