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Vulgarity

Zepper

Elite Member
I have been informed that the standards for foul language around here have slid considerably downward. AFAIC, the seven words of Carlin are never permissible in an open forum and should be frowned upon even in an adults-only forum - and other such language should be seen very rarely. There is nothing that can't be conveyed by the use of proper language. I often recommend the forums to folks looking for info - I guess I'll have to reconsider if I can't be assured that the standards will be elevated back to what they once were. One shouldn't let oneself become part of the continuing decline in American culture. I've reported the totally gratuitous use of the f-bomb and apparently nothing is going to be done about it.

.bh.
 
The powers that be have made the decision that quantity comes before quality.

They can not prove that allow junk has improved the site; but their reputation does not matter any more.

It is easier to cater to the lowest common denominator.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
I have been informed that the standards for foul language around here have slid considerably downward. AFAIC, the seven words of Carlin are never permissible in an open forum and should be frowned upon even in an adults-only forum - and other such language should be seen very rarely. There is nothing that can't be conveyed by the use of proper language. I often recommend the forums to folks looking for info - I guess I'll have to reconsider if I can't be assured that the standards will be elevated back to what they once were. One shouldn't let oneself become part of the continuing decline in American culture. I've reported the totally gratuitous use of the f-bomb and apparently nothing is going to be done about it.

.bh.

What the fuck you talking about?

I kid, I kid😛

I too think they should censor words. It's little thing called "Class".
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
I have been informed that the standards for foul language around here have slid considerably downward. AFAIC, the seven words of Carlin are never permissible in an open forum and should be frowned upon even in an adults-only forum - and other such language should be seen very rarely. There is nothing that can't be conveyed by the use of proper language. I often recommend the forums to folks looking for info - I guess I'll have to reconsider if I can't be assured that the standards will be elevated back to what they once were. One shouldn't let oneself become part of the continuing decline in American culture. I've reported the totally gratuitous use of the f-bomb and apparently nothing is going to be done about it.

.bh.

Could you link the thread/quote the post where the f-bomb was used? I rarely see it flung around even though it is not a censored word anymore.
You seem to convey by your post that this board is full of drunken sailors. I don't see the f-bomb in the offtopic forum that much at all, P&N is a cesspool - tell your friends not to go in there, and in what other forum do you see cussing?
 
mosh,

It is in the *ix section in my thread on the proposed purchase of Linspire by Xandros.

I'm not saying that I see it every day, but when I do see one of those words and report it, it should be edited out by the mod on duty and the perp reminded of his/her self-responsibility for language policing.

Someone going somewhere, Mikey?..

.bh.
 
I fully agree with the OP. I think the standards have slid, and it is no longer a site that I can access from work or in front of my daughter without being concerned what will be on the screen. We had a solution - a language filter - but it was decided that there will be no filter of language and that it is not a violation to use profanity.

I don't think your thread is a waste of time, and you don't deserve the dismissive responses. If enough people disagree, and they express that disagreement, a change could come.

That being said, you should be aware that this conversation has taken place in a significant way, and the change is intentional and part of policy of the site, not an experiment or oversight.
 
Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
I fully agree with the OP. I think the standards have slid, and it is no longer a site that I can access from work or in front of my daughter without being concerned what will be on the screen. We had a solution - a language filter - but it was decided that there will be no filter of language and that it is not a violation to use profanity.

I don't think your thread is a waste of time, and you don't deserve the dismissive responses. If enough people disagree, and they express that disagreement, a change could come.

That being said, you should be aware that this conversation has taken place in a significant way, and the change is intentional and part of policy of the site, not an experiment or oversight.

So, if we started a poll in FI and a majority of the people voted to rescind the rule, Derek would change it?
 
Thanks Eagle Keeper and Rio Rebel - if the good folks sit on their hands and tolerate the degeneration of the culture - yes, ANY instance, the slide will accelerate. Look what's happened to our gov't as the so-called "greatest generation" sat on their hands while socialism has pretty much taken over - they were all too happy to vote themselves largess from thier neighbors' pockets. Now I'm not sure the socialism and the socialist way of thinking can be reversed short of a revolution. I suppose if the cultural slide can be reversed, perhaps the other might be too.

.bh.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
Thanks Eagle Keeper and Rio Rebel - if the good folks sit on their hands and tolerate the degeneration of the culture - yes, ANY instance, the slide will accelerate. Look what's happened to our gov't as the so-called "greatest generation" sat on their hands while socialism has pretty much taken over - they were all too happy to vote themselves largess from thier neighbors' pockets. Now I'm not sure the socialism and the socialist way of thinking can be reversed short of a revolution. I suppose if the cultural slide can be reversed, perhaps the other might be too.

.bh.

Uh, you lost me somewhere in your rant about socialism. But anyways, I agree that cursing shouldn't be allowed in the on-topic forums. There's no need to curse when discussing *nix.

However, you didn't mention specific locations, so I hope you're not including P&N and OT in that complaint. Those are areas specifically designed to be able to simply shoot the breeze in. If you don't like, I'd suggest simply staying out of there.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper
Thanks Eagle Keeper and Rio Rebel - if the good folks sit on their hands and tolerate the degeneration of the culture - yes, ANY instance, the slide will accelerate. Look what's happened to our gov't as the so-called "greatest generation" sat on their hands while socialism has pretty much taken over - they were all too happy to vote themselves largess from thier neighbors' pockets. Now I'm not sure the socialism and the socialist way of thinking can be reversed short of a revolution. I suppose if the cultural slide can be reversed, perhaps the other might be too.

