• Jack Cummins
    5.3k
    To the moderators, and everyone:

    I am writing this thread because I am a bit puzzled. The reason behind this is that last night I was looking through one of my thread discussions and happened to click onto the name Anand-Haqq, and discovered that the person had been banned in the last couple of days. I am wondering why and, as far as I am aware there has been no mention of this banning. When there have been bannings it is usually posted up in the thread on bannings, and with a reason This poster had written a fair amount of posts(95) and, even when someone(Zenny) had only been using the site for about a day or so, it was mentioned. So, I am left wondering why has Anand-Haqq been banned, and why is not mentioned at all.

    I can understand that this person had an unusual writing style and a point of view which may have been a bit different to most expressed on the site, but it was not as if the writing was illiterate or incoherent. The style had broken sentences, but was fairly poetic, and I think that it fell more in the tradition of writers, such as Rumi. Perhaps such views are seen as being outside of the discourse of philosophy, but it is not as if each post on the site is written like a philosophy paper, and many topics which are a bit outside philosophy are explored

    It has left me wondering about what is acceptable and what is taboo? I know that there are guidelines and rules, but I am thinking what had this person done to be considered as deserving to be banned. I had seen some objection to something Anand-Haqq wrote on the thread about whether it is necessary to believe in God to be good. But, on that thread there are so many comments which are not really relevant, and all kinds of extreme views have been expressed. I can understand that posts may be deleted, but I understood banning was usually only done as a last resort. Of course, there may be factors of which I am not aware.

    Beyond the banning of this member, I do wonder if there are certain views which are taboo on the site. Personally, I query all forms of dogmatiism. This is a bit different to the discussion about what is Woke because it is about the expression of ideas, rather than about race, physical characteristics or personal attributes. I think that it even goes beyond the issues of this site, so I am raising it as a discussion of ideas and what gets silenced generally. We live in a pluralistic society, but are people allowed to express all ideas freely?

  • skyblack
    545
    Interesting.....
  • skyblack
    545
    I could be wrong but it seems discouraging some while encouraging others seems to be the name of the game..
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    Well, so far you are the only person who has replied, so maybe this thread will create a big silence.
  • skyblack
    545
    Well, so far you are the only person who has replied, so maybe this thread will create a big silence.Jack Cummins

    Conflict 101 eh..
  • Mystic
    145
    @Jack Cummins It is extremely naive to think that society is pluralistic when it comes to ideas and expressions. Censorship,direct or indirect is a fact.
    This forum is no exception.
    Philosophy is an expression of one's values. And many people value control and dogma over genuine discussion.
    Also bear in mind,many decisions are made by decree,no discussion or recourse to appeal. The authoritarian mindset is rampant on internet forums and the media.
    Freedom is found in the gaps of the state!
    You must battle for freedom!
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k


    This is the first internet forum I have ever used, so I did not come with any particular set of expectations. Generally, I don't think we really live in a pluralistic society in which all views and all people are treated equally. I have seen so much hostility and bullying towards people who are seen as 'different'.

    I believe that a lot that goes on in social groups and organisations is kept quiet. The various groups and networks have varying agendas and forbidden territories. I have witnessed this and I would like to see changes. I do think that the silences on many issues say so much. I also wonder what happens to thoughts which cannot be ventilated at all, and wonder if they end up as toxic waste, in the individual and larger psyche, and will surface at some point, in an explosive way. I believe that the silences in social structures are extremely ominous zones.
  • Mystic
    145
    @Jack Cummins Silence does say so much! I agree!
    In the general public people conform to avoid discomfort.
    I don't foresee any explosive upheaval. People rant and rave online or in private to express their frustrations.
    You would be surprised how well bread and circuses placates people!
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    I think that you are new to the forum, so I hope that it goes well for you. It is possible that a number of people will be put off by your name, and you may be interested to know that there was a thread on what is mysticism a couple of months ago.

    I think that a lot of people rant and rave in groups and online. I'm not really a ranter myself, but I was a bit angry today when I wrote the thread. It may be that no answer is ever given to my query about the banning, especially as it is likely that the staff may never ever bother to look at my thread as there are so many created on a daily basis.

