Noah Diaz said:The mods don't even bother following basic Reddit rules. We've complained about it multiple times, but nothing changes. To them, ad hominem attacks are just standard procedure.
Here are a few recent examples:
You’re lying persistently and rudely.
Liar.
You're lying, you're [redacted], and you're protected by this site's moderation.
We're assuming those who deny AGW are just demagogic liars, hypocrites, and egomaniacs. Or at best, idiots.
You're lying. You're lying. You're lying.
Yeah, the examples you brought up are, at the very least,
pathetic.
And since we're already discussing this, here are a few others that are
far
more disgraceful than the ones mentioned:
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=3829http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=3831http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=3838So, as anyone can see—these are textbook, blatant, and outright
insults.From this individual, I could cite
literally hundreds of posts like these; hundreds have been deleted, so these are just the
most recent examples.
There, Noah Diaz, there are plenty of worse ones. 😁
Then again, there are milder instances than what I just listed, which fall within the repertoire of my interlocutor, Monty...
A little bit of trolling and off-topic nonsense:
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=2827What does this even have to do with the topic??
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=7531http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=7466Calling a fellow user "pitiful"—I assume that's meant to be a compliment?
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=3969And calling users idiots, or labeling their input as idiocy, must surely be an even greater compliment:
http://www.reddit.com/showpost.php?p=7...postcount=7486 (including comments on moderation in the thread)
Look, Monty, I mean no offense, but since we're discussing rule violations and moderation, your arguments fall apart when you behave this way (I just did a quick search).
You insult people who hold different opinions, violate the site rules, and then suggest those people should be sanctioned simply because they think differently than you do.
Because of this, I just can't view you as someone competent, as it shows a very low level of conduct and tolerance.
Anyway, let's move on... there's more where that came from...
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
It depends, I suppose.
If the method has actually been proven to work in practice, then everything changes. I mean, if it’s truly been field-tested and shown results, that’s a completely different conversation. It's one thing to talk about theories on a forum, but it's quite another when you have real-world evidence to back it up. I guess we really have to look at how it holds up under actual pressure.I definitely think I'd give that a shot.
Since the effectiveness of birch when it comes to tackling specific hair issues is pretty much widely recognized and has been proven through actual use, I suppose there isn't really much of a dilemma to be had here.
I won't dive too deeply into the specifics of how to prepare or use them right now, mostly because I wouldn't want to drift off-topic, but they really do differ from the method you described.
Brenda Gonzalez12 Asks:
It’s the same pattern I see in all my threads. Someone will drop a comment that is just fundamentally nonsensical—like suggesting you could pour molten slag at 2,200°F into a wooden mold just to create some massive 2x1x1 meter block. It’s honestly baffling.
I can only reiterate what I’ve already said regarding this whole situation—it really is the only truth worth considering.
I suppose everyone is entitled to their own opinion, regardless of how they feel, provided they aren't breaking any forum rules or violating US Law in the process.Calling someone out for saying something completely nonsensical is... well, I suppose it’s a bit of a delicate matter, isn't it? It feels like you're walking a fine line between being honest and just being unnecessarily blunt. Maybe it depends on the context, I guess, but labeling an idea as pure stupidity can definitely set a certain tone for the conversation.
Now, I have to say, this is purely my own subjective take on the matter.Honestly, you could probably bet anything that the other side feels exactly the same way about your perspective, which I suppose makes debating the whole thing feel a bit pointless. 🤷
That’s exactly why having everything clearly laid out in the forum rules is such a good thing.
If they could just appoint a few moderators who actually have the guts to step up and take charge, things might finally start moving in the right direction. I guess we're still waiting for someone to actually lead.
Strictly speaking. It’s really quite important to respect the rules and...
I suppose we should be applying them equally to everyone. I suspect that people like this will very quickly find themselves becoming smaller than a grain of poppyseed.
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
As far as I can tell, if you follow the rules, there are some truly bizarre reasons why things end up being handled that way.
No. I honestly feel that telling someone they’re just rambling on about nonsense—or worse, calling their thoughts complete idiocy—is inherently insulting. You see, once you start labeling someone's arguments as pure gibberish or outright stupidity, you've crossed the line into personal offense. It's more than just a disagreement at that point; it becomes an attack.
It seems like you might have hit "send" a little too early! I wasn't quite sure what you were aiming for there. If you have a specific post or some text you need me to rework, just paste it in—I'm ready to get to work. Whether you want to call him foolish, silly, a complete moron, or just an outright idiot—it doesn't really matter what label you pick. The moment you actually try to tell him that...
