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We've had a few threads recently that I don't think really belong here. Some examples are:

http://www.halforums.com/forum/t15636/
http://www.halforums.com/forum/t12439/
http://www.halforums.com/forum/t15504/

So I'm just curious if I'm an outlier and this is really something that the forum in general is interested in seeing frequently.

I'm not against posting something that encourages thoughtful discussion or is particularly notable. For instance:

http://www.halforums.com/forum/t8366/

I'd argue it was noteworthy, and to some degree acted as a release for a big news topic at the time.

However, we can readily find a multitude of examples of child abuse and murder, and I don't think that dwelling on them is particularly useful.

The poll is merely to gauge interest, and is unlikely to have any effect on forum rules, it's just to satisfy my curiosity.

I don't know the problem is that if we start picking and choosing what can be posted then we might not have any posts. I mean i hate those stupid psycho posts but apparently there is a market for it.

These ones about abusing kids are just news posts, bad news, but still just news.

I may not like reading them but I do not believe there should be a rule banning these topics.

I am kinda torn on it. I have no love for the people who commit these atrocities. I guess people post them (like mine about Happy meals) to discuss why human are so stupid to allow government to do these things.

edit: back on topic. I read only a few, but I don't think there should be a rule banning them. It all start with partial censorship and then the mods will have to monitor all threads with all kinds of censorship.

It always start off with the small stuff. Bad idea in the long run. (my personal opinion on the matter)

I'd rather not see them. They don't really come up all that often, so I don't see any reason to try and stop people from posting them. The best way to get rid of them is to just not post in the thread. It'll drop out of view soon enough.

I just don't click them. There could be just one "horrible and sick news thread" to rule them all instead of each monster getting their own thread.

I generally ignore the awful humanity threads unless someone points something out to me.

As I mentioned in the other thread, I'm against banning them. This forum can only thrive in an environment of free expression*. Not everyone is going to like everything that is posted, but I feel we are all adult enough to not let that bother us.

*free expression within reason. Obviously illegal content or personal attacks are not allowed.

^Pretty much the same as Krisken. I think that people post them because they're just so shocked that it actually happened. I don't think they shouldn't be able to talk about it if they don't want to, but I get bored with the outrage and the discussion of what people would do if they were in that position. Sometimes I'll read them, but I don't seek out the "lose even more faith in humanity" posts.

I must admit I tend to be the one who usually posts them. Why do I post them? I am not really sure, it probably has something to do with reaffirming my distaste for chunks of humanity. But if people would prefer I don't mind not posting them. I certainly don't want to see a ban against these types of threads for reasons other people have already stated. But as I mentioned if people would prefer me not to post stories like these than I won't.

I have to agree with CG in the shock factor. I guess most of us are not crazy enough or stupid enough to commit these crimes. I know when I see one of these, I'm pretty dumb founded.

While I still don't want any rules against posts like this, let me just say that the #1 thing that irritates me about these posts isn't the crimes themselves. It's that they give people an excuse to sneer and say "I don't even really like people." I hate that attitude. You're a person. Why can't we get the hell over this sad fact that some people suck and focus on the also-present but often-ignored fact that some people don't? If people suck so much, maybe that just means that we oh-so-moral people who'd never stoop so low need to get out of the forum and do something good to counter-balance. In fact...

I usally read them because otherwise i would never learn about it.

Not that it would be a bad thing when i think about it. Anyway, i'm against banning ANY subject. It's not like we're so active in the first place.

First they took our better nate than levers, and I didn't stand up, because I wasn't a shaggy dog.

Then they took our dead baby stories, and I didn't stand up, because I wasn't a parent.

Then they took our grues, and I didn't stand up, because I wasn't eaten.

And now they're trying to take me, and my mom got scared, and said "You're moving in with your auntie and uncle in Bel Air."

lol ravenpoe.

Element 117 said:

lol ravenpoe.

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No kidding. That was brilliant.

Perhaps a +/- Faith in Humanity subforum. Tag it with something like, "You take the good. You take the bad. You take the happy. You take the sad. Whatever you take, watch everyone go mad!"

now i have the Facts of Life in my head

damn it

If we do anything with these types of post, is shovel them off into a "Dregs of Humanity" catch-all thread.

sometimes it is cathartic to know what the meth heads are capable of. and a general warning of how to not live your life.

Given the current state of the forum, I can't say that the threads bother me, I just don't go in most of the time. I don't get the impression that they're overloading the rest of the forum content afaik, so I feel like its far easier just to ignore them.

