It has been proposed that the politics forum does not really add much enjoyment to the 8thmaxim experience lately, and should be closed. To put some sort of frame on it, I have suggested considering a time period for its closure, after which the decision can be re-evaluated. Let's say 6 months. This means that posts/threads which normally would best go there, would best just not be made. This is a public poll and I will let it run for a week. You can change your vote as long as the poll is open. It is not binding but it will likely guide what the mods do. Feel free to discuss this in the thread.
I am all for it. It has caused nothing but pain and suffering and hardly ever leads to any true discussion on topics.
I am in favor of closing it for 6 months, as an experiment. I wonder if it might make the atmosphere of the forum better overall. Even if we decide not to close it, perhaps having it set such that the new posts don't show up in the "new posts" list or something would have a similar effect.
Can people just not go into the forum if they don't like it? I know I automatically ignore anything with the politics tag on it. Obviously if it's become a cesspool of unmitigable degeneration then axe it. But I can't really see that being the case with a forum of this size
Leave it alone, imo. It would be nice if there was a way to not have those threads show up when I click New Posts, but other than that it's not a big deal. Getting rid of the forum or banning people because of political discussions is some VN type shit. Also, on a message board where threads rarely remain on topic, zero chance that eliminating the politics forum eliminates political discussion unless you start deleting posts which, again, is VN shit. Lastly, it needs to remain because it's funny to watch people get so worked up over stupid shit. It's like Uni and the Packers, but with people defending rich geriatric [uck fay]s that wouldn't piss on you all if you were ablaze.
I don’t have much of an opinion one way or the other but there’s a forum I post on that did it and I think most there would say it was a good call and wouldn’t want to go back. Edit: I just saw GCB’s post above mine and I thought I’d amend to say that the forum I was referencing does tend to nuke political stuff whenever it’s posted even if it’s not that overtly political. That forum is so big I think it’s probably the only way to do it, but it doesn’t seem necessary here imo.
No, it takes no effort to not click on the link if you don't want to deal with it. I think clamping down on political discourse outside the forum should be considered though.
No amount of meaningful discussion is worth it. We are all fine folks and don't need to muddy relationships with resentment and hurt feelings.
I thought we were all adults here. we’re just on here shooting the shit. Someone seeing some thing different or holding different views than me doesn’t physically upset me or make me dislike them. if I don’t like the topic or care about it, I just don’t open the thread
I tend to agree with 53's point of view. If you kill it, you may spend more time policing political bleed-over in other threads. At least the lunacy is contained, for the most part.
Change the name to the parlor for conversations that are too heady for the pub. And scale back the political bent.
I honestly can't believe this hasn't happened yet. If @ole_orange can get banned for what he did in that other thread, surely I have deserved banishment at some point or another.
Do we have a link to the rules that led to the ban or are they like the unwritten rules of baseball? It'd be nice to have as a point of reference so people aren't getting PJ'd and VG'd out of the blue.
