a2k sucks

We're progressing from anarchy to syndicalism?

I gotta agree. It isn't as if Robert beat around the bush over Hawkeye.

I likewise have been very clear. Clear is a good quality in communications.

I haven't been here long. But longer now than when I first came here (maybe a year or so, I don't know--I also left for about 6 months). The following account is strictly from my subjective perspective, but I am offering it up for whatever it might be worth to the "powers that be" here.

There was a thread with the theme that a certain british actor should be condemned for using the phrase "colored people." Upon looking into the back story it was quite clear that this actor had great sympathy with some lingering discrimination being suffered by blacks and he was advocating further progress in eliminating it.

I dared to take a stance contrary to that of the poster, and those who joined him in the mass denouncement of this actor. When I noted that the NCAAP had, within the last year or two, stated that it did not consider the phrase "colored people" offensive or racist, my post got 4-5 thumbs down. I found that extremely curious. All these lilly-white pontificators thought they knew, better than blacks themselves, what they should be offended by.

Long-story short, 4-5 members undertook a very prolonged attempt to intimidate me and silence me. It went so far as to suggest I should be subjected to physical harm. The insults were relentless, and quite personal in nature. That told me what A2K was about, right off the bat.

I have been putting up with this boorish behavior since 08. And BOB! is right that it is not that hard to put a stop to it, but round here the right people are never thrown out. BOB! is certainly one of the 5.

There are a few people here that give every indication that they are textbook narcissists and, in general, not particularly stable, psychologically speaking. That's not unusual in itself. What I find surprising is that they seem to be widely admired, and encouraged.

How wide is widely?

This post being rated -1 communicates what to people taking their first look see at A2K trying to decide if they want to give this place a go?? It is most definitely not harmless, just because I dont give a **** is not an excuse for not fixing this problem.




And this has been another example of Hawkeyes clear communication.

Heh, hard to say. Relatively few people make posts in the threads I follow. But these types do meet resistance from others from time to time. When that happens, the narcissist always seems to get about 7 thumbs-up votes while the party resisting gets 4-5 downvotes. The sentiments of those who refrain from voting (like me, I never do) and posting are unknown, of course.

Sure. Why not? Do you have a problem with ignoring 'collumns' with which you disagree or don't give a **** about? I find the sports and word games threads boring as hell, but I would not call for banning them.

Choice is anarchy too ya know...

They are I think here for sport, dont really give a **** about A2K, and will go spread their cancer to some other place after they get finally get kicked out or this place dies, whichever comes first.

There are only about 5 , but that is enough to do wide damage. The problem is that Robert does not see the problem. The fact that he thinks I am one of the problems when I have been the longest running victim of the problem is proof that he has a lot to learn. I wish he would let us help him.

To be fair I should note that I came across an occasion, years back, where the hostility, belligerence, and utter hypocrisy of one of these narcissists was calmly and objectively documented, in great detail, in a post, without any further comment. By "objective" I mean that the post simply quoted prior posts by the person in question. His (the critic's) post received close to 30 thumbs up votes.

Apparently those inclined to vote in favor of such "exposure" have since left the forum, or else have given up on making any attempt to change it via their personal responses.

You're not remotely narcissistic are you Hawkeye, like when you say you're the only one who knows the truth, that you're all about ideas and you know how to fix, not only America but also, the World.

Would not happen now, the bullies have driven too many of the good people away. But there would I think be still wide support if Robert endeavored to fix this long running problem through proper moderation, by that I mean by throwing the right 5 people out of here.

Here is another one of the 5.

Actually, here is the worst of the 5.

I personally don't favor throwing anybody out. These self-important juveniles can say whatever they want, for all I care. I just find the responses to it rather puzzling. For me it's entertainment, in a sense. Amusing, ya know?

You are not taking it seriously enough. Forums need constant new blood to live, and people dont go to hang out in hostile environments if they have a choice. You and I are not going to leave because of these cretins, but they will in time kill the place none the less. Robert writing new code will not change that.

The first thing I would do as a moderator is get you under control. That will end all the back biting (mine included - which has gotten me suspended twice).

I would instill a jury system with a pool of jurors consisting of members in good standing without any recent (within 90 days) suspensions or hidden posts to jury alerted posts. To prevent abuse - one alert per member per day, jury ruling all to 0 against the alerter causes the alerter to lose alerting privileges for a week.

I would have a "Malicious Intruder Response Team" and I would check IP addresses on all new accounts. MIRT would cut spammers and trolls. After a certain post count cutting trolls would be in the hands of administration.

Just a couple of simple things that would change the tenor of conversation here at ol' a2k. And would civilize it enough to perhaps bring back old members as well as new.

Its a damn shame people like Edgarblythe and Lordyasiswas are basically driven off.

I did say "progress from ... to", not "degrade from .... to ...."

I have no problem with anarchy if the beer is cold and the reefer sweet.

This place is dying the slow death, by attrition. We need an influx of new (and old) members. And we need -- or at least some of us seem to need -- some vague threat of banishment hanging out there in order to behave somewhat. Not saying the new format will be paradise on internet but it's worth trying, IMO.