Thanks for the PSA. I didn't know about it but it would have been helpful last time everyone was raving about all the cool new secret story content added in the last patch, which was immediately discovered, screencapped, and spammed all over the forums within 12 hours of the update going live.
"Ignore This Thread" Best. Forum. Feature. Ever.
- Thread starter Heavensburn
- Start date
^^ This! ^^
Never will understand why people celebrate being able to create an echo chamber around themselves. Enveloping them in a place where their opinions are mirrored back at them and are always 'correct'. Where they are never challenged to think critically, never having to argue a viewpoint and perhaps learn something new - god forbid having to change one's opinion as a result!
Where they start to falsely beleive that no other viewpoint could possibly be valid because everyone and everything agrees with me!
Where they start to falsely beleive that no other viewpoint could possibly be valid because everyone and everything agrees with me!
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It's also possible to ignore whole sub-forums. I do that so New Posts becomes useful, skipping all the languages I don't read
Sometimes it is necessary though in order to keep one's sanity, I rarely use either thread/user ignore features and when I do it is normally only in extreme cases (and normally only for a limited time) - I have used such features once or twice since joining these forums.
I do agree though that ignoring another persons point of view (or not giving their points fair consideration - which does not necessarily mean agreeing with their point of view nor does it necessarily mean considering their perspective valid) is ill-advised.
Except that's not what blocking threads does. Blocking a sufficient subset of posters might, but that's a different feature entirely and one I don't favour. Forum threads by their very nature will tend to provoke responses from the extremes of any viewpoint spectrum, hopefully with many points in between, assuming they live long enough. Very few threads are echo chambers, unless all you're looking at is the titles which can tend towards the divisive unless moderated.
The problem is that many threads, while ultimately balanced in terms of viewpoints, only carry the same viewpoints as a bazillion other threads that have gone before. For instance it's been a long time since I've seen an "I flew in Open and someone blew me up" thread that contains anything not seen before. Most of them end up in the Hotel California for this very reason. I'd like a feature that preemptively removes those threads from the visible list so I can concentrate on reading those that do contain something new or interesting.
That's not an echo chamber. It's a noise reduction filter.
When I ignore a thread it's because it's a very active thread I find boring. Makes the New Posts list more manageable.
When I ignore a user it's because they've been a complete eedjit across so many threads that there's no hope for redemption. Or used icky fonts.
When I ignore a user it's because they've been a complete eedjit across so many threads that there's no hope for redemption. Or used icky fonts.
Bingo.
you answered your own question: for some people a discussion forum is a 'place to be', and they want that place cozy and clean. it's just a function of the inordinate amount of time they spend on the forum (which reinforces attachment and entitlement) and their tolerance of noise and dissent. yes, it looks like an addiction because it is one. a soft one.
other than that it's not so strange. look at google, facebook and even the media, it's all about reinforcing one's own ideas (or spreading dogma) and feeling cozy in that slice of 'reality'. this very forum is moderated. it's quite tolerant moderation in comparison to others but still threads get closed, people even demand threads getting closed! it's the same thing at a different level.
the bottom line is that humans are wired by evolution to meddle in groups around 50 individuals, knowing each other personally, yet we live in a planet interconnected with billions of strangers ... and it works! but our human brain is just not there, unable to cope with that much diversity and information. so we seek safe havens where we are familiar and where we our beliefs are not constantly challenged, but reinforced by the ... tribe. our 'place'.
now, there is another aspect to blocking, and that's making it public. why would you? this is a clear call to 'likeminded' to do the same, help to keep the 'place' clean and ignore collectively any disturbance so to not only 'hide' unwanted content, but eradicate it. this is an agenda. of course it's a fantasy, doesn't work ... and can actually fire back and make groups fully endogamic and finally stagnate to extinction (although i don't think this will happen to this forum anytime soon, there's just to much movement. still).
on a personal note, for example i do spend (way too) much time lurking lately, because reasons. i'm aware and while i'm 'here' (won't be forever) i love reading (or skim reading) everything: interesting, fun, odd, antagonizing, informative, offtopic, pathetic ... it's a quite diverse group of people and it's both entertaining and instructive. but the very moment i felt the need of filters or blocks it would raise a red flag, a sign i was getting sucked in way too much.
i have actually blocked one (1) user, and it was more of a pun block than anything because of a very arrogant statement (about blocking other users, coincidence) in one single post. one of many interesting and informative posts because it's actually a smart and informed user, but that block stands as a testament, and there will be no more. i'm telling myself i don't care enough about this 'place' to block anyone, nor to bother about removing a block. i care about people, ideas, opinions, ... not 'places to be'.
That's an option? Ah well, I just use Ad Block Plus to block giant signature & annoying animated avatars that I don't like.
Im a fanboy and I dont think the game is "perfect". I just realise its just a game and enjoy it for what it is. I dont have anybody or forum on my ignore list because all opinions count in my book, right or wrong. You shouldnt brand everyone with the same brush.
to bad it doesn'T work for whole forum sections.
i tried to ignore the whole russian and french section for the "new posts" button
but i had to ignore each individual sub-forums of those to exclude them
i tried to ignore the whole russian and french section for the "new posts" button
but i had to ignore each individual sub-forums of those to exclude them