.bh.
After reading that post I can understand why Derek allows cursing as it would be the only way to adequately describe what you just posted.:laugh:
 
I am strongly against the complete lift of the language filter. I think that in a public place with mixed membership some decorum should be expected.

When the filter was first lifted, iirc, there were more than a few people that said they could no longer use this site at work or in the classroom. That is pretty sad, imho. I liked it better when the level of class for this place was... "if it is not safe for work, it is not safe for here". I also think that if this place HAD to sink to cater to the lowest common denominator, it should have been kept strictly to the social forums. I think the tech/serious discussion portions of the forum should have kept the same level of respectibility it had before.
 
Originally posted by: Barack Obama
Originally posted by: Zepper
I have been informed that the standards for foul language around here have slid considerably downward. AFAIC, the seven words of Carlin are never permissible in an open forum and should be frowned upon even in an adults-only forum - and other such language should be seen very rarely. There is nothing that can't be conveyed by the use of proper language. I often recommend the forums to folks looking for info - I guess I'll have to reconsider if I can't be assured that the standards will be elevated back to what they once were. One shouldn't let oneself become part of the continuing decline in American culture. I've reported the totally gratuitous use of the f-bomb and apparently nothing is going to be done about it.

.bh.

What the fuck you talking about?

As soon as I saw the thread, I knew some idiot would respond this way. Not suprisingly to me, it was you.


 
I don't see anything wrong with a little swearing here and there. I know at times, it's been excessive, but for the most part the mods have done an excellent job at squashing it when it gets out of hand.
 
Personally, I have a very relaxed attitude towards "colloquial" language, but when several posters who have my deep respect -- mods and non-mods alike -- feel strongly that there's a problem, I can't ignore this.

One possible solution that comes to mind is to have two OT's -- one with standards and decorum, one without.

I see a robust constituency for both.
 
America's cultural decline? Please. We are the last bastion of puritan thinking in the world and that's contributing more to our "decline" than anything else. Repression isn't the best form of restraint.

I work in a very civilized area, but I hear the f-bomb quite often.
 
To clarify - I have no problem with an area where we all realize swearing will take place. I don't log into P&N or OT if I'm concerned about what I'm going to see. I am mainly concerned with the other areas, and the fact there is no filter means more work to enforce it there...and also makes it tougher when two of our forums have "relaxed" standards so some members don't deal well with the difference.
 
Originally posted by: Rio Rebel
To clarify - I have no problem with an area where we all realize swearing will take place. I don't log into P&N or OT if I'm concerned about what I'm going to see. I am mainly concerned with the other areas, and the fact there is no filter means more work to enforce it there...and also makes it tougher when two of our forums have "relaxed" standards so some members don't deal well with the difference.

One could subscribe to the broken window theory.
 
I'm sorry, but when you can go into any eatery in any college town (even those frequented by townies as well as students) and get to feast your eyes on tee shirts that celebrate casual sex with the words: "cover me, I'm going in (with a p_n_s speaking the words and a hand holding a condom". And while there you will be in earshot of all of Carlin's seven words with little attempt at keeping the language within the present company. In the 60's when I was in college, I seldom heard such language even when at the "I" which was almost entirely students' bar. Even when with friends in the dorm, language was maintained at a high level.

Do you mean to say, Red Dawn, that America hasn't slid down the socialist slope quite a ways since the days before FDR. An easy way to tell is the percentage of the money you earn that stays in your own pocket (assuming one makes one's living in the above-ground economy), while all the money you earned before that went to one gov't or another in taxes (and thence largely on to the members of one group or another to buy their votes).
. Several organizations keep track of tax freedom day, the day when you begin to be able to keep all you earn. It has been as late as into May recently - now I think it has slid back into April. I don't know how far back they have calculated the date, but it would be interesting to see the curve.

.bh.
 
Is there any feature in Fusetalk that allows the user to select whether or not they filter cursing? Or create their own filter?
 
Originally posted by: bsobel
Originally posted by: Barack Obama
Originally posted by: Zepper
I have been informed that the standards for foul language around here have slid considerably downward. AFAIC, the seven words of Carlin are never permissible in an open forum and should be frowned upon even in an adults-only forum - and other such language should be seen very rarely. There is nothing that can't be conveyed by the use of proper language. I often recommend the forums to folks looking for info - I guess I'll have to reconsider if I can't be assured that the standards will be elevated back to what they once were. One shouldn't let oneself become part of the continuing decline in American culture. I've reported the totally gratuitous use of the f-bomb and apparently nothing is going to be done about it.

.bh.

What the fuck you talking about?

As soon as I saw the thread, I knew some idiot would respond this way. Not suprisingly to me, it was you.

As soon as I posted my reply, I knew some idiot would delibrately avoid quoting my next two lines for whatever reason they deem fit:

I kid, I kid

I too think they should censor words. It's little thing called "Class".

Not suprising to me, it was you.
 
Originally posted by: Zepper

Do you mean to say, Red Dawn, that America hasn't slid down the socialist slope quite a ways since the days before FDR. An easy way to tell is the percentage of the money you earn that stays in your own pocket (assuming one makes one's living in the above-ground economy), while all the money you earned before that went to one gov't or another in taxes (and thence largely on to the members of one group or another to buy their votes).
. Several organizations keep track of tax freedom day, the day when you begin to be able to keep all you earn. It has been as late as into May recently - now I think it has slid back into April. I don't know how far back they have calculated the date, but it would be interesting to see the curve.

.bh.
I mean to say that this is the wrong forum for you to be spouting your political views. Since you've decided to use this forum to spout those political views this thread no longer meets the criteria of a Forum issue and will be locked.

 
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