Be advised that this is just this member’s opinion…
I’ve enjoyed being a member of this forum from the time that I joined, but I've been less than impressed with some of the things I’ve seen and read lately.
I’m primarily referring to the increase in use of profanity and some of the things seen and read in the “Forget the Snakes…” picture thread. It’s easy to forget that this isn’t just an adult playground and that there are younger members and visitors to this site who read and see the things that are posted. While I will admit that the things I’ve noticed lately aren’t rampant at this point, with young kids reading this forum, I don’t think it’s something we need to condone at all.
People visiting this site to gain information or who are thinking of joining are one consideration. But can you imagine what parents of kids who are members or visitors here would think if they knew their child was seeing profanity or people making questionable, sexual comments about member’s pictures (particularly on something you would think is harmless like a snake forum)? I don’t have kids, but that’s the sort of thing I’d want to make sure my kids weren’t reading and seeing.
Some people might think that it’s no big deal. The problem is that it doesn’t take every thread and post having that sort of material to spoil the atmosphere. I'm personally not offended by cursing and I won’t pretend that I don’t do it. But, I certainly don’t use that language or make potentially inappropriate remarks in public and especially not around younger folks, and I don’t feel like it’s in the spirit of this forum to have those sorts of things going on. I've seen plenty of forums where language and general conduct were much more lax and they just had a negative vibe. This forum has always had a more positive, "family" type of feel to it and I love that about this place.
Even though the majority of the bad words have been censored (f@!%), does it really make a difference? Anyone reading them knows exactly what it means and, even if it is a cutesy way of cursing, it’s still cursing and still has the same effect as if the real word was written. I don’t mean to over-generalize but the fact is that most younger kids and young adults model their behavior on what they see grown-ups doing or at the very least it influences them. I know that self-censoring these words as most people do on this forum technically allows them to fly under the radar of the forum rules, but the spirit of the rule is to not allow any form of profanity, and for good reasons.
Some folks may not have even noticed these things, but if I have, I’m sure others have. There are times and places for cursing and making (even jokingly) sexual comments. Personally, when I see that sort of thing in threads here on CS, it just puts a bad taste in my mouth. Like most other members, I visit the forum to have fun, maybe learn some stuff, help other members, and generally just take a load off. Seeing members use profanity and make questionable comments of a sexual nature especially when I know that there are lots of young members watching the adults do these things just detracts from what this forum is all about.
I know those behaviors aren’t needed to make this a great place, if the lack of them in the past is any indication. Here’s to seeing good ole fashioned cs.com hijinks and discussion without the malarchy :cheers:
EDITED TO CLARIFY:
The reason for the edit is that most people seem to be dwelling on only one aspect of the situation, and understandably given my above post. The influence of profanity and sexual remarks on younger members/visitors is not the sole reason for starting this thread. That is just the side which I chose to emphasize in the above post.
Preserving a community feel that welcomes new and current members alike providing a comfortable and non-offensive atmosphere is just as important as any other reason for hoping to see the frequency of these behaviors reduce. There are a thousand other places to satisfy the need to express those views, that a corn snake forum hardly seems like the place. I’m not talking about completely censoring everything and not even talking about fun topics in the chit-chat forum. However, I think we can still have fun and have lively conversations that express emotion without the need to offend other members with profanity or sexually explicit comments. And to those who contend that they “just don’t have to open those threads”, how is someone supposed to know that a thread contains profanity or sexually offensive material. People who start threads don’t typically intend for that to occur in their threads so they can’t put a warning in the title. So members don’t know until they open the thread and read the offensive material. By that time they are already offended. And just because they then have the option to not open that thread anymore, does that mean that they feel any less offended? I think we all understand the importance of maintaining a cohesive community in order to keep this a fun and lively place. So is it acceptable to alienate members with material they find offensive? I’m not referring to all kinds of posts. Funny stories about weekend hijinks or drive-by bathroom stops along the freeway don’t seem to cross the line. But can’t profanity and posts that directly objectify members of the opposite sex be left out?
Again, I’m not advocating a direct change in the way that the moderators do their job. There’s no reason that we can’t rely on personal accountability and self-moderation to make sure we don’t cross a line. It’s not hard to make sure we don’t curse. It shouldn’t be hard to ask ourselves if what we are about to post objectifies women or men and might offend someone…this primarily refers to making questionable comments about the opposite sex. I know some would argue that we can’t possible know what is going to offend everyone else and I agree. I’m referring to the most egregious instances. I would argue that most adults and teens know where to draw the basic line of what is tasteful and what is not.
I’ve enjoyed being a member of this forum from the time that I joined, but I've been less than impressed with some of the things I’ve seen and read lately.
