The poison of talk

DMS General
#24

While talk tries to make sure language that might be offensive is “grayed out” it can’t understand when an entire post is toxic. (see the last sentence of your last post for an example of how it hid that sentence… click to reveal it)

Flagging is the feature that helps readers report when a post is offensive, unnecessary, inflammatory, or otherwise not in the spirit of being excellent. If more people flagged those posts, those users might get the hint, and if nothing else, when a few people flag a post, it is hidden.

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#25

I actually did the spoiler blurring lol didn’t know it would just do it

#26

IMO the most “poisonous” aspect of Talk/DMS is the politics.

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#27

There is no such thing as “offensive” language. That is a label or tactic or whatever, that tyrants use to shut you up and take it. There is only language and people who can’t handle that language. This is what our 1st Amendment rights are all about. Not knowing that is the result of 60+ years of progressive “sheep producing” people who have been so propagandize, they’re not even sure what freedom means. It’s a mess as we see the world getting messier.

Your other points, bwhahahahahahaaaa ridiculously hilarious! :rofl:

#28

Actually, a lot of folks misunderstand the First Amendment. You don’t have the FA right to tell me something or even get me to listen to the drivel…

The government though, can’t punish you for it - outside of some very specific conditions.

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#29

I like your analogy if you replace “TALK” with “food: apple”. Apples overall are wonderful, nutritious miracle packets of sunshine in fully portable format right off the tree. Magnificent. There is a slight downside, though. Cyanide. Yep. Right there in your wonderful “keeping the doctor away today” apple. Y’know what we do? Eat around the poison. Leave the seeds behind, and you’re good to go. Unless you like apple trees. Then you can use those poisonous little buggers to create shade. And snacks. So “poisonous”, maybe, but easily avoided and, when planted in the right soil, not at all bad.

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#30

I knew I was going to get a response like this almost verbatim, but it was the closest analogy I could think of, c’est la vie. The first thing I said was talk is a wonderful tool and it is. You sure can eat around the seeds and move on. The seeds still exist though and someone else is going to eat them, some of which have way more than just a little cyanide. It’s not your problem to stop them from eating it and they could certainly avoid it themselves. That doesn’t change the fact that those seeds are still, even in a small way, representative of DMS as a community and an organization. I worked retail my whole career and one tiny bad experience could negate hundreds of good ones so my perception could be skewed and I’m over reacting. If so then that’s great I’d love to be wrong and if not it’s disappointing and not being excellent to each other and DMS itself.

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#31

I figured that’s why you chose it. I could not just let that low-hanging fruit go unserved…

I agree on this point.

and this one

I don’t think you’re over reacting, I just think your perspective needs nudged a bit. Although I agree with the two previous points, I think trying to force the appearance of rainbows, ponies, sunshine and glitter is…inadvisable for an organization made up of humans selling nothing but itself. Prospective buyers-in should see the warts and all, then decide if they want on the track.This is why I disagree with what I see as blowing this all out of proportion using phrases like “Talk is poison” and “Talk is toxic”. When viewed from the proper vantage, Talk is a wonderful tool, helping us get where we need to be, even if the occasional venomous barb strikes one as a bit beyond the pale.

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#32

I’ll approach this in a completely different manner.

I do agree that Talk is what you make of it.

My point will be this. For those that are interested, they will not be driven away by humans being humans. Discourse is necessary for all to move forward. Sometimes its good sometimes its bad. Some people will tell you what you want to hear, others will tell you what they think. The differences here are to be celebrated. Ultimately you cannot craft a narrative that will be truthful. You can’t change how people will take one thing or another. Perception is in the eye of the beholder. If a person is a victim, then it will be an attack. If they are something else, it will be different.

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#34

This is hilarious. I’m definitely going to try it

#35

Here is just one example …

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#36

If discussing/debating our problems and trying to figure out solutions is so off putting that someone doesn’t want to take part in the DMS community that is their choice to freely do so. There are places that take care of everything for you. Just open up you wallet.

