Angela Harlem
Jesus Online
Perhaps...just perhaps, there is room on this massive board for a place for negative commentary. I dread to say yet another forum, but there is beyond a need for people to vent in a place specifically FOR that.
Of course we can all argue that fights should never break out as they shouldn't with all of us being capable of maturity. But they have been for years, breaking out, these fights. It also seems ludicrous that on a fan site there could be a need for a place solely for criticism and for people to discuss what they don't like - but it's not going to stop. Lets not kid ourselves.
Create a spleen forum (or alternative avenue) so people can vent with permission on ATYCLB, POP, a tour, a song, Adam's stuff up on the 23rd second of OWIUYDHJW, album art, bono's hair...whatever the hell people want to hate. It will get nasty. It will get angry, but people will know that there will be strong opposition in there to something they may actually love - and thus moot the need to say "you dont have to read it if you dont like it" It will also remove the onus from the mods to necessarily school teacherise moderating as it will BE for criticising. Moderated just like any other forum, for when threads get ridiculous or stoop to insults etc, but place large warning signs everywhere so no one is ignorant.
Biggest pro for doing this? The negativity is killing this forum. It's making people want to leave, the naysayers wont stop, the resister's wont stop. So give them a place for debating/arguing (like fym ends up)/criticising. Keep it off the main forums. Implement a rule that any such threads dont belong in the more positive forums like the tour section and eykiw and deal with breaches as applicable. Anyone who participates in these threads it will then be on their head. I'd know personally never to step into a POP hating thread, I understand ironically enough why people hate it and agree with their reasons FOR hating it, but as I love it, I'd be able to avoid these threads as they'd surely be clearly marked as a POP critique. There is no reason for the contrary ATYCLB lovers to do likewise with that album.
This isn't just for those 2 albums though. It isn't a call for all pointless bitching to get a home. Make this constructive. Ask members to properly write articles on what they might think of [whatever]. It doesn't need to be a free-for-all and I'm not suggesting it become one.
It's gone beyond a need though, I reckon.
Of course we can all argue that fights should never break out as they shouldn't with all of us being capable of maturity. But they have been for years, breaking out, these fights. It also seems ludicrous that on a fan site there could be a need for a place solely for criticism and for people to discuss what they don't like - but it's not going to stop. Lets not kid ourselves.
Create a spleen forum (or alternative avenue) so people can vent with permission on ATYCLB, POP, a tour, a song, Adam's stuff up on the 23rd second of OWIUYDHJW, album art, bono's hair...whatever the hell people want to hate. It will get nasty. It will get angry, but people will know that there will be strong opposition in there to something they may actually love - and thus moot the need to say "you dont have to read it if you dont like it" It will also remove the onus from the mods to necessarily school teacherise moderating as it will BE for criticising. Moderated just like any other forum, for when threads get ridiculous or stoop to insults etc, but place large warning signs everywhere so no one is ignorant.
Biggest pro for doing this? The negativity is killing this forum. It's making people want to leave, the naysayers wont stop, the resister's wont stop. So give them a place for debating/arguing (like fym ends up)/criticising. Keep it off the main forums. Implement a rule that any such threads dont belong in the more positive forums like the tour section and eykiw and deal with breaches as applicable. Anyone who participates in these threads it will then be on their head. I'd know personally never to step into a POP hating thread, I understand ironically enough why people hate it and agree with their reasons FOR hating it, but as I love it, I'd be able to avoid these threads as they'd surely be clearly marked as a POP critique. There is no reason for the contrary ATYCLB lovers to do likewise with that album.
This isn't just for those 2 albums though. It isn't a call for all pointless bitching to get a home. Make this constructive. Ask members to properly write articles on what they might think of [whatever]. It doesn't need to be a free-for-all and I'm not suggesting it become one.
It's gone beyond a need though, I reckon.