The of souls... thread

[Division56]

A lot of people have complained about the of souls thread, saying it's pointless and just a form of spam. It has raised people's post counts higher than they should be, and caused other problems.

What do you think should be done?

[antireconciler]

Higher ... so they will be named sooner? Maybe it should be taken into consideration when they are named!

[shaytana]

I still say a spam forum be made, and those types of threads be put in there. All posts in spam forum dont count towards your total post count.

[Jezebel]

I've never participated in the thread but don't have a problem with it. I see it the same way as word association threads. I just ignore it when it comes up, if other people are enjoying it, then it's fine with me. I don't care about post counts that much or about when members get their new names. The only time I pay attention to post counts is to see how much someone has posted, but don't see the prestige in being named.

Maybe instead of making a spam forum, there could be a "word game" forum. It would also include threads like word association and other member participation word games that encourage lots of posts. I don't care either way if the posts are counted in that forum.

[jimkopelli]

I second the game forum idea. I wasn't thinking about bumping post counts when I started it... it's just a minor mental workout. A point raised elsewhere is that it obscures updates in the pub... well, it does.

[Claverhouse]

Can't say this worries me much. I've sometimes contributed to 'Of Souls' but not for the purpose of raising my count. I don't really value people's posts by their counts anyway. I don't see it as spam, because you don't have to look if you don't want to. I've bypassed a good number of threads because I knew they wouldn't interest me. I'd be more inclined to worry about the numerous threads about sex or suicide: after all, not only members visit this board... [ And I know it says over 18s only, but when did that stop anyone ? ]. Nor should I wish to have encouraged some goth to throw themselves off a bridge or something equally trite.



It has raised people's post counts higher than they should be, ~ Division56

however I think you may be projecting your internal "problem" on to that particular thread and you may need to really address the issue that is at the basis of that projection and not the thread itself. ..... only my opinion through.

Excellent work, Onmymind ! :D :ph34r: :rofl:


Claverhouse :ph34r:

[SensEye]

I voted 'NO'. The thread holds no interest for me but a number of people clearly find it interesting, so let them have at it.

It may skew the posts count somewhat, but I think the spectre of unnecessary censorship is a greater wrong.

[Jkrs]

Nah, just move it to a 'word games' category if threads like that annoy.

[candela]

I always clicked on that thread and never read it.

Maybe you should just get rid of post counts.

[Vagabond]

I still say a spam forum be made, and those types of threads be put in there. All posts in spam forum dont count towards your total post count.
I totally agree with this.

[Slider]

who gives a flying crap about titles? geeezz. afraid it will ruin the sanctity of titles that were "earned"? C'mon. this whole thread is superfluous; started by someone overly concerned with others. I sometimes wonder how many real INTPs are on this forum . . .

[Crazy]

I'll admit that I have more than a few posts in the thread, but it is all in good fun. Who cares about post counts. Who cares about getting "named". It is just for fun, to warm up the mind a little. Something to get the creativity flowing. I shouldn't think it should be an issue in an INTP forum, none of us should be that shallow to want to boost our post counts in order to get some "title." I do think it is a good idea that it got put into a word games section. If you want to make it so that thread doesn't reflect in your post count, go ahead, I won't miss the 10 or 20 posts I've got in there, and I'll still keep posting in that thread. Actually, I think I'll go check it out right now.

[SensEye]

It appears that Slider is sufficiently concerned about the behaviour of others, that he felt compelled to point out that concern about the behaviour of others is superfluous. :D

To borrow Shaytana's catchphrase: Oh, the irony!

[Johnny]

...I'm not at all against the thread, it certainly serves a purpose here, however I think you may be projecting your internal "problem" on to that particular thread and you may need to really address the issue that is at the basis of that projection and not the thread itself. ..... only my opinion through.

I'll second this opinion and add the following:

Personally, I'm completely against censorship here with the ability to ignore threads at one's discretion. However, I'm not against regulating threads to forum sections based on content as was done here.

[Slider]

It appears that Slider is sufficiently concerned about the behaviour of others, that he felt compelled to point out that concern about the behaviour of others is superfluous. :D

To borrow Shaytana's catchphrase: Oh, the irony!

no, just amazed at the sheer ridiculousness. unlike division, I'm not wasting energy trying to control someone's behavior, I'm just pointing out idiocy in action. but you can think wotever . . .

oh, and I'm not a "he".

[Avengardh]

The only forum I have posted so much on has been this one, in my life.
I have been a member of another forum for about...5 yrs now, and I believe I still have 60-something posts.
In short, it doesn't bother me, by all means, the thread I started about André the chicken has also gotten large, will it eventually also be considered spam? o.o

To me, how many times you post is not important, I bet we have a lot of observers in here.
But if people consider it so...then I don't object to it either, I just enjoy being in the forum, with or without the post counts.

~*Aven*~

[ohnoaninfp]

I would post in there because it was fun, not because I was trying to raise my post counts, other wise I would have just kept posting words and not letting anyone else have a turn.

