# What about us voting posters off the SDMB? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2010, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163 "2010-10-05T19:26:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/41 "2010-10-06T04:12:52Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > > [@BigT](#): > > > > I’ve never understood why people seem to think this is a bad thing. > > Offering dissenting views in a gentle, respectful, humble way isn’t a bad thing at all. The problems come when you require this, and threaten to ban those who refuse to comply. I don’t see a problem with it. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/42 "2010-10-06T04:27:05Z")
We can vote on people already. It’s called putting them on ignore. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/43 "2010-10-06T05:13:49Z")
There are a number of posters I’d be more than happy to vote off the board. However, I’m certain the same is true in regard to many posters toward me, which makes it an interesting problem in mixed game theory, i.e. who to kill off first to maximize your ability to remain alive the longest. STranger ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/44 "2010-10-06T11:15:19Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > > [@Kyla](#): > > > > I mean, maybe **Starving Artist** would be voted off, but that’s not because he’s a conservative, it’s because he argues in a particularly irritating and disingenuous fashion. OTOH, very few people would want to vote off **Bricker** , because even when he disagrees with the majority viewpoint, he does so in an articulate and thoughtful manner that doesn’t make one want to punch him through the internet. > > Right - as long as dissenting opinions are expressed in a gentle, respectful, humble way, they can be tolerated. Why should dissenting opinions be presented any differently than majority opinions? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/45 "2010-10-06T13:06:21Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There are a number of posters I’d be more than happy to vote off the board. However, I’m certain the same is true in regard to many posters toward me, which makes it an interesting problem in mixed game theory, i.e. who to kill off first to maximize your ability to remain alive the longest. That almost sounds fun. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/46 "2010-10-06T13:32:26Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Why should dissenting opinions be presented any differently than majority opinions? My point is that the standards should be the same for each. Within very broad limits, your right to say something should not depend on the degree to which it conforms to prevailing orthodoxy. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/47 "2010-10-06T13:34:10Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > I don’t see a problem with it. No problem with putting restrictions of the expression of dissent? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/48 "2010-10-06T14:05:15Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > There are a number of posters I’d be more than happy to vote off the board. However, I’m certain the same is true in regard to many posters toward me, which makes it an interesting problem in mixed game theory, i.e. who to kill off first to maximize your ability to remain alive the longest. > > STranger Dude, you are fucking _bullet-proof_. The only people who would try to vote you off are the few people who can’t deal with a well thought out, well-presented statement of facts, in greater detail than any other poster bothers with, in the name of fighting ignorance. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/49 "2010-10-06T14:45:17Z")
On the other hand, your name totally sucks. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/50 "2010-10-06T14:46:28Z")
As much as I may get annoyed by some posts/posters, the blackballing thing just rubs me so entirely the wrong way that I could never do it. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/51 "2010-10-06T18:53:58Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > > > Why should dissenting opinions be presented any differently than majority opinions? > > My point is that the standards should be the same for each. Within very broad limits, your right to say something should not depend on the degree to which it conforms to prevailing orthodoxy. I belileve that my posting style is pretty much a mirror image of the board’s more assertive anti-conservative or anti-Republican posters. And they outnumber me by a good number. So my question is, why should I have to behave in a way that is considerably from my opponents? I’m not trying to pick a fight with you personally, but your attitude…or what seems to be your attitude…is one that I know many others here share, and that is that my behavior is somehow much more egregious than that of my opponents who behave much the same way or worse, but because the majority here agrees with them in principle not a word of complaint is raised. And my view is what’s good for the goose is good for the gander. I’m not going to sit by passively while my side gets hammered and lied about and assailed and insulted in just about every unfair and untrue way possible without coming to its defense in as assertive a manner as I can. I do draw the line at being dishonest however, despite the dishonest or intentionally disingenuous claims of some of my opponents otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/52 "2010-10-06T19:04:47Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > I belileve that my posting style is pretty much a mirror image of the board’s more assertive anti-conservative or anti-Republican posters. You think it’s a good thing you’re the conservative version of **Der Trihs**? Shit. Why don’t you try being the conservative **elucidator**? That might at least be entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/53 "2010-10-06T19:09:19Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > OTOH, very few people would want to vote off **Bricker** , because even when he disagrees with the majority viewpoint, he does so in an articulate and thoughtful manner that doesn’t make one want to punch him through the internet. I can’t buy this premise. I totally don’t understand the respect for bricker. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/54 "2010-10-06T19:16:04Z")
> [@HazelNutCoffee](#): > > > [@Scuba\_Ben](#): > > > > 1. If we voted off only the stubborn posters, who would be left? 😕 > > 2. If this goes through, I’m voting ban The Flying Dutchman. 😛 > > The ultimate Mafia game. I suck at Mafia though, so I’d probably be [del]executed[/del] voted off within the first few days. You and me both, **Hazel**. (Aside: I once voted for myself, as part of experimenting in Day 1 with a game mechanism that we could cast multiple votes. I almost got lynched for that.) ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/55 "2010-10-06T20:36:21Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > > [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > > > I belileve that my posting style is pretty much a mirror image of the board’s more assertive anti-conservative or anti-Republican posters. > > You think it’s a good thing you’re the conservative version of **Der Trihs**? Shit. Why don’t you try being the conservative **elucidator**? That might at least be entertaining. I’m considerably different from **Der Trihs** because I don’t contend that my political opponents are invariably guided by evil intent; I am different from **Der Trihs** because I don’t wish death on American soldiers and citizens; and I’m different from **Der Trihs** because I make sense. Trying to be a conservative **elucidator** on this board would be impossible. Apart from the fact that **elucidator** rarely contributes anything of substance to a discussion, being a successful comedian requires that the audience like and relate in a positive way to the performer (or in this case, his politics). Try to imagine the response **elucidator** would likely get on a conservative board and I think you’ll see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/56 "2010-10-06T21:21:46Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Exactly. Us Charter Members should be the only ones allowed to vote ('cause of our high, exalted status), and the only ones who are allowed to be voted in/out are the [del]non-paying[/del], er, non-Charter Members. Heck, I’ll go for that. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/57 "2010-10-06T21:30:31Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > And in the end, **AClockworkMelon** and **MeanOldLady** would be left to fight it out. Hey, I’ve never had a bad thing to say about her. 🙂 But yeah I’d be voted off the island pretty quickly. Boo to this idea! ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/58 "2010-10-06T23:39:30Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > > [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > > > I don’t see a problem with it. > > No problem with putting restrictions of the expression of dissent? They exist now, just in a non-formalised way. Try genuinely advocating a controversial and unpopular position and see what happens. ---
**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:** [October 6, 2010, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/59 "2010-10-06T23:42:13Z")
> [@Martini\_Enfield](#): > > > [@Xema](#): > > > > No problem with putting restrictions of the expression of dissent? > > They exist now, just in a non-formalised way. Try genuinely advocating a controversial and unpopular position and see what happens. You get yelled at, not banned. I do it all the time. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163/60 "2010-10-06T23:56:32Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > > [@Kyla](#): > > > > OTOH, very few people would want to vote off **Bricker** , because even when he disagrees with the majority viewpoint, he does so in an articulate and thoughtful manner that doesn’t make one want to punch him through the internet. > > I can’t buy this premise. I totally don’t understand the respect for bricker. Are you saying that you don’t understand what **Kyla** said? If not, why do you disagree. Bricker can be a bit of a stickler sometimes, but always with his understanding of the facts and logic on his side. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-about-us-voting-posters-off-the-sdmb/556163.md?page=4)