posted
Ok, I don't know whether this has been suggested in the past or even if it already existed in the past, but I think a forum for discussion of current affairs is a good idea.
Just as what happened back in September 2001 and early 2002, there is a huge current demand for a place to discuss the Iraq situation without flooding every board with random conversations or opinions about it. I suggest we bottle-neck these threads by designating a place suited for them. I don't believe closing all of the branching threads and keeping the entire discussion in a single thread will cut it since there are far too many (changing) aspects to talk about.
The Lyceum is a place for philosophical discussion, so many of the topics concerning the war or other news items are not suited to it. Nor are the community boards great places to have these discussions since they have been taking over the pages recently. But it's not just the present situation that requires it. There's always something in the news that's discussion-worthy.
So, if a Current Affairs Forum were to exist, I think it would act as an interesting board to take part in. How often do you read a really interesting or amusing article that you think others might like to read?
Anyway, whatever. I don't mind too much what happens, I'm just throwing the idea at you for consideration as a way of consolidating the article threads.
-------------------- Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night. Posts: 4725 | From: Anywhere but here | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
even if it has been suggested, i actually think that this is a good idea! Posts: 928 | From: In a Jet, dropping a bomb on Paris | Registered: Apr 2002
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posted
The Lyceum has not been a philosophy board for quite a while. Its range of topics had already expanded well beyond that and we changed the name and description to reflect that. All sorts of topics are allowed and it's always been characterized by discussion and debate over the most current "hot" topics. So in a situation like this, it is the Lyceum that I expect to take the brunt of the punishment. The dominance of war topics may be a nuisance for a short while, but this will not be permanent. Like everything, this too shall pass. But right now, there's no getting around the fact that this is the most popular issue to talk about right now. This is one of the purposes of the Lyceum.
I suppose the other option is to set the news board as a "news-only" forum and point people to the Lyceum to hold their arguments, but I think that defeats the purpose. Our point here is to make discussion boards. If somebody wants to just read about news and current events, there are plenty of good news sites that are much more thorough, complete and balanced than we could ever be.
Given all this, the moderators of both the Cantina and Lyceum still have the ability to rein things in if necessary and I encourage them to do so. The creation of a dedicated war news thread to the Lyceum was a helpful addition. Redundant threads and flooding can still be enforced and at least for the time being, I probably won't quibble much over strictness on either of these boards. It's no secret that I've personally been bearing down on my editings/deletings/closing on both boards.
In essence, I think a news/current events board under normal conditions would be redundant with the Lyceum. Any significant discussion arising from a news thread is bound to be centered around a more generalized issue. This is pretty much what the Lyceum already does. So to echo myself from a long-lost argument years ago, it is the amount of threads, not the content, that is the current problem. Since this should only be temporary, I don't think it justifies the creation of a new board.
-------------------- Ummm....I don't know what this means....but a giant iceberg just winked at me. Posts: 20122 | From: Terminal Dogma | Registered: Oct 1999
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posted
I see your point. Sorry to have brought up another forum suggestion.
-------------------- Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night. Posts: 4725 | From: Anywhere but here | Registered: Apr 2001
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-------------------- Ummm....I don't know what this means....but a giant iceberg just winked at me. Posts: 20122 | From: Terminal Dogma | Registered: Oct 1999
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