What's the point of these mindless threads on ŽK and TV shows that just insult public figures?

bluecanyon643 · 2013-07-26T17:47:04+00:00

First off, I should probably mention I’m no purist, no conservative, no religious zealot, or anything quite that extreme; I’ve always had a soft spot for dark …

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#21 · Jul 26, 2013

bluecanyon643 said:That’s exactly what I was getting at. I got banned because I was calling out stupid comments—not even being insulting or anything. Plus, I had a front-row seat to some pretty primitive mob mentality going on.

Look, if you caught a ban over on the Zapatistas board, I can't say I'm surprised. 😁

bluecanyon643 said:Yeah, the double standards drive me crazy—seriously. Hypocrisy just gets under my skin. It sucks when a potentially fun, joking topic turns into this huge parade of people being overly sensitive.

You’re missing the point about double standards. A double standard is when certain users get a free pass for things others aren't allowed to do. Celebrities mentioned here have zero bearing on anything—especially not on the rules regarding double standards on this forum. The only time you aren't supposed to insult a public figure is when that "public figure" is actually a fellow user you're debating with. Does that logic make sense?

Maria Reyes4 Member

29 messages
joined Nov 2012

#22 · Jul 26, 2013

Brian Edwards78 said:The only time you aren't allowed to insult a public figure on this forum is when that public figure happens to be the fellow user you're arguing with.

A quick correction to that logic: it’s not actually the *only* scenario—even if it is the only one explicitly written in the rulebook. In practice here at the local social club, there have been instances where criticizing a public figure was shut down even without any insults being hurled—mostly because... well, it's hard to say. I can only speculate. People get too attached to certain figures, maybe they know them personally, or some other nonsense—it doesn't really matter why.

As for the mindless threads cluttering up the club? Sure, they exist. But honestly, the best way to "fight" them is simply to start posting meaningful topics instead of the garbage.

northernpilot2 Active Member

201 messages
joined Oct 2013

#23 · Jul 26, 2013

bluecanyon643 said:So, you think calling someone a total lowlife is somehow okay? I mean, seriously, what kind of actual facts did you even bring to the table in your post to justify that?

By the way, there’s a massive difference between being negative and just straight-up insulting people. I guess a moderator or admin should probably know the difference, right?

Like I already said, (and for the record, I’m not an admin or anything 😁), calling some famous person a lowlife is honestly fine. I’m pretty sure Mark Tolja has been around the block enough in his career to handle one little nasty comment without losing sleep over it.

If we only allowed stuff like 'Tolja is such a great guy' and wiped out everything else, we’d end up with this weird, boring utopia, and honestly, a forum just isn't built to be that kind of media platform.

northerncyclist2 Active Member

89 messages
joined Jan 2016

#24 · Jul 26, 2013

I why should Mark Tolja be the only one singled out? Why can't the rest of us here call people primitive idiots if we feel like it? 🤷

It feels a little hypocritical to me, I guess, to let people insult public figures on this board while simultaneously banning anyone from calling out anonymous users hiding behind their handles. To be honest, maybe I’m just saying this, but I think we should actually allow some "insults" among members. If I really believe someone is being an idiot or acting like a total jerk, why shouldn't I be able to say that? At the end of the day, I suppose it all comes down to the fact that you can still take shots at people—you just have to be careful with how you phrase things, I guess, and wrap it up in a bit of fancy wording to stay under the radar.

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#25 · Jul 26, 2013

Paul Ruiz86 said:Just a quick correction here—that isn't actually the *only* situation, even if it's the only one explicitly mentioned in the rulebook.

That’s a great catch! 😁

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#26 · Jul 26, 2013

northerncyclist2 said:And why should Mark Tolja be the only one stuck with being called a primitive jerk—why can't the rest of you guys handle it too? 🤷

It’s not even about filing reports—it’s about how you actually write. Who honestly cares if Mark Tolja and I get called every name in the book on this forum? Nobody. The admins couldn't care less whether Mark Tolja feels insulted—honestly, they probably didn't even read it—and it's certainly not like they give a damn if I take some comment personally or not.

The only real difference between Mark Tolja and me? Well—you can call him an idiot or a complete jerk without getting flagged, but if you try that with me, I’m basically untouchable—kind of like a protected species, like a Mediterranean bear. Honestly, you could probably tell me I support something totally heinous and I wouldn't even get sanctioned for it... but then again, isn't that just how "freedom of speech" works around here?

northerncyclist2 Active Member

89 messages
joined Jan 2016

#27 · Jul 26, 2013

Brian Edwards78 said:The whole thing isn't really about filing a report, I guess, it's more about how things are actually written. Like, who even cares if Mark Wahlberg and I just submit a complaint and let everyone call us whatever they want on this forum? Honestly, nobody. I don't think the admins give a single damn if Mark Wahlberg feels insulted—they probably didn't even read it anyway—and it's even less likely they care if I get offended by some random comment.

