Yeah? And the opinion that there is no such thing as a “good” accupuncturist is a perfectly valid one. Idiot.
How far are you willing to extend that principle? What if somebody requests advice on how to find a “good” psychic or astrologer? Or a good pyramid scheme? Or a good perpetual motion machine?
True. But it’s an not an opinion that the OP wanted to discuss, so, in that particular forum, we bite our tongues and contribute whatever advice we can for the opinions that the OP is soliciting. It’s basic manners, and if you don’t get it you are the idiot.
Look at The King of Soup’s first post in that thread. Even though I supposedly stifled his ability to communicate, there in his post is a link to this very BBQ Pit thread. If you feel that a subject needs severe criticism, you can do the same. That way, the thread is not hijacked.
Well, pyramid schemes are illegal, so that would be prohibited by board rules.
Perpetual motion machines are a physical impossibility; I might ask why the OP was interested in them (someone looking for ‘investment’ money? Think they’ve discovered one? Want to reduce their energy bill?) and then go from there.
For astrologers and psychics, I’d probably just bite my tongue.
What I wouldn’t do is make a post like Diogenes the Cynic’s or Q.E.D.'s.
I posted last on Poysyn’s thread, to this date, with a link that seemed most appropriate: the only site for MD’s practicing acupuncture. In examining that site, I saw good deal of decent information. The organization was started with MD’s who had participated in UCLA’s medical school training in acupuncture as an integrative practice. Really, there is a lot of good information on that site, by MD’s who have experience with acupuncture in their practice of medicine.
If people believe in psychics or astrology, and wish to find ones that other people who also believe in psychics or astrology recommend, then I will allow that thread. Pyramid schemes are illegal, so of course a thread reccomending a good one will be closed. Perpetual motion machines are theoretically impossible, and so I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
I’d be happy with that being taken on a quack-by-quack basis.
[QUOTE=Metacom]
True. But it’s an not an opinion that the OP wanted to discuss/QUOTE]
You don’t know that. I don’t know that. Hell, even Czarcasm doesn’t know that, because he had to charging in like a freaking white knight before ANYONE else managed to post and fend off the evil, bad opinions of those who happen to think accupuncture is a crock of shit. Maybe the OP would have been perfectly willing to listen to alternatives to accupuncture. We’ll never know, now, though.
FTR, I’m not entirely convinced it’s a crock. There appear to be some studies which suggest some benefit beyond mere placebo. I don’t think there’s nearly as much to it as some people think, though. As such, I think some level of open discourse should have been allowed in that thread, instead of preemptively prohibited by King Bitchypants over there. It is perfectly possible to express doubt of and even disdain for the claims of accupuncture without being rude to the OP.
I simply think we should have been allowed to do so. If the dissenting opinions got too out of hand or rude or what have you, then, fine. Warn away. But, this was just…stupid.
No, we don’t know it, but we can infer that it’s probably what the OP wanted.
You could probably have found a way to work in a dissenting opinion, provided you weren’t an ass about it. For example, you could have Google’d some advice (e.g., basic health and hygiene precautions such as practioners that are also M.D.'s, or have some sort of training in sanitary accupuncture) and then said something like “There’s some evidence that accupuncture may not be the best treatment for those conditions, so you might want to check with your doctor or get a second opinion from a different doctor if you haven’t already.”
IANAModerator, so I can’t say for sure if that would have flown, but I’m guessing it would have.
I dunno. Only Czar can answer that, but his comment seemed to preclude any dissent. My stance is that if you don’t want people to disagree with you, then don’t fucking post. The forum description for IMHO invites discussion, for fuck’s sake. If they want to change it to “For stark, one-sided agreement with the OP only…” then do it and be done with it.
Charging in like Don Quixote on a braying ass before anyone can register any opinion is just plain assinine (no pun intended). Is he going to do that for every thread about a controversial subject in IMHO?
Invites discussion. Not Debate. There is a forum for that activity. Look at Dios post in this thread to see the sort of thing that might (though I think it’s safe to say “would have”) have gone on there.
Better one braying ass than a whole thread of them.
Look. Ya’ll want to debate this so bad? Open a GD thread and toss a link into the original. If you want to rant about our jackbooted mod overlords (yeah, I welcome them too), pick a better topic. This one’s as silly as I’ve seen.
Right. Discussion. Not debate. The OP wanted to discuss how to find a good accupuncturist. He’s already made up his mind that he wants to find one, so that sort of thread isn’t the place to debate whether accupuncture is quackery or not.
It’s just proper decorum. For example, if I was with some friends who were discussing which football team was going to win the world series, I’d stay out of the discussion instead of telling them that following football was a waste of their time and they should read science books instead.
You’re kidding, right?
I don’t think that necessarily would have been the result, had the preemptive warning not been given. I, personally, would not have bothered to post anyway and even if I had, it would have been a polite dissent, I assure you. No braying, no ass.
Not particularly. The topic doesn’t interest me enough to get involved in a lengthy debate over it. As I said previously, there may be some merit to it and I do think it warrants some more study. What does rankly me is an overbearing moderator who felt it necessary to post a warning about playing nicey-nice before ANYONE had a chance to respond. At least wait to see which way the thread is going to go before getting your sphincter all clenched up. Sheesh.
Metacom, I agree that being rude to the OP would have been base and tactless, but I don’t think posting a politely-worded opinion to the contrary would have been rude in any way. You’re quite right that a discussion isn’t a debate, but it’s not just blind agreement, either. I think we’ll just have to agree to disagree here. I see your point of view, I respect it and I understand it; I just happen to disagree with some of it.
I’m sure he isn’t. What does it matter how many goals the football hitters pitch? Read a good book instead.
Um, this is the BBQ Pit, not IMHO.
You’re supposed to tell me that I perform anilingus on ungulates using vulgar slang, not politely “agree to disagree.” Pfft.
Oh, right. My bad. I misspelled “kiss my fat, hairy white ass”. Sorry for the confusion. 
Of course you would allow that thread, but what I am asking is would you prohibit anyone from advising him not to waste his money on psychics? Surely all sides of the issue should be open to discussion?
And you’ll keep crossing it, not being able to stop; perpetual motion and all…