Good point Tetley, but it does take two to argue, people don't have to reply so I think the code must come from each individual poster as to whether they want to get drawn into the arguments.
Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor.
For me the danger seems that people I think of as gardening friends may appear less like kindred spirits if drawn to express their views on more contentious topics, and because it is hard to communicate the nuances of face to face debate it is easy to misunderstand each other, as maybe happened recently. I prefer to keep out of it!
My understanding on joining this forum was that other discussions were to take place in the potting shed, a place for having a cupper and natter as gardeners do. For some reason talk back has become the chat column, why?
Sitting here whilst Granddaughter Phoebe granddad sits me, Daughter is having a new bathroom fitted so arrived here early and has now gone shopping whilst Phoebe six (so she keeps telling me) looks after me, already asked if I want her to make me a cup of tea? I rather think kettles and children do not mix.
Morning Verdun as Phoebe would say, what is all the fuss?
The name of this forum should be enough of a clue as to suitable subject matter - Gardeners World. Chat posts which allow for more personal exchanges about life in general, TV, sport (if you must) seem OK too although I do think football can bring out low tribal tendencies which are unattractive.
The only politics that should be discussed here are local and central government attitudes and policies for the provision and upkeep of allotments and green spaces and prescribing gardening for NHS patients suffering illness, disability or stress as these are gardening related.
Any other political topic is bound to be contentious as is religious belief and observance or lack of it. Best left to late night radio call-in shows or the pub where we can hear tone of voice and see faces and, above, all, change channel. Tolerance and irony do not come across well in a reading only forum and misunderstandings leading to rudeness, bigotry and extremism are all too likely to come out and wreak havoc.
Members in general should exercise topic restraint and not just start a thread because they have nothing better to do. Some posters seem quite incontinent in that respect and would be better employed talking to their plants till the urge passes.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I think there is a certain arrogance to this thread. I don't know how many members there are, of this forum, but it must run into hundreds. Who is to decide what subject matter is acceptable or not? The few, who believe they have the intellect to decide what others say or think? I think not.
There will always be contentious threads on any forum as well as some ridiculous or stupid ones. The trick is to just ignore what doesn't interest you.
When someone launches a thread they are inviting reply's. You can't expect everyone to share your view and some people will have strenuous opposing views. However, I do believe that, recently, a few threads have been started with the sole purpose of creating unrest between the forum members. I also believe that this thread is an example of that.
I like it as it is and have no problem avoiding posts which don't interest me or I feel are too contentious (or perhaps important) for non face to face discussion.
Posts
Good point Tetley, but it does take two to argue, people don't have to reply so I think the code must come from each individual poster as to whether they want to get drawn into the arguments.
For me the danger seems that people I think of as gardening friends may appear less like kindred spirits if drawn to express their views on more contentious topics, and because it is hard to communicate the nuances of face to face debate it is easy to misunderstand each other, as maybe happened recently. I prefer to keep out of it!
My understanding on joining this forum was that other discussions were to take place in the potting shed, a place for having a cupper and natter as gardeners do. For some reason talk back has become the chat column, why?
Sitting here whilst Granddaughter Phoebe granddad sits me, Daughter is having a new bathroom fitted so arrived here early and has now gone shopping whilst Phoebe six (so she keeps telling me) looks after me, already asked if I want her to make me a cup of tea? I rather think kettles and children do not mix.
Morning Verdun as Phoebe would say, what is all the fuss?
Frank.
The name of this forum should be enough of a clue as to suitable subject matter - Gardeners World. Chat posts which allow for more personal exchanges about life in general, TV, sport (if you must) seem OK too although I do think football can bring out low tribal tendencies which are unattractive.
The only politics that should be discussed here are local and central government attitudes and policies for the provision and upkeep of allotments and green spaces and prescribing gardening for NHS patients suffering illness, disability or stress as these are gardening related.
Any other political topic is bound to be contentious as is religious belief and observance or lack of it. Best left to late night radio call-in shows or the pub where we can hear tone of voice and see faces and, above, all, change channel. Tolerance and irony do not come across well in a reading only forum and misunderstandings leading to rudeness, bigotry and extremism are all too likely to come out and wreak havoc.
Members in general should exercise topic restraint and not just start a thread because they have nothing better to do. Some posters seem quite incontinent in that respect and would be better employed talking to their plants till the urge passes.
I think there is a certain arrogance to this thread. I don't know how many members there are, of this forum, but it must run into hundreds. Who is to decide what subject matter is acceptable or not? The few, who believe they have the intellect to decide what others say or think? I think not.
There will always be contentious threads on any forum as well as some ridiculous or stupid ones. The trick is to just ignore what doesn't interest you.
When someone launches a thread they are inviting reply's. You can't expect everyone to share your view and some people will have strenuous opposing views. However, I do believe that, recently, a few threads have been started with the sole purpose of creating unrest between the forum members. I also believe that this thread is an example of that.
I like it as it is and have no problem avoiding posts which don't interest me or I feel are too contentious (or perhaps important) for non face to face discussion.
I also think our Forum is fine without taboo subjects