Thread reply deletion

[solaris152000]

Why did you delete my reply to duerotycoon it was offensive only to the republican party??

[Unregistered]

Why did you delete my reply to duerotycoon it was offensive only to the republican party??

Censorship is an occupational hazzard around these parts... Don't expect a reason why.

[Don]

There are many boards available for discussing partisan politics. This is a board for discussing hypnosis, NLP, and related activites and concepts. Anyone who feels limited and censored by not being able to post political statements, cooking recipes, personal attacks, sales pitches, sewing tips, etc. is entitled to post at any appropriate forum on the internet.

One of the things people seem offended at is the realization that this forum is a free service to the hypnosis and NLP communities with all costs paid by hypnosis.com and NLP.com. It is not sponsored by Republicans, Democrats, or Independents. Nor is this any individual's private blog site. We invite people to make all sorts of posts on topics related to hypnosis, NLP, and related topics. We apologize to those people who feel they cannot exist within those limitations and invite them to post at other, more appropriate internet forums, or start their own forums.

[Charlie]

Nicely said, Don.

[j0hnny#]

(http://forum.hypnosis.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16)Other Discussion / Questions (http://forum.hypnosis.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16) (2 Viewing)
This forum is for general discussion or anything else you wish to post. Anyone can read and post without being a registered user.
(http://forum.hypnosis.com/forumdisplay.php?f=16)

Could be worth changing the language then.....? Confusion about what is welcome and unwelcome could then be avoided as well as what seems to me to be partronising comments to a decent contributor to this community.

[skip]

Johnny,

I can agree there is some confusion about "anything else you wish to post."

I tend to think 'anything' means just that.

And we have, in the past, had posts that had little or no relevance to hypnosis in this category.

Now I didnt see the offending post. And I cant say whether or not I would have deleted it, although "offensive only to the republican party" probably inludes me.

I rather think I would have wondered, "What is the purpose of a post that seems to simply be baiting one group or another?"

We have had that in the past, people trying to bait groups and people trying to bait individuals, and it doesnt seem condicive to the type forum most of us seem to want.

I think Don has a good point.

There are plenty of places to discuss what not.

Is this really the place where we want to discuss the interaction of paxil with interferon, whether or not Arafat is good for Hamas, silicone verses saline implants, fords verses chevys, the virutes of inhaling nitrous oxide, should day traders let some stocks ride overnight or get 'it all out' every day before closing, which incidentally creates its own trading venue, and does "Sally homeroom heart throb" really 'give it up' or is that just a rumor?

skip

[skip]

You say that as if it is a bad thing here.

Is it any censorship at all that you are opposed to, or something here that has offended you personally?

skip

[j0hnny#]

I understand where you and perhaps Don are coming from, still my issue was with the language of the post from Don. I never read the original post either.. just didn't think that the way he wrote his response was very fair to Solaris (who IMO has been a very fine member of this community).. seems to me very patronising.... And before people go saying stuff about there being no tonality, I've read it and re-read it with different tones and still it seems to me to be patronising - as are most posts that say - well if you don't like the rules - post somewher else... after little more than a query about why something had been edited... seems to me uncalled for, OTT.

Fair enough, Solaris post might not have been appropriate.... we all make mistakes... but that reply is a bit overlordish... do you want an online community or just people to play with your toy? Seems to me Solaris is sufficiently (and obviously, even to Don) interested in a variety of matters of relevant importance not to be patronised with talk of being invited to post elsewhere. IMO, Don's post is inappropriate.

[solaris152000]

Okay I was mistaken, I thought the catorgory "anything" included anything.
My post was not to offend but rather save the world. So what is this sub-forum for then anyway?

How are members supposed to get to know each other if there is no sub-forum to discuss general issues about themselves and there beliefs. Having such a sub-forum, prevents irellavant posts in the hypnosis section; as people can post just general things in The "other Discussion" forum.


Why can we not discuss with each other our views in a off topic section. I belive creating an off topic sub forum, would benifit everyone.

