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Why can't we stay civil on Dakka?
Check as many above as apply. Let me know if there are additional reasons that I should add to the list and I may do so.

I'm asking because recently I've had a thread locked and for good reason. It quickly spiraled out of control into flaming wars. Admittedly it wase on potentially contentious issues, but I thought that civilized discussion would ensue, and I was quite clearly wrong. It is by no means my problem alone, lots of folks start threads on topics that could lead to interesting conversations and they decend into personal attacks and get locked.

As Abraham Lincoln said, 'One mans civility is another mans trollbait'. Or something along those lines.

theres no "all of the above"?

Some people are looking to be offended, which combined with entrenched views is just asking for trouble in some threads.

Having said that, some threads can be very good and avoid the pitfalls that similar threads stumble into.

Anonymity breeds aggression.

see also: road rage

Bakerofish wrote:theres no "all of the above"?

you can check as many of the boxes -including all- if you want

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Anonymity breeds aggression.

Nicely said.
I've heard this phenomenon stated many ways, but this might just be one of the most simple and elegant.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Anonymity breeds aggression. Aggression creates hate. Hate leads to the Dark Side.

Thought I'd finish that one for ya MGS.

Sometimes it could just be misinterpretation of what another person has said.

Some men just want to watch the world burn.

I'm actually, in general, more aggressive in person but I think anonymity is the primary force behind net aggression.

I believe the anonymity thing is what plays the largest factor. A similar thing is supposed to apply to warpaint; the concealment of identity leads to heightened aggression in an individual.
And that was my five minutes of pretending I know what I'm talking about.

I chose everything so I could get more points. I'm winning.

Ketara wrote:

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Anonymity breeds aggression. Aggression creates hate. Hate leads to the Dark Side. The Dark side is the Fun Side.

Thought I'd finish that one for ya MGS.

You missed a spot.

MeanGreenStompa wrote:Anonymity breeds aggression.

see also: road rage

see also: phone balls

o and... yoink!

Humans aren't civil creatures.

Too many Polls, IMO, that's why

corpsesarefun wrote:Humans aren't civil creatures.

This...pretty much.
We can behave in a civilized manner ...but by and large our "reptile" brain still holds a lot of sway over how we interact.

I think we need to make a poll on whether we need to have a poll about civility here.

WarOne wrote:I think we need to make a poll on whether we need to have a poll about civility here.

How about a poll about limiting the amount of polls?

Hey dawg I heard you like polls...

corpsesarefun wrote:Hey dawg I heard you like polls...

EDIT:...My comment was to dumb...even for me.

FITZZ wrote:

corpsesarefun wrote:Hey dawg I heard you like polls...

EDIT:...My comment was to dumb...even for me.

I think we need to move forward with the poll about the poll regarding too many polls.

Let's put this poll up to see if people approve.

I think an important decision like that should be left to a committe. Who wants to start the poll to establish who should be members of the committee?

I think we just invented the EU

Ketara wrote:I think an important decision like that should be left to a committe. Who wants to start the poll to establish who should be members of the committee?

Well...Shouldn't we first have a poll establishing who should do the poll concerning who should be added to the poll for the committee pertaining to the posting of polls?...
...I do so love the burecratic process.

We need to secret ballot the election so that there is a standard of fairness for the creation of a poll to see who would do the poll that would add a poll for the committee pretaining to the posting of polls. Then each person who is selected needs to be sent a survey to determine how fair the ballot really was, and if necessary, create a poll for people to determine if we should nominate someone to go to Burger King and get the ballot box staffers food for the duration the election is in progress.

I'm goin' for a beer. tell when it's over.

and i put 2 & 4.

I'd add on "human nature".

alarmingrick wrote:I'm goin' for a beer. tell when it's over.

Wait..wait...now we're going to have to enact a poll pertaining to what sort of beer the committee should consume while organizing the secret ballots for the creation of polls to see who would do the poll that would add polls for the committee pretaining to the posting of polls...and then we'll need another poll polling the committee to determine if they were under the influance when polling took place....

Gee...this is just like Washington.

FITZZ wrote:

alarmingrick wrote:I'm goin' for a beer. tell when it's over.

Wait..wait...now we're going to have to enact a poll pertaining to what sort of beer the committee should consume while organizing the secret ballots for the creation of polls to see who would do the poll that would add polls for the committee pretaining to the posting of polls...and then we'll need another poll polling the committee to determine if they were under the influance when polling took place....

Gee...this is just like Washington.

Well, with more beer here! maybe that's what they need? or a few brownies....