Posts by Maria Barnes

Richard Ramirez87 said:Let people vent during a fight. The only stupid, useless part is this voting for the "best duelist" thing (someone brought it up). Of course everyone is going to vote for their own side, no matter how much they're losing the argument.

The numbers in the poll don't mean squat; it's about the usernames. It doesn't matter if one clan is bigger—what matters is who has the heavier hitters. Not all usernames carry the same weight. 😉

Listen up, everyone. Stick to the topic and get creative. First, we need to build a space where you can argue to your heart's content. 🙂

For instance, if a fight breaks out in a thread, it could be pulled aside and handled under formal duel rules—or it might just end up in the trash per general Reddit rules, possibly with some bans applied.

Sure, if you think this idea actually has legs, I expect a full breakdown.

The idea is simple: take what we usually call "bad behavior" on Reddit and turn it into an authorized verbal duel with its own set of rules. Too often, someone starts a fight, but the other person refuses to bite because they know it breaks the rules, leaving them to just sit there and take the mental hit.

Just like street brawls evolved into the "noble art" of boxing, or how insults to one's dignity used to be settled through formal duels.

Reddit is built on dialogue, so having duels is actually logical and natural. But in our obsession with being politically correct and civilized, we’ve basically banned the discipline of arguing—we've stifled intense debate. Yesterday proved that once you loosen the reins, there's plenty of reason for both duels and duelists.

We aren't opening the floodgates for mindless fighting; we're creating a separate space for free, heated debate governed by clearly defined rules.

I see some incredible debating talent on this platform. 🙂 It’s stupid to hand out warnings and bans to people who are clearly gifted debaters when they could be stars. 🙂

Rachel Richardson said:Here it is.
How would you even punish this?🍿

Yeah, that’s the dilemma. Do you punish them, or just hit back just as hard?

One way to handle this is just to declare it "What kind of controversy is this?(The Duelists)—those kinds of things used to make the front page back in the day. She deserves a different set of rules entirely. If you want some inspiration, just look at the wreckage left behind by that famous public feud between George Saunders and John Updike back in 2006.

Here’s how Saunders writes about Updike in the New York Times Quote. New York Times 😁

Updike claims he recognized himself as a "clunky, sweaty mass" among the "liberal American intellectuals" in my piece. If I were actually forced to say anything about Updike, I wouldn't recognize a liberal in him even if I were tripping on hallucinogens. Updike is just a pathetic fascist. And calling him an intellectual? Please. He’s a career parasite. I would never use metaphors like "clunky, sweaty mass" to describe his spiritual or moral character—that would be an exaggeration, or at least an awkward way to describe someone's physical appearance, which I wouldn't do even if Updike were perfect in every other way. If I actually wanted to say something about him, and felt like using a metaphor, I’d just call him a massive idiot. In any conversation about Updike, that part of him carries more weight than his head.

This is something out of Updike, too. New York Times

The fundamental issue—the fact that Chicago can never be Boston, nor even remotely resemble it—points toward a possible way to read why Saunders constantly brings up Houellebecq's mother. It’s clearly just his own projection. To Saunders, the liberal American intellectuals are all to blame because he failed to find a maternal figure in a city where one simply doesn't exist. No wonder he always feels like an outsider there.

Should we allow these kinds of duels here or not? If we do, then the rules have to change. No bans, and no more thirsty comments from sidekicks... 😉 Ridley Scott’s *The Duelists* is actually a brilliant, inspiring piece of cinema in that regard. The Duelists. 🙂

Look, you can obviously refuse a duel. Any further provocation would just be asking for sanctions. I'm just sketching out how this works. 🙂

Penis and Sperm - nature's bounty.

Now I'm seeing Nothin' signature flashing everywhere! That's gotta be the party.

I think I might have to change the party name. To... Boobs and Butts...? While the opportunity is still there. Man, imagine the posters. 🙂

Linda King said:It’s a long way off...😁

Actually, no. Look at Grace Edwards92 over there, writing all these pretty little posts, asking to have her partial credit removed from the GPA and... boom, it's gone.

stormytiger4, what kind of speaker are you talking about now?

On behalf of my good-intentioned party, I’m telling you this: Stop being idiots and start acting politically!

Every once in a while, you need to check the topic title and ask yourself if that "must-reply" response to the last guy actually fits the subject.

A little self-censorship on off-topic threads is actually a good thing.

briskjackal5 said:Personally, I think a little bit of "self-censorship" is totally normal whenever you're socializing.
Some of our impulses just don't really fit with how society works, and the reactions from people (or certain groups) show us that. So, we adapt.

That in itself isn't really "good" or "bad" until you look at the specific situation.
Generally speaking, it's often just a normal, even desirable, process.

I don't think that should apply to holding back your ideas from others, though. But honestly, I don't think anyone should be getting worked up over someone thinking an Audi is better than a Passat or an Octavia, or that Hajduk is better than Dinamo, or that Kant is overrated. And I don't think self-censorship is even that common in those cases.
If it is happening somewhere, maybe the mods are tripping? I haven't noticed anything like that myself. Even the anti-vaxxers have been sharing their "opinions" for years. 😁

On the flip side, though, it's super hard to just push political stuff aside.