Writing... Nonsense, foolishness, pure stupidity, and absolute idiocy... honestly, I think that’s perfectly fine.😵
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
It seems like almost every "opinion" we encounter is essentially built upon whatever information happens to be handed to us at the time. I guess you could say our perspectives are rarely truly our own; they’re mostly just reflections of the data points we’ve been fed. It's a bit of a cycle, really—we take what's available, process it through our own biases, and then present it as a finished thought. Maybe that's just how human cognition works, but it makes me wonder how much of what we call "conviction" is actually just a reaction to the prevailing narrative.
It feels forced, almost like it was shoved into place without any real consideration for how it actually fits....
I’ve been sitting here wondering lately—what exactly has been programmed into our collective memory? It’s one of those deep, existential questions that keeps me up at night, I guess. I can't help but feel like there's a certain set of narratives and "truths" that have been carefully curated and inserted into our minds, shaping how we perceive reality without us even realizing it. Maybe it's just a passing thought, but it feels like we're navigating a world built on pre-packaged perceptions.And so, we just blindly accept it as truth? We take whatever is hardwired into our collective memory and treat it as an absolute stance, a solid argument, or undeniable knowledge... without even blinking.
That’s just how it is—it's an objective fact, whether people choose to accept it or not.
At the end of the day, I suppose both my "knowledge" and yours—our entire set of stances and arguments—all stem from the same places. It’s all just a collection of things we picked up in school or college, bits and pieces from various books, whatever the media feeds us, the internet, our own lived experiences, or perhaps even just some cynical wisdom we gathered from reading *Alan Ford*. Ultimately, everything we claim to "know" or feel strongly about is built upon that specific foundation.
It feels like we’ve all fallen into that classic trap where everyone is absolutely certain they've hit the nail on the head. You’re convinced you’re right, Pero Perić is dead set in his own convictions, and I’m sitting here feeling just as certain of my own position... yet somehow, we all walk away thinking we're seeing something completely different. It’s a bit of a cycle, isn't it?
You know what I mean, right?
The fundamental issue with this forum—and I suspect it’s a problem on Reddit as well—is that everyone operates under the assumption that they hold the absolute truth. It seems to be an unspoken rule here that if you don't align perfectly with someone's worldview, you aren't just wrong; you're somehow fundamentally flawed, ignorant, or even malicious. There is this pervasive sense that anyone holding a dissenting opinion shouldn't even be allowed to participate in the conversation, let alone express a perspective that contradicts the majority consensus. It’s a bit exhausting, honestly.
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
It’s a bit hard to wrap my head around someone posting a YouTube link that actually contradicts their own argument... I mean, maybe they just got mixed up or something? I don't think I've ever really seen that happen before. 😁
However... YouTube is just...
It feels like we're just looking at one single source of information buried in a massive pile of noise.I suppose one of the primary sources would be, say, the standard textbooks used in our schools and universities.
We live in an era where we're practically drowning in sources and information. Honestly, there’s just an endless stream of it out there. I suppose it really falls on the individual now to filter through the noise and try to judge what’s actually factual versus what’s just nonsense. At the end of the day, maybe the only way to get any real confirmation is to see how things actually play out in practice.
In my opinion, there is perhaps nothing more futile than trying to outright deny or belittle someone else's perspective. It’s honestly one of the most counterproductive things you can do. You aren't going to win an argument that way; if anything, you’re just going to trigger a massive backlash. Instead of changing their mind, you’ll likely just end up digging their heels in even deeper. I’d say that isn't just a possibility—it's almost a mathematical certainty.
I’ve actually come to realize this through my own experience on Reddit. There are certain topics where I might not have been entirely certain before, but now? I feel more settled in my convictions than ever. It’s funny how that works, but honestly, it’s mostly due to the aggressive denialism coming from a small handful of miserable people. They aren't even capable of mounting a real argument; instead, they just resort to hurling insults at anyone who dares to hold a different opinion.
I know quite a few other people—there are actually a fair number of them—who have managed to achieve that level of success.
It feels like we’ve hit a total counterproductive phase here. Honestly, I suspect this might actually be having the exact opposite effect of what was intended.I believe I actually touched on this exact point earlier when I was posting about the whole chemtrails situation.
So, honestly? Just go for it.
