knights of protection

i am going to make a simple suggestion for a new category of moderator/member that can help out with all of the name calling and negativity that has infected ats as of late.

i call it Knights of protection.

these knights search for negative comments in threads and every time they find one the cleverly refute the negative comment with intelligent rhetoric and wit.
i am just sick, as i am sure most of ats'ers are, of ignorance bleeding through the cracks in a forum that is supposed to deny ignorance.
this would be a volunteer position that would not be paid.

i would like to be the first to volunteer, if accepted.

whaddayathink?

"Knights of Propaganda" would be more fitting:

Propaganda is a concerted set of messages aimed at influencing the opinions or behavior of large numbers of people. Instead of impartially providing information, propaganda in its most basic sense presents information in order to influence its audience. The most effective propaganda is often completely truthful, but some propaganda presents facts selectively (thus lying by omission) to encourage a particular synthesis, or gives loaded messages in order to produce an emotional rather than rational response to the information presented. The desired result is a change of the cognitive narrative of the subject in the target audience.

It sounds an awful lot like what you are describing.

[edit on 4/4/2008 by Choronzon]

reply to post by FremenBlueEyes


You dont need an "official" post to do this...

Id like to think that many of us retort with wit and intelligence when faced with ignorant comments... Moreover even though counterpoints are made, the ignorant posters take no notice.

What you propose sounds like a mod/ super mod who has to reply more stylishly than normal mods.

Its a pointless idea, I'm afraid. Just sounds like you are fishing for some power.

not power hungry here, trust me.
i am content with no power, that is just a silly idea.
my point is, negativity breeds negativity. positive things can breed a "pay it forward" type of progression.
thanks for proving my point guys.
first two posts, both negative.
forget it, maybe we are all lost anyway

I didn't see the two posts as negative - I saw members providing input to an idea...

The idea that negativity and name calling has "infected" ATS as of late is flawed - it has nearly always gone on from what I gather from older members.

The difference on ATS is that troublemakers either have to shape up or ship out, there are chances, talking to, warnings and bannings - those who are banned have been for a reason, which is that they have been consistent in their bad behaviour.

ATS succeed where many others fail in maintaining a very high standard of behaviour compared to most other discussion boards, and the reason is simple:
We are a strong community, with many talented and intelligent members who maintain a community spirit.

I have personally seen, on many occasions, older and newer members do exactly what you propose - there is very little tolerance for flamers or trolls from members who take ATS seriously, and members work really hard to maintain the integrity of the board.

There are also procedures for when people are getting a little "over-heated" which every member should be familiar with - there's the ignore button, the alert button, and in extreme cases any member can u2u a mod directly and be assured of a quick response to resolve a situation.

Pointing out the flaws in an argument or proposition is not negativity - it is the basis on which ATS is founded and continues to thrive: Deny Ignorance.

It's why so many love this place and why we keep going from strength to strength, as members continue to strive to achieve this very admirable goal.



[edit on 4/4/2008 by budski]

Originally posted by FremenBlueEyes
i am going to make a simple suggestion for a new category of moderator/member that can help out with all of the name calling and negativity that has infected ats as of late.

i call it Knights of protection.

these knights search for negative comments in threads and every time they find one the cleverly refute the negative comment with intelligent rhetoric and wit.
i am just sick, as i am sure most of ats'ers are, of ignorance bleeding through the cracks in a forum that is supposed to deny ignorance.
this would be a volunteer position that would not be paid.

i would like to be the first to volunteer, if accepted.

whaddayathink?

You would have to read the entire thread and each comment in its entirety. Someone who calls someone something might have a reason and to figure this out you would have to be completely biased and read everything.

This would lead to little time to post and comment yourself. Eventually and probably leading to skimming comments and missing context necessary in making an unbiased decision as to what is really offensive and deserved.

We do need to police ourselves and point out this simple observation:

www.youtube.com...

btw, the mods are merely conversational bartenders- watch the clip and you will see what I mean!!!

We mush each puke out the lies we have intentionally and unintentionally ingested to make room for the truth- clean ourselves up and go back into the conversation bar and clean up our puke and politely ask for another! (chance)

[edit on 4-4-2008 by dk3000]

BTS has a geat section called "RANT" is is a wonderful place where members can just let it fly with their opinions and problems.

I didn't think we'd need a mandate to do that sort of thing. I often find myself trying to calm things down a little (I think we a better served by 'persuasion' than 'repression') but there is something to be said for the catharsis of letting loose when frustrated.

I don't mind terribly when people snap back at me, it gives me sense that I need to reconsider my approach or maybe I was just plain wrong. If it comes to having a special moniker I have to admit 'Knights of Protection' sounds pretty cool!

So long as they focus on people who disagree with them, or show bias in their decision of whom to protect and whom to chastise.

Then I would have to STRING THE &*$$+ TO THE WALL BABY! I'LL TEACH THEM TO $#$& 8- *()&( WITH THE WRONG GUY BUDDY!


whew - medication lapse.



