# What is it with the BBQ pit forum **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 10, 2011, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048 "2011-01-10T00:48:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/81 "2011-01-15T11:09:41Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > You are wrong that the high level of discourse in the non-Pit forums is possible because of the Pit. There are other boards that I frequent that don’t have the equivalent of the Pit and yet they manage to have discussions on the same level of discourse as the non-Pit forums here. So, having a Pit-like forum is not needed in order for a message board to function at a high level. > > Of course, having said that, many people \*want \*to have the Pit around, because they like it. Nothing wrong with that. > > We don’t have to pretend that it’s a necessary “release valve” without which we cannot have a civil message board. > > Let’s just say we have it because a high number of posters like it. Assuming these are free message boards, I’d be intrigued in knowing about them. It’s because I can’t find another board like this that I tend to get overly involved here, and wind up apparently pissing a bunch of people off. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/82 "2011-01-15T19:08:49Z")
Thanksgiving is always good **Lynn**. 🙂 **Polerius** , while I’ve not seen any of those sites either, I’ll not deny they may exist. (A place more obscure than SD. Who knew?) But if they do then I’d suspect they lose quite a few who want a venue to have some fun calling each other names as well and spend a fair amount of mod effort restraining poster behavior. It is, I suspect, _easier_ to create a space for internet atypical forums by also providing the space for more normal internet posting and allowing mods the ability to tell posters to just take it to another part of the board rather than to not express themselves more colorfully. Again, my point is just to remember that the Pit is not abnormal for internet MBs; it is normal for internet MB, albeit occasionally with a higher quality of invective. It is the rest of the SDMB that is abnormal. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2011, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/83 "2011-01-15T21:10:49Z")
I think there is definitely a real-world analogy, and it is stepping outside to fight or argue. How many times have you heard, “take it outside” when people get feisty or obnoxious at a party or in a bar? The analogy of running off into a different room to call each other names and then returning to the dining room to pretend it never happened isn’t accurate. I’m sure you’re perfectly capable of being civil when you encounter someone you dislike in a polite gathering. So it is here. > [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I’ll bring extra elbow patches and pipes to pass around. Are you talking about a Peterson or Ardor pipe with a nice Scottish blend tobacco, or a glass pipe with a different kind of blend? 😃 > [@Frank](#): > > I’m surprised it wasn’t locked, but I guess they figure there is a decent discussion here. Bingo. > [@DSeid](#): > > Ideally Pit threads are more creative bashes than what you find in most of the internet MB world and sometimes they meet that. Often not. Absolutely. How many Pit threads have you seen where the first response says something like, “Meh. Inadequate creativity, insufficient invective. I give this pitting a two”? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/84 "2011-01-17T00:22:23Z")
[Quote=srzss05] I always found validation on a message board silly as well, but again whatever floats your boat. [/quote] [Quote=MsWhatsit] I totally get where you are coming from with this and really appreciate how cogently and clearly you expressed your opinion. [/quote] I for one am totally confused as to how my boat fits into this. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![srzss05](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@srzss05](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/srzss05)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/85 "2011-01-17T00:50:08Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > **Polerius** , while I’ve not seen any of those sites either, I’ll not deny they may exist. (A place more obscure than SD. Who knew?) But if they do then I’d suspect they lose quite a few who want a venue to have some fun calling each other names as well and spend a fair amount of mod effort restraining poster behavior. Some message boards don’t take themselves so seriously that the members get upset over what another person posted. Amazing, isn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/86 "2011-01-17T02:24:17Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Troll posts aren’t usually deleted upon banning. (Sock posts aren’t deleted to the same extent that they used to be, either.) I’m surprised it wasn’t locked, but I guess they figure there is a decent discussion here. What about troll socks? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/87 "2011-01-17T06:13:44Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > Some message boards don’t take themselves so seriously that the members get upset over what another person posted. Amazing, isn’t it? The implication of “having the same level of discourse” is that insults are disallowed. Having people flame you during a serious discussion is not the same level of discourse we enjoy here. The closest I’ve found is the “Hitler’s Brain” forum at [Cracked.com](http://Cracked.com), but it involves severe restrictions on what can be discussed, and a less transparent moderating style I personally do not like. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/88 "2011-01-17T06:24:14Z")
[quote=“Gary “Wombat” Robson, post:83, topic:567048”] Are you talking about a Peterson or Ardor pipe with a nice Scottish blend tobacco… [/QUOTE] I have a Stanwell pipe and an English Lakeland blend. Can I still participate? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048/89 "2011-01-17T13:46:25Z")
> [@srzss05](#): > > Some message boards don’t take themselves so seriously that the members get upset over what another person posted. Amazing, isn’t it? Again, they may exist but I’ve not seen them. (Which does not mean much as I don’t wander too much.) Snark is the norm. Basically most of what I’ve seen seem more like weak Pit threads. If you’ve found these snark-free MBs that have high levels of discourse, more power to you. And don’t post their names as us riff raff coming over would be sure to ruin them! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-it-with-the-bbq-pit-forum/567048.md?page=4)