The issue, though, is that we don't want to teach them that being on the carpet is bad, or that coming near the guy with the newspaper gets you hit. Not everyone is going to be quite so understanding that you're enraged at their play and utterly disgusted with their actions during the game, and that you mean no particular ill-will towards them in general.
For that matter, I'm not sure how crystal clear you make it that simply not doing that makes everything better again- "I hope it is remembered by [everyone] when these indecent infractors try to join more games" sounds an awful lot like you're trying to run them out of town.
That's why we, unlike dogs, have
language. We can
tell them what we thought was good, bad, right, wrong, and so on, in our opinions and words; they, being smarter than dogs (we hope) will understand our words and reasons behind it, and exercise their free will, in order to modify, or not, their behaviour. It's up to us what we say, it's up to them what they do. "Us" and "them" being freely exchangeable for me, we, they, she, you, or whatever; one person says his piece, and
unlike a dog, the recipient has the grammar to understand it. Whether he acts upon it or not, is up to him.
Let me put it this way. The reason why we can argue so strongly in games without impunity is that we keep it nice out here. We know that we're not really flaming each other. We're friends. We like each other. I like my games rough and my forums nice and vanilla.
Sure we are, but your "nice" and my "nice" may be different. I can call a life-long friend a "self-important blowhard", or a racial epithet, or an offensive nickname. I do all the time. Maybe you don't, and that's OK, but I do. So, how's your "nice" better or nicer or more bay12ish than mine? My friends know that, amongst friends, I tell shit as it is, no holds barred. Or are your friends better than my friends, or what is your point? My point is: I calls'em as I sees'em, as I posted way earlier, and that's how I treat my friends: honestly.
You've repeatedly said "I don't give a fuck about your opinion on the way I deliver my messages."
I don't. I just deliver them. You take them, or discard them, or are offended by them, or love me forever for them, or whatever, at your option. All I do is output them, the most I can say about them is that they're honest. Your reaction to the output is your input's problem.
At the same time, you say "explain why you don't want me to berate people."
No, I haven't. I have not asked you to explain why I stopped beating my wife either. I am not berating anyone; I'm telling them their performance was disgraceful, they should be ashamed, and I won't join their games. If that's by you "berating" then you're better off not coming near my friends. They
know how to berate... and yet we're still friends.
You've also said "if you don't like my opinions, then I will just leave."
It may have been my mistake. I thought for a moment you said something like "this is how we do things around here", to which I replied "given that I do things differently, and I'm here, then either it isn't or I shouldn't be here". But maybe I misunderstood. Please elaborate.
As for why, I actually care about people's feelings. It's called empathy, sugar. You might want to look it up in a dictionary.
I'm familiar with it, and I do, but when it comes to building a gaming community in this forum, I care more about activity. Most people here, by virtue of being here and playing this game, know or will know what's a thick skin and how to grow it. Growing a thick skin is part of the process of playing mafia (and indeed many consistent forum activities), and my telling, say, Argembarger, "your mother was a hampster and your father smelt of elderberries" shouldn't affect his feelings overmuch. If it does, then either he'll grow a thicker skin or he shouldn't be here, yes?
I don't like people coming here and being cared about more as a player than as a person.
Never said that, never meant that. People are people first, but they're here to play a game. Their people aspect comes to the fore if they'll be busy this week, or if they have interesting ideas, or if they want to meet to play chess or poker or have a few drinks at the Bay Area or whatever, but as far as
this sub-forum is concerned, there's not much soul wrangling or gnashing of teeth. If their feelings really need a cuddle, they can go hang out in one of the "hug me" threads on General Discussion.
I don't like you saying "everyone remember this--heed ye!" I don't like your ultimatums, I don't like your PSAs, and I don't like the nasty way you argue.
Once again, and I'm beginning to be concerned by how often you make this point, I've never recruited, or called people to do anything they don't want to do, or given any ultimatums (other than "put up or shut up").
By PSAs I wonder if you mean the LurkerTrackers... would you like them discontinued? That can also be arranged, if people favour it, but they're generally posted for general benefit, and the source is open for people to make their own (and indeed, some have), so even if I quit them, do you want Argembarger to quit his too? Or what is your point... that the LurkerTracker should never have existed? Are we tinkering with knowledge only God should have or something?
That doesn't mean that I want you to leave. It means that I want you to change it, because I like the atmosphere here, I care about the players, and I don't think they deserve to be treated this way. By anyone.
Change me? Sorry honey, prettier babes have tried and failed (wink). Seriously, I ain't changing. I give you my honest word that if a majority of people want me gone, I'll be gone, but otherwise I hate to inform you that your cherished community now includes this particular self-important blowhard:
ME <===By the way, again: Jim & Pandar: Your piece? Or are you willing to have your mom do your fighting for ya? What is it that you objected about my post to BMXXI, or about my stance on lurkers, or my language or body odor or something? Do you want me gone? Speak up or be branded as little chickens hiding under your mom's skirt.
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Topic: Games Threshold Discussion and List (Read 587559 times)