Use of the ignore button

[nameless]

'Original' just won the award for the quickest trip to my ignore list!
Like a fresh breeze blowing a nasty fart out of the room!
So sweet!
I loooove this button!
*__-

And when/if there's no one left to conversate with, I'll simply ignore myself!!

[athena]

I asked for the ignore button, but have not used it. I asked for it because I repeatedly asked someone to stop making offensive remarks and the offensiveness persisted until the ignore function became possible. Because the offensiveness stopped when the ignore function became possible, I have not had to use it.

I am strongly opposed to authority over us. I do not like tattle tales who run to a moderator and expect a moderator to handle their battles for them. Besides, just because someone is unpleasant to me, it doesn't mean others don't get a long with this person. The ignore function means we can make the forums pleasant for ourselves, without jeopardizing the liberty of others.

And I am very sure few of us read everything others write. A lack of the ignore function will not increase the reading.

[athena]

cant say i didn't think of that homicidalpacifist.

i wish others would at least vote on the issue(please comment).

Vote on the issue? I think this would be democracy gone wrong. If we choose to ignore someone or not, is a personal decision and I do not think democracy should be used to decrease our personal power.

Something I would like to avoid is authority over us. This includes the authority of the mob. In Athens a distinction was made between what is public and what is private. If a moderator bans someone, that is a decision made for everyone. That is a public decision. If an individual choose to ignore someone, that is a private decision. Let us keep the power a personal power, and don't force this unpleasant authority on Scott.

Perhaps we should discuss what is respectful and what is disrespectful, and work on our social agreements and culture? What is the objection to the ignore function? I often attempt to respond to everyone, so everyone feels acknowledged, but at the same time, I don't want to offend everyone by posting too many times. What can we do to acknowledge each other and generate good feelings about coming to these forums? And for goodness sakes, what is wrong with ignoring someone who is deliberately offensive, even after several request that the offensiveness stop?

[wanabe]

Whitetrshsoldier, thanks for the info from the other side, I greatly appreciate that, good to know things don't disappear (not that I thought they did, but good to KNOW).
~~~~~~~~
Athena, 'creator' or the ignore button. Pleasantry and convenience readily destroy higher thought in a very clandestine way.

Nor will having the ignore button increase our reading. just the reading of what we want (want is not as important as need and should) to hear, and we know the dangers of that, going back to clandestine.

Further more the vote is not to see whats right, just what is going on.

I concur with what you have said about authority, public/private.

Respect is relative. my problem with the ignore button was expressed above in this post and others...it is good to be offended.

[athena]

Whitetrshsoldier, thanks for the info from the other side, I greatly appreciate that, good to know things don't disappear (not that I thought they did, but good to KNOW).
~~~~~~~~
Athena, 'creator' or the ignore button. Pleasantry and convenience readily destroy higher thought in a very clandestine way.

Nor will having the ignore button increase our reading. just the reading of what we want (want is not as important as need and should) to hear, and we know the dangers of that, going back to clandestine.

Further more the vote is not to see whats right, just what is going on.

I concur with what you have said about authority, public/private.

Respect is relative. my problem with the ignore button was expressed above in this post and others...it is good to be offended.

What is the good of being offended?

[Homicidal Pacifist]

To sum up -

The option to use the ignore button is good and should exist because it allows personal choice and freedom and creates efficiency and can act as a deterrent for overly offensive statements (and by overly offensive I mean statements that are aimed at malicious and needless slander as opposed to positive and challenging philosophical argumentation).

It is ok to use the ignore button sometimes or to scroll past posts that we have no interest in reading because we should be allowed to choose our own indulgences; but we must remember that by ignoring that which has a tendency to be worthless, we might miss something worthwhile.

Example: There may be a lyric hidden in some song by the Backstreet Boys that describes how to cure cancer, but I'm not gonna sit through that crappy music for any reason because it is unfair to ask a person to suffer that much. Cancer may have to wait.

Philofunny - Funny philosophy. Well, almost funny.[/i]

[wanabe]

