JPF Home Page Forums General Messages General Message Forum Political Discussion

I believe it's possible, given a few well-conceived guidelines, to discuss politics without turning on each other. Inflammatory remarks would have to go. Certain stipulations would be necessary: unsavory politicians are not the problem but rather, symptoms of an underlying problem, i.e., abuse of power is possible only if the opportunity exists. And the general thrust would have to be for the common good.
Thoughts?

Go write a song !

cheers, niteshift

Does this mean we are going to have a discussion about the other discussions?

Yes. We're going to explore ways to discuss politics constructively.

Richard, I thought that was already happening in fairly civilized fashion elsewhere on these boards. I second (and am happy to see) civilized discussion. But while I agree with your preconceived notions, I'd just as soon not see any stipulatin'. I'm inclined to think that's one of the things that got the country in trouble in the first place.

Joe

Richard,

You're an odd duck.

I hope the municipality that you dwell in is filtering the water.

Please conceive carefully.

Hey Richard,

I think you got lost.

The pointless opinion board is left down the river, and second right back up to the creek of obscurity.

cheers, niteshift

I just have to ask...

Why again are we discussing general politics on a songwriter forum? Aren't we supposed to be talking about, I don't know, songwriting?

I'm fine with talk about how politics are affecting our craft and other relevant discussion, but I come here to discuss the music.

If all you want to do is talk politics, please go find a more suitable and appropriate forum. The internet is a pretty big place, there are probably tons of fora where you can talk politics all day (I think this one is pretty good).

You are an angry guy? Why?

Why ?

cheers, niteshift

I like Richard.

I'm just teasing...

Why don't you rblighten up?

I dunno
This is a General discussion board. Kinda of covers everything. Personally I don't think music discussions should be allowed here. We have, like, 50 or so boards for music and only one where we can spate and prattle. I find it kind of refreshing
We talk about religion (but not often)
We talk about Movies
We talk about our dogs and cats
We talk about our health
We even hint at sex once in a while.
We had a major thread about cows a while back
And, of course, Politics.
And if you choose to not join in that is your choice. Kind of like real life.
So enjoy

I suppose it comes down to how you view the word "general": is it "everything relating to music" or just "everything". I'd prefer the former, but maybe that's just me.

Come to think of it, many of the other forums I frequent have an "Off Topic" section for threads not related to the website's main topic(s).



I'd be all for that. The trouble is that much of the interesting discussion about music happens here in the general forum. Perhaps the general message section could use benefit from stronger moderation on this?

As I mentioned on another post, it's one thing to have a couple Political discussions.. it's another to make this entire board mostly about politics. Let's keep the discussions to a few posts rather than 6-8-10-20+

Brian

Up YOURS pinko!!!{LOL}

Okay. Now listen, folks. Pretend you don't already know what I'm about to say.

Ready?

This thread is not about politics. It's about communicating.

Shall I repeat that?

Not about politics. No politics here.

Communicating. I want to explore why we end up going at each other like rabid dogs. So it can be avoided.

Are you with me?

Well now that's just Peachy
A thread titled Political Discussions where you can't talk about politics.
Something not right about that.

I can't imagine that it's that difficult to fathom. I guess it all depends on how difficult you want to make it.

It's not that different from an election where the candidates and media aren't talking about issues.

Joe

Oh, and I did have a quick (and trite) answer to the rabid dog question. We act like rabid dogs because our role models have been rabid dogs. We take care of the problem by breaking the pattern.

In other words, you ignore the rabid dogs to the extent you can. You don't vote for them. You change their channels. You don't read what's printed on their toilet paper. And if you have the opportunity, you tell them (and anybody else you can) why you're doing what you're doing. Might even mention (depending on how you're feeling towards them) that the usual response to rabid dogs is to lock them up for ten days before beheading them to make sure they're not dangerous to other people.

And to the extent others imitate you, you have raised the general tenor of political discussions. To an alto, maybe.

Joe

To what end?

Jeez....

The Taliban is in the house.

It's because everybody is absolutely 100% positive that they are right. By definition that means everyone else is wrong, and by extension, anyone who has even one belief that is different is an idiot, and shouldn't be trusted.

If everybody accepted the fact that they could be wrong about something, we would get a lot further along.


Brian

I hear what you're saying, but I don't see how it could be possible for someone who knows it all not to know that that's not possible.

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.

That's why I normally try to stay out of that type of discussion.