The way things work. He’s absolutely brilliant, and his track record really speaks for itself. 🤣
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
If this case had broken out on Reddit, I suspect the trolls would have jumped all over it immediately.
I suppose I could share an anecdote here, if you're interested. 😁
Actually, if that’s the case...
The only case in point....and that's coming from someone, too.
I was just browsing through another forum earlier.Honestly, one could argue whether it even took place at all... but fine, let’s just assume for the sake of argument that it did.
So, where does that leave us? I’m struggling to see how any of that actually connects to what I originally asked you. Despite your incredibly thorough explanation, you still managed to sidestep the actual question entirely.
Elizabeth Jackson said:And which ones are those? 🤔
Don't you think that might actually sound like an insult to some people?
I mean, if calling someone a mercenary is considered offensive (and let's be honest, we're all paid for the jobs we do; nobody is working entirely on a volunteer basis, right?), then I really don't understand how it's perfectly fine to label someone a conspiracy theorist (and to do so countless times on this specific sub-forum). 🤷
I suspect you might be getting a bit carried away, or perhaps there's a visible personal interest in why you're attacking alternative methods so aggressively.
Good grief, Jessica Morris6, have you forgotten that you are currently in the Alternative sub-forum?
If the topic on this specific board is, say, treating a certain ailment, by what logic or rule (or even what law🤦) is it considered a violation for someone to offer advice they believe to be helpful, provided it stays on topic? 🤷
Come on now, we aren't living in a totalitarian state where citizens don't have the right to express their opinions, especially regarding topics they are discussing.
Is it possible you haven't thoroughly read this:
All posts represent the opinions of their authors, not the owners of the Forum, the editorial staff, or Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd. (the creators of the vBulletin software). They cannot be held responsible for the content. The Forum staff works to sanction prohibited posts, though some may be overlooked or missed initially. We ask for your understanding, and if you wish to help, you are free to report any post you believe violates the rules by clicking the report icon.
...and finally, it states:
By agreeing to these rules, you may proceed with registration. If they are unacceptable to you and you do not wish to abide by them, you can return to the Forum homepage by clicking this link. Thank you for your attention, and we hope you enjoy your stay on the Forum!
There, it is all laid out for you (and everyone else), so I trust there should be no further ambiguity regarding what people are permitted to write here, or what the respective rights of users and others are on this platform.
I couldn't agree more.
And that's precisely why—given what I mentioned earlier and what was quoted—you know how this works.
Besides, you always have the ignore button.
On this forum, you have just as much right to your own perspective and opinion as anyone else.
Whether you are correct or someone else is, you'll never convince anyone by attacking them or labeling their posts as incorrect or stupid; honestly, that just comes across as a sign of weakness.
Ultimately, who is right and who isn't will be decided solely by those who choose to read, and none of us can influence that. The only thing you can really do to defend your own stance is to use solid arguments and present them decently.
Adopting a style that feels more like small-town gossip or a mob mentality certainly won't change anyone's mind. In fact, you'll probably just trigger a backlash.
Regarding everything else you wrote, I don't think I need to reiterate that you have the right to your own opinion and that nobody in the universe can strip away your subjective perception, but there's really no need to exhaust the forum with it.
I think the ignore option is perfect for you. Why not give it a try?
Why bother struggling with it?
I've actually added some of the most extreme characters to my ignore list, and I feel much better for it because I'm no longer reading the same four repetitive sentences over and over again...
I can tell you, it's a wonderful feeling—I simply refuse to waste even a shred of energy on things I consider worthless.
I noticed that too—that no one is moderating, even though they are officially listed as moderators. That's why I stopped using the report button; there's no point, it's like saying good morning to a deaf man.
Look, while we're on the subject, I could link you to dozens, if not over a hundred, posts by Plant112 (and a few others) where he directly insults users and trolls in ways that wouldn't be tolerated on any forum in the world (feel free to notify him so he can join in!), and this has been happening constantly for three and a half years without any meaningful reaction. I should also mention that on the Alternative sub-forum, the guy hasn't made a single constructive or on-topic post.
The most any of the mods have actually done is call someone out for being an idiot or acting foolishly, maybe deleting a post or handing out 20 points for breaking a sub-forum rule... or handing out a yellow card... 🤦
So, what am I supposed to take from that?
Should I just start a thread about him on the Forum and waste my precious time doing it?
Believe me, I have much more pleasant and engaging work to do than that...
Personally, I feel like things on the Alternative sub-forum functioned much better back when gargamišamel was moderating.
