Ways to experience an alien invasion

Gisteron wrote: Once the terms can be layed out clearly and plainly so that we can all see what is and isn't in violation of them, sure. Until then it is a tool of literally unlimited power in virtue of its deliberate vagueness that has been used exclusively - as predicted - to hunt down any and all challenge, never once to actually alleviate any substantive problems.

From that post I have zero information as to who did wrong, what they did wrong, or to whom. No apology will come of this and no bystander will learn any lesson until any such information is made public.


According to Behavior Unbecoming the consequence of violations is suspensions or permanent bans, not thread locking and not threats of that. If we are going to pretend like this is actually in accord with some kind of "ruleset" (as opposed to a capricious witch hunt I remember predicting), then let's at least apply it as stated.

I agree it would be better to have a clear idea of what exactly is being done wrong, if we want to be able to put an end to it.

Its quite straightforward. Don't demean or belittle others. One doesn't have to go far back in this thread to find that.

But that is not the point of this thread.

Arisaig wrote: The warning has been issued. Back on topic.

You mean threat. A threat to punish all participants for unstated crimes of one, some, or all of them in ways inconsistent with the rules invoked to warrant the punishment. Not my idea of a grassy hill to be defending, but oh well.

Arisaig wrote: Its quite straightforward. Don't demean or belittle others. One doesn't have to go far back in this thread to find that.

But that is not the point of this thread.

Well, I didn't make the complaint, I'm not making it the "point of this thread", but if I'm "warned" to avoid making a mistake and that "warning" is to have any weight, I had better see just what mistake that is, wouldn't you agree? Can you name two reasons why anyone is better off with that being left unexplained?

It's really simple, just be respectful... discuss ideas...not people...

It's really simple, just show us where things went wrong... and we can use that for reference as to... what to avoid doing in future...

Time and time again how to avoid these things are pointed out.

But they always come back.

As has been stated multiple times now:

Do not Demean Others.
Do not Belittle Others.
Ideas, Not People.
Its simple

Would it really cost you an arm and a leg to just quote already the actual wrongdoing so we can see at last that those are prohibitions against anything concrete and not purposefully vague so as to render judgement by them a matter of whimsy alone?

Gisteron wrote: Would it really cost you an arm and a leg to just quote already the actual wrongdoing so we can see at last that those are prohibitions against anything concrete and not purposefully vague so as to render judgement by them a matter of whimsy alone?

Yes, because that would turn it into a discussion of a person over the actual topic.

Dispense with the derailing, make a different thread if you want to discuss this.

Arisaig wrote:

Gisteron wrote: Would it really cost you an arm and a leg to just quote already the actual wrongdoing so we can see at last that those are prohibitions against anything concrete and not purposefully vague so as to render judgement by them a matter of whimsy alone?

Yes, because that would turn it into a discussion of a person over the actual topic.

You don't trust us?

Dispense with the derailing, make a different thread if you want to discuss this.

No need to issue orders. It was fine for Rosalyn to derail this. It wouldn't have carried on at all had there been a quote of the misdoing with a warning that writing like that was borderline or in violation, or if that warning had been issued to the offender in private. Instead it was decided that this should be made into a public derailment and a threat of group punishment entirely inconsistent with the wrongdoing alleged. I'm flattered that you are crediting me for this derailing, but I must decline such credit, for I did not start this. It cannot end either, I'm afraid, until there is any clarity about what specific statements me and my fellow thread participants are asked to not utter again, for how can we dare speak at all if we know not what we mustn't say? Nor will this get any clearer, I presume, through "move along" commands...

Arisaig wrote: Time and time again how to avoid these things are pointed out.

But they always come back.

As has been stated multiple times now:

Do not Demean Others.
Do not Belittle Others.
Ideas, Not People.
Its simple

If I were to start getting touchy, I could very well conclude your post (quoted above) is belittling Gisteron because its brushing him off as "what part of this don't you understand, idiot?". I of course know better, but my point is that it might be a better approach to quote and explain breaches of ToS.