[Politics] Move all political threads to the bear pit?

[Bozza]

I kinda understand what you're getting at, but there's many threads on the main board that I don't bother reading, simply because they hold no interest for me.
Surely the same applies for those who have no interest in the political threads?
It's a bit 'nanny state' if you go down that path, imho.

I know for a fact that this site has lost good long-term members because they were fed up with the political bickering, and one of the best moderators we have ever had left for the same reason.

It would be a nanny state if we had a "no political discussion" rule, I'm not sure the same could be sad if all political discussion was allowed to continue exactly as it does today.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Because politics is highly divisive, more so than ever, and some people like to be able to get away from that.

I've been regularly told how it puts people off joining and/or using the site.

Moving political discourse away from the main board would not stop those wishing to spend all their time debating it from doing so, whilst allowing others to not have it shoved down their throats.

A politics board would be fine, as long as it isn't merged with the bear pit, which contains threads intended to be provocative or even offensive, and would degrade threads that are not full of trolling and campaigning. But my preference is leave it as it is, and when a thread crosses a line (your line) you can pit it.

As others have said, we don't have a sub board for old postcards, when you plan to put on your heating, etc.

 

[GT49er]

I have no interest whatsoever in Cricket, Cycling and a few other threads but don't feel that ignoring a thread on those subjects is having it 'shoved down my throat'

*edit* as above, if it goes into other threads then sanctions

Exactly. I've no interest in horse racing or gambling so I don't look at the daily naps thread. It's presence doesn't offend me or spoil my enjoyment of NSC. Similarly, I don't open the infinite jukebox and similar threads - the content doesn't interest me. Same with threads about travel arrangements .................. in fact there are numerous threads I don't open; I've got a rough idea about what's in them and I'm not interested.

 

[birthofanorange]

I know for a fact that this site has lost good long-term members because they were fed up with the political bickering, and one of the best moderators we have ever had left for the same reason.

It would be a nanny state if we had a "no political discussion" rule, I'm not sure the same could be sad if all political discussion was allowed to continue exactly as it does today.

That's sad to hear, but are they not adults who can make a choice to either open those threads or not? I just feel that shunting them into the Bear Pit/similar is devaluing what people (well, most people) see as an important part of our daily life.

 

[Da Man Clay]

I know for a fact that this site has lost good long-term members because they were fed up with the political bickering, and one of the best moderators we have ever had left for the same reason.

It would be a nanny state if we had a "no political discussion" rule, I'm not sure the same could be sad if all political discussion was allowed to continue exactly as it does today.

Is this post the last attempt to clean up the political threads out of curiosity? NSC seems a much better place since a harder line was taken with some individuals (from both sides) - most of which seem to have left the board which has made it a much more pleasant experience

 

[Swansman]

Most likely it would be better for the overall tone and atmosphere, but I think there is a significant risk that generally non-political threads on the big board will get polluted with politics by those who won't bother to go to the Bear Pit. There's also a chance of lower activity, splitting forums into several "main" sub-forums is a dangerous move in that sense.
Think overall the best thing would be to keep it like it is.

 

[sparkie]

Heck no.

I won't go anywhere near the Bear Pit on the revamped NSC, it would be a pity to have to miss out on the Liz Truss debacle discussion.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Initially voted not fused but changed my mind and think political and all other non football threads should be kept on the big board.

I’ve actually enjoyed reading someone of the non football posts and actually learning something along the way. I also welcome the broad church of opinion and debate.

It’s actually nice to read the Truss thread with many different views but equally without it kicking off / point scoring, sensible debate and argument.

The pit should be used for the current propose. I would also recommend more of a line on derailments (subjective I appreciate) maybe a single warning from a Mod before a thread ban but welcome to start their own etc.

 

[Bodian]

One thing could be to limit threads on topics and merge/remove new ones. We had the 'Tory Meltdown' thread, which basically encapsulated all that was going on in politics at that time - which I found interesting and useful, and I think it removed the need for too many more threads being started. The 'Liz Truss' thread has basically become a 'Tory Meltdown pt 2' thread - and could be renamed something like 'current political thread' or something like that? Same idea as some have suggested about having one thread per player, and merge any new ones (like the Welbeck / World Cup thread that' just appeared). I haven't looked at the Bear Pit really - but do enjoy and am interested in the main political threads on the main board, so I would miss them.

 

[Eric the meek]

I have always loved the fact that The Big Board has such a broad variety of threads, it's something that sets NSC above any other forums I have seen. I very rarely look at The Bear Pit, and rarely comment on political threads, but I use NSC as a news source, so want them to be accessible alongside everything else.

'I use NSC as a news source'. For me, this is the clincher.

I have come to use NSC as a news aggregator. I use it for a quick skim of the headlines, and also an early view of football related news.
Then I dip into which ever thread interests me. It works well.

Like many others, I rarely bother with the bear pit, and so if political threads were moved there, I think they would soon die off or their readership would be confined to just a handful of people who belong in the bear pit. The Liz Truss thread is far too important for that to happen to it.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

I know for a fact that this site has lost good long-term members because they were fed up with the political bickering, and one of the best moderators we have ever had left for the same reason.

It would be a nanny state if we had a "no political discussion" rule, I'm not sure the same could be sad if all political discussion was allowed to continue exactly as it does today.

There have been a lot of comings and goings since I joined this farrago, for whatever reasons. Although it is no great task to not engage with the political bickering or get sucked into the endless whinging if you don't want to.

