George Floyd...

[jaxadam]

A reinforcement of the echo chamber along with a culling of the dissenters?

Yep, probably. Forums 100% always tend to go that way.

That’s why these threads now only have the same three or four actors constantly participating. I’ve gotten PM’s from plenty of members that have told me they just don’t bother anymore, because they just get dogpiled and banned from other members who have free reign to hurl insults.

 

[narad]

I was banned in this very thread for having the opinion that no one agreed with, which ironically was just proven in court. I’ve never insulted any members.

So why don’t you speak to why @StevenC can insult people and tell them to fuck off and get a pass, yet my opinion that was just supported by the ruling gets me banned?

Well you have to take that up with the mods but I'm personally very skeptical that that was the reason. I don't even know what opinion you might have had that could have just been "proven in court", apart from there being a jury that would find him innocent. That's pretty much the only thing that has changed.

As for why Steven gets a pass, as pointed out just a few posts above, if it's not reported, it doesn't get handled. Given the amount of batshit opinions I've heard on here over the years, it just doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's the luck of the Irish.

 

[Randy]

Ask adieu how many times he was banned. The OP of this thread is banned and has been several times.

 

[ArtDecade]

Steven is up in Ulster. That's just how people talk there.

 

[narad]

Steven is up in Ulster. That's just how people talk there.

 

[Randy]

Well you have to take that up with the mods but I'm personally very skeptical that that was the reason. I don't even know what opinion you might have had that could have just been "proven in court", apart from there being a jury that would find him innocent. That's pretty much the only thing that has changed.

As for why Steven gets a pass, as pointed out just a few posts above, if it's not reported, it doesn't get handled. Given the amount of batshit opinions I've heard on here over the years, it just doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's the luck of the Irish.

We don't have time to read every post in every thread.

I can't speak for the other guys but I went from 7 days a week, 8-hours a day working infront of a computer to doing mostly field work and occasionally checking into the office for updates. I had a lot more time to go through threads, which was also a lot more helpful/useful when we had more mod powers.

So as it stands, I only answer stuff that gets reported. Occasionally I'll have time to actually read a thread and even that is limited to either the latest page or maybe go back one page if I'm looking for context but even that is rare.

If there's a tit-for-tat, it's rare I'll actually get a chance to dig far enough back to figure out who started it, plus I'm primarily of the opinion if both sides are being equally unreasonable, let them duke it out unless it gets to "that point". And again, that's in the context of how rare it is I can really read any of this in context. Or it HAS to be reported so one of us can be directed there.

FWIW, there's a lot of reports (yes, even by liberal SSO members) that get ignored by either us or bossman. Say half the time or more. And of that remaining portion, about 3/4 of those I delete the offending posts and tell both sides to knock it off and leave it at that. Implying all offenses result in a ban and all those offenders are conservative posters is false. Disproportionately? Sure, but we can agree to disagree on why that is.

 

[profwoot]

Standard fascist playbook is to ALWAYS play the victim. Everything is projection. Victimizing others? Pretend to be the victim. Being a deplorable racist? Accuse others of racism. Constantly trying to censor your opponents? Accuse them of censorship. Glued 24/7 to a cable news propaganda channel? Accuse all other cable news channels of being propaganda and assume your opponents are similarly glued to them. And on and on.

 

[jaxadam]

Well you have to take that up with the mods but I'm personally very skeptical that that was the reason. I don't even know what opinion you might have had that could have just been "proven in court", apart from there being a jury that would find him innocent. That's pretty much the only thing that has changed.

As for why Steven gets a pass, as pointed out just a few posts above, if it's not reported, it doesn't get handled. Given the amount of batshit opinions I've heard on here over the years, it just doesn't make any sense. Maybe it's the luck of the Irish.

I don’t feel the need to report, even if they insult me. They can make their own bed, and like I said other people, even though they may not actively participate, see it. I actually prefer them to keep talking, because I value differing opinions, but who am I kidding here.

 

[StevenC]

That’s why these threads now only have the same three or four actors constantly participating. I’ve gotten PM’s from plenty of members that have told me they just don’t bother anymore, because they just get dogpiled and banned from other members who have free reign to hurl insults.

As opposed to the members that just post in these threads to derail them?

 

[Randy]

Not really sure where this discussion is going, let's agree to never ban anybody?

 

[narad]

I don’t feel the need to report, even if they insult me. They can make their own bed, and like I said other people, even though they may not actively participate, see it. I actually prefer them to keep talking, because I value differing opinions, but who am I kidding here.

You can't say you don't feel the need to report people, and then ask why those people aren't banned. Reporting posts is a necessary action to initiate the review that might result in a ban.

