# How should the Pit be changed, if at all? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 19, 2021, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859 "2021-07-19T23:19:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 20
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/383 "2021-07-27T17:52:37Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Do you think closing it would have been worse than moving it? Closing it would end the conversation. Moving it to a place appropriate for rants lets people respond to the rant. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/384 "2021-07-27T17:57:07Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > I’m not really talking about whether that particular OP was pit-worthy or not. The point is that an inappropriate OP or a thread that goes off the rails should simply be closed, and not just moved to the pit. No one should be forced into the pit just to continue a discussion. Option 1 is “this discussion is now over”. Option 2 is “if you want to continue thus discussion you can go to the Pit”. Under Option 2, if you are allergic to the Pit, you can stop posting and abandon the thread. Under Option 1, if you don’t mind the Pit, you’re out of luck. And of course, either way you could start a new, non-Ranty OP outside of the Pit. > [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > And people who start flamey OPs or derail threads with insults are actually rewarded by having those threads moved to the pit where they can continue the behaviour. If bad behaviour just got threads closed, they’d get more peer pressure to behave to avoid wasting everyone’s time There’s nothing wrong with posting a rant, so long as you do it in the right place. We don’t need to punish people who post rants or peer pressure them to stop ranting, so neither of those “benefits” is actually desirable. We just need them to put the rants where rants go. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/385 "2021-07-27T17:59:36Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Specifically, mods should _never_ move a thread to the pit unless the OP asks for it. > > If we are supposed to ignore the pit if we don’t like it, how can we possibly do that if a mod decides, “oh, this thread you started will get flamey, so I’ll just move it to the pit.” I concur. Doing this just punishes the OP. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/386 "2021-07-27T18:01:38Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > It was thinly disguised as a question, but that kind of thinly disguised disengenousness is the #1 worst thing about this board. The moderators didn’t buy that crap, and they moved the rant to the rant forum. A great decision, and I’d oppose any rule about moving threads that eliminates a mod’s ability to move a rant to where rants go. It doesn’t make any difference. **Never move a thread to the Pit.** I concur, that was a problematic thread, so the Mods should have just closed it, saying that sort of thing would be better suited to the pit. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/387 "2021-07-27T18:06:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > It doesn’t make any difference. **Never move a thread to the Pit.** I disagree, and I can put text in bold too: **Always move rants to the Pit**. If somebody starts a thread with a Pit-worthy rant, and then they complain about their thread being moved to the Pit because it means people can respond to their OP in kind, I have no sympathy. If you can dish it out, you best be ready to take it. As I said earlier, I agree that threads shouldn’t be moved to the Pit just for being controversial. I’m specifically talking about threads that are moved to the Pit because the OP was already posting as if they were in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/388 "2021-07-27T18:18:11Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If somebody starts a thread with a Pit-worthy rant, and then they complain about their thread being moved to the Pit because it means people can respond to their OP in kind, I have no sympathy. If you can dish it out, you best be ready to take it. Yeah, but there are degrees of ranting. The OP of a thread that’s not acceptable in GD solely because it’s a rant, and not because it broke any of the other board rules, would be under harsher fire than they dished out in the relaxed-rules environment of the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/389 "2021-07-27T18:29:28Z")
Gotcha, so are there any particularly harsh posts towards Roo in that thread that really crossed a line? Because MY recollection is that despite being moved to the Pit the thread actually has very few if any personal attacks against Roo. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/390 "2021-07-27T18:34:14Z")
We’re moving from the general to the specific now? Specifically, I wouldn’t know. I muted that thread long ago. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/391 "2021-07-27T19:03:32Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > If only I had the tiniest reason to think you were talking about anything other than your pet topics. People can claim standardised testing only measures SES without expecting to be challenged on this board, or more generally attribute children resembling their parents to upbringing, without anyone pointing out genes are a massive confounding factor. They can claim the lab leak theory or Hunter Biden’s laptop are debunked without getting any push back. You can claim IQ tests don’t measure anything significant, but no one would say the same about implicit association tests, although there is vastly less evidence supporting the latter. I have no idea if you consider these to be my ‘pet topics’, but it’s no different to a conservative saying I must be talking about my pet topics of global warming and Covid vaccines. I’m here to fight ignorance, naturally I talk about topics where ignorance is particularly rife. