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svHyLyte · 10-01-2009, 16:31

Oy Veh! Well Gordo, you certainly seem to have stirred up a Shoot Storm to no good end, eh? Frankly, try as I might, I can’t fathom the point of your initial post unless it be an apologia for what some obviously feel to be moderator heavy handedness?

I/We have been nominal "members" of this Forum since early 2006, at which point there were (thankfully) relatively few participants and the discourses focused, helpful, certainly civil and the few disagreements not disagreeable. Since then, the Forum has expanded dramatically—per your initial post—as there is no mechanism of exclusivity nor a limiting franchise on Soap Boxes.

An unfortunate byproduct of unbridled expansion (although it may increase the number of “shows”, appealing to advertises and increasing ad revenues for the site owner) is that the BS Coefficient of a forum increases exponentially with nonexclusive membership gains. (While such BS may be generated by a fairly small proportion of participants, a small percentage of a large number is still a large number.) This wastes bandwidth, requires a fairly substantial moderation effort on the part of un- or under-appreciated volunteers; and, eventually, leads to disengagement by the more serious—and useful—participants; and, a “dumbing down” of content.

At this juncture, the BS Coefficient of the Forum seems to be approaching a limiting tolerance level—the point at which the trial of enduring BS exceeds the benefit of evermore infrequent gems of knowledge. And all the while the self-regulatory effect of candid, oft mistaken for “unkind”, repartee is (must be) “moderated” (out) in favor of the “civility” demanded by in an ever widening, but increasingly shallow, social/intellectual pool. Unpopular as it may be, the foregoing would seem to evidence the fact that social Darwinism does have its place although, as the 19th Century philosopher William James once observed: “As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to sympathy or justice, are folly when we are dealing with human crocodiles and boa-constrictors.”

N’any case, as an alternative to expanding the BS Coefficient of the Forum to Unity, would one of you moderators kindly lock this thread?

FWIW…

s/v HyLyte

10-01-2009, 16:31	#56
svHyLyte Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Tampa Bay area, USA Boat: Beneteau First 42 Posts: 992	Say What?!? Oy Veh! Well Gordo, you certainly seem to have stirred up a Shoot Storm to no good end, eh? Frankly, try as I might, I can’t fathom the point of your initial post unless it be an apologia for what some obviously feel to be moderator heavy handedness? I/We have been nominal "members" of this Forum since early 2006, at which point there were (thankfully) relatively few participants and the discourses focused, helpful, certainly civil and the few disagreements not disagreeable. Since then, the Forum has expanded dramatically—per your initial post—as there is no mechanism of exclusivity nor a limiting franchise on Soap Boxes. An unfortunate byproduct of unbridled expansion (although it may increase the number of “shows”, appealing to advertises and increasing ad revenues for the site owner) is that the BS Coefficient of a forum increases exponentially with nonexclusive membership gains. (While such BS may be generated by a fairly small proportion of participants, a small percentage of a large number is still a large number.) This wastes bandwidth, requires a fairly substantial moderation effort on the part of un- or under-appreciated volunteers; and, eventually, leads to disengagement by the more serious—and useful—participants; and, a “dumbing down” of content. At this juncture, the BS Coefficient of the Forum seems to be approaching a limiting tolerance level—the point at which the trial of enduring BS exceeds the benefit of evermore infrequent gems of knowledge. And all the while the self-regulatory effect of candid, oft mistaken for “unkind”, repartee is (must be) “moderated” (out) in favor of the “civility” demanded by in an ever widening, but increasingly shallow, social/intellectual pool. Unpopular as it may be, the foregoing would seem to evidence the fact that social Darwinism does have its place although, as the 19th Century philosopher William James once observed: “As there is no worse lie than a truth misunderstood by those who hear it, so reasonable arguments, challenges to magnanimity, and appeals to sympathy or justice, are folly when we are dealing with human crocodiles and boa-constrictors.” N’any case, as an alternative to expanding the BS Coefficient of the Forum to Unity, would one of you moderators kindly lock this thread? FWIW… s/v HyLyte __________________ "It is not so much for its beauty that the sea makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from the waves, that so wonderfully renews a weary spirit."