Where's the Glasgow teenager thread gone and why?

[gilmore]

Personally, I would rather see more moderation in moderators than less. I don't mind if threads get heated. I am all grown up and can decide for myself whether I want to continue following a thread that has evolved onward to another topic, as are the usual courses of conversations in real life, or has generated expressions of definite opinion, or whatever. But I would prefer to be able to make that decision myself rather than to have it made for my by some one looking out for my best interests, as they see them.

We all have different things that push our buttons. I have read posts on here that I have found deeply offensive, but which did not seem to have raised a collective cyber eyebrow. On the other hand I have seen what I think of as quite innocuous posts by myself and others deleted and no reason given.

Nor do I mind reading about the same or similar ideas in different threads in different fora, and see no need to consolidate them. One of the interesting things about conversation is that it can go anywhere, some appealing to me and some not. If you were hosting a party and a common topic of conversation about some current event was cropping up here and there among the guests, would you insist that they all stop having separate conversations and focus on one, and that in a room far from the one you had come in on? I think not.

For me it matters little whether I agree with a post, or whether the poster is angry or sad or elated or dispondent or whatever, as much as whether I find the post interesting and/or informative. To me Nanook's are that, the latter. Threads about what silly, giggling, teenaged girls had to say upon seeing a kilted man at the mall for the first time are not. I find them quite uninteresting, I do not read them, and if it was up to me I would delete every one of them. But that's just me. Others have different tastes. And that's what it boils down to: personal taste and opinion. And the more tastes and opinions that are made to feel welcome, the richer the experience of coming here will be.

I have not looked, but there must be some way to killfile posters whom one has developed such antipathy toward that one cannot read without becoming apoplectic. If that ever happens to me, I would much rather decide for myself not to read that person's posts than to have that decision made for me.

I remember the days of Usenet quite well, and their flame wars, etc. On the other hand I have had experiences with boards that were micromanaged and heavily moderated. People stop posting on them, and they become less and less interesting, with the same fewer and fewer people saying the same sorts of tired, worn out, boring yet approved things over and over again. Fewer people seem to read them as well. They just sort of shrivel up and die.

Of course there is a middle way between these two extremes, and the point I am trying to make (and I do have one) is that in both real life and online it is far easier to stifle and stop a conversation than it is to encourage a lively and informative one.

[Abax]

I enjoy the good nature, good humor and the great information that many people leave on this site. This is the only site I visit that makes me laugh on a regular basis . . . and every now and then, I really appreciate that

I don't dislike moderation, I dislike the need for it. I too hate to see posts deleted (although it sounds like the post in contention will return in some form). Sometimes I wish the rotten posts were left up so all could see how badly someone had behaved . . . it would be easier to give their future posts proper credit. But I've been to sites like that, and after a while, it wears on me and I stop participating in a forum that is more irritating and less fun.

Being a moderator is no doubt a difficult job. The standard for *their* behavior when they participate is higher, and that limits what they can say as well as their range of expression. From what I've seen over the last several months, the moderators here seem to be pretty relaxed. They're passionate about some topics, but that is a reflection of their humanity: They're not automatons.

Thanks for doing a thankless job that most everyone will tell you you're doing wrong. I like visiting this site, no doubt because of your work.

Abax

[macwilkin]

Where has the Glasgow teenager thread gone and why was it removed?? was it removed because a female Glasgow teanager expressed her view regarding Americans wearing the kilt?? and has some-one taken exception to her views? I saw nothing remotely abusive or derogatory in the thread, Why are moderators here so quick to stifle healthy debate by pressing a delete button:confused: I hate heavy handed moderating especially when there is no solid reasoning behind it , it puts me off returning to a number of sites and just out of curiosty how many mod's are native born Scots or whats the percentage??, and is the heavy moderating a cultural thing??

A slightly older Glaswegian than the female teenager

Tom:rolleyes:

Tom,

The thread was temporarily removed because a number of members were concerned that it had gone "off-topic". The thread is being reviewed by the Moderators because those members expressed their concerns, and that is something we cannot ignore. Once we make our decision, we will either restore the thread or lock it down and send to the penalty box.

Rest assured it was just not arbitrarily deleted; In fact, the thread was actually allowed to stay up for quite a while and was not deleted when the thread began to turn "personal".

I hope you can understand and respect our decision.

Regards,

Todd

[Erisianmonkey]

I'd like to weigh in here. I think the mods do a great job here. They give us a lot of breathing room and only step in with the moderation when absolutely necessary. Long before I joined this forum, I used to dwell in the anarchic forest of posts that is Usenet. Threads there would stray far off topic and degenerate into flame wars. Here, we have a dedicated group of mods who take the time out of their schedules to make this a pleasant place to be. Whatever they decide to do with that thread or any other, I'd like to give them a vote of thanks for making this my favorite internet community to participate in.

[Tattoo Bradley]

Wow. I'm glad I ignored the original thread after one view. It's a pity when things go so wrong and get taken so personally. Oh well. Happy holidays fellow kilties (Scots or NO!)

[Woodsheal]

Gents, I apologize for contributing to the yanking of the thread. Nothing is more stimulating for me than a lively historic debate, and I really don't think it degenerated to the level of a "flame war." However, it would better have been taken to a seperate thread.

Sorry again ... and Merry Christmas!

[Beertigger]

Umm, what Gilmore said.

Thanks for typing all that so I don't have to. The band-aid on my pinky is making the circumnavigation of the keyboard kinda difficult....


Happy Christmas, all.

[Foxgun Tom]

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[Colin]

What I find weird is a site with the emphasis on wearing the kilt and and an undoubted love for Scotland and all things Scottish!! Has no Scottish/Scot's moderator's only American/Scot's it then follow's logically that post's are deleted/locked from an American Scot's perspective and although I've already stated and agreed wer'e all Scot's!! there are subtle cultural differences between us and our Scottish cousins across the pond":rolleyes:


Tom

Just a point of clarity there Tom, while the majority of the moderator team are American, I myself am Canadian, and Freelander is English born and now living in Norway. David certainly provides a European outlook and I am more than happy to add a Canadian perspective. The moderator team is quite diverse in our ideas and thoughts, but we do make sure to discuss any issues that come up as a team.

[Foxgun Tom]

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