10-29-2017, 08:10 AM
I have no skin in the present feud, but I would note that from what I've seen, the disagreements have not risen beyond the "attack ideas, not people" rule for the Board. Having a "problem" with a comment may not be the most courteous way to phrase it, but it's different from saying, "My problem with you is..."
As for...
Well, 1) this is a forum for Stanford fans, which is largely Stanford alums, and of course we're partisans. That's kind of the point of this board. If I want straight down the line commentary from a neutral third party, there's plenty of other places to go. I come here because it's a group of largely thoughtful and righteously supportive fans of the Cardinal.
Which leads to: 2) If folks want to trash Shaw repeatedly, no one's going to stop them, but we don't have to like it, and I think it's perfectly reasonable to push back and disagree. I can only speak for myself, but on the rare occasion I down vote a poster, it's not because they think Shaw needs to hire a dedicated OC and I'm offended beyond all words. It's because the poster is being antagonistic in a way that I think brings the tenor of the conversation down. I am skeptical whether or not the reputation score is an overall net good for the site, but I do think it functions, perhaps, to modulate behavior. I notice when I'm voted up and down, and of course that makes me think about how I could post more of what gets me voted up, and less of what gets me voted down. If that means we are gravitate towards a "prim and proper notion of what acting like a Stanford person is," then I guess, so be it. That could also be rephrased as "a mode and tenor of conversation that enables people who often disagree with each other to do so happily, thoughtfully, and civilly." I happen to like this community very much, and find invaluable the views of many of its contributors. Posters here are largely smart, thoughtful, eloquent, and reasoned beyond measure as compared to 99% of the troll farm that is the internet these days. Is it for everyone? No. But it seems to be working pretty well and it beats the heck out of every other fan board I've ever visited.
As for...
(10-29-2017, 07:51 AM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:[P]eople on this board are so freaking judgmental, and so holier than thou, and so self-righteous, that anyone who says something in a way that doesn't conform to some prim and proper notion of what acting like a Stanford person is, will be marginalized and attacked. There is no room for respectful opinions if they in any way take away from or call into question anything Stanford does.
Well, 1) this is a forum for Stanford fans, which is largely Stanford alums, and of course we're partisans. That's kind of the point of this board. If I want straight down the line commentary from a neutral third party, there's plenty of other places to go. I come here because it's a group of largely thoughtful and righteously supportive fans of the Cardinal.
Which leads to: 2) If folks want to trash Shaw repeatedly, no one's going to stop them, but we don't have to like it, and I think it's perfectly reasonable to push back and disagree. I can only speak for myself, but on the rare occasion I down vote a poster, it's not because they think Shaw needs to hire a dedicated OC and I'm offended beyond all words. It's because the poster is being antagonistic in a way that I think brings the tenor of the conversation down. I am skeptical whether or not the reputation score is an overall net good for the site, but I do think it functions, perhaps, to modulate behavior. I notice when I'm voted up and down, and of course that makes me think about how I could post more of what gets me voted up, and less of what gets me voted down. If that means we are gravitate towards a "prim and proper notion of what acting like a Stanford person is," then I guess, so be it. That could also be rephrased as "a mode and tenor of conversation that enables people who often disagree with each other to do so happily, thoughtfully, and civilly." I happen to like this community very much, and find invaluable the views of many of its contributors. Posters here are largely smart, thoughtful, eloquent, and reasoned beyond measure as compared to 99% of the troll farm that is the internet these days. Is it for everyone? No. But it seems to be working pretty well and it beats the heck out of every other fan board I've ever visited.