WTF are the rules on cursing??

reply to post by kevinunknown


Mostly it's the words members go out of their way to be creative so they can avoid the censors. Cleverness which is not allowed.
You can get your posts removed for evading the auto censors.

Seems like it's one of the first things members figure out....

So, think George Carlin.

reply to post by ronishia


I am not arguing for more relaxed rules on cursing, just a clarification and what constitutes cursing.

Please I really don’t want people thinking that I am want ATS to let us all curse like troopers across the boards and say whatever we want (or really think) to each other.

reply to post by kevinunknown


I think perhaps that you should not have such high expectations of what other posters should think and that if they do not agree with what you believe then they are idiots, and that you feel you should have a right to call them as such without censorship.

I think even your signature says this about you in reference to your thread:

IF you don’t read it you will remain intellectually constipated.

for the record, I have not and will not be reading your thread and there is nothing wrong with my intellect.

ATS is a massive community of diverse cultures, beliefs and backgrounds and it is simply unworkable and unfair to believe that everyone will subscribe to your way of thinking, that they should accept your limitations re: dyslexia but that you will not tolerate any sort of weakness in others.

Leaving thread now because I have said all that I can say on the subject and I'm not really sure what you are trying to achieve...

While I can see why people bring this issue up, since ive been on the end of what I thought to be an unfair removal, I don't see a point in trying to get a list....the debate will go on, the list never truly satisfied.

Common sense is all we need. I would say, if you have to think about using a specific word before typing it, you probably shouldnt, but as ive witnessed on some threads, there is sometimes no filter between brain fingers and keyboard, and we have the mods for that.

As a new member to these forums (but a user of many other forums in general) I didn't see it my place to question a post removal and a 500 pt deduction, I wished I rectified it but meh, water under the bridge and I havent called anyone an ignorant fool since lol Yet I still stand by the post now.

I couldn't care less about point removal, if I'm passionate about the point I'm making and feel a use of an expletitve, not directed at any member or public figure, helps convey the emotion of the point/opinion I'm trying to make, I will use it. Feel free to drain these useless virtual "points" from my account and edit my posts all you want, it will not deter me from at least initially using any expletive that I feel fits my point. I understand the T&C I accepted but I find its explanation of profanity use to be childish and draconian, especially on a forum like this where emotions run high.

Let's be honest, this ISN'T a conventional town hall or court room or any other formal brick and mortar meeting house, this is the Internet. We can't see people's faces or hear their voice as the express their opinion, so why should we have to conform so closely to the rules of candor used in such places?

reply to post by BrokenVisage


Because you agreed to. I understand your point, but your post seems to contradict itself.

I myself am against censorship, but this is not a free site, it's a private domain, and with that comes rules by the owners. I disagree with their rules, but I do see why they made them.

Is Pussy bad?! You know Pussy willow?

reply to post by BrokenVisage


I don’t condone the use of profanity on ATS in general however I do think that some people are a little bit too sensitive.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
reply to post by BrokenVisage

 

I don’t condone the use of profanity on ATS in general however I do think that some people are a little bit too sensitive.

As you authored a thread on understanding dyslexia and how you get offended when someone pulls you up for correcting your spelling and grammar, then it is clear you are very sensitive to this.

On the other hand, someone who has a genuine belief about something can be called an idiot by you and if they are offended you think they are a little bit too sensitive???

Okay, Okay...I know I said I had nothing more to add, but I don't really see what the OP is trying to achieve other than to be allowed to say what he wants about other posters without censorship, but seemingly not okay to for other posters to say what they want about the OP and that they should be censored if he is offended???

reply to post by destination now


It might be worth pointing out the people whose believes I thought were idiotic were those who believed that the world was going to end based on a episode of the Simpsons.

And this is about the establishment of a list of banned words not about me wanting to censor threads just clarification and the current rules.

You really don’t seem to be talking this very well why?

So, what you're saying is that: A better question might be why the properties of certain plants are banned from discussion. Now that, that makes no sense at all. Is on topic to a discussion about profanity? OK

reply to post by masqua


Absolutely, in context. As I address the topic directly, explain why I find the current T&C adequate with regards to profanity, an ancillary comment regarding what I do find excessive in the matter of censorship is quite on topic within the same post. Just as my response to you now is also topical, though not directly addressing "profanity. The topic as I read it is about profanity, the T&C, and censorship, all of which should be regarded as topical if the OP is addressed primarily. Any other interpretation is as I stated, rigid, and discourages the making of meaningful points of a tangential nature.

But of course, I had no intention of turning this into a discussion about my tangential point, nor about the topicality of said point.

Nonetheless, I even used my response to your response to illustrate how one can use milder expletives, not considered profane to express. Very topical. But I don't get to decide that, I'm not a moderator. I do believe my point was topical, in context.

Originally posted by kevinunknown
reply to post by destination now

 

It might be worth pointing out the people whose believes I thought were idiotic were those who believed that the world was going to end based on a episode of the Simpsons.

And this is about the establishment of a list of banned words not about me wanting to censor threads just clarification and the current rules.

You really don’t seem to be talking this very well why?

The mods that have contributed to this thread have clearly stated what is acceptable and what is not, yet you seem intent to keep pressing the issue..They have also explained why a comprehensive list of banned words is unworkable...which it is, as that would mean that you could not say that you thought someone's theory was stupid (if the word stupid was banned) but of course if you say to the poster that you think they are stupid for holding such beliefs then your post will be, quite rightly removed. It's not really that difficult to understand!

