Conspiracy theories have destroyed ELEPHANT-DONKEY.COM
POST said 05/21, 04:50 PM
Has anyone noticed how many debates in progress are not progressing on this site. The members are no longer interested in completing their debates, I actually think that they are gone. Possibly still pop in just to read and vote. I think a lot of them are escaping the tongue lashing, accusations of vote rigging and insults often by those who gang up to terrorise others that (their debating skills suck).
Others are busy developing their own sites with the hope to correct the wrongs of E-D.com, while others are lobbying for other online debate forums.
If there was a bit of tolerance for those who have lesser debating abilities, I think this would still be the best site to be part of.
gopdiva said 05/21, 05:48 PM
I don't think this site has gone bad. I feel I have learned things from reading debates and enjoy this site. If we block out the annoying debates we can stop them. We can report their comments and refuse to debate them. Sure, some people don't stay on top of their debates, but I don;t think its that bad. This site still worthwhile. The people who really care can still enjoy this site. Maybe people should get a "level" based on faceoffs. Novice, Intermediate and Advanced. This would help people debate debaters with like skill levels!
POST said 05/22, 03:02 AM
"Site gone bad" is rather too general a statement.I was referring to the negative things that have happened since these conspiracy theories started.
1. Changed the mood of debating. Debates have gone negative and personal.
2. Created a Gang of Character Assassins. These are people who will stop at nothing to making anyone who beat them (or any member of their gang) in debates feel like they have stolen their victory (You should know from your own experience Gopdiva)
3. Rude language and unwelcome insults targeted at other members (I admit, I've been party to this item)
4. Obsession with the leaderboard. Although I know of some people who realise that their scores will not put them back up, but they continue with the debates for the fun of it.
5. Members exit the site in protest as a consequence they don't finish their debates. Look at the backlog.
MorgMcA has consistently tried to discourage this behaviour, but unfortunately, he's a lone voice, though he himself get tempted to join in. But he's only human.
Your last point about "level based faceoffs" sounds good on the surface, but we are not debating programmed computers. So it won't fly.
Good one
gopdiva said 05/31, 12:04 PM
-Sorry it took me so long to respond...8th grade trip-
I see no problem with this site. It is not bad if you ignore all of the terrible things. some people and things are in fact annoying, but they are only a problem if you make them a problem. Fighting them makes them stronger. If anything this debate is making them do more annoying things. I do not disagree with you that they are annoying and everything, but destroying the site? Well, I don't feel like the site is being destroyed! It's all in how you see it. There are more positives in this site than negatives!!!
POST said 06/02, 06:15 PM
Gopdiva, I know you mean well, but the reality tells us that there is animosity and anger on this site. It may have subsided since we started this debate, but at the time we began it, things were worse. It may be because that a lot of those contributors to this bad air have left, or they just got tired of it.
I still hope we can have a better and mature discussion with people who are interested in nothing but debate. I understand your positivism and support it.
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In addition to my NO.5, there are people who are just voting members on this site, who probably are not interested anymore in getting involved in debates themselves. Look at the leaderboard, where is the 60/70% of those people, e.g HAHAHAOHWOW, SWDOWNING, CONDI RICECAKES, SWAVEE, CONSEQUENTIALIST LIBERTARIAN etc. I doubt if they don't log on from time to time just to see what's going on and cast a vote, which should account for the sometimes unbelievably high scores like 20 -26.(No one must confuse my point here as arguing in defence of vote rigging. If it exists it should be uprooted). That's just the people on the leaderboard and not everyone, I would like to see a situation where we raise the bar in the quality of debates, to a point where everyone joins in with interest and good intentions.
POST | 05/22/08
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That's probably the most rationale thing you've said on this site so far. Kudos.
USA Pit Bull 63 | 05/22/08
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I agree with everything POST is saying. I'd like to see you take your own advice, though. It'd be nice to open a debate and NOT find comments from you about me, Pit Bull, youngdem, etc.
DonkeyDude | 05/22/08
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I'd go nuts if I were to stop making comments about you terrible trio, LOL. I hope for everyone's sake, things are going to improve. I have seen a lot of people, sometimes even MorgMcA become hypocritical about this. Quell this tendency on one hand, and then on another debate continue with these subtle attacks. Let's just behave like family and exercise tolerance.