whether the offense is true, or just insulting; it makes us think. be it about the person, about life, whatever all stimulation is good stimulation if channeled correctly. it's a similar logic as to why i don't like the ignore button, so it makes sense that you would ask why i say that.
~~~~~ ~~~
Homicidal Pacifist, pretty good summation!

still curious though, i hope people still vote, just to see the over all attitude of the users. not that it matters.

[Belinda]

I would use the ignore button is someone was hurting my feelings. I am not a masochist! Otherwise I never used it.I think I must have faith in my scanning ability

[athena]

I would use the ignore button if someone was hurting my feelings. I am not a masochist! Otherwise I never used it. I think I must have faith in my scanning ability

For sure. I totally agree with the opinion that repeatedly allowing someone to offend me is masochistic.

Wanabe, this is a quality of life issue. The first guy I wanted to marry became a Hell's Angel as soon as he could afford a motorcycle. I used to be proud of using my tongue as a weapon. A professor, told me I am a castrating bitch. Now, in my later years, I am doing my best to achieve a different goal.

How do I say? I am kind of like an addict trying to stay clean. I thrill at the thought of being my worst, so I really need to avoid people who bring out the worst in me. It is a whole lot harder to stay civil, than it is to tear someone to shreds.

Taking away the ignore function is like being a smoker who insist everyone must smoke. Those of us who do not want to be offended, should have the right to choose that for ourselves. Anyone of worth in these forums will not misuse the function. This is not only a quality of life issue, but also about being grown up and enjoying our liberty to choose for ourselves.

The Oprah show tonight, highlighted the importance of being civil and avoiding offending others. When we are offensive, it is like polluting the environment and it leads to disease. Conversely, when we are respectful and considerate, good things happen. I won't be around much longer, and I choose to be a source of the good things. I want to leave this planet better than it was.

[Homicidal Pacifist]

Right on Athena.
Though I will say... Nothing can be offensive if you don't get offended. Easier said than done.

Belinda said, "I would use the ignore button is someone was hurting my feelings. I am not a masochist!"

And what's so wrong with masochism???
I'm only happy when you make me cry.

Wannabe said, "whether the offense is true, or just insulting; it makes us think."

I might be able to convince you otherwise.

Let's say I began acting in obsessed stalker fashion and was only posting things like... "WANNABE!!! I WANNA HAVE YOUR BABY!!!" over and over and over with nothing new or philosophical to say (I'm a dude by the way).

If Scott refused to ban me from this site or was incapacitated, would you soon wish for or use a device created to silence such pestilence?

[wanabe]

i would say homicidal pacifist...you can have my baby, sure (but i think that puts *you* on the receiving end hahahahahaha so whats my mom been doing to you? hahahaha ok sorry sex humor is good humor; ill stop now). ill just be a big boy and only read your posts when i feel like it, i don't need a button.

Hey Athena, use the button if you want; this is getting ridiculously personal. I'm not trying to erase the ignore button, *I* just think its bad (but practical), and was curios as to others thoughts, so relax.

[whitetrshsoldier]

Right on Athena.
Though I will say... Nothing can be offensive if you don't get offended. Easier said than done.

Is that true? Do you have control over your emotions, or don't you?

If you don't, I fear for my safety in this world and would even more vehmently endorse the death of gun-control laws for qualified citizens. This can be discussed elsewhere, of course, but if you cannot handle an insult, how could I expect to be safe from the actions that may result from your "hurt feelings"?

The broken/bruised ego, after all, is most often the start of all conflict!

*** Remember, YOU CAN USE THIS FUNCTION AND STILL READ POSTS!!!! JUST CLICK ON THE "CLICK HERE TO READ THIS POST" PROMPT !!!

[prodygi]

I voted no at the beginning before reading the reply's. I have not used it yet, but that is not to say I wouldn't. If someone wishes to ignore me, or anyone else, well, doesn't hurt me at all.

[Alun]

As much as I am a bleeding heart, open-minded, wishy-washy *****, I have met people on forums who talk and talk without any attempt made at grammar, reasonable argument, or politeness. If reading someone's post is just going to take me forever and make me angry or frustrated, only to have that person totally disregard anything I respond to them with every time I do respond, I will ignore that person. I have met one person like that on these forums, and quite a few on other forums. As WTS said, you can easily undo it permanently or for a particular post whenever you want.

And honestly, what good is free speech if you can't filter out the people saying, "rivers eating inward hypocrites you stop your agreement with the Man!! of course........ the righteous believe but pressures?" (only with worse spelling).

[athena]

Right on Athena.
Though I will say... Nothing can be offensive if you don't get offended. Easier said than done.

Is that true? Do you have control over your emotions, or don't you?

If you don't, I fear for my safety in this world and would even more vehmently endorse the death of gun-control laws for qualified citizens. This can be discussed elsewhere, of course, but if you cannot handle an insult, how could I expect to be safe from the actions that may result from your "hurt feelings"?

The broken/bruised ego, after all, is most often the start of all conflict!

*** Remember, YOU CAN USE THIS FUNCTION AND STILL READ POSTS!!!! JUST CLICK ON THE "CLICK HERE TO READ THIS POST" PROMPT !!!

It is about civility. I don't care to associate with crude and rude people, nor do I think it is a good thing to encourage them. This actually has international implication. I do not think we should behave in away that justifies terrorist. Good manners are just very important to me. Like I enjoy swimming, but would not swim in polluted water. Why would I indugle someone who is intentionally offensive? Isn't that a bit stupid?