Richard Dawkins' forum run by prefects with swagger sticks?

[Hermit]

When someone asked: "Does this mean that the topic of racial intelligence differences is forbidden?" the reply was a resounding yes: "Every time it has been discussed here, it has attracted racists who have an agenda to prove that "blacks are less intelligent than whites". RichardDawkins.net will not foster or support racist bigotry and therefore these sorts of threads are unlikely to gain approval from staff."

With respect to my bolding there - so fucking what? If their views are unscientific, they can be adequately proved such and dismissed. And if they are scientific, then it surely should be discussed on RD.net. Or does RD.net bend with political correctness in its devotion to reason and science?

I personally find it grossly offensive that people might consider coming onto RD.net to try to justify child abuse in the form of male or female genital mutilation. Do I want to gag them? Doesn't gagging them almost concede that I can't actually argue against them and my only recourse is to shut them up because I can't bear to hear them give coherent arguments?

The post you are quoting from is an attempt to look at the issue from the other side, but when all is said and done, I heartily agree with you. In fact, recent developments in regard to the way that forum is run lead me to upgrade the 'swagger sticks' metaphor to 'jackboots'. They also earnt me a board warning for calling one of their staff 'kommissar' - three times in two days.

[Mysturji]

...And yet, all of the above notwithstanding...
Recently, a certain coordinated party of trolls* virtually succeeded in causing a revolt and/or exodus with their right-wing bullshit threads for several weeks. And what did the mods do about it? Abso-fucking-lutely fuck all.
They eventually started a thread asking the members what they thought should be done about trolling.
WTF?
Not naming names or anything, but I PM'd a mod asking if they realised that the trolls were taking over that very thread, and the answer was "yes".
Another mod I seriously began to suspect was in cahoots with the trolls.
I formulated a minor Mindfuck - hell, SOMEBODY had to do SOMETHING - and when I logged on the next morning to implement it, FINALLY the fucks had pulled their finger out and banned the ringleader. No need for "Plan D", then.
Why the fuck did it take so long?
And why do they pick on long standing members before new trolls? (at least in this case.)
Hmmm?

* And please bear in mind that I do know something about trolling.

[Trolldor]

...And yet, all of the above notwithstanding...
Recently, a certain coordinated party of trolls* virtually succeeded in causing a revolt and/or exodus with their right-wing bullshit threads for several weeks. And what did the mods do about it? Abso-fucking-lutely fuck all.
They eventually started a thread asking the members what they thought should be done about trolling.
WTF?
Not naming names or anything, but I PM'd a mod asking if they realised that the trolls were taking over that very thread, and the answer was "yes".
Another mod I seriously began to suspect was in cahoots with the trolls.
I formulated a minor Mindfuck - hell, SOMEBODY had to do SOMETHING - and when I logged on the next morning to implement it, FINALLY the fucks had pulled their finger out and banned the ringleader. No need for "Plan D", then.
Why the fuck did it take so long?
And why do they pick on long standing members before new trolls? (at least in this case.)
Hmmm?

* And please bear in mind that I do know something about trolling.

I need to see this.

And to be honest, it's for my amusement.

[Mysturji]

http://forum.richarddawkins.net/viewtop ... =9&t=95651

[charlou]

...And yet, all of the above notwithstanding...
Recently, a certain coordinated party of trolls* virtually succeeded in causing a revolt and/or exodus with their right-wing bullshit threads for several weeks. And what did the mods do about it? Abso-fucking-lutely fuck all.
They eventually started a thread asking the members what they thought should be done about trolling.
WTF?
Not naming names or anything, but I PM'd a mod asking if they realised that the trolls were taking over that very thread, and the answer was "yes".
Another mod I seriously began to suspect was in cahoots with the trolls.
I formulated a minor Mindfuck - hell, SOMEBODY had to do SOMETHING - and when I logged on the next morning to implement it, FINALLY the fucks had pulled their finger out and banned the ringleader. No need for "Plan D", then.
Why the fuck did it take so long?
And why do they pick on long standing members before new trolls? (at least in this case.)
Hmmm?

* And please bear in mind that I do know something about trolling.

'Troll/trolling' is such a ridiculous and subjective term. Forum members so often get labelled with it or accused of it simply because their view doesn't jive with that of the accuser/s. It's a lazy, pointless way to deal with a person whose views one doesn't like.

It's better to rationally articulate objections to views, giving reasons. Failing that, just move on and leave it to those who can be arsed. If no-one can, the person is left looking a bit silly if arguing alone.

Anyway ... what was "Plan D"?

[charlou]

It's better to rationally articulate objections to views, giving reasons. Failing that, just move on and leave it to those who can be arsed. If no-one can, the person is left looking a bit silly if arguing alone.

Anyway ... what was "Plan D"?

*crickets chirping*


Oh, I see what you did there.

[Mysturji]

It's better to rationally articulate objections to views, giving reasons.

Did that. Time and time again.
And again.
And again
And againagainagain...
Next day, same shit, different thread.

Failing that, just move on and leave it to those who can be arsed.

I'm sure that some did, never to return. I was considering it myself.

If no-one can, the troll-team is left feeling WIN if posting alone on a deserted forum. (NOW you can bring on the crickets)

Anyway ... what was "Plan D"?

[Trolldor]

Actually, the easiest way to deal with trolls is ignore them. Completely and utterly. If they're causing enough technical problems, ban them without a word. If they're not causing technical problems, just let them do their thing and if they don't quit soon, it actually becomes hilarious to watch them try harder and harder to get a reaction.
Of course, RD.net is a hotbed of internets virgins who are unlikely to know this very simple method.

[CJ]

Well I'm back on the team at RDF in a very small way. Topsy has allowed me to create a sock puppet account EvoResources which has limited permissions to maintain the Evolution Resources thread I can't see the mod forum or anything like that just post in locked threads and edit posts in locked threads. So I'm happy as a pig in poo all the fun and none of the responsibility!!

[Bella Fortuna]

Congratulations, Chris!

[CJ]

Congratulations, Chris!

Thank you my dear!

[charlou]

I'm happy you're happy, Chris.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

So long as you know that we all hate you now.

Congratulations. hope you enjoy it.

[CJ]

I'm happy you're happy, Chris.

[CJ]

So long as you know that we all hate you now.

Congratulations. hope you enjoy it.

I am enjoying it. I've just trawled the last 300 post in E&NS and added links to all the fossil related threads. I've also added a page just about Ardi. I'm going to do a detailed post about Lenski's E.coli evolution experiment and ask Cali to do one on poisonous fishes