Perhaps we can have this conversation via FL, Paul. Let's look at your statement.
first assumption: only people on the 'right' ignore people.
Actually, that seems to be the case. If not, could you offer some evidence? I think it's fair to say, barring further evidence, that the folk on this thread who have typed, publicly, about putting folk on ignore have been ones who thought of themselves as on the right and put folk who they thought of as on the left on ignore. I'm concerned about this, not as an individual matter, but as a thread practice meant to recommend itself to everyone. It does encourage folk to talk only with their ideological soul mates. There are places on SI for folk to do this. Plenty of threads, even some started by members of this thread, which are clearly meant to perform that function. This one was not meant to be that.
second assumption: people on the 'right' only ignore people on the 'left'
Again, see my point above. The folk who have typed about it, openly, on the thread, fit that pattern.
third assumption: people on the right only ignore people on the 'left' because they have different ideas
Ah, now to the crux of the matter. If not this reason, what is the other reason? Let me explore this a bit. One of the constants of this thread, almost from the very beginning, has been the tendency of serial attack against posters who offer views outside the more than prevalent right wing views. Someone new shops up--Jacob Snyder, ST, others--and the swarm begins. Some such new folk continue to post and hang around but many don't. And it's not an equal opportunity attack. New folk who appear from the right are not subjected to that treatment, or at least are much less likely to be so.
The anamoly then is that once the attacks subside a bit, the poster hangs around, he or she can find themselves placed on ignore on a thread meant to foster open conversation from diverse points of view. What's that all about?
fourth assumption: people who use ignore don't share your stated goals
Given the preceding, isn't it fair to say that this use of the ignore function undermines the thread's goals? If not, how would you characterize it?
fifth assumption: you can know why people do something without first asking them
Consider this entire line of conversation an "ask".
None of these assumptions is correct, at least when it comes to me. Ignore is a blunt instrument, I have not always used it well but I do often use it for anything resembling your argument, and when I do I catch myself quickly and take the person off ignore. The people who remain on ignore are there for their conduct not their opinion. I have almost as many 'right wingers' on ignore as 'left wingers' because bad behavior is not a partisan issue.
Perhaps that's true. Given the text of this response, it's not possible to know. But the way it plays out on the thread is quite different. It's more political views than your version of good conduct. |
