# Pitting Uzi's useless claim about the SDMB being an echo chamber **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 8, 2025, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060 "2025-02-08T21:24:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/81 "2025-02-09T05:28:18Z")
Well said… 🙂 ---
**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:** [February 9, 2025, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/82 "2025-02-09T05:28:55Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > > [@WalterBishop](#): > > > > This place clearly is an echo chamber on certain issues. There’s a menu of topics on which certain species of dissension are expressly forbidden. I’ve never seen that on any other board before. > > This is not accurate. There are two different kinds of prohibitions, and the reasons for them are entirely different. The first kind is a prohibition on hate speech, the reasons for which should be obvious. The second kind is a prohibition on starting GD threads on “tired old topics” like climate change denial, holocaust denial, 9/11 conspiracy theories, and the like. Many of the second kind are, somewhat, veiled hate speech. I’ve yet to see anywhere, not just here, anyone define what isn’t being allowed by this “menu of topics on which certain species of dissension are expressly forbidden” in any way that doesn’t make it clear that the objection really is ‘The rules don’t allow me to freely be a bigot’. Maybe WalterBishop can tell us what the rules are preventing him from saying? ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/83 "2025-02-09T05:32:52Z")
I would say that the Dope is the best example I’ve ever seen of a message board that **could be an echo chamber but isn’t.** Despite about 95% of posters being of the same political leaning, it is a board that is more willing to argue against itself and its own slant than almost any other similar forum on the Internet. Just go to Reddit or certain Facebook groups to see what a _real_ echo chamber can be. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/84 "2025-02-09T05:34:54Z")
My God, this place is a complete echo chamber. Any conservative who shows up and states their opinion will be met with demands for evidence. Happens every time. Echo echo echo. This is pure liberal bias. Conservatives should be able to make unsubstantiated claims without having their feelings hurt. Like the ones in this thread. Has anyone noticed how there haven’t been any, you know, _examples_ of this echo chamber behavior cited? Conservatives just know it happens all the time. And it does. They blather and Dopers ask them to bring evidence. Echo echo echo. On and on. Like a skipped record. News flash: unsubstantiated opinions are worthless: save it for your therapist or parole officer. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/85 "2025-02-09T05:36:26Z")
I think the problem is that some people aren’t hearing the same echo here they hear from their media of choice. Actual freedom of thought coupled with intelligent discourse can be frightening sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/86 "2025-02-09T05:38:29Z")
> [@Culling\_The\_Herd](#): > > “I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” Thomas Jefferson I’m sure his slaves would have disagreed. ---
**Author:** ![Culling\_The\_Herd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Culling\_The\_Herd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Culling_The_Herd)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/87 "2025-02-09T05:40:43Z")
> [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > I’ve yet to see anywhere, not just here, anyone define what isn’t being allowed by this “menu of topics on which certain species of dissension are expressly forbidden” in any way that doesn’t make it clear that the objection really is ‘The rules don’t allow me to freely be a bigot’. I’m not WalterBishop, but how COULD someone discuss this menu of topics if the menu of topics is prohibited from being discussed? ---
**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:** [February 9, 2025, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/88 "2025-02-09T05:41:59Z")
The menu of topics is NOT prohibited from being discussed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/89 "2025-02-09T05:43:22Z")
It is damn easy to message the mods to see if certain topics are allowed…unless of course actually finding out defeats the purpose of just making blind accusations that cannot be confirmed or denied. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/90 "2025-02-09T05:44:40Z")
> [@Culling\_The\_Herd](#): > > how COULD someone discuss this menu of topics if the menu of topics is prohibited from being discussed? I just told you how. Second-last paragraph, Post 78. ---
**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:** [February 9, 2025, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/91 "2025-02-09T05:45:12Z")
It’s real simple, would you like to; Deny the Holocaust, declare that Black people are genetically inferior sub-humans, pimp conspiracy theories, or say; nigger, kike, fag, and/or tranny? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/92 "2025-02-09T05:51:05Z")
Here’s a thought. Just this fucking once, answer the fucking question and fucking tell us what fucking right-wing topics are being fucking banned from this message board, and shut the fuck up until you fucking do so. And have a nice day. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/93 "2025-02-09T06:07:34Z")
In an outrageous manifestation of liberal bias, this board refuses to debate the torture and dismembering of small children. It falls under the so-called, “Don’t be a jerk,” rule. > [@crowmanyclouds](#): > > The menu of topics is NOT prohibited from being discussed. Yeah, this message board is unusual in that moderator decisions are discussed in ATMB. Most bulletin boards discourage that. Large operations like You-Tube, X, etc make the process opaque. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/94 "2025-02-09T06:24:39Z")
> [@WalterBishop](#): > > This place clearly is an echo chamber on certain issues. There’s a menu of topics on which certain species of dissension are expressly forbidden. I’ve never seen that on any other board before. The mature thing to do isn’t to take umbrage with people pointing this out. It’s to own it and say _“Yeah, on these things we **are** an echo chamber, we like it that way, and if you don’t then fuck off”_. But denying that the SDMB is an echo chamber, at least on certain issues, is just a waste of breath, frankly. So, are you going to clarify what you mean and give specific examples, or do I put you in the “Lying Troll” column? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanubv.2/32/3260_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUBv.2)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/95 "2025-02-09T06:38:35Z")
Every organization is “an echo chamber”. Like minded people striving for the same thing/ come together for a common purpose. Using a pejorative term is not exactly false, but it’s also not particularly helpful. If one puts oneself in the shoes of a newcomer, hell yes we appear as an “echo chamber”. It’s kind of true - and I’m okay with it. I worked for a major newspaper many years ago that had a reputation for displaying liberal bias. I was mostly ok with it, because it aligned with my beliefs. I still understood the criticism, though. I say let folks of a more conservative bent come and contribute. If they’re obnoxious or down right trolls, they’ll soon be exposed. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/96 "2025-02-09T06:41:04Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUBv.2](#): > > I say let folks of a more conservative bent come and contribute. If they’re obnoxious or down right trolls, they’ll soon be exposed. Nobody is stopping them, or even slowing them down, It is only when they break the already agreed upon rules that they have to leave. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/97 "2025-02-09T07:02:26Z")
Of course, they _want_ to break the rules, in the most bigoted and vicious way they can; that’s exactly why they are very carefully avoiding saying _what_ they are “forbidden to discuss”. Despite being repeatedly asked. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/98 "2025-02-09T08:51:57Z")
Agreed, what the conservatives want to discuss must be pretty offensive and despicable, given that they refuse to answer a pretty simple question. Their silence is damning. When they complain about an echo chamber, they are complaining about being criticized for the most vile opinions imaginable - ones so vile they refuse to state them. Either that or they are simple cowards and echo chamber accusations represent a very fine whine. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/99 "2025-02-09T14:45:12Z")
> [@Measure\_for\_Measure](#): > > Yeah, this message board is unusual in that moderator decisions are discussed in ATMB. Most bulletin boards discourage that. Large operations like You-Tube, X, etc make the process opaque. That kind of moderation really makes me stabby. Specifically, where I show up one day and User X has been banned, with zero explanation, at all, where asking about it gets me a cease and desist PM if not a warning of my own. Here all such mod actions are a matter of public record, which is to the Dope’s credit and one reason why I still am here. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2025, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060/100 "2025-02-09T14:48:21Z")
That, and the deviled egg recipes. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-uzis-useless-claim-about-the-sdmb-being-an-echo-chamber/1014060.md?page=6)