[Suggestion] Should the non-TMNT sections of the forums be closed down?

[CyberCubed]

For one thing, the main and original reason any of us came to the Technodrome was to discuss TMNT. We're all TMNT fans here, or else none of us would have discovered this forum in the first place. The TMNT sections could use more activity, but they're there for proper discussion.

A lot of the problems of this forums in terms of trolling/controversy/bashing/debates happens in all the non-TMNT sections. The Everything Else section in particular, the Current Events section due to politics and religion, and to a lesser extent the TV and Movies section. Almost all the worst threads or worst debates with people insulting each other happens in those sections the most. You can see it happen regularly and anyone who has been there knows this is true.

If all the non-TMNT sections of the forums were closed, then people would be "forced" to discuss TMNT here, and thus all off-topic discussion can be had in social groups where you have to ask to become a member of. Granted I know the TMNT forums have debates too, but at least it's the main reason we come here.

Should all non-TMNT discussion go to social groups instead of the forums? What do you think?

Discuss.

And before anyone asks, no, this is not a parody thread. Let's see how this thread turns out. As I said before:

Discuss.

[IndigoErth]

No.

This thread needs to be locked.




While maybe some behavior needs to be curbed, no one is forced to respond. Or read it. Or visit sections they want closed down.

[Powder]

Honestly, I would have no problem with that.

But really I think it's just the Current Events section that needs to go. People can't respect the no politics/religion thing, & beyond that it only serves to be a celebrity obituary anyway.

Other than that, the only problems are with certain people who create flame-bait threads with the sole intention of watching things burn, because they know the mods aren't around to deal with it.

[Autbot_Benz]

ya get rid of current events and keep the movie/TV show section that gets a lot of buzz

[snake]

Ban politics. Keep the rest, sometimes we can have fun.

[Krutch]

I mostly hang out in the General Discussion side of things so I'd hate to see it axed... but I'm with Powder on this. It's not the section itself thats the problem, it's the people who actively look to cause issues that need to be straightened out.

[snake]

Interesting to see how the quality of the forums began to decrease as soon as the "no politics/religion" rule was ignored. If you go back to the GD from, say, 2005/2006 you can see people having actual fun. Coincidentally the rule was enforced then. Really makes you think.

[Papenbrook]

Originally Posted by snake

Interesting to see how the quality of the forums began to decrease as soon as the "no politics/religion" rule was ignored. If you go back to the GD from, say, 2005/2006 you can see people having actual fun. Coincidentally the rule was enforced then. Really makes you think.

Yeah. The environment was different.

Anyway, I do think that the "No politics!" rule should be enforced.

[snake]

Originally Posted by Papenbrook

Yeah. The environment was different.

Anyway, I do think that the "No politics!" rule should be enforced.

Pretty ironic coming from someone who used to instigate all the time.

[DestronMirage22]

NO.
Of course not.
I don't know about others, but I like being able to post my thoughts about non-TMNT stuff or how my day went or just chat about anything with fellow members.

I admit things can get heated up, but that's no reason to remove those entire sections because of a couple threads or whatever. The issues need to be solved directly.

[newfan]

I don't think it's a bad thing, not all of them anyway. TMNT is the main focus of course but a lot of the fans seem to like the same kind of movies/shows so i can't see that it hurts to talk about that. Ive only just joined so not sure how it was to start, have you always done this? I don't care about politics being on here, it doesn't suit this kind of site and there is enough of it everywhere .....but then I don't have to read the threads if I choose not to.

[Andrew NDB]

Message boards are a dying breed. You remove the community aspect of it that transcends the topic said forum is based... you end up with the same boring thing that every boring Facebook "fan page" is left with.

But the OP didn't make this thread as a serious post. C'mon.

[TurtleWA]

Forum rules are rarely followed or enforced. Especially rule number six and four. I guess not so much rules as guidelines in the first place. Removing a certain topic area or thread won't stop anything. It will just force those topics to trickle into other areas and really derail threads. If we keep a place for the "hot" issues they can be contained at least. And people can get it out of their systems rather than dumping the issue sneakily into random threads. Trolls and folks that need drama don't care about the section title so much. It basically comes down to mod enforcement if change is required. It would be an interesting experiment if certain sections got closed down for a week or so. You know for "routine maintenance."