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/392 "2021-07-27T19:04:52Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > I disagree, and I can put text in bold too: **Always move rants to the Pit**. > > If somebody starts a thread with a Pit-worthy rant, and then they complain about their thread being moved to the Pit because it means people can respond to their OP in kind, I have no sympathy. If you can dish it out, you best be ready to take it. The 'rants" were not directed at one poster, so no, not the Pit. But sure, that thread could be closed as it is unsuitable to it’s current forum. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/393 "2021-07-27T19:07:16Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > The 'rants" were not directed at one poster, so no, not the Pit. The moderators disagree with you here, clearly. I’m not sure where in the rules it says that rants only go in the Pit if directed at another poster. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/394 "2021-07-27T19:08:10Z")
And, they are wrong. Most of the time it comes across as a deliberate attempt to punish the OP in what they think it s sneaky way. It is juvenile. Just Mod note and close. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/395 "2021-07-27T19:10:22Z")
Then surely you can point to where in the rules it says ‘rants only go in the Pit if directed at another poster’? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/396 "2021-07-27T19:11:18Z")
What are you talking about? Do you know what thread you are in? Read the **title.** ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/397 "2021-07-27T19:13:38Z")
“Rants go in the Pit” isn’t a Pit rule, it’s a board rule. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/398 "2021-07-27T19:16:00Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > What are you talking about? Do you know what thread you are in? Read the **title.** This makes no sense. You wanted to GET RID of pitting other posters, didn’t you? Now you are saying that ONLY rants against other posters belong in the Pit? I’d think in your ideal board, rant about board member = not allowed anywhere; rant against anything else = Pit. ---
**Author:** ![DemonTree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demontree/32/8646_2.png) [@DemonTree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DemonTree)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/399 "2021-07-27T19:21:43Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I apologize if pointing out that the liberals/Board regulars/etc have been openly willing to criticize misbehavior on “their side” while the other side tend to “circle the wagons” when one of theirs goes rogue contradicts your preferred narrative, but the evidence is there if you wish to look for it. I haven’t had time to look at this for the last few days, but I finally was able to today. You didn’t post any evidence, just your opinion, so I went through the last month in the Pit to find threads pitting posters. I found 12 total: 6 were pitted because the pitter objected to their opinions (some of which were more justified than others). 3 were started because of the pittee’s posting behaviour, of which all also expressed opinions the pitter likely objected to (one was exactly the misunderstanding over the meaning of racism that @puzzlegal highlighted in another thread). 3 were ‘other’; 2 continuing a conversation or posting info only allowed in the Pit, 1 was a continuation of a poster pitting himself asking for ‘constructive criticism’, who was later banned as a troll. Unsurprisingly, no one who agreed with the majority was pitted for their bad arguments or annoying/unreasonable/unhelpful posting habits, though such posters most certainly exist. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/400 "2021-07-27T19:22:54Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > The 'rants" were not directed at one poster, so no, not the Pit. > > The moderators disagree with you here, clearly. I’m not sure where in the rules it says that rants only go in the Pit if directed at another poster. The main page doesn’t say rants have to be directed at a specific poster: > **[ > The BBQ Pit > ](https://boards.straightdope.com/c/the-bbq-pit/11)** > > For rants about the world or beefs with another poster. Comments and complaints about SDMB administration should go in About This Message Board. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/401 "2021-07-27T19:25:31Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > Option 1 is “this discussion is now over”. Option 2 is “if you want to continue thus discussion you can go to the Pit”. Not exactly. Both options are, “If you want to continue this discussion, you can go to the Pit.” The first option requires very slightly more work – “Control+C, New Topic, Control+V” – than the second option, if the poster wants to continue in the Pit. The second requires very slightly less work – “Do not subscribe to this thread”–than the first option, if the poster wants to not continue in the Pit. I think it’s a very reasonable compromise, and honors the people who really don’t like to see their threads moved. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/402 "2021-07-27T19:35:07Z")
I’m fine with not moving those threads to the Pit and just closing them . . . as long as complaining about them being closed is a banning offense. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859.md?page=19) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859.md?page=21)