flippant comments in serious forums

[alasdairm]

is it really too much to ask people to not post flippant comments in the serious forums? it seems it is...

 

there are countless other forums which people can use if they want to have a laugh or work on their career as a clown - what do you gain by posting funny (or more than often not that funny...) crap when people are discussing serious issues?

 

it devalues your contribution notably and it trivialises what are, for some people, important discussions.

 

think before posting?

 

alasdair (not the killjoy you all think i am)

[fintbeast]

Aye, well said, my friend!

 

It's enough of a shag having to moderate the abuse...let alone the 'comedy'. As explained in the Serious Issues forum guidelines, FAO and Random Bollox are plenty big enough for people to work on their sense of humour.

[jon_m]

The flipside to the argument is that the serious issues forums are in fact a joke!! I mean if you want serious advice why the [censored] would you ask for it on an internet chat room!!

[Don]

If you want to joke, use the other forums. The serious forum is just for that only please!

Maybe people who use those forums want to know the consensus and thoughts of their peers. What they don't need is someone poking fun at them when they've approached us with a cry for help.

[jon_m]

but the serious forums give us so much more opportunity for comedy!

[James]

Firmly agree with Alasdair, Don & Fin on this issue.

 

Why shouldn't people approach us / an internet chat room (which this isnt, its a forum) for sound advice ? There are a lot of intelligent people on here who really can listen / help others.

[Don]

jon_m said:

but the serious forums give us so much more opportunity for comedy!

 

Possibly at the cost of more than a cheap laugh? Not worth it in my book. I know I have a warped sense of humour, but nothing could be worse than someone asking for help, and someone else laughing at them.

[rachel]

I do agree that flippant remakes are not necessary in the serious issues form, but i also think some remakes maybe made in jest which can help the situation & should be left. It may lighten an issue and help the person see that their problem is not unmanagable or unique. If the comment fits in to the flow of the discussion then should perhaps be left.

 

Also if a flippant remake is made & it is answered or met with the response of other people discussing the comment it should perhaps be left, if it contributes to the serious issue being discussed.

[jon_m]

Well this post should be directed at creamy c!! hes terrible for it!! i think theres better places to go than a forum on the net!! theres nothin advised on here that people cant get from those closest to them and drug related facts can be got from the net which is were most people who reply get their facts from, therefore its pointless them being on here and is the reason people take the piss!

[James]

I must agree that Kev should set more of an example as he's one of the main Mods!

[Don]

One of the things we want to do in the serious forums is point people in the right direction for things. Such as helpline websites, information websites, and mingers.com for Creamy!

 

Rachel is right in some respects - a light-hearted comment can work wonders. But flippant remarks will not help 90% of the time. For example the post from the anon girl saying she felt awful for having one night stands. One member was going 'Whats your number love '. That is not helpful, and therefore was edited out. Possibly funny outside the site, and in the pub with your mates, but not on this sort of forum.

[rachel]

I have to disagree with you Don on that comment. Although i agree it was unnecessary, it was met with the response of some body saying that this is the kind of attitude that is discouraged. So in a way the forum uses were moderating it themselves and using the comment to argue their case.

 

Does that make sense?

 

[jon_m]

that anon post was sumeone taking the piss anyway!! Fucks sake!!

[Don]

We can't take the chance that the anon post was a piss take or not, and if we follow the same vein of thought, then the lady who posted it really doesn't need to see such comments, even though it was 'slapped down' by someone else. I can see where you are going on that one Rachel though!

Because Fin and myself (along with the others) are keeping a closer eye on the forums, and enforcing these new guidelines, there are going to be teething problems until people get used to it. Common sense should run through-out the serious issues boards though. From posters and mods!

[Lisa]

what like the one that has just been removed!!!!

 

That may well have been serious, how can you tell apart from looking at IP address'...

 

I hope that the anon if it was serious got a chance to take all the advise that was given!!!