Given how vociferous some of our political discussions have been the past few months, I can understand why some folk immediately say "Can we please not talk about this?" whenever it comes up in Natter. OTOH, I really, really want to talk politics, and it's hard to find political discussion anywhere else online that isn't completely overrun by trolls, so it's kinda frustrating to feel like it's a forbidden topic.

My main problem with it is that political arguments don't seem to get dropped, and those differences aren't just chalked down to differing opinions. Things get ugly, and they basically stay ugly. While I don't condone personal attacks, I can certainly see and understand why they happen in certain contexts. The bottom line is that I really don't think it's possible to have a sustained, respectful discussion about politics, even here. One can say all one wants that disagreeing with a position isn't a personal attack, but, when it comes to the political, it very often will feel like it, especially because it seems like folks can't keep a note of superiority out of their tones (on ALL sides) when "discussing" it.

I don't like thread proliferation cause it means I see less of people and deep down I'm just greedy and want things my way (much like everyone else), but at this point I'd propose that if there is support for a thread displayed in Bureaucracy then start it up. If it is not getting used then we can re-evaluate it continuing. ONE BIG THING though, if we just end up with a bunch of natter in the labeled topic specific threads, I would recommend shutting them down.

billytea, I don't know what to tell you, unless you want to go back and tally. The thing is, the thread is already up. Not sure why I'm even discussing this since it's nat a thread I'm in or subscribing to or anything.

I think I need a break from Bureacracy.

billytea, I don't know what to tell you, unless you want to go back and tally. The thing is, the thread is already up. Not sure why I'm even discussing this since it's nat a thread I'm in or subscribing to or anything.

Nah, it's not important after the fact.

I don't like thread proliferation cause it means I see less of people

That's also why I dislike thread spread.

I think we can say that politics is outside the mission of the board (plus, there really is no way to discuss it politely). But I'd vote pro-2003 foamies thread.

I think we are at a point where there are sooo many people and so much nattering that we see less of people we like either way. Or have less meaningful or in-depth natter conversations.

I do believe it's possible to discuss politics politely, as I have on many occasions and will likely continue to do in the future.

That said, the last time a politics thread came up Gar and I were the only people in support of it, so it was tabled. Unless something has changed, the objections to the thread were vociferous and should be respected.

My main problem with it is that political arguments don't seem to get dropped, and those differences aren't just chalked down to differing opinions. Things get ugly, and they basically stay ugly.

I see that, really, but political issues and how I feel about them have become such a central part of who I am the past few years that I hate having to bite my tongue. And, I really hate to see whole topic areas be forbidden--that's why I suggested a separate thread.

I can't quite put my finger on why, but I'm a little bit annoyed at the categorizing of natter into threads. We can't really ever stop nattering, we do it everywhere til a stompy foot comes down to steer the conversation back to the thread topic.

Like the rape convo that evolved in the Buffy thread, it began as a discussion involving BtVS events, but as it evolved, it moved away from show discussion and more into political and personal debate. I like that sort of loose adherence to thread topic.

Maybe I'm concerned that we'll have 83 different threads, Cooking, Job Bitching, Birdwatching, Hairdos, My God I'm Fat and Depressed and No One Likes Me Please Stroke My Ego, and Various Styles of Clog Dancing.

I understand that threads evolve when a specific topic consistently comes up in Natter, until it becomes a subject all its own, but the natter that evolves from it then has to move back to natter, and it seems to squash the conversation that was evolving naturally.

I have no solutions, and could be imagining shit.

Maybe I'm concerned that we'll have 83 different threads, Cooking, Job Bitching, Birdwatching, Hairdos, My God I'm Fat and Depressed and No One Likes Me Please Stroke My Ego, and Various Styles of Clog Dancing.

Heh. Once, we were one thread. Just Buffy. I can barely remember what it was like.