[Terry (existing)]

As one who has had posts deleted and edited, I believe I can speak for both sides in this matter, and on the whole I side with the moderators who's job it is to ensure that this board remains true to it's intent....In fact, many of us old guard members had requested that this become a closed board because of the spam and garbage we were getting....
Now if anyone is likely to get edited or deleted it's me, I speak my mind, and if you don't like it I can go elsewere and be welcome, since what I say is always intended to support hypnosis which is a loved hobby. But when such editing is done, I accept that the moderator read something into my post that was not apropriate according to HIS thinking, and since it is his mind that must make such decissions, why should I get angry? If you doubt the value of moderating, please feel free to visit another board, which I have been visiting for about a week now. It's "The Board of Professional Hypnotists', and is run by a person I am conversant with because he lives close by Calgary. I have already contacted him, and requested, as have others of like mind, that he eliminate the spam, garbage, and advertising of a variety of items from his board. His failure to react means I will no longer post there, and it will become a desert as far as hypnosis is concerned.
Now each if us has a mind which works differently to that of others thank God, but Don is correct I believe, no matter what you interpret as other matters for discussion, it still should relate to hypnosis, or NLP if this board is to be a valid one for the discussion of these subjects. If you don't like it, at least accept that the moderators must make decissions which they believe are for the common good. I do, and to most of you I am a " crusty old bugger" so what does that say about you? (Gocha)

[j0hnny#]

Don is correct I believe, no matter what you interpret as other matters for discussion, it still should relate to hypnosis, or NLP......
Check this post out then :D http://forum.hypnosis.com/showthread.php?postid=4313#post4313 heh, heh, heh....

Come on guys, lighten up - we all drift into other areas sometimes - no real harm in it... and nothing to warrant pulling out the big guns when someone does, really - is there? Surely not...:)

[Don]

That post was referring directly to the question concerning hypnosis and drugs. It did not refer to politics, insult anyone, etc. There was not thread drift.

[j0hnny#]

what does a post entirely about acid flashbacks have anything to do with hypnosis? Come on man, accept it.... drifts occur here (from the topic of hypnosis/ NLP - and its no real bad thing really, is it? Fair enough, I agree, if its offensive it might not be appropriate, but that's no real reason to suggest a person sufficiently interested in the appropriate sorts of areas should post elsewhere if he is not happy with the deletion, really now.... is it?)

[skip]

Uh Guys,

I for one think that valid points have been made on several 'sides' of this issue.

I am beginning to get the suspicion that this is beginning to polarize.

Is there a valid reason to continue?

skip

[Terry (existing)]

what does a post entirely about acid flashbacks have anything to do with hypnosis? Come on man, accept it.... drifts occur here (from the topic of hypnosis/ NLP - and its no real bad thing really, is it? Fair enough, I agree, if its offensive it might not be appropriate, but that's no real reason to suggest a person sufficiently interested in the appropriate sorts of areas should post elsewhere if he is not happy with the deletion, really now.... is it?)
First of all, it is all a matter of rights. Don and Skip were given the right to make a decisssion regarding what should be acceptable and what should not. We have accepted that, and this board is no longer in chaos.
When a poster uses this board, he or she does so knowing that it is a moderated board, and that any post found to be unacceptable for any reason will be eliminated... Each poster certainly has the right to question "Why" a post was eradicated, but when that poster states that the ONLY insult was to a political party, they have answered their own question, and are being facetious......
I find many posts to be of a nature that holds no interest for me, and some which I find extremely annoying, such as "does Darren really do these things, or are they all hypnosis, NLP, or illusion. Not that the question of itself is foolish, but the constant harping on who is right and who doesn't know what they are talking about is most annoying. I am surprised that those, and others about drugs were not at least curtailed, yet when one post is eliminated, the question is not, Why, but rather about the language used to explain the elimination. Perhaps we should eliminate anyone who can't use this new MS speak my grandaughter is trying to teach me? Eliminate anyone who uses words longer than four sylables, or even those who know how to spell the big words, since most don't, and that could be contrued as "overlording"...
If anyone wishes to associate only with those who agree with them, have the same weakness as they do, and are in all ways identical, go to it. I find that I get a great deal of information off this board, simply because we are all so different, and I enjoy it. Be glad I am not a moderator, I would be less forgiving....

