Posted by spoc on May 28, 2004, at 12:03:39
In reply to re: hoover man's block, posted by Dr. Bob on May 28, 2004, at 1:43:51
I also wanted to make a suggestion as to how blocks go down, if they are to continue. Previously, when someone has been blocked and PBCed before (even distantly), it seems that in subsequent cases the hammer can come down as a total shock with no warning. No PBC or even Please Rephrase, just squashed like a fly on the page in an instant.
When people die sudden and traumatic deaths like that in the movies, we all know they return as ghosts, to haunt the scene forevermore in search of justice! Ha ha, just kidding, but that probably is the principle behind many posters who try to reincarnate themselves as a way to deal with the shock and sudden loss of their voice and existence here. The reincarnated poster issue of course has exactly *NOTHING* to do with the situation at hand, just addressing another matter related to the various problems with blocks, and one that might also be reduced through some of the changes we are discussing.
Anyway, I was thinking that in cases of the kinds of things Larry had posted when that happened (i.e. not clearly outrageous), some discussion or warning should have to transpire first. Attempts at rephrasing have historically been a challenge, but I think the person should at least have some indication of what may be coming. The element of being truly stunned and then rendered immediately speechless with adrenalin and racing thoughts bottled up has to feel like a nightmare. There isn't necessarily a lesson that "should have been learned before," except in the cases of those clearly outrageous and injurious behaviors, which we probably can more or less agree on a definition of.
Sidebar (naturally): I myself don't really care which way the cursing issue goes, although I wouldn't see violations to that as ever fitting the egregious category (blocks doubling, tripling, ecalating). Because while I'm in the camp that is not offended by it and sees it as reality and sometimes adding flair and color, I do know that on a heartfelt rather than judgmental level, not all react that way. My father is verrrrry much like that, from his very gut, not his head, and witnessing him I can't deny that it hurts him although he often tries to suffer in silence. So, it is true that people *can* use the technical word-checking tool while they are writing and before they post, which is a concrete tool not available to them in assessing their thoughts and phrases.
Anyway, as to other types of violations, maybe by way of something like the detention area lil' jimi suggested the person should also be given a reasonable opportunity before or after the actual sentence to cite other equal or possibly weightier violations on that thread, which may have been missed. While Dr. Bob can be emailed regarding such things, those kinds of observations probably deserve to be as public as the whole discussion up til then had been. It would also afford an opportunity to see if it is the opinion of just the affected poster, or one that is widely shared.
Maybe, in that detention/purgatory/limbo area (PB Limbo Land?), the person or persons thought to be "injured" by the transgression -- or guilty of an equal violation -- could weigh in and discuss for a certain period... And perhaps, in the case of the latter, be allowed the option of just apologizing to each other, or otherwise agreeing that nothing so serious was going on as to warrant further action...?
Maybe this next part is getting a little too unrealistically "creative," but would it be possible for people to have the option of anonymity in posting observations and opinions to the limbo area? Under temporary, generic screennames (with Dr. Bob still able to detect IP addresses to circumvent any games), and in that way reduce any feelings of being on the spot? Ok I think I'm done! ;- )
poster:spoc
thread:346427
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20040527/msgs/351514.html