# 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:** 21
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/403 "2021-07-27T19:39:09Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > 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. 👍 to this ---
**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, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/404 "2021-07-27T20:02:47Z")
No, I am saying that we want to _change the Pit rules_ (the purpose of thise thread) so that **NO threads at all can be sent to the Pit without the Ops agreement. None.** > [@Skywatcher](#): > > The main page doesn’t say rants have to be directed at a specific poster: You don’t know what thread you are in either, do you? **How should the Pit be changed, if at all?** ---
**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, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/405 "2021-07-27T20:12:44Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > You don’t know what thread you are in either, do you? For what it’s worth, this sort of comment is really unhelpful. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/406 "2021-07-27T20:15:13Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > NO threads at all can be sent to the Pit without the Ops agreement. None. Why the hey would the mods suddenly need user approval for _this_ moderation, of all things, when they’ve never required it for any other modding they do? What’s next, poster prior approval before one gets a Note? A nice backrub before they issue a warning? All suspensions to come with tea and a bun? ---
**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, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/407 "2021-07-27T20:15:31Z")
True, but so are Babale’s, Skywatcher’s, and Crowmanycloud’s, who want to quote _what the rules are currently_ in a thread **dedicated to changing the rules.** This thread is not about what the rules are currently, it is about what changes we want to make. ---
**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, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/408 "2021-07-27T20:17:24Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > True, but Ima stop you right there. ---
**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, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/409 "2021-07-27T20:18:21Z")
Hopefully this thread doesn’t get sent to the Pit! ---
**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, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/410 "2021-07-27T20:18:39Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Why the hey would the mods suddenly need user approval for _this_ moderation, of all things, when they’ve never required it for any other modding they do? I don’t figure they’d need user approval. I’d rather them just shut the thread down, and if the user doesn’t like it, next time they could start their thread in the Pit like God intended. ---
**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, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/411 "2021-07-27T20:20:51Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, I am saying that we want to _change the Pit rules_ (the purpose of thise thread) > [@DrDeth](#): > > This thread is not about what the rules are currently, it is about what changes we want to make. Sure looks like you’re arguing what the rules _are_ here: > [@DrDeth](#): > > The 'rants" were not directed at one poster, so no, not the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/412 "2021-07-27T20:22:50Z")
> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > I’d rather them just shut the thread down, and if the user doesn’t like it, next time they could start their thread in the Pit like God intended. If I were a mod (yes, I know, I’m as happy as all of y’all that I’m not…) I would reflexively warn anyone who should know better who starts a Pit rant outside the Pit, for making unnecessary work for me, as I close their thread. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/413 "2021-07-27T20:22:56Z")
I think it would be a good change to just lock a thread rather than moving it to the Pit. For whichever scenario it may be moved, closing it seems like a better option: 1. Person created a pit thread in a different category. Closing it means the OP has to go through the effort of creating a pit thread if they really want to have that discussion. It doesn’t give them the option to whine that they didn’t want it in the pit but those mean old mods moved it there. 2. Thread devolves into a rant fest. Although the thread may have started out reasonably, it has gotten to the point where the participants are slugging it out. Closing it means the slugfest stops unless someone manually takes the effort of creating a pit thread. If no one creates a new pit thread to continue the slugfest, then it’s not important enough to move the original thread to 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, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/414 "2021-07-27T20:23:48Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > > [@DrDeth](#): > > > > NO threads at all can be sent to the Pit without the Ops agreement. None. > > Why the hey would the mods suddenly need user approval for _this_ moderation, of all things, when they’ve never required it for any other modding they do? > > What’s next, poster prior approval before one gets a Note? A nice backrub before they issue a warning? All suspensions to come with tea and a bun? > [@MrDibble](#): > > If I were a mod (yes, I know, I’m as happy as all of y’all that I’m not…) I would reflexively warn anyone who should know better who starts a Pit rant outside the Pit, for making unnecessary work for me, as I close their thread. Wow, you didn’t say snowflake even once. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/415 "2021-07-27T20:25:14Z")
I can’t say that, that’s _their_ word, wouldn’t want to culturally appropriate. ---
**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, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/416 "2021-07-27T20:26:24Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I think it would be a good change to just lock a thread rather than moving it to the Pit. For whichever scenario it may be moved, closing it seems like a better option: > > 1. Person created a pit thread in a different category. Closing it means the OP has to go through the effort of creating a pit thread if they really want to have that discussion. It doesn’t give them the option to whine that they didn’t want it in the pit but those mean old mods moved it there. > > 2. Thread devolves into a rant fest. Although the thread may have started out reasonably, it has gotten to the point where the participants are slugging it out. Closing it means the slugfest stops unless someone manually takes the effort of creating a pit thread. If no one creates a new pit thread to continue the slugfest, then it’s not important enough to move the original thread to the pit. Sound reasonable to me. Say Take it to the Pit, lock it, and be done. ---
**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, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/417 "2021-07-27T20:56:44Z")
No, what I was saying is that H&R didn’t _mean_ for the thread to be in the Pit, it wasn’t by some accident put in the wrong forum, which occurs fairly often. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/418 "2021-07-27T21:49:27Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Thread devolves into a rant fest. Although the thread may have started out reasonably, it has gotten to the point where the participants are slugging it out. Closing it means the slugfest stops unless someone manually takes the effort of creating a pit thread. If no one creates a new pit thread to continue the slugfest, then it’s not important enough to move the original thread to the pit. If the subject can only be re-opened in the Pit, that seems to me to discourage additional non-Pit discussion. While often a good bit of that does at least try to happen in the Pit, there’s nothing there to keep the rant fest from taking over whatever the original thread was about. Sometimes there’s nothing else that was worth saying on the subject anyway that hasn’t already been said. Sometimes there is. (Often, of course, that’s a judgement call.) What if mods split the thread instead, moving the rant ones to the Pit and leaving the non-rant discussion where it was? That would be more work for the mods, of course, than either closing it or moving the whole thing. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/419 "2021-07-27T21:59:29Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > No, what I was saying is that H&R didn’t _mean_ for the thread to be in the Pit, it wasn’t by some accident put in the wrong forum, which occurs fairly often. It wasn’t an accident, but it was a mistake. @Heffalump_and_Roo posted a rant that was quite nasty towards a lot of posters. She wrapped that rant around a question. She said she really wanted to ask the question, and felt the rant was necessary background. Which, as i mentioned elsewhere, i thought was ironic as the question was about where to find discussions of a sort she felt wouldn’t be clear enough in this particular case. But it wasn’t an appropriate post for IMHO. I think a lot of posters would have been more annoyed if the mods had just closed it, rather than moved it. But i could certainly be wrong. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2021, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/420 "2021-07-27T22:01:05Z")
Splitting threads is somewhat fussy and time consuming, and you have to get it right the first time, otherwise all the posts end up in helter skelter order. I’ve done it, but it’s not something i want to commit to doing routinely. ---
**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, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/421 "2021-07-27T22:03:09Z")
> [@GreysonCarlisle](#): > > But back to my main point, anything that can be reasonably assumed to cause actual harm to anyone in this community needs to be restricted. This is sadly ironic. The Pit can be reasonably assumed to cause actual harm to members of this community, yet the majority are in favour of keeping it. The cruelty is the point. ---
**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, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859/422 "2021-07-27T22:06:01Z")
People love to bully and to be a anonymous bully is double the fun. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859.md?page=20) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-should-the-pit-be-changed-if-at-all/946859.md?page=22)