I saw numerous threads about homosexuality on SDMB and asked my question (about a hypothetical pill). Some people answered it, others also gave their opinions about the question, my possible intentions, etc. Some mused about the phenomenon of the homosexuality, etc. Ten replies were posted in ~12 hours, which is more than in most threads on GQ (Incidentally, mods, what’s the average?). Then Man came and closed it because “GQ is not the place for polling type hypothetical questions”.
I am a guest here (or a user, or whatever),. i.e. I do not set the rules. Man did not point to another MB for these type of questions. If they do not belong there, “period”, there is no discussion. I thought that hypothetical questions in general are not as much for “polling” as they can start an animated discusiions.
If the hypothetical nature of my question was just a pretext and the real reason was diffrerent, I’d like to know about it, so I will not “pollute” the MB in the future. For instance, I would like to know SDoppers opinions about similar pills effect in regard to age and sex, and eye color etc. To you want to “relive” your live? Or: “what would have happened if our planet started to spin in the opposite direction?” “what if electrical charges of the subatomic particles were reversed?”
As I understand, any question can be asked and the onle “stupid questin” is the one which is not asked.
Maybe a separate “Hypothetical Question” MB should be considered?
Finally, a few words about the question itself. From the answers received, I see that some people were indeed, “inflamed”. I did not intend it this way. I’m smart enough to construct a really inflaming question if it were my purpose. I do not like “to inflame” people, I’m interested in rational discussions. For instance, on the second thought, some heterosexuals would take the pill as “birth control” and some homosexuals will do it to have children. There are other considerations, so today my personal answer is not “zero”. But, if I am told this is not a place, I cut my discussion short.
Well, peace, I can understand your frustration. I’ve started at least a dozen threads in the wrong forum. Might I suggest re-reading the “about these message boards” bit one more time to familiarize yourself with which forums are for which topics? I found that to be extremely helpful (although I still fuck up from time to time)
Asking people’s opinions about a particular subject is a GQ thread. Asking for debate on a topic is a GD thread. And so on…
And don’t worry, “polluting” the MB isn’t what you’re doing. You’re raising good questions and giving good responses.
GQ is the place to ask what the facts are. IMHO is for solicitation of opinions.
peace, I closed your thread rather than moving it because it was starting to get ugly (you did phrase you question in a way that seemed insulting to homosexuals, even if you didn’t mean to). I wanted to give you a chance to rethink the phrasing of your OP before reposting it in IMHO.
All right, Man, I think I understand. Perhaps, instead of a direct question, I should have asked: “what is your opinion: if a hypothetical pill were invented, which blah blah blah, would it…”?
1)Can my question be restored, if rephrased? And explained, considering it “inflammability”?
I am serious about “Hypothetical Questions” MB: they are different from usuall “What do I do if my car does not start in the rain?” kind.
3)Do not put “IMHO” next to your name, when wearing your hat. Take off your mod’s hat and give us your “humble opinions”, if you wish, on a question. When the hat is on, you give orders. If I do not like your bossing around, I’ll delete SDMB from ny Bookmarks.
Far be it for me to speak for manhattan, but…(who am I fooling? I’m happy to speak for him!)
peace, when he referred to IMHO, he wasn’t saying that you should put such-and-such a thread in such-and-such a place [in his huble opinion, he was saying that the thread goes in the forum called IMHO. In manny’s Mod Hat opinion, it goes in IMHO. Get it?
And a hypothetical is definitely different than “What do I do if my car doesn’t start in the rain?” This question can be answered by facts: Do this, then do this, then do this. The next poster may offer a different solution, but both are testable, or provable to work or not. A hypothetical isn’t. You’re just asking for what people think about something.
An easy guide would be:
GQ: A question can be answered by factual statements. Only factual statements are of any importance.
IMHO: One person’s opinion is as good as another’s. Every statement has equal validity.
I’m sure I’ll be corrected if I’m wrong about any of this.
Thank you, Necros. It was a stupid overlook. I went to STMB, main page, glanced over the list of topics, mechanically registered in mind MPSIMS and BBQ, did not see IMHO, did not realize that it was there but was spelled out… and fumed. Sorry. And I was surprised, as Man usually knows what he’s doing and what the difference between an opinion and an order is.