 

[Drew]

I don’t feel the need to report, even if they insult me. They can make their own bed, and like I said other people, even though they may not actively participate, see it. I actually prefer them to keep talking, because I value differing opinions, but who am I kidding here.

As a former mod, I try to keep that mental filter in place. I basically only report things that, as a mod, I would have considered warning or suspending someone over, and for me that threshold, especially in a conversation I'm a part of, is pretty high. Disagreeing, even violently and at times with hostility, is one thing - straight up insulting people without even pretending to be trying to have a conversation, or - in this forum, with its various warnings about behavior in the sub-header - protracted trolling with, again, no attempt to even have a discussion, is something that I'll occasionally report a post for. The ironic thing is, I'm far less likely to do this when I've been an active part of the conversation - you sleep in the bed you make, I guess - and even then I've probably reported like three posts all year. I know modding here is a thankless job, so I try not to make it worse.

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

Standard fascist playbook is to ALWAYS play the victim. Everything is projection. Victimizing others? Pretend to be the victim. Being a deplorable racist? Accuse others of racism. Constantly trying to censor your opponents? Accuse them of censorship. Glued 24/7 to a cable news propaganda channel? Accuse all other cable news channels of being propaganda and assume your opponents are similarly glued to them. And on and on.

This comment is an example of projection.

Man, look, both the conservatives/right and liberals/left engage in every single one of these behaviors to a verifiable, well-documented degree. This isn't a "fascist" thing. This is a "nation of spoiled children" thing, which sums up the USA's populace pretty darn accurately.

The people who have been conditioned by the media to scream "THIS IS FASCISM!!!" at absolutely everything and anything that they personally, subjectively disagree with are an immense root of the problem. That is cold, hard fact that needs to be acknowledged. People who engage in that conditioned behavioral response don't actually understand what fascism truly is. Maybe you need to actually go visit a fascist country, or heck, just Google up legitimate historical examples of fascism and how they played out. Read a book. (I know, I know, asking someone to read nowadays is an utter travesty...) Does the USA have problems? Oh, absolutely. Crooked as every other nation. But don't let your personal bias blind you to the real problem as you engage in your conditioned behavioral response.

 

[StevenC]

This comment is an example of projection.

Man, look, both the conservatives/right and liberals/left engage in every single one of these behaviors to a verifiable, well-documented degree. This isn't a "fascist" thing. This is a "nation of spoiled children" thing, which sums up the USA's populace pretty darn accurately.

The people who have been conditioned by the media to scream "THIS IS FASCISM!!!" at absolutely everything and anything that they personally, subjectively disagree with are an immense root of the problem. That is cold, hard fact that needs to be acknowledged. People who engage in that conditioned behavioral response don't actually understand what fascism truly is. Maybe you need to actually go visit a fascist country, or heck, just Google up legitimate historical examples of fascism and how they played out. Read a book. (I know, I know, asking someone to read nowadays is an utter travesty...) Does the USA have problems? Oh, absolutely. Crooked as every other nation. But don't let your personal bias blind you to the real problem as you engage in your conditioned behavioral response.

Except, and this is important, more people watch Fox than CNN and MSNBC combined despite there being fewer conservative voting folks in the USA.

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

Except, and this is important, more people watch Fox than CNN and MSNBC combined despite there being fewer conservative voting folks in the USA.

 

[Xaios]

A thing.

https://deadline.com/2021/11/fox-news-the-five-ratings-october-1234866535/

"In primetime, Fox News was on top with an average of 2.3 million total viewers, a drop of 53% from October 2020. MSNBC averaged 1.2 million, off by 56%, and CNN posted 661,000, down by 73%."

They mention viewership being significantly down from 2020 because of the election cycle last year. Regardless, Fox News had 2.3 million average viewers in October 2021 compared to MSNBC and CNN's combined total of 1.86 million.

 

[nightflameauto]

This comment is an example of projection.

Man, look, both the conservatives/right and liberals/left engage in every single one of these behaviors to a verifiable, well-documented degree. This isn't a "fascist" thing. This is a "nation of spoiled children" thing, which sums up the USA's populace pretty darn accurately.

The people who have been conditioned by the media to scream "THIS IS FASCISM!!!" at absolutely everything and anything that they personally, subjectively disagree with are an immense root of the problem. That is cold, hard fact that needs to be acknowledged. People who engage in that conditioned behavioral response don't actually understand what fascism truly is. Maybe you need to actually go visit a fascist country, or heck, just Google up legitimate historical examples of fascism and how they played out. Read a book. (I know, I know, asking someone to read nowadays is an utter travesty...) Does the USA have problems? Oh, absolutely. Crooked as every other nation. But don't let your personal bias blind you to the real problem as you engage in your conditioned behavioral response.

