Thread Hijacking in Galway City Forum

The Hill Billy

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Disproof by counterexample: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057088062

But yet we have the obligatory plug for bikes...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87621460&postcount=11

Iwannahurl

The Hill Billy wrote: »

But yet we have the obligatory plug for bikes...
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=87621460&postcount=11

So what are we invited to conclude? That a mild little jest (a Galway in-joke, actually, and clearly marked with lest anyone be tempted to take it too seriously) can be interpreted as Thread Highjacking?

Lighten up, will ya.

K-9

newkie wrote: »

WELCOME TO THE INTERWEBS!

Don't know if anyone told you yet, but there is this cool site called Wikipedia where you can get info for anything, like forums! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum

Don't worry, everything is working fine. This is how forums are. Because you are interacting with other human beings, sometimes things don't go exactly the way you want.

PS: If you found this upsetting, you should probably stay away from Reddit.

But Boards isn't reddit and never has purported to be. Internet forums aren't homogenous drones, thank God, and certain sites will suit some people, not others.

As an example, people who want a free internet can go to 4chan or other sites, and other parts of the internet, if they so wish. Nobody is forcing internet libertarians to read Boards, a community get to decide what is the norm, if that community isn't for you, there's another out there for you.

On this issue, it's up to the community who use the Galway city forum to decide, it's simple as that. It's obviously causing problems that traffic or motoring threads are getting turned into, what seems, agenda threads.

The Hill Billy

IWH - I agree. It is not thread hijacking at all. But I think it is a small, but not inconsequential, example of what is being discussed. This is an example & I am not singling out any one poster here.

I don't think that threads are being hijacked per se. If they were I would expect that the local mods would take action for soap-boxing or for dragging threads off-topic. Maybe that needs to be looked at too, but I digress...

The linked example may be part of the issue that is begin raised. When local posters see someone who repeatedly posts on a certain topic then takes 'their' topic into unrelated threads - even in a jocular fashion - that can cause hackles to be raised. Once or twice - not a problem. But when it happens often & not in a jocular fashion - it can cause general bad-feeling in the forum. Galway City is not alone in this regard.

From my own point of view, mods have a responsibility to ensure that forums (especially community-based forums such as those in the Region Cat) are not intimidating places in which to post. If forum regulars become uncomfortable posting lest they express an opinion that may incur the wrath of one or more other posters - even on seemingly unrelated topics - they may stop posting.

So, simply put - if the actions of some posters are causing upset & bad feeling in the forum in general - then it should be looked at & appropriate action taken.

Iwannahurl

The Hill Billy wrote: »

From my own point of view, mods have a responsibility to ensure that forums (especially community-based forums such as those in the Region Cat) are not intimidating places in which to post. If forum regulars become uncomfortable posting lest they express an opinion that may incur the wrath of one or more other posters - even on seemingly unrelated topics - they may stop posting.

The term "forum regulars" interests me.

I've gone into forums (Motors and Roads spring to mind) where what I came to realise were established "forum regulars" instantly circled the wagons when opinions they disliked were expressed.

Do "forum regulars" of any hue in any established forum have a right not to hear what they don't want to hear?

Is it like a pub, to use an example irl, where the regulars were there first and anyone newer on the block has to play by the unwritten rules or else go elsewhere?

And what if there are real-life connections between regulars in community-based forums? Could such friendships actually create a sense of group loyalty around shared interests or opinions, so that there is strong resistance to 'outsiders' or perspectives that are not regarded as acceptable?

The OP has referred to the same group of two or three (who he disagrees with) thanking each other's posts, but that works both ways, does it not? The 'in-group' support each other, and maybe there's an 'out-group' who do the same.

Just wondering 'out loud' about this, btw. I confess I don't know much about how the Boards community-based forums have developed in that regard.

The Hill Billy

Yeah, the pub analogy works for me. It is a public house - everyone is welcome. Come on in, have a pint, chat with the locals, read your paper, whatever...

However, if the owner starts losing custom because someone continually upsets folk & makes them feel uncomfortable - they may be asked to leave. They will of course be free to enjoy their particular tipple in another establishment (there are plenty of other similar forums on the web) or drink at home alone (start a blog).

Iwannahurl

OK, analogies cannot be taken too far or they lose their meaning and purpose, but let's consider the following highly hypothetical "public house" scenario.