It might be the case that some who have left were a bit too thin skinned or had other issues at the time (although as I don't know who anybody is in real life here and why they left, I might be doing them a disservice). Also I have no idea what the mods (who are they these days, by the way?) get up to behind the scenes, or what complaints and other issues they have to deal with.

The politics has become more entrenched since Brexit, but that only reflects society and the media generally these days. I too find this increasingly tedious, but as I can't change it, I live with it. I rarely visit the Bear Pit, mainly because I find it tedious, small minded and full of people shouting at themselves.

People get far too over-excited about the politics. I find it helps to remember that nobody will ever change their views because somebody has posted a cool, rational and considered argument on an internet forum. They will continue to shout their own prejudices from the sidelines regardless - this is how the internet seems to operate all over - here, Facebook, Twitter and every other outlet. Nobody is going to go and start supporting another team - football or politically.

Some people on here I agree with in part - but rarely in full. Some I disagree with - again usually in part. There are a few whose opinions I find abhorrent, and sometimes wonder why they are still allowed, but maybe that is the price we pay for a regulated free speech.
If nobody agrees with my opinions or politics, that is their problem not mine. Nobody knows who I vote for because I never tell anyone that.

 

[Bold Seagull]

I get more upset with people slating Solly March than I do politics.

 

[sparkie]

A politics board would be fine, as long as it isn't merged with the bear pit, which contains threads intended to be provocative or even offensive, and would degrade threads that are not full of trolling and campaigning. But my preference is leave it as it is, and when a thread crosses a line (your line) you can pit it.

As others have said, we don't have a sub board for old postcards, when you plan to put on your heating, etc.

Indeed. My disappointment would be in putting all politics threads in the terrible, terrible Bear Pit Experience. I'd live with a non-Bear Pit Current Political Events sub-board as long as all the Culture War shite was still kept in the Bear Pit.

NSC would become a lot duller if the only place where the discussion of current political events was allowed was in the Bear Pit ( which I'll never be going anywhere near with Xenforo ).

It'll be a grim place indeed if, say, the only place people could discuss an on going General Election would be in the pit.

 

[Steve Foster]

Yes - please move the political thread to the Bear Pit.

Other club forums do not have a litany of political forums on their main thread which NSC moderators tolerate a takeover of predominant left wing posts.
Politics is always controversial & shouldn’t be anywhere near a football forum main page.

The number of posters, threads & users has dropped in recent years using NSC & a big reason for that is the Political threads. I know many users who do not like coming on here anymore because of this & abuse they get.

 

[beorhthelm]

couldnt people just not open the threads?

shirley if anyone is upset by bickering, its where politics bleeds over into other threads, or harass over something posted 5 years ago? that can only be addressed by moderation and people not being arses, not moving politics threads out of sight.

and how to decide the threshold? half non-sport threads have a political angle of some sort. even some of the sports threads. reckon "please give blood" could turn political if someone was so inclined.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Splitting the Big Board into various sub forums has been a reoccurring issue every few years. Every previous vote on this has been to retain its holistic integrity, and I see no reason to change that now.

I'm not even convinced that the Bear Pit is a good idea, but as I hardly ever go there I'm not really qualified to judge what amount of crap is slithering around it.

Edit - just had a quick look at the Bear Pit, and it seems to be full of racists and people still bickering about Brexit. The world has moved on peeps.

 

[SeagullsoverLondon]

I want to change my vote: Can we not have a Football only Board, then another board (The Big Board) for the other sometimes interesting stuff, and a final Bear Pit.

I think generally Politics should stay in the Big Board until it gets ugly.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

If threads are overtly political why would anyone that doesn't like reading political threads read these overtly political threads ? Even someone with an ounce of intelligence would think a thread named, say, Liz Truss is political and therefore avoid it if they didn't like political threads. In the same way that I don't like Apple products but I'm clever enough not to open threads that look like threads about Apple products. If people are too stupid to be able to do this then that should be their lookout.

I view NSC as a virtual pub, everyone has a common link, in NSCs case the Albion and in a real pub's case maybe the ambiance, the beer or even the landlord. Then people discuss all topics - no one is banished to the backroom to discuss a particular topic.

So, in short, leave as is. If they do go to the Bear Pit it will make NSC far less appealing.

 

[Is it PotG?]

As you say, they can be ignored.

It's all a bit dull right now, the Liz Truss and LT memes are like shooting fish in a barrel.

Whilst it's one way traffic now, when roles are reversed in 2024 then so will the threads.

It comes down to whether you think the political bents and tendencies to turn every thread into a political posturing take away from the main subjects, namely BHA and old photos.

 

[birthofanorange]

Yes - please move the political thread to the Bear Pit.

The number of posters, threads & users has dropped in recent years using NSC & a big reason for that is the Political threads. I know many users who do not like coming on here anymore because of this & abuse they get.

To be fair, ALL types of forums go into periods of 'boom and bust'. This one was undoubtedly booming when we first got promotion to the Prem, but as you can see, the match day threads are generally much less contributed to, nowadays. Such is the price of feeling (relatively) safe in this League and a touch of complacency.
I do note that you were particularly vocal on Liz Truss thread, pertaining to the mini-budget - would you have been moved to do so, had it been in the Bear Pit?
Abuse is (generally) not tolerated, anyway, but some posters bring it on themselves, by posting deliberately provocative stuff, then complain about the subsequent reactions they receive.
No, the current format works well, and all one has to do to to avoid political threads is simply.....avoid them.