What happened to Boards.ie - genuine question

Packrat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120808568#Comment_120808568

I've never even read any of those threads you mention because they don't interest me enough to wade through the Left V Right shy*e in order to find any good points of view on any of those topics, (topics which in themselves would actually be ok were it not for the adversarial crap which abounds on those topics)

Harry or Megan? Well, each to their own but I don't think you and I have much in common if that's your interest.

Also - of you look at my postcount, it's fairly obvious that I don't live my life here given I've had this username for the last 5 to 6 years (at least)

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811430#Comment_120811430

What?

Annasopra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811469#Comment_120811469

That thread is a prime example of why a lot of people don't bother with the site anymore.

Real Donald Trump

All views should be welcome, even ones you disagree with, that is what helps a forum grow.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811328#Comment_120811328

It was once the cornerstone of boards.

Don’t post threads or comments that sets out to wind other people up, or inflame the situation.

Far easier to deal with trolls that way imo.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811677#Comment_120811677

It isn’t at all actually.

People sharing makes things grow.

If people are reluctant to share because of a perceived bias, or a fear of ridicule the forum won’t grow.

Take one imaginary example of a MAGA forum. Are you telling me, someone who despises Trump and all things he stands for would be welcome on such a forum, to help the forum grow? I don’t think so.

Prefab Sprouter

I'd just like to say that the lads in the Weather section still do a fine job reporting the weather.

tesla_newbie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811803#Comment_120811803

you do know it’s not mandatory to participate in every section of Boards ?

a tea totaller would find the Beer section hard going so probably wouldn’t involve themselves, doesn’t mean they want it shut down

Oscar_Madison

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811677#Comment_120811677

No it doesn’t 😛

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811325#Comment_120811325

Unfettered bigotry?

That's patently untrue.

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811803#Comment_120811803

If there's any perceived bias on this site it is more left leaning than right leaning. Any overtly right wing posters who push things get banned while left wing posters who do their best to discourage discussion are here for years posting away to their hearts content.

Mods and admins contort themselves to appease the left leaning posters here and you still try to let on the site is a breeding ground for far right extremism and tell them they're not doing enough to deal with opinions you don't like.

Differing opinions do help this type of platform thrive. Without them the place is an echo chamber.

The biggest issue on boards is the cohort who want to shut down anything they don't like and play out their old petty grudges at every opportunity.

purifol0

At some point mods decided to be censors. That and the site "redesign" destroyed this place. But its always absolutely hilarious when a thread is active, and suddenly "thread closed". Because a mod didn't like people expressing opinions that they disagree with. I often wonder if the buyout by the feminist/woke Distilled Media didn't involve a whole slew of new content rules and new mods.

RobbieTheRobber

In march of this year I got warned by a moderator for posting only three laughing emojis as a reply to someone's post and told I was trolling.

🤣🤣🤣

Heraclius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811664#Comment_120811664

Threads like that do make me wonder if I'm using a far right forum alright. I'd imagine they make some people think twice about creating an account in the first place.

Hodors Appletart

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812061#Comment_120812061

There was a very specific point, a post by an ex-staffer, where they said quite clearly that they considered anything even remotely right-leaning (socially) to be "dangerous".

There most certainly is an editory slant to the moderation of this website that skews socially left, far more than the general population, and left wingers are allowed to get away with more name-calling, disparaging remarks about other posters and other such behaviours.

I come at this as a relatively socially liberal forty-something, I don't need to outline everything, but I voted to repeal the 8th Amendment, for marriage equality, would lean to the side of legalisation of class-c drugs. I also have concerns about the level of immigration to the country (from wherever it's coming, a person from Ukraine is the same as a person from Nigeria in my eyes), I don't know how to fully form an opinion on Trans-rights, because stepping on the safe spaces of biological women seems strange to me (I do believe biological women and trans-women to be different, to what extent I can't really answer).

Those two last points would definitely see me labelled as "right wing" by a sizable cohort of very loud, shouty posters on this website, and they are given way more leeway to use terms like Terf an Racist, which are terms that only serve to shut down and muddy the waters of civilised discourse.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812319#Comment_120812319

What exactly is offensive about it? I had a read through it and it’s discussing how advertising has changed compared to years ago. Unless I missed something awful?

purifol0

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812327#Comment_120812327

Yeah, if you are reasonable or on the fence, then you are not "with them" and so you are against them. And this business of calling "progressive" ideologies and feminism "left-wing" boils my piss. The term "far-right" has been bandied about and lost its original meaning, its now just short hand for bad person. Ditto with "incel".

Whats especially sad is that sites like reddit, twitter and 4chan are massively bot infested to push narratives. Whereas Boards mods are actual real people.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812434#Comment_120812434

It’s pretty sad that you as a mod, who has been here a long time, are asking what’s offensive about it.

I only had a quick scan, but it’s just racist dog-whistling. Look at the posts that have 50+ thanks to be precise.

That was the type of stuff that would have been nuked on sight in the early noughts, and the OP would have been directed to post in stormfront.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812461#Comment_120812461

In the two pages I read (18/19) I identified no racism. I’m genuinely asking you as a favour here and to help me investigate can you report posts you find to be foul of the rules because as I said yesterday bitching about it in a CA thread will get no where.

I’ve had a look on the back of the complaints here but I’m too busy to sit down and read through the entire thread. That goes for anyone else who feels it requires attention, report the posts you think are a problem so I can check it out.

thanks

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812327#Comment_120812327

What you are describing is the polarisation of society in general. Nowadays, you have to be either for or against something, you can't be lukewarm in support, you can't have doubt, you can't even propose halfway houses or compromises.

