Battleground Guidelines
From HallsWiki
The Battleground exists to create debate about various topics. In the Battles we discuss what our favorites are, what we think are great... and why. Naturally, there's always going to be a lot of disagreement about the subjects. And that is a good thing... the discussions would get boring pretty quickly if everybody was agreeing on everything. However, sometimes the discussions can become more heated and more personal than is warranted or acceptable. As the Battleground is more prone to this situation than other sections of the site, these guidelines are being posted to hopefully clarify what does and does not constitute friendly debate.
Debate, at its heart, isn't about just having a difference of opinion. Debate is about building discussion, talking about those differences of opinion and why they exist. Blanket dismissals and insults, direct or veiled, are not acts of debate. They are attempts to stifle a response, and are contrary to debate. We would like the Battleground to be full of debate, and not full of acrimonious postings intimidating people into shutting up. With that in mind, here are some guidelines of what to do and what not to do.
Good practices:
1. Debate the merits of the items. It's perfectly okay to say "I like this" or "I don't like this". It's even better to say why.
- Good: "I don't like this."
- Good: "I don't like the pacing of this movie... it takes too long to introduce the characters."
- Good: "The greatness of this album needs to be viewed in its historical context, which is...."
2. Remember that most of the items were nominated by somebody. It's possible they may have a personal attachment, or it may just be something they like. Be considerate; you can disagree without tearing down the opposing view.
- Good: "The plot in this movie moves too slowly for me."
- Bad: "You'd have to be stoned to enjoy this movie."
- Neutral: "I don't get the appeal of this movie." (Better: "Could someone explain what the appeal of this is?")
3. Keep some perspective on your personal likes. While something may be your favorite, other people might dislike it. This doesn't mean they have bad taste, or that they think you do. A judgment against your favorite item isn't a judgment against you, and a disagreement with your opinion isn't either.
4. Phrasing sometimes matters. "This sucks" doesn't mean anything different than "This isn't very good", but it can come across as being more heated. While there are times when it may be appropriate to use the harsher language, it is worth considering whether the language matches your intent. Sarcasm is also acceptable, so long as it remains directed at the subject matter and not at people.
5. If you think somebody has crossed the line... use the REPORT button at the bottom of their post. We'll look into it.
What not to do:
1. Don't insult people. This should go without saying, but we'll say it anyway. This includes both direct insults and indirect ones. "You're an idiot" is an insult, but so is "Only idiots could like this." (Note: There may be times when it is appropriate to insult somebody in jest, but a serious insult won't be tolerated.)
2. Stating that an opinion can't be seriously held by somebody is insulting to anybody who does hold that opinion. "You can't be serious" is a short way of saying that a rational/educated/intelligent person would not hold that opinion. The logical corollary is that anybody who does hold that opinion must not be rational/educated/intelligent. Debate the opinion, discuss the factors that form the differing opinions, but keep the discussion to the opinions, and not the mental faculties of the other person.
3. Don't make a blanket dismissal of somebody's reasons. If somebody has made a post expressing their reasons for their opinion, replying with "You're just wrong" or even "Eh, whatever" can be aggravating. People aren't putting their thoughts out there just to be told that their reasons don't matter... and if they don't matter to you, why bother making a reply saying so? While the intent may not be to insult, it can be frustrating for the person on the receiving end, as it comes across as dismissing their thoughts as being unworthy of even being considered.
4. Don't tilt at windmills. Disagreeing is good, but if you're just whining endlessly about something being included that you don't think should have been, or about something getting defeated that you think should have won... it gets old. And it derails the topic of debate. Argue the merits of the subject, but do so reasonably and without undue bombast. (This often ties in with #3; if people are giving reasons why something is included or winning, having somebody bombastically blast the position instead of considering the reasons disrupts the discussion.)
- Bad: "It's losing?! What the hell?!"
- Bad: "Why the hell is so-and-so in here?! Jeez!!"
- Bad: "This should never have won against the clearly better thing it beat last round! I'm going to piss and moan about it in this thread rather than discussing this thread's actual current subject of debate!"
5. Do NOT manipulate the polls. Do not bribe people to vote a particular way. Do not threaten, intimidate, or harass them to vote a particular way. Do not create alternate accounts to stuff the ballot box. Do not call in ringers to stuff the ballot box. Any of these actions can result in moderator action being taken against you, including immediate banning. If you want a particular item to win a poll, convince people through your words.
Obviously, not every situation is going to be word-for-word as described here, and sometimes judgment calls will be necessary. Sometimes something not covered here will be inappropriate, and sometimes going against one of these guidelines is perfectly acceptable. That's why these are guidelines, and not hard-and-fast rules. But if we all try to adhere to these guidelines, and the general rules of the Halls, and common courtesy, the discussions in the Battleground will be more enjoyable for all of us, as there will be more debate and less acrimony.