Lately, you've had situations where people write stuff starting with "the fact is," and they state things that are flat-out wrong or just badly interpreted, and that gets allowed to slide. Meanwhile, having a cultured, rational conversation to correct them actually gets penalized. Discussions about material stuff—things where you can actually reach a consensus—get shut down and punished.
It seems to me that acting like that is exactly how you drift into extremism; that *is* the extreme. It moves away from constructive, sensible talk and just scatters the "normal crew."

Sure, that can technically "work" that way, but I really don't think it's a great foundation or a good direction to go in.

-Steve

Can you give me some actual examples? There’s no need to name specific moderators right now. We’re talking about moderation principles and how they're applied in practice.

stormylynx4 said:I don't have an issue with self-censorship; I don't feel the need to dump my daily dose of bile onto Reddit just to force myself to filter it. But since you asked, it's the moderators suppressing free speech, not self-censorship.
If my post gets deleted and they can't even take two seconds to send a quick message—something they could easily pre-write and send whenever needed—then it's pretty obvious this site doesn't value me as a user. It makes me wonder why I should bother posting high-quality content or recipes in the food section to drive your traffic. Those recipes are easy to Google anyway, and maybe someone sees them and decides to sign up and join the conversation, but why do all that if I don't even get a shred of respect as a user?

I love forums; I'm a member of quite a few that are mostly topic-specific. I've never had issues with moderators on any of those sites—they're practically invisible. On Reddit, however, moderation is viewed differently, and the mods often push their will aggressively. And it isn't just about the official policy, though that's what people complain about most.

Can you expand on that comparison between how things are moderated here versus elsewhere?

What do you think about moving this straight to the top of Reddit?

Or should we just stay here and split the power in secret? 😁

bluecyclist64 said:Listen, something crazy happened at my local pub yesterday. There were only three of us sitting there when the waitress drops three Nirvana tracks into the Jukebox, cranks the volume to eleven, and tells us she actually listened to this stuff back when she was still sane. Then, right behind her, some guy who usually only listens to country picks unknown and unknown. I jump in next with Sabbath and Parpl, then a bunch of skydivers burst in and suddenly we're blasting Kridense. We kept that energy going for FIVE damn hours!🙂

🤣 Great story.

brightwolf48 said:Once I finally hit my breaking point, I’d just start playing this usual set of tracks to drive the "undesirables" away.

Interesting selection for the Jukebox. 😁

Where can you even find a jukebox in Washington, D.C. these days? They’ve completely vanished from all the spots I hit up. And how much does a song cost now? 😁

The last time I hit the Jukebox, I had it cycling between I Don't Like Mondays and You Think I'm Sexy? 🤦 The only thing that actually had any value in some hidden corner of the Midwest.

I have to admit, I didn't actually vote for my own suggestion regarding Joe Jackson, so now I’m dying to know—who was it? 😁

Also, why shouldn't the voting be public? It's not like we're hiding state secrets here, and honestly, it would be interesting to see.

Hey, listen to this and try not to lose your cool when the rhythm hits you.

Muddy Waters & The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - Boogie Chillen

Draft application for starting a new political party

The SDN program party: A movement of good intentions

Our platform—here is what we’re fighting for:

• Mandatory Sundays off for all moderators.
• An organized upbringing and better mentorship for the forum's younger users.
• A "Survival School" specifically for navigating this Forum.
• A mandatory netiquette exam for everyone; fail it, and you're sent back to training.
• Establishing an Institute for History and a Forum Museum. We will dive into the hidden depths of our past and restore those legendary old threads.
• Reviving dead subforums, starting with everything in the New York City area.

Area of operation: The entire Forum.

Our slogans: Let’s flip this Forum upside down together. For a more humane and civilized Forum. And yes, cartoons are for people too.

If you're interested in joining, speak up below. List your favorite subforums and feel free to add your own ideas to the platform.

I’ve got a killer suggestion. 😁

Joe Jackson - Look Sharp!

The vibe is pure Elvis Costello meets Graham Parker. Every track on this record is incredibly catchy—you could loop them forever. You actually have to pay attention to the lyrics, though. He writes from the perspective of an intelligent loser in love, a bystander (Is She Really Going Out with Him?) who's feeling resigned and maybe a little envious (Happy Loving Couples, plus the brilliant Fools In Love). It's perfect for the lonely hearts out there. But don't be fooled; it can get very sharp and aggressive (Look Sharp). Not a single bad song on here.

Quick facts: released in 1979, and it sits at #865 on the Rolling Stone 1000 Greatest Albums of All Time list.

Full album and the title track

It’s all just a game. A big joke about politics. Let's just parody the whole system.

Who actually likes politics or politicians? Nobody sane does. 😁

Alright, Creative Department, let's see what you've got! 😁

swiftgull4 said:Do you think this is actually going to have any kind of impact on the folks on the forum who really just want to stay far away from all the political drama...

Theoretically, yeah. You know how it goes—if you don't deal with politics, politics will deal with you. 😁

I feel like the first step in this whole game is just realizing what you actually want. Everything starts there. Even the subtitle of this subforum recently changed to: Wish for it, and it shall happen.

If you're happy with things as they are? Then it won't matter at all. 😉

We could move all the political party discussions over to pre-election rallies across the entire Reddit. 😁

This thread is basically doing a tour of the subforums to announce the elections. It originally started over at the PŽK. It spent a few hours hanging out in the Coronavirus subforum. Now, here we are.

Think about it... Build your own parties. Sign up. The very fate of this forum is on the line. 😁