Back in the eighties us dumbass kids always called the disagreeable types commies too. Some of us grew out of that, some of us got new bugaboo names to call people.

 

[mmr007]

That is not projection...that is fact. It is the fascist playbook. Unless I am misunderstanding the arguments presented here it seems we are back arguing "what aboutisms?" and it is a false equivalency. MSNBC riles up its liberal viewers and Fox riles up its conservative viewers but it's not even close to being the same. Neonazi's say that jews are a threat to our society. The ADL says neonazis are a threat to our society. Are they both equally guilty of raising the temperature through rhetoric? No. One is full of shit and one is presenting facts even though technically they are performing the same act.

MSNBC reports that no US president has been as deferential to a Russian leader as Trump was.....it's a fact. If you are a Trump supporter you may not like hearing it or agree but it is a fact.

Fox News reports that no self respecting US president would wear a tan suit like Obama did....purposely ignoring that their patron saint Reagan often did. Fox lies to generate agitation. MSNBC agitates to generate awareness.

 

[Emperor Guillotine]

https://deadline.com/2021/11/fox-news-the-five-ratings-october-1234866535/

"In primetime, Fox News was on top with an average of 2.3 million total viewers, a drop of 53% from October 2020. MSNBC averaged 1.2 million, off by 56%, and CNN posted 661,000, down by 73%."

They mention viewership being significantly down from 2020 because of the election cycle last year. Regardless, Fox News had 2.3 million average viewers in October 2021 compared to MSNBC and CNN's combined total of 1.86 million.

Thank you for actually providing some citation here, @Xaios.

Back in the eighties us dumbass kids always called the disagreeable types commies too. Some of us grew out of that, some of us got new bugaboo names to call people.

So, pretty much, you've got the Commies calling other people Commies because extremist-fueled propaganda has everyone convinced that any dissenter who disagrees with them is a Commie with the propaganda serving to further polarize the populace and weaken the populace's ability to unite together.

So, either we are all Commies, or none of us are Commies?

But now in 2021, the insults/terminology has changed. But other than that, the tactic is the same.

 

[mbardu]

That is not projection...that is fact. It is the fascist playbook. Unless I am misunderstanding the arguments presented here it seems we are back arguing "what aboutisms?" and it is a false equivalency. MSNBC riles up its liberal viewers and Fox riles up its conservative viewers but it's not even close to being the same. Neonazi's say that jews are a threat to our society. The ADL says neonazis are a threat to our society. Are they both equally guilty of raising the temperature through rhetoric? No. One is full of shit and one is presenting facts even though technically they are performing the same act.

MSNBC reports that no US president has been as deferential to a Russian leader as Trump was.....it's a fact. If you are a Trump supporter you may not like hearing it or agree but it is a fact.

Fox News reports that no self respecting US president would wear a tan suit like Obama did....purposely ignoring that their patron saint Reagan often did. Fox lies to generate agitation. MSNBC agitates to generate awareness.

I'm more left than most people here, but I wouldn't defend MSNBC and interpret the different outcomes we see as a difference of intent or modus operandi from them.
Fox and MSNBC are both trying to get views and $$$ by riling up their audience.
MSNBC is not a selfless beacon bringing us awareness.

It may appear that the topics FOX cover are dumb and that the people they defend are indefensible, and that they are time and time again hypocrites...but that's just the hand they're dealt... The right side just has a higher number of terrible leaders and more baggage, so they are harder to defend. It's not FOX's fault .

But MSNBC is just as sensationalist and hypocritical as FOX. (Justified) reporting on Trump's mental and physical health at every opportunity, sure... but when Biden is visibly unwell...crickets. Criticism of the right's lifestyle and their elected officials' links to business all day long everyday...but the Pelosi/Newsom family cozying up to billionaires is never reported on somehow.
Just like Obama's tan suit, MSNBC also enjoyed reporting on inconsequential stuff like Trump's diet coke and Hamburger habits. Same practices.

FOX is not the one saying that Jews are a threat to society btw so I fail to see how that's relevant. There are extreme people on the left too who say stuff like "all white people are irredeemable racists" or "we should murder all billionaires" or "we should chemically stop puberty for all kids to make things fair"....and you're not making MSNBC accountable for them.

Now, don't get me wrong...I truly believe the right should be criticized more. But the "left" (if you can even call it that in the US) is still very far from good, and the MSNBC that's defending them is still a pretty big pile of shit regardless