I suppose the only real difference between Mark Wahlberg and me here is that you guys are allowed to call him an idiot or a moron, but you can't say that to me because, well, I'm protected like a Mediterranean Bear. Though, I guess you could pretty much tell me I support something terrible and it wouldn't even be flagged as an insult, but that's getting into the whole "not being offended by what's written" territory.

It reminds me of this one guy on a forum who said the people over at Ford were just incompetent because they blew through all their credit, and the moderator slapped him with a ban for "insulting" them, basically treating the users like they were part of the Ford organization itself. The guy tried to appeal, but yeah, obviously nothing happened. It's just... I don't know, who's really looking out for anyone here? 🤷

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#28 · Jul 26, 2013

Honestly, you’ve got people here who are actually members of the Ford association—so yeah, that ban was totally deserved. Though, I mean, there are definitely times when someone gets tossed out for "insulting users" even when they're just talking about total nobodies—not even actual forum members or public figures. So, you tell me. 😁

northerncyclist2 Active Member

89 messages
joined Jan 2016

#29 · Jul 26, 2013

Brian Edwards78 said:So, I was thinking about this... you know how some people on here are actually members of that Ford association? Well, if one of them gets a ban, I honestly think they earned it. It seems pretty fair to me. But then again, I guess there are those other situations too, where someone gets flagged for "insulting forum members," but they’re just attacking complete nobodies—not even actual users or public figures, really. Just random stuff. I don't know, maybe the moderation is a bit hit or miss sometimes. You just have to see it for yourself, I suppose. 😁

But he didn't actually call anyone out by name, you know? I mean, if Mark Wahlberg walked in here right now and said, "Hey, I'm User123, I don't post much but whatever," then would that comment about the log suddenly count as an insult to a specific user? I guess it’s a bit of a stretch, maybe. 🤣

I mean, if you ask me, the only thing that should actually be against the rules is when someone goes straight for an ad hominem attack on another person in the thread. It doesn't even have to be like, a super aggressive insult or anything, I guess. Just targeting the person instead of what they're saying... maybe that's where the line should be drawn.

silverpanther13 Newcomer

3 messages
joined Nov 2009

#30 · Jul 26, 2013

It would be an interesting thought experiment—if Mark Wahlberg actually decided to sign up for this forum, would calling him a "primitive jerk" count as targeting a public figure, or would it just be considered insulting the community? 😍

edit: looks like we've already circled back to the exact same question 😁

Jose Miller3 Regular

446 messages
joined Mar 2024

#31 · Jul 26, 2013

So, look, I actually know quite a few public figures who hang out here using pseudonyms—just like everyone else—and who end up getting insulted in various threads 🤷

I can name at least ten of them... and honestly, none of those situations have anything to do with my former role as an admin 🤷

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#32 · Jul 26, 2013

northerncyclist2 said:If you ask me, the only thing that should actually be punishable is a direct ad hominem attack on someone else—you know, even if it isn't necessarily an insult?

That sounds like a solid plan to me—honestly! I just don't get why you can't start by tracking down some mods or admins who actually have a clue what's going on?

Rachel Brooks63 said:Honestly, I actually know a few public figures hanging out here under their usual handles—just like everyone else—who end up getting insulted in one thread or another... isn't that wild? 🤷

Is one of them Bare? 😬

Jose Miller3 Regular

446 messages
joined Mar 2024

#33 · Jul 26, 2013

come on, does Leah seriously look like someone who could actually manage to sign up for and navigate an online forum? :besmisleno vrijeđanje bareta:

nah, she really isn't 😬

Michelle Alvarez8 Regular

299 messages
joined Nov 2015

#34 · Jul 26, 2013

Alright then. I mean, Leah probably won't rat me out, right? 😁

Bradley Sanders4 Active Member

108 messages
joined Jul 2018

#35 · Jul 27, 2013

Reading this complaint actually triggered a memory from when I was a kid. We used to sit around watching the Miss Italy pageant on TV, just tearing them apart—"this one's ugly," "that one has a massive nose," "look at those legs." My sister ended up in tears because she couldn't wrap her head around why we were being so mean to these girls.

Rachel Brooks63 said:you completely missed the entire point of this forum existing as a media outlet🤷

And it’s not just about this forum; it applies to the internet at large as a medium.

Look, I don't think public figures deserve to be slandered on here, but calling someone a total loser or pointing out they have massive hips isn't slander. It doesn't exactly ruin their professional reputation or anything.

