# MPSIMS threads closed for being mundane and pointless. **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 25, 2014, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590 "2014-11-25T14:07:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [November 26, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/21 "2014-11-26T02:43:37Z")
Pretty sure nobody suspects **Sam** is trolling. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/22 "2014-11-26T02:51:06Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > Pretty sure nobody suspects **Sam** is trolling. Who said anything about trolling? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/23 "2014-11-26T02:51:59Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/24 "2014-11-26T03:21:16Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > How fucking hilarious! You’re going to accuse John of blogging when you have threads like “We have pigeon eggs” going on for HOW many years now? > I guess the rule should actually state: No blogging for posters we find annoying. The rest of you are free to blog away. This isn’t new. There have always been some posters who have specific rules that only apply to them. **Handy** wasn’t allowed to give out medical advice in threads. **Reeder** wasn’t allowed to make threads about George W Bush. \*\*Mookieblaylock \*\*wasn’t allowed to post any threads about his depression. When a poster has abused a certain topic in the past, sometimes they are given a ban on a certain subject or topic. **JohnClay** has had a number of “TMI”, not-a-good-idea, threads about his personal life, mental health, or relationships that have been shut down and he’s been talked to about it a few times…so, yes, there has been a small topic ban placed on him that are not on others, as other posters (such as **Sam** ) haven’t yet shown they need one. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/25 "2014-11-26T03:28:52Z")
> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > This isn’t new. There have always been some posters who have specific rules that only apply to them. **Handy** wasn’t allowed to give out medical advice in threads. **Reeder** wasn’t allowed to make threads about George W Bush. \*\*Mookieblaylock \*\*wasn’t allowed to post any threads about his depression. > > When a poster has abused a certain topic in the past, sometimes they are given a ban on a certain subject or topic. > > **JohnClay** has had a number of “TMI”, not-a-good-idea, threads about his personal life, mental health, or relationships that have been shut down and he’s been talked to about it a few times…so, yes, there has been a small topic ban placed on him that are not on others, as other posters (such as **Sam** ) haven’t yet shown they need one. Okay, that makes more sense. I was responding to **Tuba** ’s comment that this isn’t a place for anyone’s blog. Which is just flat out false. > [@TubaDiva](#): > > Yes, it’s the home of all kinds of posts, mundane and pointless, profound and mysterious, funny and meaningful, and that’s great. But it’s not anyone’s personal blog. That’s what is being fought in this example. The SDMB is not your personal blog, if you want one you should go get one and not try to make one here. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/26 "2014-11-26T03:40:24Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Yes, it’s the home of all kinds of posts, mundane and pointless, profound and mysterious, funny and meaningful, and that’s great. But it’s not anyone’s personal blog. That’s what is being fought in this example. The SDMB is not your personal blog, if you want one you should go get one and not try to make one here. So it’s not MPSIMS but it’s MPSIMS-BNYPB. But not your personal blog. Got it! ---
**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:** [November 26, 2014, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/27 "2014-11-26T03:48:56Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Who said anything about trolling? IIRC, there’s a theory that **JohnClay** isn’t entirely on the up & up. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/28 "2014-11-26T20:36:44Z")
The pigeon eggs thread _is_ a good point, however. On the other hand, closing that thread risks war, at the very least. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/29 "2014-11-26T21:23:43Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > The pigeon eggs thread _is_ a good point, however. > > On the other hand, closing that thread risks war, at the very least. Oh I agree, it would not be a wise move to close that thread. But in the interest of fairness, I’d rather not have mods close threads because they are bloggish. If nobody is interested in that thread it will die on it’s own merits. Gotta hand it to **Sam** though, his thread is a long time favorite. I know, I once pitted that thread a few years ago and the teeming millions raked me over the coals for it! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/30 "2014-11-26T22:39:55Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Yes, it’s the home of all kinds of posts, mundane and pointless, profound and mysterious, funny and meaningful, and that’s great. But it’s not anyone’s personal blog. That’s what is being fought in this example. The SDMB is not your personal blog, if you want one you should go get one and not try to make one here. It seems he was asking for advice in this thread, despite the blog-like format. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/31 "2014-11-26T22:41:34Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > If this is about the thread I closed this morning, it was because the staff had instructed the poster in question to stop writing OPs about his mental health issues. Is there some explanation that can be made public about this specific ban, then? ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/32 "2014-11-27T00:37:03Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > If this is about the thread I closed this morning, it was because the staff had instructed the poster in question to stop writing OPs about his mental health issues. > > I have closed others because they are totally content-free. It’s a judgment call, which is what they pay me the big bucks for. > [@clairobscur](#): > > Is there some explanation that can be made public about this specific ban, then? Is the reply by **twickster** not specific enough? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/33 "2014-11-27T01:20:23Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Is there some explanation that can be made public about this specific ban, then? It’s never been a secret. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/34 "2014-11-27T01:38:28Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Is there some explanation that can be made public about this specific ban, then? Probably this one. [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17573359&postcount=20](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17573359&postcount=20) ---
**Author:** ![JohnClay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c37758/32.png) [@JohnClay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnClay)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/35 "2014-11-27T03:46:11Z")
Hi I didn’t recall being told not to post on my mental illness then I found this: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17411823&postcount=17](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=17411823&postcount=17) > [@twickster](#): > > JohnClay, the prohibition on talking about sex and relationships was intended to get you to stop posting these self-absorbed, TMI posts. > > I hereby extend that prohibition to starting threads about psychology, your own or others. > > twickster, MPSIMS moderator ☹ BTW I studied a psychology course at university and went quite well since I’d read up on it earlier. BTW that statement didn’t involve me starting a thread about it. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/36 "2014-11-27T04:18:16Z")
There are two issues here, since **JohnClay** ’s thread wasn’t actually shut down due to being to mundane or pointless, but due to a poster-specific ban on a topic. I don’t have a problem with poster-specific topic bans. I don’t have a problem with closing threads for being too mundane and pointless either, but I have to say that although it’s come up many, many times, I’ve never seen a very clear explanation for why it happens. It always comes down to the fact that TPTB don’t like them, which is certainly sufficient reason, but I’m curious why they don’t like them. They seem perfectly innocuous, since almost by definition, they tend to fall off the page naturally, and the ones that don’t clearly weren’t too mundane or pointless to start an actual discussion. I suppose there could be a fear that if they don’t lock them that the people posting them might be undeterred by failure and start to post more like them until the front page of MPSIMS is clogged with them, but that seems unlikely, and I don’t think it’s ever been offered as an explanation. But then again, nothing has, besides, “We don’t like them and we can close any threads we want.” Which, again, fair enough. Doesn’t really bug me. But I don’t get it. And that _does_ bug me. Inordinately so! ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/37 "2014-11-27T13:18:59Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Is the reply by **twickster** not specific enough? Not really. It said he wasn’t allowed to post about his mental illness, not why. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/38 "2014-11-27T14:15:41Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > Not really. It said he wasn’t allowed to post about his mental illness, not why. Have you read the threads? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/39 "2014-11-27T15:18:53Z")
If you’re asking if we’re going to start making ATMB announcements, as we do for bannings/suspensions of longtime posters, no, we’re not going to do that – it would amount to public shaming of the poster. When we tell someone not to post on a particular topic, we communicate that prohibition to that poster, who is the only one who really needs to know about it. For the rest of you, it’s just rubbernecking on a matter that doesn’t concern you. Re: threads that are _too_ mundane and pointless – we don’t allow post-count padding, posting for the sake of posting. These threads can serve that function. Despite the fact that people would prefer that we not do it at all, it’s certainly not something we do often. I don’t recall offhand – though I’m sure someone will jump in and search – the last time I did it, but would guess that I do it well less than once a month (maybe once every other month? I’m guessing here). Considering the number of threads started in MPSIMS daily, I’m not exactly putting my jackboot on the throats of the TM. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590/40 "2014-11-27T20:14:23Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#): > > IIRC, there’s a theory that **JohnClay** isn’t entirely on the up & up. Agreed. The pigeon eggs thread (with due respect to Siam Sam) seems like getting rust in your car- it is forever. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mpsims-threads-closed-for-being-mundane-and-pointless/705590.md?page=3)