I’m also curious why if we are so horrible they “stay tuned and watch”. But they are welcome to.

I’ll reiterate my position: passionate lively debate I believe is a good thing and is non toxic. Ad hominem attacks are toxic.

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#38

It might be more productive to talk about what is going right … I’m going to split this topic…at least my further discourse into a more positive one …

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#39

Personally, I’m amused that that thread was started by a member. So – limiting Talk to members won’t stop the craziness.

And, we can’t be the right level of nice to everyone. Someone will dislike us regardless.

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#40

“Reading this lengthy and terrible thread makes me glad I didn’t join!”

Passing any kind of judgement on DMS as a whole based simply on Talk is like judging a book by its cover or person by their looks. You just might miss out on something really special.

Guessing you’re not familiar with some rather ugly/unpleasant history behind some of the posts.

Come on down and take another look.

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#41

That’s a great guess. Not being a member, how would I be familiar with the ugly/unpleasant history of DMS? I hope you have gotten beyond this so that new members don’t need to know that aspect of your history.

If Talk gives DMS a bad reputation and makes potential new members want to avoid the people that express opinions there, perhaps Talk is a poor vehicle to encourage new members to take the plunge? Or perhaps the people who express opinions on Talk are non-typical examples of the DMS membership. Hard to tell from the outside. Either way, Talk is not helping you!

Chris gave me a personal tour of DMS. I was impressed with the machines. I did not notice any clutter that wasn’t a result of work-in-process. I briefly met 2 members; not long enough to form opinions.

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#42

I don’t have many enemies. The few I have, I selected very carefully. Occasionally, an old enemy becomes a new friend. :slight_smile:

I hope my tiny contribution to this thread didn’t add to the craziness.

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#43

Please come and give us a chance a lot of great folks hang out her
and few grouches at times

I feel that root of the problems is that we all are passionate about the space
but we dont share the same opinion of what we want it to be

I am one of the folks that wants it to be place where geeks and artists and wannabe geeks and
artists of all ages can hang out and learn from each other where we can help each other out, make tools
to save money and such

I m still here and creating and teaching in spite of being legally blind now Folks her encouraged me to keep
trying to learn to adapt I am containing to learn new skill
c
I love meeting new folks now some folks are a lot more comfortable with a smaller group of close friends
Some folks just come here make various projects but they are less interested in being
[art of a groups

I think I have an advantage that I am older and that I have been active in multiple groups with very varied
members, I showed an trained confirmation and performance Irish Setter, I was precient chsirmand and a recient
judge, I was active int the SF comminity and in space activism and in Mensa and in the SCA, a historical group

Please come and give us another chance

BTW my elevator speech Is Hi, Im Cairenn, I m short, fat, old, loud, talkative and opinionated

#44

Cairenn, thanks for the nice reply. Not sure what an elevator speech is, but I’m tall, skinny, old, blunt, and proud. I also have COPD [genetic condition] which limits my mobility.

I am impressed that you are still active and productive w/ your vision problem. Sometimes, disabilities foster amazing things. I have a niece who broke her back while preparing for a career as an Olympic downhill skier. She found a way to be her HS valedictorian, get a degree from Stanford [pre-med] , decide to not pursue medicine [her father is a Doctor] and instead compete in the downhill events in the Paralympics. She won one bronze [Nagano] and 3 silver medals [SLC]. Then she “retired” and had a daughter. After a few years, the competitive urge returned and she switched sports [to recumbent cycling], went to the London Paralympics and won 3 gold medals. Retired again, but very active in the Paralympic organization. Did motivational speaking for many years. Has a TED talk. Is now entering state [Idaho] politics. Everybody in ID knows her so she’ll win easily. I’m proud of her and in awe!

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#45

This would be fine. But many talk threads start with that but devolve into old grudges.

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