Thread: MasterRussian.NET: before and after

MasterRussian.NET used to be much faster and wilder. The regulars were more outspoken, posted more often and little was deleted by moderators. Opinions were allowed whether those opinions were politically correct or not and other members were able to express their displeasure. Since about the time Lampada was made a moderator this forum has seen an abundance of deleted opinions, posts, and words, to the point that I think that some members have stopped posting here. In fact I know this from speaking personally with a some. Does anyone out there from the old days remember this? And what do you think? Should MasterRussian.NET be more like the Old West where freedom of speech was more important than being polite? Or should we keep it as a place for soft, sensitive and mushy fu-fu talk where one would feel comfortable talking about shades of lip-stick colour?

EDIT: By The Way, I screwed up on the poll. There were only supposed to be 3 choices. The line underneath the choice with numbers are actually supposed to be explanations of the numbered choice.

I'm against any form of moderation.
Curious though, what if that speech is deemed "anti-Semitic" by the PTB, are you still ardent in your support of free speech?

As much as I like this place, I think there definitely is too much censorship going on.
I have a vague feeling we've already discussed this matter at some point, no?

Originally Posted by sperk

I'm against any form of moderation.

You mean you like spam?

What moderation?
I haven't noticed any...

I like it that any topic can be discussed in any thread.

I often notice that people (including myself) often deviate from the stated topic of a thread. I think that's nice. We are not writing a masters thesis - just learning languages and trying to have a nice time... So why be too strict with the moderating?

The way that this site attracts new users is to offer them quick help with (primarily) Russian. What makes them stay is intersting discussions, open climate and nice people.

But I (Jo) ought to be banned from the political forum! I have written far too many silly posts in there when I should have studied instead!

I agree with DDT, moderation became too heavy, IMHO .

Ok one thing:

I think it's a bit rude to come onto a Russian forum, full of helpful Russian-speaking people and be insulting about their country. (or Ukraine, etc) Some people ought to bear that in mind, I think.

Somebody mentioned a while back that some Swedish guy had been on the forum and had ranted against Russia and been pretty rude. What a t**sser! On behalf of my country, sorry about that!

People who don't like Russia --- well it's completely voluntary to learn Russian! Go learn German instead, or the language of a country that you respect.

Compare with if a Russian person came to a British or American forum and started making extremely critical or rude comments about these countries....

I only can say that you guys who don't like 'moderation' on this forun just don't know what heavy moderation really is. Moderation here is very very soft. I, too, don't like some things sometimes, here, but it's nothing compared with true moderation on many other forums.

Originally Posted by Оля

Moderation here is very very soft. I, too, don't like some things sometimes, here, but it's nothing compared with true moderation on many other forums.

Olya, we are not comparing current level of moderation with the level on some other forums, we are comparing it with the moderation that took place here, say, a couple of years ago. I remeber how moderation was here at that times perfectly well (I'm sure you also do) and it was much softer.

I am never moderated.... Just once, by Lampada when I said "darn" (is that really rude?? I didn't think it was).

Yet I constantly deviate from the topic.... My vote was that the level of moderation is appropriate.

Did I miss some intersting thread that got deleted?

I guess as a person who has been here just about a year now, and as one of the "older" generation, I have differing views on this. I see the value of making this forum open and friendly to new comers. I know if I had seen anti-semitic, gay bashing or tons of anti-U.S. slurs on this forum, I would never have joined. And do you really want to turn this forum into a place where people are at eachother's throats and have it known as an "anti this" or 'anti that" place? To keep this forum going and new blood coming in, you need to be inclusive not exclusive.

On the other hand, I was also raised to say "black" and not "African American" and a ton of other slang phrases that are not politically correct and I curse way more than I should. I am always double checking what I have typed to see if I typed something I should not have just because I am used to the expression and it is very common yet it might be considred really rude somewhere else.

I learned early on that I stay away from the "Political" threads on this forum as those threads tend to have more of the language that "might" upset me... and maybe that might be our answer.

Could we have certain areas of the forum that are open or less unrestricted and could they be noted as such so that people are aware of this? This way, new comers would still feel welcomed and not possibly turned off so they won't think that ALL RUSSIANS think that way if they stumble into that thread. AND, old timers and newbies can have the freedom to express themselves in more colorful or more natural language they are accustomed. Hurt feelings would be checked at the door in these threads.

