Lick my balls, fucker! 
I really don’t agree that all Pit threads serve to do nothing more than call people an asshole. I haven’t been Pitted yet (thankfully!) so I can’t speak from experience, but I know other people who have learned from their Pitting. They begin to think, “all these people disagree with me, perhaps I should at least rethink what I’ve said.” Or they don’t realize what they said could possibly be that offensive, and it brings it home to them. And it gives the mad party a chance to vent, and get a response back from the Pittee.
But only if they’re not members?
I know for a fact that my landlord is a member and I have a niggling little suspicion that GWB is, too. Can you guess what his username is?
Well, I would have guessed Wildest Bill.
If flaming members is outlawed, only outlaws will have flaming members.
(no, that’s not it…)
If we’re not allowed to have flaming members… nah, the equality groups would sue.
(no… not right either)
Sorry, have to keep it. I’m all confused over here.
Cites?
My personal opinion is that flaming another member (though permitted) is an inherent violation of the “Don’t be a jerk” rule.
Could someone explain to me how you could flame someone without being a jerk?
They clearly contradict each other. At least in fairness, the “don’t be a jerk rule” should be changed to read “don’t be a jerk unless you’re flaming someone in the pit”.
AFAIK the don’t be a jerk rule is intentionally broad so the mods and admins may interpret it at their discretion. Obviously in The Pit the rule is relaxed a bit, but it still applies. For example, if someone were to go off and write a half dozen unwarranted Pittings of fellow members within a week, a mod would probably come by and slap that person down.
I feel used. I thought that we had something special. 
And the day they take member flames off of this board will be a sad one for sure.
[announcer voice]
This just in Diogenes the Cynic flamed his memeber in the pit. Hospital reports third degree burns over 0.0000006% of his body.
Back to you, Phil
[/announcer voice]
Because if we got rid of this you’d not be able to see the inferno that was once Abbie Carmichael! I got plans for AC’s self-righteous and judgemental (in a peculiarly Christian way) drivel which, while not at all neighborly, should at least pry open a corner her blissfully locked eyelids. It is to be hoped some ignorance will be challenged.
We do. You’re the only one who gets to lick 'em when they’re sweaty.
Yeah, getting pitted is probably the only time people even bother to talk to you.
Oh yes, I bet she immediately burned her bible and converted. :rolleyes: :dubious: Come on- it is just possible that someone can be* talked* around… but no one- I repeat no one- is going to get anything but more entrenched by being flamed.
And others won’t be coverted by reading some dude call another a goat-flelching asshole. Sure- “the choir” will enjoy it, but so?
I don’t mean to imply that you don’t have a point. Whether a flaming is constructive as opposed to merely a gratuitous sucker punch with the sole intent of delivering a black eye with no explanation depends entirely upon the delivery and content.
Calling someone a coprophagous GFA is indeed funny, but unless an intelligent argument accompanies the angry remark it leaves the poster as irredeemable as the target. We were supposed to leave that mentality in the 3rd grade.
However, a bit of catharsis with ample explanation and a challenge to “explain or change” is an attempt to reduce ignorance; either on the part of the target who perhaps didn’t understand exactly how offensive, and why, the behavior is, or on the part of the OP who maybe needs to lighten up. Other members can become part of the choir and pile on, or the may give the OP a good dressing down before the target ever knows what’s going on. Sort of like a GD, really, except in a forum where the vernacular can fly.
There are other message boards with a special forum where members can try to settle disagreements to avoid that such conversations disturb other members/forums.
What I fail to understand about this website, is that this whole BBQ thing seems to be created and maintained as the place to be for people who want to use the most vulgar insulting language they can come up with.
It seems to be such a tradiiton that when you don’t use vulgare language around here you are considered to be unable to pit something or someone properly.
It feels to me like witnessing schoolchildren who feel - out of sight of their parents - that they come across as adult and mature when they manage to write in one post as much vulgarities and insults as they have ever picked up in places where children normally are not allowed to enter.
I can imagine the reaction of a new visitor who starts reading the SDMB and by accident opens this forum to gain his first impression.
“Fighting Ignorance” about how many vulgarities one can find in the English language? Yes, it can also be seen as a form of “fighting ignorance” I suppose.
Salaam. A
Oh yeah?! And your mother is a platypus! Ouch that gotta hurt, huh!
I wouldn’t know what she is now. She died when I was 8. People who believe in reincarnation might help you here.
Salaam. A