Basically, the rules against insults and gossip are there to stop users from attacking each other, which prevents everything from devolving into endless flame wars or personal vendettas. We ban hate speech against groups and we ban doxxing. But gossiping about celebrities—even when it's tacky as hell—doesn't violate any of those actual rules.

If we start policing people just because they're being crude, we're heading straight toward total censorship and sterility. Even the American tabloids don't play by those kinds of rules, so why should this little corner of the web?

Bread and circuses. 🙂

silverpanther13 Newcomer

3 messages
joined Nov 2009

#36 · Jul 27, 2013

Sarah Doyle54 said:So, apparently telling someone they’re a total loser or pointing out they have massive hips doesn't count as libel?

Honestly, it’s basically self-help at this point. Just look at all those losers and think, "Well, at least I'm not one of them." 🙂

bluecanyon643 NewcomerOP

4 messages
joined Jul 2019

#37 · Jul 27, 2013

Rachel Brooks63 said:The guy got banned because he went on some mindless thread about chickens and told them they needed to visit an eye doctor, just because they commented that Rihanna has thick hips 🤣

God, you see everything on here, I guess. 😬

Honestly, who cares about one ban or Rihanna, anyway.
It’s just the sheer slipperiness of it all that gets under my skin. It isn't even funny or entertaining anymore... it’s just, I don't know, slimy.
We built this little digital sandbox just to tear each other apart. And if anyone actually tries to make a decent point, they probably get shut down or slapped with a ban. I suppose the regulars are just protected. Give me a break.

Sarah Doyle54 said:And it’s not just this forum, it’s pretty much the whole internet acting like media these days.

I’m not saying public figures deserve to be slandered on a message board, but calling someone a loser or commenting on their body doesn't really count as defamation. It's not like it actually ruins their reputation or anything.

Do you even understand the concept of quality posting? Like, the reason this forum won't let you just spam an emoji as a reply.

So, if you think a comment like "she's trash and she stinks" qualifies as high-quality content, then whatever. It’s not that a random comment like that bothers me, but it’s annoying when it turns into a parade of... well, pure nonsense. I guess a moderator should probably step in when things get like that.

Isn't there supposed to be an educational aspect to a part of this site? If your only way of coping is trashing celebrities from the safety of your bedroom, maybe the mods should teach you a lesson with a ban so you can find something better to do with your time. 🙂 😁

Bradley Sanders4 Active Member

108 messages
joined Jul 2018

#38 · Jul 27, 2013

bluecanyon643 said:Look, if you think posting stuff like "she's trash, gross, and stinks" counts as high-quality content, then fine, whatever.

I don't think that, but for God's sake, we're talking about Coconut here, not some specialized sub-forum for nuclear physics. Every corner of this site has its own vibe and its own set of rules.

Sure, I get that being educational is part of what we do, but it's just one aspect, not the whole damn thing. This forum is also a place to hang out, have fun, swap stories, vent opinions, get expert advice, troll people, and a hundred other things.
Honestly, I find the whole "educator" role moderators take on a bit suspicious. Even when it looks necessary sometimes, we aren't kindergarten teachers, and we shouldn't be trying to raise these users. We're mostly adults here who should be able to stand by what we write. People post nasty stuff? So what? Like I said, it's not hurting anyone... except maybe the person who wrote it.

Brandon Lopez6 Regular

656 messages
joined Feb 2010

#39 · Jul 27, 2013

I'm with Bradley Sanders4 on this one. Coconut is basically the place where you go to vent, mess around, and just talk trash—yeah, you heard me. Honestly, I’d be pretty bummed if this turned into some sterile corporate LinkedIn thread where everyone has to walk on eggshells when talking about celebrities or anyone remotely well-known. ☕

Larry Wilson25 Active Member

74 messages
joined Jan 2018

#40 · Jul 28, 2013

Who exactly is coming for Barrett?

The man is a legend. 😁

I’m actually hanging on his every word—it’s like he’s speaking pure Jungian synchronicity here.

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Personally, I think it’s totally fine if the random trolls and the occasional loudmouth have a corner where they can just hang out, talk trash, and roast every public figure under the sun.
I mean, why even bother trying to have a serious debate in a place like this? 😕

You can't exactly enforce one single set of rules across an entire forum. For instance, over on a psychology subreddit, they’d never let you mock someone for having a mental health struggle, but then you flip over to some other board and people are just laughing their heads off at some clearly unhinged person and their posts.

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Look, I’ve got my own long-standing vendetta against certain singers and everything they stand for. And honestly? There are mods out there who think exactly like you do.

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What's the point of these mindless threads on ŽK and TV shows that just insult public figures?

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