An Open Plea to Spock and Flock (and BiT if He's Here)
Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2020 1:30 pm
This Bored, at least in its current incarnation has always been more about other topics than the old game show and in recent years it has gravitated more and more to politics. And as it has done so, the people here have often become entrenched in what seems like eternally warring camps. But I've always treasured the diversity of opinion here and enjoyed the give and take. Frankly, I don't take part on other boards, even those whose political views dovetail closely with my own. It's not as much fun posting when everyone agrees with you.
In the past, we've had our share of flare-ups, but usually things calm down after a while. And I know that some of the posters who made their political views well known have left over the years. But, in recent weeks however, things seem to have intensified, and I think it's in large part because the personal stakes have gotten much higher for people. Several people have posted on this Bored about friends or relatives who have tested positive, and we think that my brother-in-law had a mild case that he's recovering from, although he hasn't been tested. So, things have gotten heated and people have left. And I admit my substantial part in contributing to this atmosphere.
I don't want to "win" the argument by driving Flock and Spock and other conservatives from the Bored. I never intended to make the atmosphere here so inhospitable that people would leave. And for that, I apologize. I should have dropped my comments on the Spock threads a couple of posts earlier. I miss Flock already (and I miss BiT as well). And in a day or two, I'll be missing Spock. I hope they will return. I won't insult anyone's intelligence by promising to avoid political threads or taking on statements with which I disagree. But I will make an effort to keep the temperature from getting out of control. We're not all still here, but we've seen ourselves through 9/11 and through the Great Recession and I hope we can see ourselves though this crisis as well.
In the past, we've had our share of flare-ups, but usually things calm down after a while. And I know that some of the posters who made their political views well known have left over the years. But, in recent weeks however, things seem to have intensified, and I think it's in large part because the personal stakes have gotten much higher for people. Several people have posted on this Bored about friends or relatives who have tested positive, and we think that my brother-in-law had a mild case that he's recovering from, although he hasn't been tested. So, things have gotten heated and people have left. And I admit my substantial part in contributing to this atmosphere.
I don't want to "win" the argument by driving Flock and Spock and other conservatives from the Bored. I never intended to make the atmosphere here so inhospitable that people would leave. And for that, I apologize. I should have dropped my comments on the Spock threads a couple of posts earlier. I miss Flock already (and I miss BiT as well). And in a day or two, I'll be missing Spock. I hope they will return. I won't insult anyone's intelligence by promising to avoid political threads or taking on statements with which I disagree. But I will make an effort to keep the temperature from getting out of control. We're not all still here, but we've seen ourselves through 9/11 and through the Great Recession and I hope we can see ourselves though this crisis as well.