Opinion about the World Affair forum

[Virginia4Lovers]

I'm going to try and make this short and sweet and I feel this section of the forum is the appropriate place to post this. I was turned on to stevepavlina.com a couple of years ago through the polyphasic sleep conversations. I enjoyed the unique approach and viewpoint Steve had on personal development. I was pleasantly surprised when I found out he was going to have a forum for others to share their insight. I've read the forums practically daily and have applied a great deal of the things I have learned. I guess I decided not to participate in the discussions because honestly I wanted to take (great info) more than I wanted to give. Maybe that is the darkworker in me. Of course Steve introduced the World Affairs as an addition and frankly I know he and certainly I had my doubts as to the potential overall negative tone it could bring to the website in general. I certainly have my strong opinions on politics and couldn't refrain from reading the posts on here.
However I couldn't notice the extreme bias and trend that has been going on in this particular forum and I truly feel this tone has been set by one moderator (I won't mention names due to respect). This moderator in my opinion has an extreme left winged view on practically every subject and he sometimes sarcastically shuts anyone down from the other side. I've seen members who have contributed brilliant posts that I have applied to my daily life now with a "banned" under their name. It so happens that they didn't agree and had a difference of opinion than the moderator. I've seen decent posts with a conservative slant completely removed from the forum. I truly wish that this once inspirational website has turned into a political tool for one person. It actually makes me sad. If I had a say I would just say completely remove the World Affair section all together and maybe rethink who you are giving the wheel to.

[Still Growing]

Be careful then.

[Dan.Linehan]

I bet it's me!

[Dan.Linehan]

Originally Posted by Virginia4Lovers

However I couldn't notice the extreme bias and trend that has been going on in this particular forum and I truly feel this tone has been set by one moderator (I won't mention names due to respect). This moderator in my opinion has an extreme left winged view on practically every subject and he sometimes sarcastically shuts anyone down from the other side. I've seen members who have contributed brilliant posts that I have applied to my daily life now with a "banned" under their name. It so happens that they didn't agree and had a difference of opinion than the moderator. I've seen decent posts with a conservative slant completely removed from the forum. I truly wish that this once inspirational website has turned into a political tool for one person. It actually makes me sad. If I had a say I would just say completely remove the World Affair section all together and maybe rethink who you are giving the wheel to.

Hi Virginia -- welcome to the forums. Very interesting first post you have here.

Since the creation of the World Affairs forum I think only one member has been banned actually. That had nothing to do with political viewpoints, the ban was for personal attacks, name-calling, spam, etc. Clear and repeated violations of forum rules, complaints from numerous other forum members, etc.

In fact, even after his ban, that member even kept setting up duplicate accounts and returning using different handles. Can you believe that?! Of course, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you..

Anyway -- there are plenty of conservatives online here, so I wouldn't worry. Including me, I'm very fiscally conservative.

Enjoy the forums!

[Virginia4Lovers]

In fact, that member even kept setting up duplicate accounts and returning using different handles. Can you believe that?! Of course, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you..

I guess you just proved my point Dan. No I wouldn't know about setting up duplicate accounts and I think you are wrong to insinuate that I am this person (should you be banned now for this or are you just trolling?). Is this what you do when someone has a difference of opinion with you, tell them that they are not who they say they are? What am I talking about, of course I know this. Just because others have not wasted their time to express their opinion I can assure you that others in my business circle who I have referred to this place also have notice the tone you have set and your blatant disregard for other's opinions. Or maybe some people have not complained because they realize that it is a lost cause. I've notified Steve about this situation, but I was hoping that this could be handled with a little class.

[Angela]

Virginia4Lovers, welcome to the forums.

All political viewpoints are welcome here, even extremists and beliefs that some deem offensive, as long as they are expressed within the rules that are agreed to by posters who communicate here.

It's very hard to get banned here. You really have to egregiously break the rules, usually multiple times. But readers won't see the posts that get rule-breakers banned, and it can look like an innocent victim has been railroaded. I assure you, the moderators and administrators, including Steve and Erin Pavlina, carefully monitor the process and we like to err on the side of tolerance.

If you don't like the tone that is set in a thread, you are absolutely free to chime in with a new post that reroutes that tone and generates a feeling that works better for you. And if you see a post that breaks the rules, even if it's a moderator's, please report that post. You mentioned "wasting time to express opinions," but unless people take the time to report rule-breaking posts, we moderators can't review every single post and thread that comes through. We moderators hold each other to a stricter standard of posting than we do non-moderators, so you can be sure a rule-breaker won't be overlooked or tolerated merely because it was posted by a mod.

It sounds to me like Dan's style of posting may be a perfect opportunity for you to practice full self-expression in the realm of World Affairs! Good luck.

[Tasaio]

I truly feel this tone has been set by one moderator (I won't mention names due to respect).

But if you don't mention names, there's no evidence to back your claims.

This moderator in my opinion has an extreme left winged view on practically every subject

Check out Ask Steve - Rapid-Fire Questions

What’s your stance on abortion?

I’m pro-conscious-choice.

What’s your stance on the death penalty?

I don’t favor it for humans, animals, or humans who behave like animals.

What are your views on sex?

I’m pro-sex. As long as it’s heart-centered and consensual, let the fun begin. Nothing beats a good shag.

Are you straight or gay?

100% straight… with just a slight bend to the left.

I’m a fetus guarding, lethal injecting, abstinent carnivore, and I find your remarks offensive.

That isn’t a question.

Steve is to the left. His wife Erin voted for Barack Obama.

Check out Obama vs. McCain -- how would you vote?

Over 60% would vote for Obama, only 15% would vote McCain. This forum is overwhelmingly to the left of the current US Republicans.

