Civility And Decorum Are Required on AboveTopSecret.com

reply to post by SkepticOverlord

its about bloody time
now how do i get a picture by my name

Originally posted by ZenaV
What's "ad-hominim" mean? It's prolly a stupid question but my dumb yahoo dictionary doesn't know either.

Not a stupid question at all. an Ad Hominem is a fallicy of logic often used in attacks on the poster rather than the topic of discussion. Its often used when one is no longer able to defend your position or Thesis:

An Ad Hominem is a general category of fallacies in which a claim or argument is rejected on the basis of some irrelevant fact about the author of or the person presenting the claim or argument. Typically, this fallacy involves two steps. First, an attack against the character of person making the claim, her circumstances, or her actions is made (or the character, circumstances, or actions of the person reporting the claim). Second, this attack is taken to be evidence against the claim or argument the person in question is making (or presenting). This type of "argument" has the following form:


Person A makes claim X.
Person B makes an attack on person A.
Therefore A's claim is false.
The reason why an Ad Hominem (of any kind) is a fallacy is that the character, circumstances, or actions of a person do not (in most cases) have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made (or the quality of the argument being made).

www.nizkor.org...

In simple terms :

Ad hominem

"1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect
2 : marked by or being an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made"

ad hominem = to the person.

Generally means attacks at someone rather than addressing the issue being discussed.

Wow, people sure are helpful! Three (or four?) explanations of 'ad hominem!'

Now we can all use the term, and apply it!

"You're all misinformed and mistaken, and you dress funny (casting aspersions)!"

How'd I do? Flunked? Dang!

reply to post by Frankidealist35


Greetings ......There is no need to post disclaimers for exercising your right to vote....It is that right that has made this country great...The problem is, the need to have to identify with a party....If you are not in lockstep with the democratic agenda and, you don't support their choice of candidate for president.....then you made an independent choice to vote for a specific democratic candidate.......If you voted for Obama....share with us what he has done to win your vote....nothwithstanding all the wonderfull things he has said....

This is the second time i am posting on this thread and this is because something just occured to me.

I see that admins mostly have a close look upon threds and members.
Inevitably they do remember some over average active members.
So if Civility & Decorum Are Expected and penalties apply, why not also have a reward system implemented by admins? (according to standars the ATS team may seat down to develop so that there is objectivity when rewarding?)

ps I don't mean the reward points when someone posts an excepional thread.
I mean behaviour friendlyness and being polite and helpfull awards.

[edit on 1/2/2009 by GEORGETHEGREEK]

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


That seems as though it would create an incentive to be nice, which is great.

Although, I think the point system now should suffice. If one adheres to belligerent and ad-hominem tactics when discussing or arguing, then points are deducted from what I have seen. So, when someone creates a nice thread or post, they are rewarded by not having any points deducted, thus keeping the points that they were entitled to by the particular threads or posts.



[edit on 2-2-2009 by Unlimitedpossibilities]

Originally posted by SANTA CLAWS
It's about time

I get so tired of the bickering, name calling and personal attacks I have been here less often.

I have made simple comments and have been attacked and almost given a death wish.

I might stick around if all comply

there are a lot of good reasons to.

Thanks

I agree. I have done the same. IF the rules work out ill be around more often.

I saw this quote today and thought I'd add it to this thread, as part of civility and decorum is being able to handle insults when they come along.

"The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved." -J. Russel Lynes (author and editor)

reply to post by Benevolent Heretic

Excellent devolution process. ATS should adopt it...oh, it already has.

So, if I hate Hamas and I dare criticize them, I'm going to be speaking hate speech?!?! Come on! Be serious. I agree with regulating attacks on members, but we have a right to criticize all political and military organizations- except the U.S. Marines and the Mossad of course

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
I saw this quote today and thought I'd add it to this thread, as part of civility and decorum is being able to handle insults when they come along.

"The only gracious way to accept an insult is to ignore it; if you can't ignore it, top it; if you can't top it, laugh at it; if you can't laugh at it, it's probably deserved." -J. Russel Lynes (author and editor)

I can't star this or anything else, but I can bow down and declare kudos for that.

Excellent quote - in fact I might use it myself

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


I agree 100%, I never understood myself why people today have to be so hostile about things, I think a lot of them assume that they have freedom of speech and can say what they want and they are protected or either they just don't care.

I see this a lot on newspaper website forums especially on topics of politics, it gets real nasty and people use computer slang profanity so the profanity key word checker won't pick it up.

Also a lot of people have had their IP address banned which I think should be done. It's good to know that you guys are trying to keep the trouble makers out. Keep up the good work and I'm behind you all the way.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Finaly order... i m not going to say that ive been entirely cival (i havent) but im glad that common sence is now mandatory

Maybe like some businesses will have a "denim Friday," or a "Freaky Friday" where the rules are off and everyone gets to go crazy, we could have a block of time to get downright insulting with each other.

Think of all the new disruptive material, cutting insults, scathing terminologies, righteous outrage, willful invective, taunting opprobrium, insinuating libel, detailed derision, determined disrespect, magnificent mockery, and outright abuse we could all engage in.

And we could take notes on the better stuff, so that the following Monday, when we get to work, with that intolerable, abusive co-worker, we could engage in a firestorm of similar blasphemous scurrility.

Of course, Bill, I would never address any of that at you.

reply to post by SkepticOverlord


Thank you - and thank you to the mods. I really appreciate that you intend to hold firm the parameters of courtesy and decorum on ATS, so that the best use can be made of this space to discuss, explore and learn together.

I've been on other sites where 'anything goes' and it was frankly awful and impossible to continue. I'm glad you're not prepared to let that happen to ATS.

SkepticOverlord, I think your observatioons as to why this is happening are spot on. Part of the Agenda seems to be to reduce as many people as possible to 'rabble' and 'mob', and I like the fact that in itself not falling for that trap is an act of resistance.

As more people become aware of the truth of what's going on, they will almost inevitably go through a period of shock and anger...so it's absolutely great that this is a place where spirited emotions can be expressed, at the same time as it being a learning opportunity to do so without descending into bullying and abuse. That makes it safe for more people to come and express their thoughts, concerns and ideas.

Basically, I really appreciate what you're doing because it makes ATS an exercise in creating together more of what we want to see in the world. To me that's an added and incredibly valuable function to fulfill.

And I'm really glad that trolls are getting short shrift!

Fair play.

I need to learn to bite my lip sometimes, and yes maybe learn to ignore the baiters and trolls.