If you hate a person, then you are defeated by them.

[Kishkumen]

Most of my close friends have passed away, and the family members I do maintain contact with are so busy that I avoid asking for assistance whenever possible because I don't want to bother them. So you can imagine my delight at discovering an online community that shares my interests and opinions on Mormonism and politics. The amount of hate speech here is so overwhelming that I decided to quit posting for months. When other users openly criticize the character and ideas of some of the posters here, I don't know what to say. Even though I disagree with Ceeboo on political and religious issues, I will never treat a fellow human being with the same level of disrespect as many of the forum regulars do toward Ceeboo. The use of groupthink to control churchgoers was a major factor in my decision to cease going. It appears that the intention here is to dissuade people from posting by utilizing groupthink. To deter others from participating, certain members are resorting to personal attacks in their posts. Personal attacks are acceptable in a lower kingdom, but I don't think that's the case here. Why is it that a small number of board members are subject to such intense animosity?

I think you are right that it is better not to get so personal and attack others. It can be difficult sometimes. I keep trying, though.

[Res Ipsa]

If you hate a person, then you are defeated by them.

What is Buddha? Three pounds of flax.

Exactly.

[canpakes]

I’ve always figured that if I’m not making someone mad about something I’ve said from time to time, then I’m probably not being honest with myself.

For many people these days, speaking one’s mind seems to be the only prerequisite for being elected to the highest office of the land. 867 million Trump voters (or whatever the number is supposed to be up to this week) can’t all be wrong about that, right?

[Res Ipsa]

It's hard to discuss something/anything when there is a fundamental disagreement with facts, and the attendant gaslighting and ridicule that occurs when the blessed narrative isn't supported. Four years ago, many posters here were haranguing anyone that didn't automatically agree with the laptop/russian influence narrative and that turned out to be nonsense. Prior to that, there was the russiagate idiocy that turned out to be nonsense. No, there is no discussion here, only reinforcement of narrative, regardless of the facts, and ridicule to anyone questioning it. However, do whatever. Just don't expect anything but an echo chamber.

Gaslighter, ungas thyself.

[Some Schmo]

My modest suggestion is that the board may have sunk into a pit of groupthink...

My modest suggestion is to get to know the board before you make a fool of yourself.

[Hound of Heaven]

Most of my close friends have passed away, and the family members I do maintain contact with are so busy that I avoid asking for assistance whenever possible because I don't want to bother them. So you can imagine my delight at discovering an online community that shares my interests and opinions on Mormonism and politics. The amount of hate speech here is so overwhelming that I decided to quit posting for months. When other users openly criticize the character and ideas of some of the posters here, I don't know what to say. Even though I disagree with Ceeboo on political and religious issues, I will never treat a fellow human being with the same level of disrespect as many of the forum regulars do toward Ceeboo. The use of groupthink to control churchgoers was a major factor in my decision to cease going. It appears that the intention here is to dissuade people from posting by utilizing groupthink. To deter others from participating, certain members are resorting to personal attacks in their posts. Personal attacks are acceptable in a lower kingdom, but I don't think that's the case here. Why is it that a small number of board members are subject to such intense animosity?

I think you are right that it is better not to get so personal and attack others. It can be difficult sometimes. I keep trying, though.

Thank you.

[Hound of Heaven]

It's hard to discuss something/anything when there is a fundamental disagreement with facts, and the attendant gaslighting and ridicule that occurs when the blessed narrative isn't supported. Four years ago, many posters here were haranguing anyone that didn't automatically agree with the laptop/russian influence narrative and that turned out to be nonsense. Prior to that, there was the russiagate idiocy that turned out to be nonsense. No, there is no discussion here, only reinforcement of narrative, regardless of the facts, and ridicule to anyone questioning it. However, do whatever. Just don't expect anything but an echo chamber.

In that case, why isn't the moderator of the board acting to enforce the rules? It is not hard to understand that Ceeboo is being targeted on a personal level, regardless of whether you are a conservative or a liberal. It is expressly stated in the regulations for the terrestrial that there are to be no personal attacks of any kind.

[Res Ipsa]

It's hard to discuss something/anything when there is a fundamental disagreement with facts, and the attendant gaslighting and ridicule that occurs when the blessed narrative isn't supported. Four years ago, many posters here were haranguing anyone that didn't automatically agree with the laptop/russian influence narrative and that turned out to be nonsense. Prior to that, there was the russiagate idiocy that turned out to be nonsense. No, there is no discussion here, only reinforcement of narrative, regardless of the facts, and ridicule to anyone questioning it. However, do whatever. Just don't expect anything but an echo chamber.