[edit on 4-4-2008 by Maxmars]

I admire your idea, but I think it is terrible and pointless.

Mods deal with negative and insulting comments, members should not start policing themselves. As I keep saying to new members if someone is rude and offensive, complain and click "ignore".

I do not understand this sudden influx of new members demanding for volunteer policing and "neighbourhood watch" groups It is very suspicious if you ask me.

I've dealt with negative comments for five years at ATS, others longer than me, if we can deal with the system so can everyone else

reply to post by Choronzon


Totally agree

This idea sounds like another thought police idea to route out any members who do not agree with certain populist views on conspiracy issues.

Infinite and Choronzon;

I can't speak for the OP but it seems like you superimposing a supposition that's not part of the stated reasoning behind the suggestion. Or perhaps, I misunderstood.

People have interests and can be intensely motivated to participate in threads, but they fall victim to their own speech or writing style. I have seen comments made be people blasting someone for 'the way something was said' or the fact that their antipathetic to the poster on ideological grounds. I had approached ATS thinking, finally, a place where you can express yourself and the value of the idea is what matters, not whether or not you super witty, or have lots of 'friends' on the board.

When people approach and get panned because of the technicality of their post I had assumed we must all be reminded that this is about ideas and perceptions, no showboating, of witticisms, and certainly not name-calling. I would have expected the moderators to have their hands full with this kind of thing and someone who is committed to staying level-headed and trying to draw people back to rational discourse would have been welcome.

You seem to think that counts as policing, yes? I though it was more along the lines of acting to allow posters to reevaluate their approach in attacking an issue - rather than a person.

But I defer to your collective experience, like I said before, I can hold my own. And it may be best not to be too patronizing of people you cant see, they can probably hold their own too. I just wouldn't have equated the request as a call for 'thought police' or 'propaganda' whatever. Seems, abrupt and presumptuous. I'm confident it was well-intentioned and innocent enough. Maybe I'm being naive.

reply to post by FremenBlueEyes


Sorry Fremen, but I"m inclined to agree with a lot of thiese folks and say the Mods and Super Mods may have their hands full, but they really do a pretty good job at monitering this site. I myself have been lambasted "a few times" for voicing a "louder than acceptable" opinion on some political matters.

By the way, you CAN and you ARE ALLOWED to point out where you find something offensive and of course who said it by forwarding it through the U2U message system. Give it a shot and see how it works.

Don't we already have this position?

They are called....

Members

The idea of searching out and reading posts and then providing positive and intuitive responses is to me, everything ATS is built upon...

It does not take a special position to do this, just a commitment to ...

You guessed it...

Deny Ignorance

Semper

Just an observation here, nothing personal.

In your OP you volunteer yourself as a "Knight of Protection" to combat board negativity with "intelligent rhetoric and wit", yet after only two posts which do not agree with your proposal you reply with

thanks for proving my point guys.
first two posts, both negative.
forget it, maybe we are all lost anyway

It seems to me that you have shot yourself in the foot right out of the gate...

just playing devils advocate here but isnt recruiting for a cause on ats a no no?

thought i read that in the t&c's somewhere along with whats expected of us from a decorum level....

or maybe im wrong...happened before will happen again

oh my gosh!!!! you guys are so right, i'm an idiot.

BONG!!!!!!
my bad,
like i care about your "insight".

reply to post by Maxmars


From the OP;

i am going to make a simple suggestion for a new category of moderator/member that can help out with all of the name calling and negativity that has infected ats as of late.

Looks like more police to me.

There is no problem with the current model, mods deal with every comment that violates T&C and members are using the complaint system.

Like everyone else, I do not see a problem here.

Originally posted by FremenBlueEyes
oh my gosh!!!! you guys are so right, i'm an idiot.

BONG!!!!!!
my bad,
like i care about your "insight".

I love the smell of intelligent rhetoric and wit in the morning...

I find it interesting that a person allegedly campaigning against negativity immediately spits out the dummy and becomes negative when an idea isn't immediately given the thumbs up - in effect reinforcing the very thing they were professing to dislike, and setting the worst kind of example of how a debate of ANY nature should be conducted.


(in the voice of stewie griffin) Can you smell the irony?
Can ya?

hmmm?

reply to post by budski


Too bad you can't give stars in this forum, otherwise I'd give you one for that post Budski.

OP complains about people being ("un")civil on ATS, then crosses the line.

The whole point of ATS is the discussion/debate/and sharing of ideas with other members and hearing theirs. Seems like the OP didn't want to hear anybody elses differing opinion, kind of goes against the "Deny Ignorance" motto of ATS.

As for the "Knight of Protection" thing, all members can be, just alert a MOD when you see things getting a little out of line in a thread, that's what they are there for.

Now, I herefor dub all members "Knight of Protection" and give them the power to ALERT the moderators when they see another member break the T&C. (using the ALERT button of course)

Position filled!

[edit on 5/4/08 by Keyhole]