Your position on trans rights is one that a lot of biological women have concerns about, protecting themselves and their own safe spaces. Shouting that down and accusing them of being anti-trans isn't fair or accurate. Addressing those fears, meeting them halfway, discussing the issues, that is what is needed, not name-calling. Are there men who will exploit trans rights to get at women? Yes is the answer. How do we deal with that should be the common approach.*

It is also true of other areas, whether it is Russia bad, Ukraine good or Trump bad, Biden good or Nationalists righteous, Unionists evil. You can't approach any of these debates from a middle or neutral ground. When and if you do, at least one of the binary thinkers on either side will accuse you of belonging to the other side and hiding your ideas to get at them.

We need less binary thinking about issues, and more broad, wider debates encompassing all viewpoints and it is somewhat ironic that the binary thinking of for and against remains so prevalent among those who are trying to take down the idea of binary genders.

*I will probably be shot down for not using the appropriate labels.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120813275#Comment_120813275

I always find it odd that it’s always, always, always “how do we protect women in their safe spaces” when talking trans issues.

Its never, “how do we support trans individuals best?” There’s far, far less of them, so theoretically it should be easier to solve from that angle.

How about that for a non-binary answer?

Of course the fact that women are far less safe in public spaces (aka non-safe spaces?) than men (and trans individuals are even LESS safer than women) should ring alarm bells for everyone, but it doesn’t.

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120813313#Comment_120813313

But it isn't always, always, "how do we protect women in their safe spaces". The point is that the issue is ignored or downplayed by trans rights activists, as you are doing now and they turn it into a binary debate to say it doesn't matter because our rights are more important. You have just proven my example, and remember, I haven't said where I stand on the issue, just that trans rights activists ignore the safe space issue in their binary view of the trans issue.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120810225#Comment_120810225

The irony is hilarious.

You have the cheek to say,

”The issue arises from people following other users around looking to continue old arguments and hoping the other person gets a ban of they wind them up enough”

AFTER you posted a screenshot of a comment of mine from another thread?

You really are unbelievable.

FWIW, I did report this post, but as I expected the mods saw nothing wrong with it.

It’s these type of micro-aggressions that mods let slip by, and that’s what has ruined boards.

Flaneur OBrien

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120813342#Comment_120813342

OK, I have never seen an article in a mainstream publication that looks at the “women’s safe space issue” from the eyes of the Trans Individuals. If you have, I’d love to have a read.

on the other hand, I have seen many, many articles about trans women “invading”* women’s safe spaces.

*and other intrusive language.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812448#Comment_120812448

That is exactly how I feel, about some of the more right wing threads.

Bad enough if you are left wing poster entering into some threads, but even more moderate views are stamped on with pile ons and name calling.

In an ideal Boards world everybody's opinion should be listened to, and passed without denigration or no comment if you disagree. Fair comment is ok, its the rest.

I don't think its the threads / right wing / left wing that are the issue as much as poster behaviour and lack of stricter moderation for all sides.

As pointed out above there are some extremely toxic threads where posts that would make your hair stand up on the back of your neck are happily esconced, garnering thanks instead of being reported and deleted.

Its coming from all sides and none of us are immune or innocent here.

Its becoming part of the culture here, and imo only stricter rules and moderation for all is the only way to get it back to a cleaner friendlier site..

But is that what most users want?

blanch152

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120813368#Comment_120813368

All you have done there is confirm my original point that the discussions on boards are reflecting the polarised approach in society generally. Similarly to you, I have never ever seen any trans rights material concede that the safe space for women issue has any merit or merits any consideration.

Point is, we on boards have become polarised too, reflecting society, and there is no middle ground. Remember, equality doesn't mean sameness.

Furze99

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120812448#Comment_120812448

I agree and you'd get fed up with some people, a small enough cohort who are continually pushing 'trans rights' and the like. In the greater scheme of things it has it's place but such issues hardly occupy the daily thoughts of the populace. Most couldn't give a cr*p.

Leg End Reject

A big problem is that there is a small number of posters who would find offence looking under their own beds and expect us all to get out the pitchforks.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120811430#Comment_120811430

There has been a few users who just started posting in the last few weeks /months who have been extremely active in starting and posting in some very divisive threads. Three have been removed by mod. But they keep popping up. Another changing same stuff.

One in particular has currently started about 10 threads, maybe more, in the last couple of months. Same poster asking everything from peoples views on politics, family issues, religion , immigration almost like doing research for a political party?

Identifies as The National Party themself.

There used to be a rule against political shills?

nullzero

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120813344#Comment_120813344

I posted that image without linking to the thread in question or mentioning your username.

The reason was to highlight the type of behaviour you had been exhibiting whilst not wanting to single you out.

You volunteered the fact that you had posted what was in that image yourself and went off on a rant that you are continuing now.

How you can describe posting an image of some text that referenced you in no way whatsoever as a micro aggression is beyond me. I wasn't referring to you and I wasn't linking to the thread it came from, it was some text in isolation.

Your accusation of that being a micro aggression are cast in yet more of a poor light by the fact that you came onto this thread and volunteered the fact that you had posted the text in the image and went on to be openly abusive towards me in response. You essentially saw my post and came in here to settle a score.

All you've done is prove my point with every post you've made on this subject and this latest tantrum just compounds it even further.