General / Off-Topic The Loss of a Reason and thus the loss of Interest. An After Action Report.

[Sunleader]

My Activity log is entirely Empty.
Its been Months I showed Interest in any Forum Activity. And it seems my Friends share this trait.

When Freedom of Speech was lost and Political Discussions (and thus nearly all RL Discussions anyways) was declared illegal.
The thing that kept bringing us back to the Forums and to the Game vanished.

I did not really notice the Games News. And with the loss of Community the Game itself was forgotten as well.
I noticed a large Steam Update and decided to Check back a while ago. But lost Motivation almost instantly as none of my Friends were here. Not in the Game and not in the Forums.

A moment of Silence.
The Realization that even if I bothered to look how the new Mechanics worked. It would be meaningless.
Because there is nobody there to have fun with.
And when checking the Forum for recent posts everything is just the Game and does not allow entry or understanding for those of us who havnt been active in the Game.
A Devils Circle. As the Game is not interesting me without a Community. While the Community is not really accessible unless you already entered the game.

Its a strange feeling.
Once a Month I notice this favorite in my browser. *Frontier Forums* I remember why I am not active anymore and get Frustratet. Then I consider to issue a complaint or look around. But then I just leave it be. Its not worth wasting my time.
The Trolls which spend Months to derail Discussions on purpose had Won by a landslide and finally managed to force the Moderation Team into an unconditional surrender. The demand of complete censorship of political discussion was enforced and the Battle was lost.
Nothing will change that anymore.

Another moment of Silence.
What now ?
Uninstall the Game and move on ? Somehow the lingering attachement is still too strong.
But If I log in the only thing awaiting me is the warning that my old Engineer Equipment will be changed if I try upgrading it. Which I have no idea if it would be good or bad.



Tell me something funny guys.
Whats the off topic used for nowdays ?
Aside from Meme spam of course.

 

[Chris Simon]

Whats the off topic used for nowdays ?

If you can't read the topics to find out, why would you read my post trying to explain it?
Welcome to my ignore list.

 

[Sunleader]

If you can't read the topics to find out, why would you read my post trying to explain it?
Welcome to my ignore list.

For the same reason that I go into a Bar and Drink Beer for 10 Euro the Litre instead of buying it in the Supermarket for 80 Cents.

But well. Goodbye Honey. I am sorry I couldnt make you happy ^^

 

[Deleted member 110222]

I for one think the forum is much better now politics isn't allowed.

And quit with this freedom of speech thing. This is a forum owned by a commercial company. You were only ever allowed to say what they say you can.

Want freedom of speech? Go become a politician. This is a video game forum. Nobody gives a damn. Most of us are here to ignore people like you.

 

[Sunleader]

I for one think the forum is much better now politics isn't allowed.

And quit with this freedom of speech thing. This is a forum owned by a commercial company. You were only ever allowed to say what they say you can.

Want freedom of speech? Go become a politician. This is a video game forum. Nobody gives a damn. Most of us are here to ignore people like you.

And what worth has a Forum where exchanged Opinions are limited to what the Company dictates ?
No Offense Mate. But if you accept being an slave that is only allowed to talk when it advertises the companies product then thats your choice.

But remember. You might be fine with it when the topics you dont like are Silenced by censorship.
But a Company that has stooped low enough to Silence one Topic that they wanted to get rid off. Will also always consider the option Silence others in the future.
And the day will come when you are the one who wants to say something and ends up Silenced.

Maybe when this day comes you will remember my words

 

[Necronaught]

Harsh Un1K0rn. I had to blink then I thought I was on Spectrum lol.

I agree, since politics have been off limits the forums have become just fluff. I miss getting into debates. I miss the insinuation that I'm a German from the 30's because I want out of you know where. It was fun. Nowadays all I can muster is diet and Jiu Jitsu talk.

​

 

[Sunleader]

Harsh Un1K0rn. I had to blink then I thought I was on Spectrum lol.

I agree, since politics have been off limits the forums have become just fluff. I miss getting into debates. I miss the insinuation that I'm a German from the 30's because I want out of you know where. It was fun. Nowadays all I can muster is diet and Jiu Jitsu talk.

​

Well. Its the easy choice after all.
Silencing a controversal discussion is much easier than moderating it
For the very same reason many Police Unions will often demand the right to Prohibit and Deny Demonstrations and Protests.
After all. Its much easier to just declare everyone there a criminal instead of being forced to sort out troublemakers out of a mass of people.

But what people tend to forget is the implications this sets.
Of course everyone agrees when the faction they dislike is Silenced like that.
They dont realize that their approval of Silencing others. Also means that they agree to be Silenced themselves.

And especially the statement that a Company can do whatever they want just because its their domain. Is extremely dangerous.
After all. If they can Ignore the Personal Rights of people in this case. They can ignore it on other cases as well right
By that Logic Online Companies would be able to sell your Bank Data and even publish your private Data or sell it to other companies and you would not be allowed to complain
Rings a bell ?
We aint allowed to talk about it. Because even if its not a Political Topic it would likely go into Politics.
That Fact alone should ring some alarms if you ask me.......


Just is Just and Unjust is Unjust.
If you Permit Unjust behavior against one Faction. You open the door for all Factions to be treated that way.