So, just to make myself clear, the main portion of the forum would still be as we are now, "fairly" politically correct language, PG13 and maybe an R word slips in now and then. All topics still open for discussion as we have been, but nasty personal attacks and insults or language... a no-no (good humor a different story folks). In the special section or threads, most, if not all, bets are off.

How does that sound and is it possible.

Originally Posted by Basil77

Olya, we are not comparing current level of moderation with the level on some other forums, we are comparing it with the moderation that took place here, say, a couple of years ago. I remeber how moderation was here at that times perfectly well (I'm sure you also do) and it was much softer.

Well, to be honest, I think that moderation then was not satisfactory, or rather there was no any at all. Do you remember the user called charlestonian? He wrote lots of insults to everyone in every thread and in general behaved like a totally insane man. And no one moderated that. Do you think it's okay when a forum member writes, "you are all morons", or "all Russians are idiots", or "Hey, get out of here and find another forum" to newbies, and no one doesn't even issue a reprimand to him?

Originally Posted by Оля

I only can say that you guys who don't like 'moderation' on this forun just don't know what heavy moderation really is. Moderation here is very very soft. I, too, don't like some things sometimes, here, but it's nothing compared with true moderation on many other forums.

I don't think you have been here on MR long enough to remember or know what it was like before.

Originally Posted by Оля

Do you think it's okay when a forum member writes, "you are all morons", or "all Russians are idiots", or "Hey, get out of here and find another forum" to newbies, and no one doesn't even issue a reprimand to him?

On a good forum this is called freedom of speech! We are all entitled to our opinions, not just the opinions that you like..

Originally Posted by Johanna

Ok one thing:

I think it's a bit rude to come onto a Russian forum, full of helpful Russian-speaking people and be insulting about their country. (or Ukraine, etc) Some people ought to bear that in mind, I think.

Somebody mentioned a while back that some Swedish guy had been on the forum and had ranted against Russia and been pretty rude. What a t**sser! On behalf of my country, sorry about that!

People who don't like Russia --- well it's completely voluntary to learn Russian! Go learn German instead, or the language of a country that you respect.

Compare with if a Russian person came to a British or American forum and started making extremely critical or rude comments about these countries....

It's called free speech. If you don't like what he says then debate the issue with him. That's what a forum is for. Not for "shutting people up" whose opinion you disagree with. A forum is a safe environment for argument.

Originally Posted by sperk

I'm against any form of moderation.
Curious though, what if that speech is deemed "anti-Semitic" by the PTB, are you still ardent in your support of free speech?

Just who do you take me for? I do not want anti-semitic posts deleted. I want to be able to bash the person
who posts it!

Originally Posted by kamka

As much as I like this place, I think there definitely is too much censorship going on.
I have a vague feeling we've already discussed this matter at some point, no?

Well its getting worse!

Has Lampada deleted anything lately? I'm quite content with the current form of moderation. It is nearly unnoticeable (or am I missing something?)

Well, I don't mind insults, but I don't mind you being censored either, DDT. So I really couldn't care less. Angry kids of the internet aren't the kind of person I can sympathize with.

Meh,
I don't think I've been "moderated" here, but I'm usually in a mode similar to what I use at work with customers. Just a smiling guy. You should hear/read what I really have to say about them.

If I think someone is being a major "shower", I don't get too worked up about it. For proper anti-semetics,I recommend the Pravda forums. American-bashing is popular there as well as the BBC.

I swear like a sailor, but I don't use Carlin's 7 words here, however the basic TV allowable words should be OK. I think censoring 'God dammit' is foolish though. We're adult enough to have heard that and I rather enjoy messing with any religion's fundamentalists.

Originally Posted by DDT

I don't think you have been here on MR long enough to remember or know what it was like before.

I am a forum member since 12 окт 2005 14:09
You are a forum member since 24 июл 2004 22:46

Should we "меряться сам-знаешь-чем" further?

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by Оля

Do you think it's okay when a forum member writes, "you are all morons", or "all Russians are idiots", or "Hey, get out of here and find another forum" to newbies, and no one doesn't even issue a reprimand to him?

On a good forum this is called freedom of speech!

Ha ha ha! Actually, this is called meaningless rudeness, and I am quite happy then that this forum is not "good", and that the user has been finally forever banned.