Talking through the Ignore Feature

[FrogReaver]

I would like to discuss the ignore feature in detail - primarily how users are using it, why they are using it that way, mod expectations around it's use, what other users expectations are around it's use and how ignore should be treated by everyone going forward.

My first thought is that the ignore feature can be used when someone else is being rude to you that doesn't require you to simply demand them to stop. That sounds great. Except, using the ignore feature cuts you off from other potentially meaningful posts that another poster makes. Now if they are rude 99% of the time and only say something meaningful 1% of the time then I think all of us would happily give up access to their few meaningful posts. But I don't think that's the general case. I think most of the time a far greater percentage of what someone says is meaningful and that they are only rude a small portion of the time and in those circumstance it seems that using the ignore feature is more akin to punishing myself for their bad behavior by cutting myself off from any meaningful thing they are saying.

So my expectation is that the ignore feature is a last resort toward someone that is incapable of not being rude (of course I wonder why anyone would be allowed to stay here while being that rude but I think that's a different subject). I get the impression that moderations expectation of the ignore feature is that it's a magical bullet that would solve every problem if people would just use it at the first sign of rudeness. On top of this, most rude behavior isn't directly against the rules but calling out that rude behavior is and tends to be treated more harshly than the instigating behavior.

So what are others thoughts? Am I missing something vitally important in this ignore debate? Does moderation have any comments or counterpoints? Is there an even better case for not going to the ignore feature straight away?

 

[jmartkdr2]

So I took a moment to skim the official rules page: there's no mention of the feature, so I don't think there is an official moderator stance.

Page, for reference: Terms and rules

 

[Blue]

I can tell you how I used it under the old software - if myself and someone else were butting heads in multiple threads, or they took it personal, I'd ignore them. For some it was a while for use to both cool down, for others it was bye-bye.

They dont' have to be rude to everyone (which would sooner or later be a ban-able offense), just annoying to me.

My understanding from the new software is that ignore just means I can't see their posts, but they can see mine. Since that would allow these potential bad actors to tear apart what I am posting without me getting a chance to know about it or respond. So I don't block anyone.

 

[FrogReaver]

So I took a moment to skim the official rules page: there's no mention of the feature, so I don't think there is an official moderator stance.

Page, for reference: Terms and rules

I think you are just quibbling on semantics - but would love to hear the mods take. All I know is it's mentioned an awful lot in mod red text posts as a solution. It's definitively possible my somewhat hyperbolic take on their position is off the mark though.

 

[Lanefan]

Now if they are rude 99% of the time and only say something meaningful 1% of the time then I think all of us would happily give up access to their few meaningful posts.

Not me.

I'll put up with the 99% just to get to that 1%; as everyone sooner or later has something useful to say and I want to hear it when it happens. And I'm used to people being rude and am - if I have to, say in an unmoderated forum - perfectly capable of giving back what I get.

Thus, I never - and will never - block anyone. In fact, I'm a bit disappointed that the option even exists.

 

[FrogReaver]

The main comments in this thread have so far centered around not wanting to use the current ignore feature, and surprisingly for vastly different reasons. I know it's too early to call that a consensus but I find that being the direction this appears to be heading very interesting. So exploring that paradigm a bit: if the ignore feature is either a last or no resort to these users - then what actually happens when such posters encounter rude behavior on this forum? I think there are a few possibilities:

1. Someone is rude so they are rude back. This can take many forms. But one I've seen many times is the perception that the other poster is derailing a fairly new thread. In that instance the rudeness back manifests with please go somewhere else (at the nicest) to get the heck out of here (at the most rude). What happens almost everytime in this kind of situation is being rude back gets the mods called on you and best case is both of you get in trouble and worst case is being rude back just got you in trouble.

2. Okay so why not just report the post when someone is rude and leave it be till the mods respond. Because the mods don't just respond to anything rude. They respond when it's sufficiently rude which typically requires a few iterations of escalation. So unless the post you reported was egregiously rude then no luck here.

3. So do nothing about what anyone does that's rude to you. That definitely makes the forum "appear" to be running smoother and makes the mods lives easier but I doubt that's the way any of us would want the forum to be ran.

IMO. None of these are good outcomes.

 

[SkidAce]

Thus, I never - and will never - block anyone. In fact, I'm a bit disappointed that the option even exists.

Truth.

 

[prabe]

Truth.

Seconded. I don't think there's anyone here I can't learn from--even if what I learn is why I think the way I do.

 

[The Crimson Binome]

If someone is being obviously disingenuous, or their opinions are so heinously offensive that a reasonable person would not be able to let it stand unchallenged, I'll just block the person. Because calling someone out for their stupidity is considered a worse infraction than posting that stupidity in the first place. (Which is a bad policy, and not remotely fair, but this isn't a democracy and I don't pay the bills.)

And yes, that means the worst people will always get the last word in any debate, because I can't see what they say; but the first rule of internet forums is, "Don't feed the trolls".

 

[FrogReaver]

Seconded. I don't think there's anyone here I can't learn from--even if what I learn is why I think the way I do.

I think most of us here are still trying to learn why we think the way we do