[SensEye]

no, just amazed at the sheer ridiculousness. unlike division, I'm not wasting energy trying to control someone's behavior, I'm just pointing out idiocy in action. but you can think wotever . . .

oh, and I'm not a "he".


Just yankin' your chain Slider (note the smiley).

PS> Sorry about the he. I had a discussion with onmymind_too and made a joke about people who don't put gender on their profile make it difficult to pick the right personal pronoun (and I'm too lazy to write he/she, his/her all the time). Anyways, my joke was greeted with a lecture about how gender should not matter etc. etc. So I'm just assuming "he" if gender is not otherwise known to save typing.

[Slider]

better? never really bothered with the profile before. but enough of this chit-chat - it's causing my message count to skyrocket, you know. ;)

[Claverhouse]

people who don't put gender on their profile make it difficult to pick the right personal pronoun

It does help a bit.

Still, if people are confused about their sexuality, p'raps it helps to spread confusion amongst others.

Claverhouse :ph34r:

[Melody]

people who don't put gender on their profile make it difficult to pick the right personal pronoun

It does help a bit.

Still, if people are confused about their sexuality, p'raps it helps to spread confusion amongst others.

Claverhouse :ph34r:


Gender and sexuality are two entirely different concepts .... some people obviously find it difficult to see that there is a difference between the two.
Belligerence? ;P

[Melody]

-_-

[Melody]

^_^

[Slider]

jeanette winterson fan, onmymind?

I think you're blowing it out of proportion. I'm used to it, actually. I think INTPs come across "masculine" or maybe just androgynous.

[Melody]

Well, if it is a girl, I will pay more attention cuz I like girls. They're so cute. :wub:

[Claverhouse]

[
Gender and sexuality are two entirely different concepts .... some people obviously find it difficult to see that there is a difference between the two.

Particularly if the difference is merely a subjective delusion.


Claverhouse :ph34r:

And no, I don't actually care that much.
:D ;P :D

[SensEye]

Why not "she" SensEye, what makes you consciously select "he" and not "she" for this unknown info?
I'm simply curious ....

Most internet forums I am familiar with are male dominated (particpants wise). So I guess I thought I would get a better hit rate.

I think I mentioned in passing during other discussions that I was surprised at how many female participants are at this forum (but I'd still guess >50% are male).

Now that I stop and think, there may also have been a subconscious bias on my part in play, in the sense that I feel a guy might be more offended to be called "she" than vice versa. I don't know if this is really the case, but from my male perspective, I consider it likely. Obviously, I can't provide the female perspective.

This is one reason I like to know the gender of the person I am speaking too. Men and women have different perspectives on things and I may frame my thoughts differently depending on who I am dealing with.

I also wish more people would put their actual location in the location field (at least at the country level) so I could have some idea of what culture they are a product of.

Again, it's not that big of a deal, and if people don't care to disclose this information it's fine with me. I'm just from the school of thought where you can never have "too much information".

[Crazy]

I'm a male cheuvanist arse, so I'll say he when I don't know.

[Jezebel]

I'm a female and I also automatically use "he" for unknown genders because I don't like writing "he/she" and "him/her" everytime I refer to someone. "He" is shorter than "she", and is also more universal. I don't make up words for it because they won't be widely understood. It's a shortcoming of the english language not to have one word that can be used that would describe either gender.

In this forum in particular, there is a setting where people can make their gender public. I don't care about offending members because if they're that sensitive about being confused, they can just take the time to set it in their profile.

[Melody]

I just use "they" and "them." They cannot be used all the time, but they often fit at least semiroughly.

[Utopmk]

"you...there...sitting"

[Strephonade]

If I use a pronoun to refer to a nonspecific being, then it is 'he', as one would refer to mankind. It does not refer to a male, or to a female, in sex or gender. I do agree, it can become somewhat confusing, so if it is possible, I do try to avoid having to use such wordings. Maybe we can come up with something more neutral? Hmm, I think this suggests a new thread....

[KentOhio]

Why is it called "...Of Souls!," anyway?

[Avengardh]

I actually almost always stick with "human"...I try to avoid using gender, and sorry...but I won't add my gender to my profile, most people know by now, and my location really has nothing to do with that type of culture I come from...so that's why I added Neptune, it fits me just fine ^_^

And I would also like to know why the thread is called that...I never actually was interesting in posting...but it would be interesting to know.

~*Aven*~

[nobarcode]

It has raised people's post counts higher than they should be, ~ Division56


Gosh Division56, if people are only using that thread as a means to expediate the numerical quantity of their "post counts" in order to gain some "useless" title that is bestowed upon them when they reach a certain number of posts, then in my opinion, there is little that can be done about it.....

Exactly (while not dis-missing the rest of your post...um, even though I just butchered it ), it is fun in a way, but...


...I like the naming thing....

Anyway, I didn't vote. I like the idea of naming other people with proper consideration. To me, seeing as this is a "new" forum, it's a question of time and new people, not the number of posts. The number of posts carried over from the "old" forum, but the personalities didn't.

$.02