Confiteor, I've been suspended thrice. I feel like Puss in Boots against :death: in the new animation — Agent Smith
That's not an apt analogy. — SophistiCat
It is a voluntary community, moderated ideally for that communities benefit. — hypericin
Hang in there, buddy. You have a lot to offer beyond the goofiness at times. — jgill
Jesus, if they keep me, they must keep Agent Smith. — Banno
However, I think it is quite unjust to permanently ban a long-term poster who has contributed well and evenly for most of their TPF travels. — Amity
What 'status' other than 'Banned' would be appropriate?
Suspended account? — Amity
That is a valid point, I think. It would be better to find a neutral term - "account closed" or some such. Not sure if the software can be tweaked? — unenlightened
But Olivier5 had thousands of posts, and more importantly, real relationships, mayhap even friendships. It seems cruel to sever those over this incident, which had multiple sides to it. — hypericin
Though, possibly, too complex for the intellectually or metaphysically challenged to grasp.
— Apollodorus
You are confused and challenged because you are not looking at the right place. You are looking at the tools (concepts) used by Plato, not at what he says with these tools. You are staying at level of words, at the surface therefore.
When the wise points at the stars, you dissect his finger. — Olivier5
I did not get a chance to read the posts that were deleted, but it is certain that they were not substantive or on topic. As you said, it was a moderator who thought they should be deleted.
Unfortunately, you have become a target too
— Fooloso4
Apparently they have no problem with overdrawn personal feuds.
— Olivier5
Unfortunately, the misrepresentations and lies continue. Such blatant dishonesty:
https://thephilosophyforum.com/discussion/comment/555262
I will leave it stand. As an example.
My concern is that it will not stop - not particularly from the point of view of being a 'target' - but that any further threads concerning Plato's Dialogues will suffer the same fate.
— Amity
It has happened many times over the years, both on the old PF and on TPF. It normally doesn't happen without a lot of discussion first, as Hanover has described. But occasionally it does.
I know that this discussion was prompted by the recent banning of Olivier5. In that case I didn't take it to the rest of the staff for discussion. The refusal of moderation, the attitude it was received with, and his suggestion that he be banned for all he cared, are what led directly to the ban. Refusal of moderation has been a reason for such bannings before, e.g., The Great Whatever, who was a high-quality poster who refused to make a small change to his spelling habits. — Jamal
There was no benefit here afaict, rather the mere assuagement of the moderators' egos. — hypericin
I know that this discussion was prompted by the recent banning of Olivier5 — Jamal
It wouldn't affect me, though you may be right in that it would affect others. I just don't look that carefully 'up there' and have only understood later why someone never responded to me. I guess for some it might stain their pre-ban posts. I don't see that as a big loss. I think most move chronologically through posts so those post quickly become unseen along with all the other unbanned people's posts. I could be wrong about that.It is only a concern when it is related to the 'status' of a forum member.
If you see the label 'Banned' on someone's profile, what is your first impression?
Unworthy of being read or thoughts considered? — Amity
Yes. And I am not sure any process that would 'catch' them and ban them would be one I'd vote for. But I do think the issue should be thought about. There's a poster on another forum. He with regularity responds not quite to what you are saying. He dismisses critiques of parts of his posts as 'not solving issue X.' IOW he does not need to support any point made in his posts since he treats all responses as failing to solve his main interests. He does not state this openly and I think is not aware that he is doing this, but it happens with great regularity. He has trouble understanding many things and if he does he will more or less, label someone as a professional philosopher - which is just silly when aimed at me and most of the others - and a strange ad hom or insult. There's a quite a bit of labeling as argument. It tends not to be rude. There are some forays into psychologizing those he disagrees with, but mostly in general, not so much You think this because....type obvoious attacks.A real pity when this happens and not picked up on.
It's happened before and it will happen again.
Some expert, clever trollers are never banned... — Amity
I wouldn't ban him. He can produce interesting things. But engaging with him is pointless, but it can take pages and for some years to realize this. — Bylaw
I mean, how many pages are you going to keep talking to that kind of posting? — Bylaw
The Great Whatever, who was a high-quality poster who refused to make a small change to his spelling habits. — Jamal
My main point was that the person need not feel a stain on their character after the banning moment and any short term emotional effects of that. — Bylaw
I agree. I believe in second chances. People do change/acknowledge community guidelines after a ban has been employed causing them to re-evaluate their approach. — Benj96
Perhaps a temporary ban followed by a probation period is more apt. — Benj96
I know that this discussion was prompted by the recent banning of Olivier5. In that case I didn't take it to the rest of the staff for discussion. The refusal of moderation, the attitude it was received with, and his suggestion that he be banned for all he cared, are what led directly to the ban. Refusal of moderation has been a reason for such bannings before, e.g., The Great Whatever, who was a high-quality poster who refused to make a small change to his spelling habits. — Jamal
Your thoughts are twisted as hell... — javi2541997
What 'status' other than 'Banned' would be appropriate? — Amity
"Unclean"? Then the member would be untouchable, but there would be the hope of a cure. — Ciceronianus
[...] As for suspensions, I suppose we need to work out more systematically and transparently how they are used. Anyhow, that's how I would move towards addressing the concerns raised here. — Baden
For example: transparency of the 'Banning Procedure' and timing/pacing of steps within. Including the new 'Suspension' category. A sticky added to the Guidelines for the benefit of members' awareness
We introduced the Suspended status last year, but we don't have standard criteria for its use. — Jamal
I see banning more as an expression of incompatibility rather than a personal judgement, — Baden
↪neomac As always, we're open to suggestions, but I don't see a reason to change things at the moment. — Jamal
His good character remains intact. — Amity
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