# Pitting the Pit **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 31, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522 "2004-03-31T14:26:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/1 "2004-03-31T14:26:45Z")
When I first saw the SDMB, I laughed out loud at the BBQ Pit. None of the other boards I visited had a place especially for flames. However, having visited it often since then, I found it basically pointless. Pit threads usually have one of three points: \>Complaining about something annoying you in real life \>Political screaming (usually - and do some research before giving me a knee-jerk partisan response - from a leftist point of view) over an issue that one either feels too passionately about to discuss logically or is so weak if discussed logically that one resorts to emotion \>Airing personal grudges against someone else on the board. What a pointless board! If you want to complain in a civil manner, you can use the forum with an unpronouncable name. If you want to debate logically, there’s always GD. And grudges can be settled with an exchange of acrid PMs, through Administrator intervention via PM, or in real life. If the point of the Straight Dope is to fight ignorance, why does it allow the Pit to exist? The point of the pit is to air irrational anger, unreasoning flaming, and personal animosity, all of which are against the spirit of fighting ignorance. The name of the board is misleading. A BBQ Pit uses flames to produce useful products, like cooked meat. Here, however, the flames do no useful work but only produce a load of hot air. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/2 "2004-03-31T14:32:22Z")
Catharsis, you stupid jerk. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/3 "2004-03-31T14:46:56Z")
Well the hell with you. I strongly object to next post! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/4 "2004-03-31T14:47:02Z")
The pit keeps all this useless drivel out of the other threads. oh yeah. fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/5 "2004-03-31T14:51:41Z")
Gee, when I first came here I thought the BBQ Pit was a great idea. A pressure valve! The one room in the house where you can wear your muddy shoes. ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/6 "2004-03-31T14:52:01Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > When I first saw the SDMB, I laughed out loud at the BBQ Pit. None of the other boards I visited had a place especially for flames. However, having visited it often since then, I found it basically pointless. Emphasis added. It’s not the fault of the SDMB that you cannot resist the temptation to engage repeatedly in a pointless activity. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/7 "2004-03-31T15:25:29Z")
As you could have found, had you read the post more closely (insert expletive), I found the idea of a Pit amusing and therefore, you could infer that I visited for the novelty value, and to see if it was of any use. (insert expletive) ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/8 "2004-03-31T15:28:33Z")
Well, you fucking jackass, if you found amusement there, it really wasn’t pointless, was it, asshat? ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/9 "2004-03-31T15:38:47Z")
When I first started coming here, I actually _feared_ going to the Pit. I just didn’t know what I’d find. Once I did, however, I really appreciated it. Spend time on other message boards and what you’ll find is either a) threads that almost invariably turn into un-moderated flamefests, or b) boards that allow no way of complaining about the administration, other users, etc. Not many boards allow the user to complain about the rulings the administration makes, and even fewer allow them to actually complain about other posters. This board allows for both, and it creates an entirely different atmosphere when you know that stupid people will surely get their comeuppances. Plus, it’s nice to have a place to bitch about your boss/family/friends/retailers and listen to other people’s stories of the same. Really, if you aren’t interested in the Pit, don’t come here. I have days when I just don’t want to see the vitriol, so I stay away. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/10 "2004-03-31T15:39:00Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > A BBQ Pit uses flames to produce useful products, like cooked meat. As a vegetarian I am deeply offended at your characterization of cooked flesh as a “useful product.” > [@](#): > > Here, however, the flames do no useful work but only produce a load of hot air. Try getting into a ballloon and saying that producing hot air isn’t useful! Git. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/11 "2004-03-31T15:45:30Z")
Pardon? You`re engaging in an activity that you find pointless? ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/12 "2004-03-31T15:48:17Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > As a vegetarian I am deeply offended at your characterization of cooked flesh as a “useful product.” > > Try getting into a ballloon and saying that producing hot air isn’t useful! > > Git. There`s a joke here somewhere. Having to do with a male-vegetarian-homosexual but I just can`t get my fingers around it… ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/13 "2004-03-31T15:59:44Z")
Um, my post seemed to indicate I thought the mods and admins were stupid. I don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/14 "2004-03-31T16:10:42Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > \>Political screaming (usually - and do some research before giving me a knee-jerk partisan response - from a leftist point of view) Just a minor point: It would make pefect sense that there’d be more lefty political screaming, on a board with a majority of members from a country controlled by conservatives for the past few years. Uh, that wasn’t the knee-jerk response was it? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/15 "2004-03-31T17:16:18Z")
I completely disagree with the OP. Oft times I find the best debates are in the Pit. Even with the vitriol, there are sound arguments hashed out here. And sometimes you just need to call an idiot an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/16 "2004-03-31T18:09:14Z")
**Uncommon Sense** , would the joke you’re thinking of have something to do with fake sausage, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/17 "2004-03-31T18:15:33Z")
> [@](#): > > If the point of the Straight Dope is to fight ignorance, why does it allow the Pit to exist? Since the point of the Straight Dope is to fight ignorance, we _have_ to have the Pit. Otherwise, we would be ignorant of what people were saying in it. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/18 "2004-03-31T18:16:43Z")
**CrazyCatLady** , perhaps. Errr, fake in what sense? ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/19 "2004-03-31T18:21:51Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > There`s a joke here somewhere. Having to do with a male-vegetarian-homosexual but I just can`t get my fingers around it… Vegetarians are allowed to swallow animal by-products as long as they can be obtained without killing the animal, like milk for example. You are thinking of vegans maybe, they can’t eat anything that comes from animals. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522/20 "2004-03-31T18:23:02Z")
> [@](#): > > What a pointless board! If you want to complain in a civil manner, you can use the forum with an unpronouncable name. If you want to debate logically, there’s always GD. And grudges can be settled with an exchange of acrid PMs, through Administrator intervention via PM, or in real life. Some problems and grudges _should_ be aired to the public. Some shouldn’t, but the venter will make it public anyway. The Pit is a place for such necessary and unnecessary screaming and ranting, and keeps it out of the other forums. I don’t see how this is pointless. It’s akin to a garbage can; it may be an unpleasant object, but if you didn’t have one, your trash would be all over the floor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-the-pit/237522.md?page=2)