I’m primarily referring to the increase in use of profanity and some of the things seen and read in the “Forget the Snakes…” picture thread. It’s easy to forget that this isn’t just an adult playground and that there are younger members and visitors to this site who read and see the things that are posted. While I will admit that the things I’ve noticed lately aren’t rampant at this point, with young kids reading this forum, I don’t think it’s something we need to condone at all.
People visiting this site to gain information or who are thinking of joining are one consideration. But can you imagine what parents of kids who are members or visitors here would think if they knew their child was seeing profanity or people making questionable, sexual comments about member’s pictures (particularly on something you would think is harmless like a snake forum)? I don’t have kids, but that’s the sort of thing I’d want to make sure my kids weren’t reading and seeing.
Some people might think that it’s no big deal. The problem is that it doesn’t take every thread and post having that sort of material to spoil the atmosphere. I'm personally not offended by cursing and I won’t pretend that I don’t do it. But, I certainly don’t use that language or make potentially inappropriate remarks in public and especially not around younger folks, and I don’t feel like it’s in the spirit of this forum to have those sorts of things going on. I've seen plenty of forums where language and general conduct were much more lax and they just had a negative vibe. This forum has always had a more positive, "family" type of feel to it and I love that about this place.
Even though the majority of the bad words have been censored (f@!%), does it really make a difference? Anyone reading them knows exactly what it means and, even if it is a cutesy way of cursing, it’s still cursing and still has the same effect as if the real word was written. I don’t mean to over-generalize but the fact is that most younger kids and young adults model their behavior on what they see grown-ups doing or at the very least it influences them. I know that self-censoring these words as most people do on this forum technically allows them to fly under the radar of the forum rules, but the spirit of the rule is to not allow any form of profanity, and for good reasons.
Some folks may not have even noticed these things, but if I have, I’m sure others have. There are times and places for cursing and making (even jokingly) sexual comments. Personally, when I see that sort of thing in threads here on CS, it just puts a bad taste in my mouth. Like most other members, I visit the forum to have fun, maybe learn some stuff, help other members, and generally just take a load off. Seeing members use profanity and make questionable comments of a sexual nature especially when I know that there are lots of young members watching the adults do these things just detracts from what this forum is all about.
I know those behaviors aren’t needed to make this a great place, if the lack of them in the past is any indication. Here’s to seeing good ole fashioned cs.com hijinks and discussion without the malarchy :cheers:
EDITED TO CLARIFY:
The reason for the edit is that most people seem to be dwelling on only one aspect of the situation, and understandably given my above post. The influence of profanity and sexual remarks on younger members/visitors is not the sole reason for starting this thread. That is just the side which I chose to emphasize in the above post.
Preserving a community feel that welcomes new and current members alike providing a comfortable and non-offensive atmosphere is just as important as any other reason for hoping to see the frequency of these behaviors reduce. There are a thousand other places to satisfy the need to express those views, that a corn snake forum hardly seems like the place. I’m not talking about completely censoring everything and not even talking about fun topics in the chit-chat forum. However, I think we can still have fun and have lively conversations that express emotion without the need to offend other members with profanity or sexually explicit comments. And to those who contend that they “just don’t have to open those threads”, how is someone supposed to know that a thread contains profanity or sexually offensive material. People who start threads don’t typically intend for that to occur in their threads so they can’t put a warning in the title. So members don’t know until they open the thread and read the offensive material. By that time they are already offended. And just because they then have the option to not open that thread anymore, does that mean that they feel any less offended? I think we all understand the importance of maintaining a cohesive community in order to keep this a fun and lively place. So is it acceptable to alienate members with material they find offensive? I’m not referring to all kinds of posts. Funny stories about weekend hijinks or drive-by bathroom stops along the freeway don’t seem to cross the line. But can’t profanity and posts that directly objectify members of the opposite sex be left out?
Again, I’m not advocating a direct change in the way that the moderators do their job. There’s no reason that we can’t rely on personal accountability and self-moderation to make sure we don’t cross a line. It’s not hard to make sure we don’t curse. It shouldn’t be hard to ask ourselves if what we are about to post objectifies women or men and might offend someone…this primarily refers to making questionable comments about the opposite sex. I know some would argue that we can’t possible know what is going to offend everyone else and I agree. I’m referring to the most egregious instances. I would argue that most adults and teens know where to draw the basic line of what is tasteful and what is not.
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.) So yeah, I see your point. But I think it's not the topic of the jokes that's changed so much as the people making them and the intent behind them that has changed. You know, after jazz makes a funny, even if the topic is sexual in nature, I never imagine him subsequently crushing an empty beer can on his forehead. And well . . . that thought has crossed my mind with other posters.