She was strict, and she applied her standards fairly across the board (more or less).
And every so often, someone would pull a stunt, get a card, and rack up enough points for a ban.
Except for me, of course—I've never had a single ban. 🙂
Perhaps it would be more productive to discuss this and perhaps offer some suggestions for a third moderator who might perform better over at Alternative.
Naturally, that individual would need to come from the Alternative circles and possess actual knowledge of the subject matter; otherwise, it would be just as pointless as the current situation, if not more so...
I think we can all agree that an Alternative enthusiast wouldn't be fit to moderate the medical or science sections...
We've already touched on that—that's simply your perception and your personal stance.
Someone else might see things entirely differently, or they might feel exactly the same way about your own contributions?
And then who gets lynched? 😁
I trust you'll agree that you can't just subjectively declare someone's posts illogical, inaccurate, or irrational, and then expect them to be sanctioned just because that's how you feel or because you don't particularly like them... because someone else could just as easily make that same demand regarding you.
That is precisely why Forum rules exist.
And we need moderators who will actually adhere to them and operate by them. 🙂
Believe me, if the rules were strictly enforced, there practically wouldn't be any issues, and the only people being flagged would be those rare few whose every third post out of 50,000 is already against the rules anyway. 🙂
🙂
Brenda Gonzalez12 said:That’s exactly how I see the whole situation. An alternative perspective is really just a viewpoint built on extra layers of information that go beyond a strictly scientific—meaning very conservative and hyper-rational—approach. But let me ask you this: if someone came up to you and said, "Hey, if you want to fix your thinning hair, you need to gather birch leaves, dry them out, grind them into a powder, and sprinkle them all over your scalp three times a day right after breakfast," would you actually listen? Or would you tell them they're talking nonsense and dismiss it as just "another one of those weird methods"? Honestly, I think even you would call that person out for being totally delusional. And that’s exactly how I feel about the topics I write about here. I mean, some people will literally post something so absurd it makes my head spin—like claiming you can pour molten steel at 2,200°F into a wooden mold to create a massive 2x1x1 meter block. If they’re that confident, they should just head down to the local cemetery, grab a wooden casket, and try pouring liquid steel into it (even though the temperature is technically lower!). Let's see how that reaction turns out!
If he’d just used even one percent of his brainpower, he’d be talking about using a stone mold or maybe a metal one—anything besides that wooden setup. But honestly, the second you point out how ridiculous the idea is, he acts like you’ve personally insulted him!
Look, at the end of the day, an exchange of ideas is everything. It’s the whole point! But let me ask you this: isn't an opinion actually built on something? You need a stance, a solid argument, or some actual knowledge to back it up. If all you're doing is tossing out random YouTube links—especially when those very videos end up contradicting exactly what you're claiming—then what are we even doing here? It just doesn't add up!
I actually know of a guy who learned this lesson the hard way—not even on Reddit, but on some other corner of the internet. This dude used to spend all his time posting absolute nonsense online, acting like a total tough guy and constantly bragging about "what he would do" if anyone ever crossed him. Well, the universe eventually called his bluff. One day, a group of guys actually showed up at his front door to settle things, and let me tell you, he folded faster than a lawn chair. He went from being an internet warrior to a complete wreck in seconds. After that, he ended up taking a few legal hits, served a few months in jail, and honestly? He’s been quiet as a mouse ever since. Sometimes life has a funny way of teaching you how to behave!
Don't go thinking that people aren't cross-referencing posts here just like they do on other sites! I mean, they probably are, but honestly, nobody seems to care until some massive "incident" happens—you know, like when someone like Pero from Reddit starts telling everyone to jump ship to a specific platform or service, and then everything goes sideways. Only then does everyone suddenly wake up and start reacting. It’s always the same story... "Oops, my bad!" But hey, that’s just how it works. At the end of the day, you own what you say. That's pretty much the golden rule of democracy, right?
Look, choosing an alternative path was never illegal, and honestly, it never has been. At the end of the day, people should have the freedom to decide for themselves whether they want to read up on certain topics or take some helpful advice. But here’s the thing: calling doctors murderers or insulting scientists—people who spend literal decades studying their craft—just because they don't align with some "no-name random guy" popping up on a random Reddit thread or a sketchy website? That's where it gets messy. When people start attacking everything in existence just because they claim "there are other perspectives," they actually create the very stigma that pushes useful information to the fringes. It’s those exact attitudes that make legitimate ideas look "radical." Personally? I’m all for total liberalization. Let people decide.