From my Canadian perspective, this forum has a right-winged bias.

I'm not sure what you expected from Steve Pavlina's forums...

I've seen members who have contributed brilliant posts that I have applied to my daily life now with a "banned" under their name.

Again, you have to supply names and examples as evidence. Otherwise your claims have no merit.

this once inspirational website has turned into a political tool for one person

If Steve's OK with that, it's his call to make. This is his website.

If I had a say I would just say completely remove the World Affair section all together and maybe rethink who you are giving the wheel to.

Don't try to stifle discussion because you don't agree with the domineering political views. If you don't agree, then make a post explaining why that's the case--in a polite and respectful manner.

[Still Growing]

Virginia4Lovers, this isn't a gov't ran website supported by public funds so why does it have to be balanced? If you feel its too leftist for you then you can always go elsewhere.

I know someone personally who was banned for life. They claim that they never made hate speech and that they were simply debating with the moderator. I don't know all the comments that they made but its unwise to get under the skin of someone who has the power. You may not like it but thats the way this world works.

What do you expect Steve to do? He has to back up his moderators who are working so hard for his site. I'd do the same.

If you don't like it you can go elsewhere.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

No one is being banned for disagreeing with the political views of a Mod. If you can't imagine why a particular poster would be banned, it's probably because the offending (read: forum rule breaking) posts have been deleted. It seems like you are projecting things that just aren't happening. I'm not saying you have to like Dan's tone or his views or even his way of expressing them, but the appropriate action when you feel a post breaks forum rules is to report it using the system set in place on the forums.

Politics is a touchy subject, but everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don't see why the World Affairs forum shouldn't have a left leaning slant if that is the ideology of the majority of posting forum members. Sure we have some heated discussions (I've been in the middle of a few) but only the rule breakers get banned (and they get plenty of warning and opportunity to correct course before that happens) not just anyone who disagrees with Dan or any other poster.

In addition, it didn't seem to me like Dan was accusing you of being a banned member who's setting up more accounts. I thought he was just making the point that you don't know what all goes on behind the scenes of the forum among the Mods/Steve and Erin. If you knew all of it, you wouldn't question the bans.

Happy posting.

[Steve Pavlina]

I think we have a pretty fair system in place with good checks and balances. Whenever a post is reported by any forum member, it goes into a special mods-only forum where ALL of the moderators can review and discuss it. Almost all the reported posts are clear-cut cases of spam. Less frequent are trolling and personal attacks.

If a moderator crosses the line, I'd have no qualms about dropping him/her, but I just haven't seen that from Dan or any of the current mods. One of our earlier mods, however, did cross the line with some personal attacks, which were reported by a member. He was immediately dropped as a mod. He kept up the personal attacks and was given a temporary ban. He came back and did it again and was permanently banned. For some reason a certain topic just set him off, and he just started going off on people. Today we'd probably skip the temp ban, since it rarely makes a difference for those who are willing to resort to personal attacks. All it does is delay the inevitable.

I also monitor the reported posts. There have been very few occasions where I disagreed with a mod's original call, but those have always been borderline situations. Usually when I override a mod's call, in the long run it turns out that I was the one in error, and I'd have been better off going with their original decision.

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by Tasaio

From my Canadian perspective, this forum has a right-winged bias.

From my French perspective too.

I also think Dan was just pointing out that we don't know much about what happens behind the stage. Offensive posts get deleted, so it's difficult to know how someone broke the rules. I also know from my own experience () that you get a warning before a ban.

If Dan, his posts, and his power irritate you, you could be grateful to him. It's an excellent opportunity to address some issues of yours that you might not have been aware of till now I find that whatever bugs me is a signal for me to have a close look at it.

Now that you're not a lurker anymore, I hope you'll stay with us. Happy posting

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

I also know from my own experience () that you get a warning before a ban.

I am shocked...SHOCKED I tell you....and curious .

[Angela]

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

I am shocked...SHOCKED I tell you....and curious .

What, you think a Warrior wouldn't push a boundary every now and then?

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Angela

What, you think a Warrior wouldn't push a boundary every now and then?

Well, sure, but I can't imagine what forum rule dear, sweet Warrior Rose would break???

[Playlife]

Even Playlife has been banned for a day(but no warning:O). Interesting times we live in...

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Playlife

Even Playlife has been banned for a day(but no warning:O). Interesting times we live in...

I feel kind of left out now. *off to commit a ban worthy offense*

[Rose of Cairo]

Originally Posted by {aspiring_to_clarity}

Well, sure, but I can't imagine what forum rule dear, sweet Warrior Rose would break???

The one that forbids name calling. I called someone a jerk.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

The one that forbids name calling. I called someone a jerk.

I'm sure s/he deserved it . Kidding, of course, no one is exempt from the forum rules .

But really, I totally missed that. Just proves the point that the majority of us don't really know what goes on when people get warned/banned.

[Steve Pavlina]

Didn't we invite you to become a mod yourself, aspiring? And you said no, didn't you? The offer is still open to join the ban-happy posse.

[ThoughtAddict]

Originally Posted by Rose of Cairo

The one that forbids name calling. I called someone a jerk.

I just now realized how safe this board is. I didn't even notice the absence of personal attacks because it feels so natural not to have them.

[{aspiring_to_clarity}]

Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina

Didn't we invite you to become a mod yourself, aspiring? And you said no, didn't you? The offer is still open to join the ban-happy posse.

Hmmm, no. I don't recall being extended such an offer. Must have just happened in your reality .

I'm not sure what to say. I'm honored, but not sure I have the objectivity to do the job well .