The great migration

Or it might be that you only have discussions with people who are civil with you, even when you disagree. I don't see much disadvantage to that. Especially when you always have A2K to come back to for some real kicking and scratching.

Carole and I both have FB pages with mold growing on the corners.
She Instagrams.
I pester you folks.

It's a Facebook group. It's not a2k

That's good and bad

Shrugs

It's not either/or!

Your point is well worth emphasizing. I don't join groups--the last time i did that was in 1970, when i joined the army. I haven't made that mistake again. You'll note, though, from Max's post subsequent to the one you quote, that he has voluntarily joined the whiner's club of those who think that free speech means that others have to listen to them and take them seriously. Yeah . . . right . . .

By the way, FB and A2K are not alike. About the only thing that keeps me here (and i spend precious little time here these days) is that it does get new people, and, although very rarely, they are worth reading. You won't be getting that at FB.

Ive had several colleagues have their lunches handed to them for their FB activities. Usually academics keep these accounts and use them to communicate their "beliefs" and to monitor discussions. These two people had several sets of opinions that were at odds with areas for which they were hired by the law firms of my client.
Forensics has gotten amazingly detailed in the last 15 years when these "My SPace" and FAcebook accounts became popular for teachers and researchers.

Its like lying, you better have a really good memory or things you say have a habit of catching up with you.

Or you can just avoid the whole thing. My memory is failing so I dont want to say anything that may be reviewed during a voir dire procedure.

Id like to engage in FB but not while Im still working . Most of my colleagues who do forensics and investigation work also stay away from it.

What you said is kinda interesting though, why would I want only to engage with people who agree with me? I actually learn whats going on when theres a forum with members having many worldviews.

Now when it starts getting too mean, yeh, I usually bag out and give that forum mass quantities of time to settle down.

One of my least favorite things about A2K is at the same time one of my
most favorite. That is, the most outrageous characters show up out of
nowhere. They can be infuriating, but also a lot of fun. Outside of some
comic-book universe, where else could you run into Q-whatever-math or
our latest oddball, HesDeltanCaptain?

Nope.
Its quite the opposite. ..and thats the reason it was created.( That, and missing people who dont post here anymore vs posting on fb)
So far it is full of those who can debate with out insulting, and will be monitored for that behavior.

Who watches the watchmen?

I mean who is doing the monitoring?

I will say this..
By the amount of people sending me messages to help them get in, it seems that its attracting ' non hawkasses' type personalities.. which is good.

And, believe it or not. . . .
I value your replies to my posts
No matter how wrong you are.

I agree with that.
I dont care if someone disagrees with everything I say. It really is entertaining and sometimes educational to really listen to someone else... thats how you learn, and expand your own opinions.

banning, blocking and ignoring because someone thinks differently is kinda childish.
Unless of course they are agreeing with child molesters, murderers and such like that. Thats an entirely different level all together.

I agree Shewolf, I am willing to engage in a respectful conversation in almost any topic. If something doesn't interest me I will just walk away (rather than attacking someone).

I have taken flack for my opinions on Science (which are pretty standards opinions on topics that I have studied as part of my Physics degree), for feminism (where I agree with women's rights but don't like what I see as an ideological overreach) and for Atheism (I am an atheist but again disagree with what I see as an ideological overreach).

None of my opinions are that far outside of the mainstream and on one of these topics I have a legitimate claim to some level of expertise. And yet there is a group that seems to think that simply expressing these opinions (which disagree with their own opinions) is an affront.

If this FB group has varied opinions on feminism, and allows for criticism of prominent atheists, then maybe I would be interested.

But I really prefer, as a matter of philosophy, a public group such as Able2Know. I have a group of friends outside of Able2know who aren't as diverse as Able2know. I want interesting, respectful conversations on topics that interest me with people who disagree with me. That is why I am here.

An important part of that is that dissenting opinions be allowed without personal attacks. If FB allows for a wide range of opinions without the personal attacks you see here, I might be up for it.

My concern is that it is too easy for Facebook to act as a filter for opinions that go against the core of the group.

I am curious (I didn't get an answer) who does the moderation on the FB group?

Ehhhh

I doubt that is your business.

Maxine: I'm monitoring you right now!

Some of the people here actually have other names!

I only use FB to keep up on family pics and sometimes to short message people. From what I have seen it does not work well to argue ideas and facts, but it could be that I have not learned FB well enough yet.

I notice less vitriol lalely on A2K, and wonder if recent temp thread removals and suspensions/bans might be the reason. I would class conversation in the most barn burning threads as robust right now rather than mean. There are a few who are constantly saying mean things but I dont take these people seriously and dont expect that others do either. I am not particularly motivated to do a change right now.

I am curious though who is on FB, there many people who used to be here that are not now who were interesting to listen to. I might give it a spin at some point.

I've found that the same people who come to a2k and extol the virtues of Facebook as a place of civilized discussion, engage in blatant name-calling against those on a2k who merely disagree with them.

I share your suspicions as to the nature of this Facebook group.

Since he is rightfully suspicious of extremist moderation, trying to determine whether the moderator is a reasonable person is a legitimate line of inquiry.

I'm not saying the group doesn't have the right to refuse to answer, but a refusal to answer will itself be an answer.