POST | 05/22/08
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F*ck this discussion, I will speak as i like. Are you saying if a dog such as Majestik I must zip it? You are ssssssssssssick.
dirtythoughts | 05/23/08
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Honestly POST, I think you should go back and read Morg's argument that you say is hypocritical. I think you misread it. Morg has been a stalwart proponent of decorum on this site.
DonkeyDude | 05/23/08
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Hold on, since when have I been part of a trio? Also I believe its all a matter of perception, you may percieve there are groups of people ganging up on others or you may percieve that this site is being destroyed, but it really isn't being destroyed. The points you listed may be true to a certain extent, but the site is not destroyed. The spirit of debating lives on, it is not destroyed, it is alive. Also in a way its good that everyone on this site doesn't debate, this way we can focus on much more debates, if there were hundreds of them, we'd only get through a few.
theyoungdem | 05/23/08
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youngdem you need to lighten up. The trio story was meant as on lighter note, though you three seem to agree on everything (and there is nothing wrong with that unless you start conniving and plotting things against other people). I think about this site NOT being destroyed, you are in denial. Catch a wake up.
POST | 05/24/08
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This site is HISTORY, It used to be great, now it's just a place to hang out if you want to think aloud. The difference between us youngdem is that I still hope it will get better.
POST | 05/24/08
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Lighten up? I didn't say anything provocative. Though this site is not destroyed the core values are still alive, you'll see I listed the values here: http://elephant-donkey.com/elephantdonkey/show/9581. And I never said I don't hope this site will get better. Obviously I do, everyone wants anything to get better. There's no question about that, but my point is that this site isn't destroyed, it's only destroyed if you view it as destroyed, which you are doing, therefore it is a matter of perception, to you it may be destroyed, but for the rest of us who believe in the core values of debating, it is not.
theyoungdem | 05/24/08
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This site will get better the instant people stop posting non-debate threads like this. POST, you have been as guilty as I (and numerous others) have been for stirring the pot. We've both come to our senses, but I think we need to give the site time to heal from the craziness. The fact remains that provocative, insightful debates are still taking place, so the site has not lost its purpose; it has just been diluted.
Mike Hernandez | 05/25/08
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But youngdem: You and the "trio" have been just as bad as POST too. Pit Bull blames him/her for everything imaginable, and it has to stop before people start leaving the site like I did for a while. I know I said a couple mean things in one or two of the debates before I left, but I have apologized and moved on. I hope you, DD, PB, majestik, dirtythoughts and others can do the same.
Mike Hernandez | 05/25/08
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Mike, you must think you are more relevant then you are. Why did you bother coming back to this site? You never even joined debates until recently. All you did was say worthless comments that show you know NOTHING. And the debates you have done SUCK! I will say whatever I want on this site. If I think I see someone cheating, I will say it. If I think someone's arguments suck, I will say it. You can't tell me what to do on this.
majestik | 05/25/08
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Majestik point taken, you'll do what you feel like. there's no need to be dramatic about it. Mike you're right, but it's probably best if you don't name names. However I think we're all missing the best part of the debate in the forum. I for one am very glad that POST doesn't consider me to be an extraterrestrial. ;)
MorgMcA | 05/26/08
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Since when have I ever blamed someone? Unless someone insults me, I'd respond, but I normally respond in a calm mature way. I don't think I'm a trie with DD or PB, trust me, that's giving me much more credit than I deserve.
theyoungdem | 05/26/08
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You're missing the point youngdem, but I'm glad others get it. Majestik, maybe we need to approach every debate with a little more respect for the people we debate with, that should make a difference. MorgMcA, I've always held you in high regard.
POST | 05/27/08
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I have to say that Diva makes a persuasive arguement. This site is only ruined if we let it ruin us, if on the other hand we use it for it's purpose, to debate and not take anything too personal, it cannot be ruined no matter what else happens. sure, strong contenders may come and go, or simply watch from the sidelines, but the site doesn't become ruined until it ruins us, and that is usually of our own making.
MorgMcA | 06/03/08
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Please keep it clean. Bad words will get filtered, and offensive comments will be removed.
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I'm not implying anything about anyone's, including my own, skill---but kudos for the good idea, Diva.
USA Pit Bull 63 | 05/21/08
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