Should the Meditation Grove stay?

I'm doubtful that changing the topics to current events would solve the problem. I started the homosexuality thread simply to gripe about the word "homophobe", but inevitably it grow outwards from there.
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Avoiding direct personal insults doesn't really do anything to solve the problem since that is not really happening anyway.

What tends to lead to insults:

-People perceive something as an insult that is not meant to be due to the way people are debating an issue. EG, I'm mad about this thing and member X thinks that I'm mad at them.

-People insult group X which member X is a part of and is insulted even though the insult was not specifically aimed toward them.

It seems to be a combination of these two things that leads to hurt feelings.

Honestly some topics are just taboo and you can't really be open minded about because it is an either/or category. With politics some people will be very defensive about their party or ideology, but people tend to vary it on issues and there is some middle ground. With religion not so much, either you believe or you don't and promoting either one is going to step on a pretty fundamental view for most people.

So I guess anything that is a protected status where in the workplace or federal agency it would not be Ok to discuss, especially in a disparaging way, we shouldn't talk about in the MG. Race, Religion, Gender (sex), sexual orientation, medical condition/ ability, veteran status are the ones. Maybe a couple are Ok such as medical condition, possibly veteran issues, but probably not the rest.

Master Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 4400 Location: Korriban

Insults are hurled pretty easily and then ignored by the person flinging them and stated as just being taken out of context.

Discussion is fine, but people believe what they believe. No one gangs up on either side, but neither side budges for the most part. However, even religiously inclined like I am some of the discussions have changed parts of my POV. The MG has been a good thing, but we can't keep from trying to force our opinions sometimes. I would cite several conversations I've both participated in and read but they're there, if you need to read them you all can. But like Reep said viewpoints have been altered by the discussions.
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Master Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Posts: 4400 Location: Korriban

Just an FYI for those who haven't checked: the OP has been updated with a poll. I set the poll to last 90 days. Hopefully that's long enough to cover everyone's school or work schedule so they have a chance to vote.

I'll compile a list of what suggestions/observations people have made regarding overhauling the Grove rules and directions as soon as I get the chance (work on my thesis is taking priority at the moment).

In the meantime do you guys have any feedback to the mod/admin staff on what we've done regulating the Grove that worked, what didn't, things we should do but haven't, or things we could do better? If the vote goes to keep the Grove provided it gets an overhaul this feedback will be very useful.
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EUC Staff Joined: 09 Nov 2011 Posts: 1204 Location: Nirn

Basically I think the Grave is a great place to state your opinion on serious stuff, but beyond that it's not much use. Most of us aren't going to change our viewpoints, and in most cases we shouldn't try to get other people to. I'm an atheist, I don't tell Reep he shouldn't be Christian, and vice versa.

People disagree on stuff, and saying "It's right" "No it's not" "But it is" RTF is pointless. State facts but when you've stated them all and have reached a stalemate, stuff tends to get personal. Haven't seen it much in the Grove actually, but in one of the L&M threads I saw it.

But I think it should stay, with an overhaul of the rules.
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Ok I've edited the OP with the rules I've seen suggested thus far. So feel free to discuss whether those rules are good, bad, insufficient or any additional rules you think need to be added. Note if you suggested a rule and it isn't in the OP that means I missed it not that I dismissed it as a bad rule. So either repost it here or PM me and I'll be happy to add it to the list of proposed rules.

and just as a general thing: I want to congradulate everyone on recent discussions in the Med Grove. Everyone is doing a great job in keeping discussions civil and avoiding getting personal. Those of you who want the Grove to stay are doing a particularly good job at backing up your words with actions.
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I'm for keeping it, but making more clear guidelines. I like the Grove when actual discussion and debate is taking place and people are expressing opinions and asking questions of others, but once both sides have stated their positions and discussed it for awhile, I think the topic should be let go. Just my two cents.
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I like the rules; they promote civility and clarity of communication.

I'm wondering if we should have some sort of timer? So that if things get a bit too repetitive, we call, say, three days to finish up the discussion (unless new topics arise or new evidence to support a stance)? Or would that be too much?

Anyway, I'll go back and edit my last post in the Politics thread to include the sources of my oil imports numbers (as well as the numbers from a WHO report from 2000 on the best health services in the world, for anyone who's interested).
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EUC Staff Joined: 15 Sep 2010 Posts: 1117 Location: Kansas

We could keep it, but have banned topics maybe. *shrug*
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I initially voted to keep the Meditation Grove, but recent events have changed my mind. I believe illogicalRogue2 said it best, "kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill it."

I tend to frequent debate/discussion forums and they always follow very specific rules that the Meditation Grove does not. Most importantly, moderators absolutely never take sides in an argument, as was done in the homosexuality thread (for example - legal discussion on gay marriage is identical to racism and therefore should not be discussed). Their job is to make sure their are no personal threats, or over the top name-calling, etc. In the Meditation Grove it has been pretty one sided. In fact, I don't believe certain members were ever warned about calling others "bigots."

To make matters worse, after I personally PM'd both the admin and moderators about my disappointment in the matter, as was asked, I never received a response back even though I have waited patiently for days. Not even a confirmation.

If a debate/discussion forum cannot be run impartially and fairly, then it should not remain open. In light of that I believe the Meditation Grove should be killed.

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