Freedom of Speech in the Online World

Mad_Morlock

In a public forum in the real world, if someone were to stand up and begin a longwinded philisophical debate, they'd probably be dragged off the stage. Especially if everyone just came to be entertained. Forcing people to think out of turn is often irritating.

In Ancient times they probably would have been stoned (not high) or crucified.

The modern world, thanks to Computers and the Internet, gives us a nice middleman that prevents these random acts of supression.

However, they can still lock you up and throw away the key.

At what point does thread bombing of a controversial topic become a form of mob censorship?

Dynagrip

In the immortal words of Socrates,

"I drank what?"

Proto

get off the stage!

Vincent Grayson

Mad_Morlock wrote:

In a public forum in the real world, if someone were to stand up and begin a longwinded philisophical debate, they'd probably be dragged off the stage. Especially if everyone just came to be entertained. Forcing people to think out of turn is often irritating.

In Ancient times they probably would have been stoned (not high) or crucified.

The modern world, thanks to Computers and the Internet, gives us a nice middleman that prevents these random acts of supression.

However, they can still lock you up and throw away the key.

At what point does thread bombing of a controversial topic become a form of mob censorship?

It's not so much that it's controversial as it is that your ideas are absurd and poorly argued, and certain mods don't want to watch the inevitable and spectacular downward spiral those kinds of threads will have.

I suspect the same fate awaits this one.

Doc

The fucking rules, which you have apparently neglected to read, wrote:

None of the following threads:

* "Hi, I'm New!!!" - Man, we don't care.
* "Look at my site! Buy my stuff!" - Uhhh, no. Go away, sitewhore. Its totally fine to put a link in your sig if you want to show off your work, or hock some gear, though.
* Redundant threads - One is enough. Look before you start something new.
* Threads in which you bitch about the rules, the mods, the thread that just got locked, or your 'worst forum enemy'. PM us if you have a problem. Mind you, if you have a 'worst forum enemy', seek mental help instead.
Corollary: Don't pull this crap in established threads either. Mod decisions are to be discussed in private.

PM me if you have a problem with this policy. If you have an issue with the mod staff, I suggest PMing WhipstitchZombie, our admin, directly.

Here's a link to do that:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/forums/privmsg.php?mode=post&u=139

Jebu

Making an argument without using a consistent and coherent position and without having a real understanding and respect for opinions different from yours isn't going to get very far. If you're just going to say everyone who disagrees with you "doesn't get it" and that you're the only enlightened one here, you're not debating, you're proselytizing.

ElJeffe

look at me i am so totally censoring you with my lockzorz olol