Contentious subjects

[Yugang]

One of the reasons that I like ScapeCrunch is that it is focussed on our hobby, aquatic plants, and does not divert too much into unrelated subjects. We do have chit chat, and I like most of it, but even these are generally adjacent to our hobby - so far at least. We're just a happy bunch of hobbyists here, no political activists.

Many of us support freedom of expression, but for everything there is a place and time. I am not interested to have climate change conspiracies on this forum. For those who think that that may belong here for the sake of freedom of expression, why not discuss the legal age of consent and similar ? I was banned from UKAPS when I opposed a staff member posting a thread with a climate change conspiracy, so I do have some passion and skin in the game for saving ScapeCrunch (and me) from the same or similar.

Currently UKAPS goes through its next crisis, go there to look for yourself, with the first member already resigning from the forum. The same staff member (now ex staff) is again deeply involved in a climate change debate with predictable divisive results.

My concrete suggestion is to agree that ScapeCrunch supports freedom of expression, but clarifies that ScapeCrunch is a place for aquascaping and aquatic plants, and no place for political or contentious topics that are not closely related to our hobby.

 

[anewbie]

Science is science and changes in climate will kill many of our favorite fishes and plants.... obviously fishes are more vulnerable than plants but as areas that were once wet become dry and dry areas wet we will be sad. Is this not relevant to aquatic plants ?

 

[Art]

Thanks for the thoughtful topic, @Yugang. ScapeCrunch’s mission is to create an open, honest and welcoming place for planted aquarium hobbyists to learn, share and support each other. We are an online family and we ask each other to behave as such.

The Lounge forum is the place where we ask for non-hobby related topics be placed. I think about it as the “water cooler” space where people can chat about what ever they would like as long as it fits with our family dynamics request.

Thankfully, the world is full of forums that provide for different topics so everyone can find a place to discuss any topic they would like, controversial or otherwise. We suggest that serious, non-hobby topics are probably better served in a forum specifically for those topics.

It’s never easy because we are all different people with different views and perspectives. However, with mutual respect and trust, caring for one another as fellow humans, I think we can make sure ScapeCrunch remains a nice place to hang out in.

 

[Yugang]

Anyone thinking why this topic is raised now, go and see what happens on UKAPS as we speak. Non hobby related issues, divisive, creating big damage to the forum. It is not a hypothetical, it is real and some of the key players have membership in ScapeCrunch as well.

By pro-actively creating a forum rule as proposed in my OP, it comes at no cost and very little is lost for the forum as no divisive non hobby related issues have been raised until now. However, if the Pandora's box gets opened, and we're having politically loaded discussions here, it will be hard to stop with members engaged in these, and the damage will be done as it happens in real time on UKAPS.

Just my two cents, I will respect the wisdom of the team and members.

 

[Pepere]

I find often enough it is less about contentious issues so much as contentious people….

And I try to remember that if you find yourself engaged in an argument with a fool it is hard for people watching to distinguish a difference…..

I must say that it was auite refreshing during the latest political circus in the US to be able to come to a forum where it was left at the door.

Had I come and had it on full display, I would have looked for the door and left..

 

[anewbie]

Anyone thinking why this topic is raised now, go and see what happens on UKAPS as we speak. Non hobby related issues, divisive, creating big damage to the forum. It is not a hypothetical, it is real and some of the key players have membership in ScapeCrunch as well.

By pro-actively creating a forum rule as proposed in my OP, it comes at no cost and very little is lost for the forum as no divisive non hobby related issues have been raised until now. However, if the Pandora's box gets opened, and we're having politically loaded discussions here, it will be hard to stop with members engaged in these, and the damage will be done as it happens in real time on UKAPS.

Just my two cents, I will respect the wisdom of the team and members.

I visit UKAPS from time to time and my understanding is there were massive concerns about how it was being run but i didn't get any sense it came from off topic discussion.

Look i don't even see why climate change is a contentious issue. People have known about it for 40+ years. The large oil companies locked away their own research that indicated what was happening because it would hurt their business. Why are you so focused on something of this nature which is likely totally unrelated to what happend at UKAPS or were you just using climate change as an example? Now when it comes to politics that can be contentious though it seems the issue arise more from one side using conspiracy theory to argue against another side facts.

But that seems another issue.

 

[Yugang]

I visit UKAPS from time to time and my understanding is there were massive concerns about how it was being run but i didn't get any sense it came from off topic discussion.

You seem not to have followed the current crisis? You may want to do so if you want to see the consequences of these off topic discussions. I just want to avoid we get the same trouble on ScapeCrunch. I am only asking to stick to planted tank, or closely related topics, unless the discussion is just for fun or camaraderie.

Look i don't even see why climate change is a contentious issue.

Ok, until you actually engage in a discussion with people who are not of same opinion as you. Please read the UKAPS thread and note the anger and frustration, by otherwise docile people, to get an idea what we are discussing.

Why are you so focused on something of this nature which is likely totally unrelated to what happend at UKAPS or were you just using climate change as an example?

You seem not have taken the time to update yourself on what happens on UKAPS. I use climate change indeed as an example, it triggered my ban and came up again recently, yet I worry there is a very long list of topics in the current political and polarised climate (not only in the US) that can totally take away the safety and distract from the true nature of ScapeCrunch.

Had I come and had it on full display, I would have looked for the door and left..

Same here, and we would not be the only ones. Let's keep this place safe and focussed on the hobby that we share.

If the leaders and members of the forum see no reason to worry, or no need to clarify before it becomes an issue, I respect that and have expressed my concern for the good of the forum.

 

[HardeeParty]

Israel or Palestine…….

 

[Schrute66]

Israel or Palestine…….

Too soon

 

[Art]

OK I think the point has been made for this thread.