The barman and the bunch of regulars are pals, who know each other locally, share common interests and have a well-established male camaraderie. Some of the regulars are well in with the pub owner as well. The new arrivals are gay, or black, or Travellers, or women, or maybe even gay black Traveller women. That makes the regulars uncomfortable, because they have long been used to a particular style of banter and general crack, and the new arrivals don't seem to appreciate the jokes. The newbies want to be treated as equals and to be able to speak as freely as the regulars, even though the regulars got there first and there are more of them.

Complications ensue. Some of the more outspoken regulars begin to stay away, feeling their old haunt and their old ways are somehow under threat. What does the barman do? Tone down their banter and welcome a new perspective, or try to find ways to get the newcomers to change their ways or go somewhere else?

The Hill Billy

My analogy is the closest to what the situation is in all regional forums & one that will be enforced to ensure the smooth running of these forums.

If you feel that there is some 'buddy-buddy' carry on whereby personal relationships outside of boards are clouding a moderator's judgment - you need to inform myself or Mr Magnolia as the Region CMods & we will review & take action if necessary.

Iwannahurl

No, just making the more general point that you'd find politicking even in a Tiddlywinks club. I know, because I've been there...

WallyGUFC

Outsiders are always more than welcome, and educated arguments are always welcome too I reckon. But agendas are not. If a gay black Traveller woman comes into the pub, which is full of say Man United fans, and starts blathering on about how good Liverpool have been doing lately compared to United, she won't be long being isolated. It's grand if she mentions this in discussions regarding football, the Premier League etc. and this leads to educated arguments (assuming rational football fans). :P

But when the lads are listening to a story about how one of them got a bird home the night before, and the gay black Traveller woman starts talking about how magical Luis Suarez is and how this is finally Liverpool's year, bringing it up in unrelated discussions, problems ensue. The regular patrons become disenchanted, complain to the barman and the gay black Traveller woman is either told to leave or the Man United fans find somewhere else to go, rendering the pub obsolete and doomed to failure.

The Hill Billy

Iwannahurl wrote: »

No, just making the more general point that you'd find politicking even in a Tiddlywinks club. I know, because I've been there...

Too obscure. What is your point?

Femme_Fatale

newkie wrote: »

WELCOME TO THE INTERWEBS!

Don't know if anyone told you yet, but there is this cool site called Wikipedia where you can get info for anything, like forums! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum

Don't worry, everything is working fine. This is how forums are. Because you are interacting with other human beings, sometimes things don't go exactly the way you want.

PS: If you found this upsetting, you should probably stay away from Reddit.

Try to actually read the thread in order to understand the point - to which the above has no relevance.

Femme_Fatale

Good example of what the OP is talking about, which some people here are absolutely refusing to acknowledge:

On a general thread about child abuse (not clerical) this "genius" post:

Maybe we could set up a church for all these sick men to join and let them get on with their problem.

Oh wait.... :rolleyes:

Acidflash

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Disproof by counterexample: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057088062

Hardly a disproof, everyone knows why you started the thread, pretty childish really. Nobody was going to turn it into an anti car / traffic thread. They wouldn't turn on one of their own

Mrs OBumble

Acidflash wrote: »

Hardly a disproof, everyone knows why you started the thread, pretty childish really. Nobody was going to turn it into an anti car / traffic thread. They wouldn't turn on one of their own

But ironically it did get subtle digs about traffic / cars / bikes / parking.

Which it would not have got otherwise - as evicence the other threads about restaurants, cafes etc.

And - despite that, it stayed on track overall, and managed to get some excellent recommendations for a bakery that I would never have considered otherwise.

Acidflash

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

But ironically it did get subtle digs about traffic / cars / bikes / parking.

Which was to be expected considering why it was created

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

Which it would not have got otherwise - as evicence the other threads about restaurants, cafes etc.

You can't say that for definite. :pac: People have mentioned the whole car / traffic thing in threads that are not about cars / traffic just because they can form some tenuous link to it. It's all fine and well in a thread about roadworks etc but it needs to be kept to those threads. People are annoyed at the constant soapboxing by one or two people, getting subtle and not so subtle digs in about traffic / cars in threads that appear to be about something else. I agree with some of what's being said by these one or two but it's very very tiring at this stage.

Mrs OBumble wrote: »

And - despite that, it stayed on track overall, and managed to get some excellent recommendations for a bakery that I would never have considered otherwise.

It did and I found out about a bakery that I never knew existed!

biko

Just to let everyone know that the Galway mods are aware of the thread and will be discussing how best to proceed.

Redhairedguy

biko wrote: »

Just to let everyone know that the Galway mods are aware of the thread and will be discussing how best to proceed.

Iwannahurl

gordongekko

Still happening