I don't like reading 'em not just because it's a huge downer, but also because every post in those threads is either

a) someone refering their further loss of faith in humanity or some similar phrase; or
b) someone planning horrible revenge fantasies against the perpetrator.

Beyond the horrifying OP, I don't feel the need to read any of the boring responses. Sorry if that strikes close to home.

For those who care about my opinion...

Most of the time, I've already seen the post mentioned somewhere else (reddit, any of Kati's blogs, The Consumerist, etc), so seeing them again here usually doesn't cause me to do anything other than mention to Kati, "Hey, [story x] (finally) made the forum today." I don't see anything wrong with posting them here except for the fact that they tend to displace other threads I am more interested in following. I don't have anything against them specifically.

For the record, though, I believe there shouldn't be any sort of single catch-all thread for humanity's dregs. The forum dynamic will already push momentary flash-in-the-pan "ZOMG!" threads off the bottom, and truly interesting threads will remain near the surface, all thanks to the Brazil nut effect.

--Patrick

Gusto said:

I don't like reading 'em not just because it's a huge downer, but also because every post in those threads is either

a) someone refering their further loss of faith in humanity or some similar phrase; or
b) someone planning horrible revenge fantasies against the perpetrator.

Beyond the horrifying OP, I don't feel the need to read any of the boring responses. Sorry if that strikes close to home.

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you forgot:

c) People make incredibly innapropriate but also somewhat humurous jokes about the event while simultaneously lamenting their accelerating ride to hell.

That's why I read them

Its news. Sometimes the news sucks, but that's just the truth of it. I don't like reading about that stuff, but to place bans on certain news stories because we don't like them is just silly. (and I haven't actually opened any of the aformentioned threads because I don't want to).

checkeredhat said:

Its news. Sometimes the news sucks, but that's just the truth of it. I don't like reading about that stuff, but to place bans on certain news stories because we don't like them is just silly. (and I haven't actually opened any of the aformentioned threads because I don't want to).

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This. Hiding from the disgusting side of humanity doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Trust me.

Officer_Charon;453697][QUOTE=checkeredhat said:

Its news. Sometimes the news sucks, but that's just the truth of it. I don't like reading about that stuff, but to place bans on certain news stories because we don't like them is just silly. (and I haven't actually opened any of the aformentioned threads because I don't want to).

Click to expand...

This. Hiding from the disgusting side of humanity doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Trust me.[/QUOTE]

So what you're saying is, checkeredhat is a sheltered flower.

escushion;453698][QUOTE=Officer_Charon;453697][QUOTE=checkeredhat said:

Its news. Sometimes the news sucks, but that's just the truth of it. I don't like reading about that stuff, but to place bans on certain news stories because we don't like them is just silly. (and I haven't actually opened any of the aformentioned threads because I don't want to).

Click to expand...

This. Hiding from the disgusting side of humanity doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Trust me.[/QUOTE]


So what you're saying is, checkeredhat is a sheltered flower.[/QUOTE]

...Yes. A very pretty one.

Seriously, though what I meant was to reference the face that censoring the news because we don't like some of the topics is silly and asinine. Simply not clicking on the subject, while a bit like the ostrich with his head in the sand, is a person's choice, thus making it the preferable option over arbitrary censorship.

Yes, but I don't come here to be inundated with depressing humanity stories. I skip those because I get enough of that shit everywhere else. Think of this as my vacation away from that stuff.

Krisken said:

Yes, but I don't come here to be inundated with depressing humanity stories. I skip those because I get enough of that shit everywhere else. Think of this as my vacation away from that stuff.

Click to expand...

so you come here for the screaming monkey match that is the rest of it?

Element 117 said:

so you come here for the screaming monkey match that is the rest of it?

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Indeed.

Krisken said:

Yes, but I don't come here to be inundated with depressing humanity stories. I skip those because I get enough of that shit everywhere else. Think of this as my vacation away from that stuff.

Click to expand...

Exactly.

this place is usually either depressing or annoying that is like going on vacation to a mail room with Fran Dresher.

I post on another forum that has a "no National Enquirer" type posts...meaning nothing like what the OP is talking about. It hasn't limited that forums general topic forum at all, and it's a guitar forum. I highly doubt that banning those subjects, especially when they are readily available on a multitude of local and national news websites is going to hurt this board. I'm all for rules against them because, frankly, I don't want to see them when I come here. I get enough of them from both TV and radio news, co-workers, and enough other places.

Meh-ables. I'm not particularly over-the-moon for such threads, but I come here for the freedom to say whatevs. A rule against goes too far, in my opinion.