Look, you don't have to vaccinate your kids if you don't want to. It's your call. But let’s be real: if you go that route, your child isn't going to be stepping foot in a public daycare, a state school, or a university. The rule is pretty straightforward. You choose. If you want to live off nothing but "solar energy," hey, go for it! Just don't expect society to bend around your schedule. If you decide your diet should consist strictly of tree roots, grass, metal scraps, lightbulbs, plastic, or snow—fine, be my guest—but please, don't come crying to me when you can't meet certain standards later on. If you're eating eight times a day just to stay upright, or if you're running to the restroom fifteen times a day because you lack basic energy after 1:00 PM, well, that's your problem, man. The system doesn't adapt to you; you adapt to the system. Personally, I’m all for freedom of choice. Everyone should have the right to live how they want, but there shouldn't be any whining afterward about how things "should" have been different. And let’s keep this civil, okay? No insults. Honestly, I have never once insulted a vegetarian in my entire life. I actually hang out with a whole circle of people who follow that lifestyle. However, if one of those people looks me in the eye, calls me a murderer, and starts showing me videos of animals being slaughtered, then yeah, I’m going to call them an idiot. Short and sweet. That's just how it is.
Then you clearly don't know what spam actually means! If someone is just dropping links without any context, providing zero explanation for why they're even posting them, and nobody is responding—or even bothering to reply because there’s honestly nothing worth engaging with—then that isn't spam. It's just pointless. You can't call it flooding a thread when someone posts half a page of fluff that ultimately says absolutely nothing at all.
Look, if you manage to actually elaborate on a point, back it up with solid arguments, and spark a debate using actual data rather than just saying "I believe," nobody is going to ban you.
But if you start claiming water is a sentient being without providing a single coherent reason... well, I think even you would pull the trigger on a ban there.
I'm not saying we need a moderator specifically for the scientific side—nobody's suggesting that—but having a moderator who views the "alternative" stuff through a more scientific lens? Absolutely. It sounds to me like your negative reaction to that idea is really just personal beef with BatKol. He was known for being pretty sharp when cutting down certain "advice" posted in threads, insisting on arguments or evidence for "claims," and honestly, I'm not surprised you feel this way.
Truthfully, if you have a PDF full of stuff that's on the edge of science, then that kind of moderator is exactly what we need. We want to stay on the edge of SCIENCE, not cross over the edge of common sense.
That isn't obstructionism; it's maintaining boundaries. If we're talking about the pyramids in Egypt, we don't want someone rambling about flying octahedrons (when they probably don't even know what an octahedron is), or claiming that when we talk about water, we're talking about the spiritual essence of the molecule. Alternative theory, as I've told you before, should be an upgrade to science, but it needs to be grounded. Something that can actually be described. Argued.
The "one-size-fits-all" solutions you're proposing could very well be the fate of many others, which is exactly why we had this discussion about moderation in the first place. There are people who are constructive, people who are occasionally constructive, and people who just have different opinions. But then there are those who are purely destructive and write posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the topic at hand; they just exist to act out their fixations on certain people or things. When they get the chance, they go for it. Now, I'm not getting in the middle of the fight between you and Biljka112. The guy has real knowledge; he writes brilliant posts on other topics and gives great advice. In fact, I've personally copied some of the things you wrote here and saved them as helpful tips. But I really think that if you two could just lower the tension a bit and stop being so allergic to one another, it would help. Because some of his comments actually hold weight. Some don't... but hey, that's between the two of you.
So... let's keep things fair and square for everyone, strictly by the book!
Oh, please... it seems like this entire army of armchair experts has nothing better to do than spend their days reading.
Tens of thousands of posts... honestly, looking back at the sheer volume, it’s almost overwhelming. I guess you could say I've spent quite a bit of my life right here on these threads. I wonder about those people who spend their entire day just wandering around aimlessly. Wouldn't someone eventually accidentally bruise their ego, or perhaps more importantly, inadvertently cut right into the profits their bosses are working so hard to maintain?
If you honestly think that by taking this approach you can silence someone just because they’re posting things on an alternative site that you don't personally care for, then I suppose you're essentially tilting at windmills. You might want to be prepared, though; if anything, you'll likely just provoke them into writing even more aggressively, and then you'll really have your work cut out for you.
Honestly, I don't see anything happening at all. It just feels like absolutely nothing is going to move. 😁