LiquidOxygen80: I do wish people would stop banking on rep so much, though. It's an arbitrary number, ffs. That's all.

LiquidOxygen80: ...good point. You'd figure internet anonymity would drop some peoples' inhibitions a little, but eh. There's always a trade off.

I do wish people would stop banking on rep so much, though. It's an arbitrary number, ffs. That's all. Don't be a douchebag and you're probably gonna be okay in this community. :D

Gonchi: I disagree with you, I also found the way you communicated your stance on the matter at hand boorish, inflammatory and downright mean, thus I have negged you. Have a nice day.

Gonchi: I disagree with you, I also found the way you communicated your stance on the matter at hand boorish, inflammatory and downright mean, thus I have negged you. Have a nice day.

Krypsyn: This has been stated by others in other ways, but this is the last one I read so I'll reply to it. I totally agree with the sentiment here. Down-repping just because someone dislikes an opinion should be frowned upon. If the tone or purpose (e.g. spam or flame-bait) of a post is offensive to the person in some manner, then I believe down-repping is called for and should be encouraged.

For me, I expect people to believe different things and think in different ways that other people. I expect a fair amount of disagreement on forums. This goes double for an international forum such as this; simple turns of phrase and idioms can even be taken the wrong way if care is not taken. Let's not even get started on folks possibly misinterpreting sarcasm and/or dry humor. I think due care should be taken to avoid such misunderstandings.

Which brings me to my next quote, and next point:

Krypsyn: I totally disagree with this sentiment. I think it is totally possible to argue the opposite side of a point without offending someone else. Just because someone disagrees with someone else, it doesn't automatically follow that they have to dislike that person or go after them personally. The biggest mistake I see on forums is to go after the person rather than the argument. This is when threads usually start to get heated.

There can be civil disagreements, and I think a reputation, when used properly, greatly aids this by subtly letting folks know when they have stepped out of line or have made a good point.

LiquidOxygen80: Only problem with removing that would mean that people would then BE forced to call spineless shit eating vermin, spineless shit eating vermin, thus making the forums even less friendly. xD

Navagon: At least you had the guts to say so. I can respect that.

Although I have to ask who you think I'm being mean to. After all my words could only apply to people who see those words as applying to them. And who'd want that? Surely it's only natural to avoid having such a description apply to you, even if it means altering your behaviour to ensure that it doesn't. You see where I'm going with this?

schmea: langurmonkey: My point is, sometimes you have to offend people to say what you want to say, properly.

Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi, the Freedom Riders... all of these people have shown that it's NOT necessary to act offensively when standing up for ideas that are outside of the norm. I've always held that if I feel strongly about something then I want to state my beliefs in a way that forces the person to engage me on my ideas, and not about the way I said it.

tinyE: "Everywhere you go people are dying to be offended." - Lemmy Kilmister

True storey: I once offended a coworker of mine by mentioning dinasaurs. BY MENTIOING THEM!!! I was talking about Jurassic Park or something and she freaked out going into some screwed up tyrade about how people like me, who would dare even consider the world was older than 6000 years old, were the crux of everything that was wrong with the world. When I tried to calm her down by saying I didn't mean to upset her, she responded, 'Of course you meant to upset me! If you didn't you wouldn't have starting talking about that garbage!' That garbage: evolution and the fossil record. THAT garbage. My point being there are ways to be delicate with any situation but sometimes tact just doesn't work. Right now someone is out there right now waiting for someone to say that the sky is blue just so that they can be offended by it.

Gonchi: Not really. Regardless, I don't believe guts factors into someone opting for using the +/- system as opposed to starting a multipost discussion for every conflicting opinion they come across.

Navagon: If you don't want to voice an opinion then simply don't. Why is that so difficult? Do you think you're the Righter of Wrongs? That the internet will turn into a dark and nasty place without you having an opinion about everything?

Abusing the rep system is just that, nothing more.

Gonchi: Not really. Regardless, I don't believe guts factors into someone opting for using the +/- system as opposed to starting a multipost discussion for every conflicting opinion they come across.

Gonchi: Assuming it's an abuse of the rep system to begin with, which I'm not particularly convinced it is. The forum feedback hardly clarifies one way or the other.

Have you ever noticed the blue ones making an appearance in one of these threads? I haven't.

schmea: Those people you listed, did offend people. What made these people special, is that they were non violent but they did offend people.
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The people they offended were offended by their message though, rather than the way they said it. By remaining articulate, well spoken, and avoiding resorting to insults they forced their opponents to fight them on the ideas themselves, rather than allowing them to redirect the argument to the way in which they said it.

What I'm saying is that everyone has a right to state their opinion, and I'll always stand behind them for it. In fact, I have a problem with anyone who thinks others shouldn't be allowed to state an opinion because it differs from the norm. But at the same time if you go in guns-a-blazing, then you can be sure that no one is listening to what you're actually saying anymore, and the entire focus is now on how you're saying it.

Oh, this isn't directed at anyone at all, I just found it an interesting discussion is all.

Gonchi: Assuming it's an abuse of the rep system to begin with, which I'm not particularly convinced it is. The forum feedback hardly clarifies one way or the other.

Have you ever noticed the blue ones making an appearance in one of these threads? I haven't.