And a veiled attempt at having a go at me...What am I not taking very well? The fact that you cannot seem to accept what the mods have told you about censorship on ATS? Sorry, bit confused there, but that was quite a confrontational remark!

reply to post by destination now


Gosh you really are talking this to heart, which is quite interesting for someone who does not seem to usually contribute much in the way of threads.

I think it is stupid to assume that the world stupid would be banned, I was thinking more along the lines of words and phrase like “WTF, BS, piss, pish, crap,” and so on. The words were there is some uncertainty if they constitute cursing and I think a list of banned words would help put that uncertainty at ease. You seem to be twisting my words into assuming I am trying to force ATS to change the way threads are censorship to suit my posting style, that is not the case.

I have noticed your bringing up my dyslexia in a few of your posts, I don’t really see why you would want to do that. I just link people to that thread whenever I am pulled up on my spelling, it doesn’t bother me, I see dyslexia as a gift.

reply to post by kevinunknown


In what way am I taking this to heart? I've simply replied to your thread...And as for my lack of posting, what the "heck" has that got to do with anything...Or am I not entitled to my opinion because I don't have a hundred, thousand, million posts? I prefer to read and learn, and if I feel I have something to add, I do, if not I don't

And it was you who posted the link to your dyslexia thread on this thread (and the poster wasn't pulling you up on spelling, he was talking about the difference between cussing and cursing...nothing to do with spelling!) and from your first post I could see that you were sensitive to posters calling you out for spelling, grammar etc, yet you believe you have the right to call someone an idiot for what they believe in, no matter how ridiculous it may seem to you. There are many people who believe that dyslexia is not a real disability and would simply say you were stupid (I'm not one of them btw before you have another go!) Would you like that?

And I think the mods have answered your questions, very comprehensively, so not sure what else you want them to do?

But this is turning into a flame war now...so am away to do something constructive!

reply to post by destination now


Hey am not the one flaming anyone, I really am trying to understand why you have such a confrontational attitude, all I have done is suggest a list of banned words might be a good idea for the sake of clarity. Yet you just seem to be having a rant towards me why I want to understand what the problem is, have I offended you in someway?

I just want to point out, I am not sensitive about my spelling and grammar, am really quite comfortable with it. The only reason I link people to that thread is because I refuse to apologise for it and I like to give people some understanding of my views on it, also for the benefit of other dyslexics on ATS.

The rules are simple to interpret... no cursing/vulgarities, and no use of creative re-spellings or character-replacement of curse/vulgar words.

Popular acronyms such as "WTF" are often allowed because they have become a popular component of the contemporary lexicon, and appear in mainstream sources with regularity.


The rationale behind the rules are also simple to understand... "conspiracy theories" have enough "credibility" baggage without also having to overcome additional distractions such as cursing.

I often curse like a drunken-sailor with a bad attitude in public (among friends), but doing so only effects me -- my choice of words, in such a setting, have no consequence on anyone else but me.

But if I chose to curse on ATS, doing so effects everyone else who posts here -- my choice of words, in a collaborative text-based setting, will have consequence by association on every other contributor. The incremental repercussions of individual posts certainly may be very slight, but the cumulative ramifications would be significant.


FAIR WARNING:

This thread has surreptitiously come at a time when our moderation staff has been discussion the need to increase our action against swearing and the use of swear word (#####) replacements that contain enough letters to ascertain the vulgarity intended. The conclusion has been that increased diligence is required.



EDIT TO ADD

Anyone confused by what may or may not be allowed as a curse words is simply playing games. It's our firm belief that anyone with enough intelligence to turn on a computer and obtain a membership on ATS should poses the common-sense needed to know which words, phrases, or epitaphs should not be used either in full-spelling, creative mis-spelling, or character-replacement.

Let's be honest, this ISN'T a conventional town hall or court room or any other formal brick and mortar meeting house, this is the Internet. We can't see people's faces or hear their voice as the express their opinion, so why should we have to conform so closely to the rules of candor used in such places?

reply to post by BrokenVisage


I think the tendency to dehumanize people on the internet, while understandable, is something we should train ourselves not to do. If you wouldn't call me an idiot to my face, you really shouldn't do so on an internet forum. Or curse in public. This is a public "place." We are all real people.

Here's an excellent thread on the topic:
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Originally posted by masqua
If you wouldn't use the terminology in a church, town council meeting, the front desk at the police station, in a TV news broadcast or in front of your parents or your own children, then you shouldn't be using it here.

Quite frankly, then there is nothing left to talk about here on ATS, given the nature of following these guidelines.

Quite frankly, then there is nothing left to talk about here on ATS, given the nature of following these guidelines.

reply to post by alphabetaone


Really? I disagree. There are very few subjects that actually require "profanity" as an important part of the discussion. (Even this discussion, about profanity!) We're talking about terminology here, not subject matter. While I may discuss subjects here that I would never bring up in the outside world, refraining from obscene terminology is simple politeness, and can be exercised equally in both places without detracting from the subject matter at hand.

Originally posted by alphabetaone
Quite frankly, then there is nothing left to talk about here on ATS, given the nature of following these guidelines.

Makes me wonder why you had agreed to the T&C's in the first place. Did you think they were just some insignificant step you needed to take in order to become a member?

Did you think that they'd never be enforced? Did you think that once you joined, it could be changed to suit your own preferences?

I just typed those 4 sentences above without using profanity and you typed a whole one yourself. Between us, we expressed 5 different thoughts too... absolutely without profanities!!!

Remarkable, isn't it?