[Terry (existing)]

Johnny, you are correct when you state that many posts are unrelated to hypnosis, or at least have drifted away, yet are not eliminated. Does that mean that NO posts should be? I think not, and since the real bone of contention was in regard to the wording, we do have a problem.
If all you have to complain about is wording, I would suggest you were not a member before we had moderators, it was bloody chaos, and non of us were happy. Now that we have a moderated board, things are much better, but they will never be perfect as I am sure you know, so let's put up with the imperfect, and make the decission to stay or go, based on how we find a moderated board as against one which if open.....
As for Solaris, he has had lots of space, and though his topics are not to my taste, I accept his right to post them. On the other hand, if he choosed to act in a manner that is not apropriate, by posting insults, he must expect to get stepped on, and certainly his remark that the only ones he had insulted were the members of a political party, is to say the least facetious, and might well be constued as lacking in intelliegence, something I suspect is untrue. Now it is up to him to recognise that what he said, probably in jest, was found unacceptable by someone else, and was eliminated. No big loss I am sure, so let us all get over it, and enjoy this moderated board.....

[Don]

The original post was about hypnosis and drugs. It fits completely.

[skip]

Don, et al,

I think we are hoisted on our own petard here.

If the origional post is about drugs, then what is it doing on a hypnosis list? Especially in the hypnosis section, not the "other topics" section. And yes I know the origional post was about using hypnosis to duplicate drug experiences.

If the origional post was topical, then the thread has most certainly drifted.

So back to the essential question.

Do we edit or deleat stuff that shouldnt be edited, in other words, make mistakes?

Sure we do.

If we exercise our responsibility, since we are human, I dont see how it can be avoided. I am aware of this everytime I deleat spam, or what I consider to be a personal attack.

I am on three other lists, one is heavily moderated, and rules are ruthlessly enforced and step out of line twice and you are gone. The first offense means your posts must be preapproved before they make it to the general list for a month or so. I have seen this list grow over the last 5 years to be one of the finest on the internet. The second, you must be pre-approved before you can join, then you can be removed essentially at whim. This list continues to grow and produce quality information. The third has a moderator who doesnt want to exercise any restraint. Flame wars and turf wars abounded. I have seen this list go from over 2000 membership with 30-40 active participants, to 10 posts a month, with 4 active participants. I am one of the ones who no longer participates, and stay on mostly because of sentimentality.

What drives a list or forum to be a good place to be, is knoweledgable people with a keen interest in sharing that knoweledge, and expanding their own, and a willingness to participate, and yes, risk being challenged.

I know there are lists where there are no 'room mothers', that do thrive.

I know here, before we instituted moderators, we were losing a lot of good, knoweledgable people, because they simply didnt want to put up with the crap. You did have to wade thru a lot of garbage, to get to the good stuff.

We collectively asked Matt to institute moderation.

And we have lost some good people because of moderation.

Are we relatively better off?

I suspect we are.

Is it the best possible situation?

Of course not.

Are Don and I too heavy handed, I suspect that depends on whose ox is being gored.

I do know this, we have had only one application for moderator turned in since Don and I were asked to do this. It was Peter StCloud, and I suspect he wasnt entirely serious.

Can we talk about hypnosis now?

skip

[TaffyE]

Perhaps "anything" should be qualified by including (except religion and politics) which tend to get some folk riled up :)

[Don]

Hi, Skip.

Had the original post been about drugs, I would absolutely agree.

However, it was not. It was about hypnosis and drugs.

[skip]

Agreed Don, and I said as much in my post.

But we are still hoisted!

Because the thread has certainly drifted, hypnosis being left behind long ago.

Not that I am complaining. :)

skip

[Don]

It's still dealing with the original topic. When people are completely off the topic thread (such as personal insults or bringing in a politicial attack when the thread had nothing to do with it) or start a thread which is divisive and unrelated to hypnosis, NLP, or related subjects, I would suggest that such discussion would best be included on forums hosted by others.