    But, I do believe that while many people do ventilate anger, or distress in some way, there are a lot who are not able to find outlets at all. I have met people who have spoken of long periods where they were isolated and alone, often feeling victimized and marginalised. Also, I have realised that people have different styles and abilities to express their feelings. Some people don't talk much at all, and channel emotions into sports whereas others channel their energies into creativity. I do believe that negative experiences can be transmuted into positive ones, but it may not be that easy always.
  • Mystic
    145
    @Jack Cummins Thank you! I might dig up that thread!
    I am what I am,I make no apologies to those who worship science or dialectics!
    Yeah,most folks will have some outlet for expression,even if it's tatoos,selfies,nonsense conversation and pink hair!
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    I hope that you enjoy the thread on mysticism. I definitely have my punk and grunge days, and perhaps it is time for me to get tattoos. But, I would definitely want one which I would not end up regretting. A friend of mine had one removed.

    But, in spite of our own coping mechanisms, I still believe in the importance of diversity of thought, and people not being forced to suppress and repress their views. That extends to philosophy and this site, because, surely, it is about dialogue and debate of ideas. My own endeavor is to try to read ideas and books on viewpoints which are different to my own, because I believe that is the way to develop as a human being.
  • Mystic
    145
    @Jack Cummins Yes,on this site we should have diversity of opinions and views,I agree.
    I think reading ideas is in fact a kind of verbal competition which improves one's life skills,but talking,experiencing and writing are better than just reading.
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    Well, it is early days for you, and you will have to come to your own conclusions. I do continue to use the site because most of the people I know are not really interested in philosophy discussion. For about 5 years prior to using the site, I used to spend a lot of time reading, but not really talking to anyone about the ideas in them.

    But, I am still bothered about the mysterious banning of a member, not knowing why, and it makes me worry that I may just wake up one oneday and discover that I cannot log into the site. I am left wondering if the person even knows about the ban, and may think that it is a technical glitch. I just happened to press onto the person's name and discovered that it said, 'Banned' rather than 'Member'.
  • Mystic
    145
    @Jack Cummins You worry too much Jack!
    Remember there's more than one way to skin a cat!
  • T Clark
    13.7k
    To the moderators, and everyoneJack Cummins

    It was not clear from the title that this discussion is about bannings. The moderators may not have looked at it. Hey @Baden, @StreetlightX - what's up?
  • Jack CumminsAccepted Answer
    5.3k

    Thanks for clicking on a couple of names of moderators and I probably should have done that in the first place. But, there are quite a few and it's hard to know who is on duty, or should I say online. But, at least you have clicked on a couple of names, so, hopefully, we may find out about the banning at some point, because I have been feeling puzzled last night and today.
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    I chose not to put bannings in the title because even though the banning lead me to write this thread, I did also intend it to be a general discussion about acceptable discourse. Even though there are guidelines on the site, I think that the practice of interacting is so much more intricate, especially as it is online. Also, I think that diversity of ideas in social life is extremely complex and worthy of exploration.
  • Baden
    16.3k


    Put feedback threads in feedback only, please (now moved). I don't know who banned this member but the policy is to put in the banning thread mention of established members only. This is to save time. And, I guess, at just under 100 posts, Anand-Haqq would be a borderline case.
  • Baden
    16.3k
    I do wonder if there are certain views which are taboo on the siteJack Cummins

    Yes, some are specifically mentioned in the guidelines. Others are discretionary. Like, we didn't mention necrophilia, but it probably wouldn't fly as a philosophical topic.
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    So, do you wish me to put this discussion into the feedback thread, because it was also meant to be a discussion of diversity of thinking. I know how to transfer threads to the lounge, but I don't know how to move it to the feedback section because I do it on my phone. This makes it a bit fiddly as I don't have a mouse and have to do everything on the digits. So, if it needs to be moved to the feedback section I would need you to do it.

    I am a bit surprised that someone with only about 100 posts is considered as a borderline as needing to be mentioned, especially as Zenny got listed in the bannings and he had only joined for a day. But, I am even more surprised that whoever did the banning did not communicate with other staff.

    I have just noticed your second reply coming up on my phone. I think necrophilia involves corpses, but I am not sure that anyone has written on that. It would be more like gothic horror fantasy.

    Anyway, I will leave you to decide where my thread should go.
  • Baden
    16.3k


    You may be right about the inconsistency there and if there's any question as to the legitimacy of a banning, it's normally raised in the mod forum, so I'll look into it. Re the thread, it's directly about feedback (i.e. concerning the mods and the site) with little or no other content or focus.
  • Baden
    16.3k
    @Jack Cummins That's in the banning thread now. I agree with the decision but if you have any comments specifically relating to it, please feel free to put them there.
  • Jack Cummins
    5.3k

    Okay, thanks for looking into it.
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