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by TurtleWA

It would be an interesting experiment if certain sections got closed down for a week or so.

That'd be pretty dumb.

It seems there might be a failure to consider the most obvious of all solutions as to the "hot" threads, political threads, what-have-you: don't click on them. If you're simply unable or unwilling to resist the urge to click on one and then inevitably become upset, that speaks more to you than the original poster.

It'd be like, morbidly obese people asking the government to ban all twinkies from stores so they can't even be tempted to buy them, ever.

[IndigoErth]

Though I'd like to smack him on the arm sometimes and should in theory be tucking his tail in over the possible link between this thread and the current most inflammatory 'Everything Else' one, I have to agree with Andrew on the community thing. If the thing a forum is dedicated to is in a bit of a lull and not offering all that much to talk about, it's nice to at least keep people around a bit with other things they can connect (or debate) over.

And private groups are just too hidden, they aren't going to encourage a lurker to participate more or catch the eye of someone who isn't in it but might have had something to offer to a discussion...

Hate on the PD films all you want, but after I joined I never had time to check out other parts of the forum until that all settled down. That stuff and the series was enough to keep up with and I didn't bother with non-TMNT areas. But since that isn't really a thing anymore and the series is winding down (with little knowledge of the next), it's nice to have other sections now.

Spoiler:

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

It'd be like, morbidly obese people asking the government to ban all twinkies from stores so they can't even be tempted to buy them, ever.

Off topic (thus spoiler), but I just envisioned them being locked in a glass case like spray paint, razors, and other items, and requiring a doctor's note saying that they believe you can reasonably be okay with eating one of those things, that probably no one should be consuming anyway.

[TurtleWA]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

That'd be pretty dumb.

It seems there might be a failure to consider the most obvious of all solutions as to the "hot" threads, political threads, what-have-you: don't click on them. If you're simply unable or unwilling to resist the urge to click on one and then inevitably become upset, that speaks more to you than the original poster.

Don't click on them? Now that's dumb, my friend.

Warning! Don't click.

Spoiler:

you clicked didn't you

[Jester]

No, that's too draconian. We already have rules for those non-TMNT, they just need more enforcement...and I would if I could, but that sub-forum is out of my limited jurisdiction

[GoldMutant]

I don't really see the point in doing that. Lately, General Discussion has the more frequent discussion.

At this point with TMNT, there's not a whole lot to fully discuss in the cartoon sections outside new episodes and info relating to the next series. Same with the movies. You can get a discussion out of them, but it does become irritating, especially when a certain someone wants threads locked.

Of course, there's still tons of content that can be discussed. Personally speaking, there just aren't many threads I seek out in TMNT. It brought in many users, that much is true. However, some have fallen out and want to discuss other topics; in general, it does offer some variety as a result.

I will admit that as of late, General Discussion has had a few bad threads. Some of them have been locked, some are in usage. I do feel Current Events should be locked in the distant future because there's really no activity in it. Powder said it best earlier, it's just not working with the current crop of users on specific topics compared to past users.

Locking anything else would be a detrimental blow, especially the Everything Else, Movie, and Video Game sections. There's a ton of content in them, so what would be the point of locking it? You're essentially asking for the forums to speed up their decline by removing a good percentage worth of discussion.

[eskater]

I honestly didn't think people had a problem with the current event section to be honest. Guess I really need to stick around more. Personally it wouldn't hurt me but I don't really see a reason to get rid of it, just don't go there as often.

[plastroncafe]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

That'd be pretty dumb.

It seems there might be a failure to consider the most obvious of all solutions as to the "hot" threads, political threads, what-have-you: don't click on them. If you're simply unable or unwilling to resist the urge to click on one and then inevitably become upset, that speaks more to you than the original poster.

It'd be like, morbidly obese people asking the government to ban all twinkies from stores so they can't even be tempted to buy them, ever.

Where as I think it'd just be easier to ban people who go out of their way to be dickrinses.