In that case, why isn't the moderator of the board acting to enforce the rules? It is not hard to understand that Ceeboo is being targeted on a personal level, regardless of whether you are a conservative or a liberal. It is expressly stated in the regulations for the terrestrial that there are to be no personal attacks of any kind.

Have you reported any rules violations by clicking on the report button? That’s a rhetorical question because, as a moderator, I get a notification when someone makes a report. We try to be transparent in terms of how we moderate the board, given that the three of us are volunteers who do not have infinite amounts of time or patience to spend actively policing the board.

We also have a pretty idiosyncratic approach to personal attacks. Personal attacks are permitted in two of our six forums. If you were to report a personal attack in Spirit Paradise, and the moderator decided that the post violated the personal attack rule, the moderator has the discretion to do one of two things: leave the post in place, deleting the portion that violates the rules or move the entire post to Spirit Prison, where personal attacks are permitted.

Any of would be happy to answer any questions you have about the rules and moderation. The best way to get our attention is to shoot us a private message with or post the rules and moderation thread that is pinned to the top in Spirit Prison.

[canpakes]

It's hard to discuss something/anything when there is a fundamental disagreement with facts, and the attendant gaslighting and ridicule that occurs when the blessed narrative isn't supported. Four years ago, many posters here were haranguing anyone that didn't automatically agree with the laptop/russian influence narrative and that turned out to be nonsense. Prior to that, there was the russiagate idiocy that turned out to be nonsense. No, there is no discussion here, only reinforcement of narrative, regardless of the facts, and ridicule to anyone questioning it. However, do whatever. Just don't expect anything but an echo chamber.

You should be more specific about the narrative you’re referring to:

1. The Trump campaign assertion (still being made) that 51 intelligence officials wrote a letter claiming that Hunter Biden’s laptop was not real, or -

2. The letter by 51 intelligence officials who stressed that emails claimed to be from Hunter Biden looked like the product of Russian disinformation.

https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000175 ... 9f9b330000

These two are very different things. The first claim is bogus, because anyone can read the letter from the link above.

[canpakes]

My modest suggestion is that the board may have sunk into a pit of groupthink; I base this on the fact that one of its members is the target of constant abuse and insults, and the board is doing little to stop it. Why aren't the rules being enforced if there is a moderator for the forum?

Have you reported any rules violations by clicking on the report button? That’s a rhetorical question because, as a moderator, I get a notification when someone makes a report. We try to be transparent in terms of how we moderate the board, given that the three of us are volunteers who do not have infinite amounts of time or patience to spend actively policing the board.

We also have a pretty idiosyncratic approach to personal attacks. Personal attacks are permitted in two of our six forums. If you were to report a personal attack in Spirit Paradise, and the moderator decided that the post violated the personal attack rule, the moderator has the discretion to do one of two things: leave the post in place, deleting the portion that violates the rules or move the entire post to Spirit Prison, where personal attacks are permitted.

Any of would be happy to answer any questions you have about the rules and moderation. The best way to get our attention is to shoot us a private message with or post the rules and moderation thread that is pinned to the top in Spirit Prison.

Seconding this. It is encouraged that folks report posts that are suspected of violating the rules. The mod team will review all reports and act accordingly on violations.

That said, this board, per the founder’s intent, uses a very light touch when it comes to policing insults. It has been that way since its earliest days, when hostile interactions were arguably much more frequent and pointed. The board presently tends to be imbalanced with regard to rightwing vs leftwing politics, but that’s less a product of ‘groupthink’ (which is more ‘after the fact’) than just being that we’ve retained more of the center-left crowd after center-right participants, many being more often active Church members, moved to boards friendlier to their POV, or - in some cases - have left the Church and seen their own politics change. This shift leaves the remaining center-right posters appearing ganged-up on at times.

Regarding insults specifically, they’re given pretty wide latitude provided that they aren’t sexually-oriented or overtly socially grievous. But posts that only have an insult as their content are usually booted regardless.

Regarding Ceeboo specifically, he has given insults freely as well. I certainly wouldn’t blame him for doing so, but he is usually much more subtle and infrequent with his own.

We’ve definitely had our share of more hardcore abusers. A read through some of the older ’Spirit Prison’ threads will give you some insight into that.

Currently, I almost pulled the trigger on a post that may be directly calling another member ‘garbage’. That’s cutting it a bit too close to the line. I prefer that actions are addressed as ‘x’, instead of people.