And the same is true for Ideals. If you sell em on one thing. They are gone for all other things as well.
Whenever Frontier claims that they would not inhibit the Right of their users to freely voice their Opinion. You can just poikt the finger at Politics. And all their credibility vanishes

Well then.
I thank you guys for giving me a bit Entertainment through the Night. (Even tough I had hoped for more discourse.... these Forums have either become pretty tame or are just pretty inactive during the Night.)

Good Night everyone.

 

[Robin of Spiritwood]

:x

5 chr.

 

[Jaiotu]

Well ... if you want to talk politics we can talk politics all day and Frontier's moderators won't delete the conversation:

I've always preferred the Federation over the Empire myself. That whole slavery thing and the Alliance has always seemed a bit toothless. As far as President Hudson goes though, I just don't care for the man and am looking forward to his fourth year in office in hopes that a vote of no confidence will shift the Federation's focus.

If you want to talk about real-world politics though ... there are plenty of online forums out there where you can do that ... sites dedicated to that kind of thing in fact. No need to turn this forum into that kind of thing. I don't play Elite Dangerous to discuss my opinions of political parties or politicians and world leaders and I don't come to these forums looking for a fight over such matters ... unless it's a war of words about which galactic superpower is superior. When I visit this site I try and keep my feet grounded in the game's fantasy universe.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

When Freedom of Speech was lost and Political Discussions (and thus nearly all RL Discussions anyways) was declared illegal.
The thing that kept bringing us back to the Forums and to the Game vanished.

There is no such thing as freedom of speech of any forum, or anywhere in the world. Try standing at the entrance to the White House and telling security you would like to kill the president and see how far freedom of speech gets you.

As for political discussions, the internet is full of places where you can discuss politics to your hearts content. It doesn't have to be here.

 

[Necronaught]

Why not? Many of us like the banter. It's a forum for people with a common interest for games and space. Why not crack the shells and dig deeper? Those that don't want it don't have to get involved. These forums are already tainted to the SC community so damage already done if that what FDev are concerned about.

I love reading posts from across the spectrum of political opinion. I gain knowledge from it. I have actually had my views altered by some great posts here.

 

[Patrick_68000]

One thing does not change several months after

This is the length of the posts of Sunleader that I do not read because it is too tiring

And I cannot dedicate all my time to Sunleader

 

[ianw]

Whilst I agree the topics were sometimes interesting they were always going to be very polarising and some people would get extremely shirty about stuff.

It's a game forum - the mods are volunteers from the gaming community - I can't it imagine it's any fun trying to moderate controversial political or religious stuff that's guaranteed to turn into a fight within the first page.

As forum users we can watch from the cheap seats without getting involved but the mods have to get involved - so with that in mind I support it as no-one should have to deal with that crap for free.

As others have said it's nothing to with freedom of speech and there are plenty of other places people can get their political preaching fix.

ETA - wonder if this thread will get nuked for talking about talking about politics

 

[Ian Skippy]

Well. Its the easy choice after all.
Silencing a controversal discussion is much easier than moderating it

It is not easier, it just takes less time. And mods here are volunteers who didnt sign up to babysit people hurling insults over who is the biggest Hitler. If you want that, just join one of the million forums where that is fine.

 

[Insomnia]

I never understood the "freedom of speech" thing when on international internet forums. We are all here on Frontiers terms and not your country's terms.
As with Facebook, you accept the rules provided to you here.
I don't think politics belong here.

If you're just here for the politics, then there surely must be better better places to discuss it than a game's forum.

 

[Agony_Aunt]

It's a game forum - the mods are volunteers from the gaming community - I can't it imagine it's any fun trying to moderate controversial political or religious stuff that's guaranteed to turn into a fight within the first page.

Pretty much this. Nobody really wants to be moderating things they didn't sign up to moderate. And political discussions always turn south, and usually quite quickly. Same with religion. Two things that no moderator wants to get involved with.

We are all here on Frontiers terms and not your country's terms.

Even countries that claim to have freedom of speech don't actually have it. In the UK there is so called hate speech which can land you in trouble. If there was freedom of speech then that wouldn't be a thing (not saying it isn't a good thing! There are some things that are required for civilization to hold together).

 

[Pyrotiger]

Ironic how OP talks about trolls, given his past record. Perhaps he should look in the mirror and take some responsibility for the derailing of discussions.

There's freedom of speech, and there's freedom to talk rubbish about stuff someone doesn't know about, even if it insults others who, for example, clearly have lived in a certain country and do patently know more than that poster!

Then they can be hit with a wall of almost incomprehensible text, their points can be strawmanned and ignored, and round and round we go. Argument to exhaustion.

I don't miss it at all. It's an exercise in futility, as some people just want to win at all costs, they don't care about discussing. They don't want to learn, they want to overcome. Also, some are so full of their own bias, to the point where everything else is automatically discounted. I am sadly tempted to put OP in that bracket. I'm sorry but I don't miss your rambling incoherent posts and the forum is better for it. Much, much better IMO.

The fact that OP hasn't contributed to other parts of the forum, about the actual game, should lead him to wonder why he is here in the first place, and to find a more suitable place. There are plenty of politically motivated websites out there.

 

[Robert Maynard]

Political discussion is not welcomed on these forums:

Greetings,

We have decided to close off-topic political discussions as they appear on the forum. We believe political discussion is important, but there are other forums that are more suitable for it elsewhere on the internet.

As of this posting, we will no longer be permitting new political discussions from being created, and will be locking all current and previous political discussions.

Thank you for understanding.

This is, in effect, a political discussion - or Contesting Moderation - well, one of the two.

Therefore, closing.