JustForFun: What To Do?

[SirNitram]

The Trainwreck Begins.

Members of this august body.

I bring before you the latest idiocy to be perpetrated in our forum. This is no new threat, no Trekkie flown in from Darkstar, no madman roaring in my domain of Fantasy or fundie spewing Creationism. It is one of our own members, who has apparently gone fucking batshit.

I present the comment that would turn a 'ho-hum' thread about an outrageous interview and book into the flaming trainwreck it became:

In those cases when dealing with someone who might murder you or your loved ones and they have demonstrated such behaviour in the past? I could ethically see no problem with murdering in self-defense.

If someone has killed, and they might kill you, kill them stone dead. It's fine in his view.

From here it became madness. Goalpost moving. Lies. Contradictions. Accusations. He doesn't back up his point: He constantly changes it, insults Poe without argument, and it goes on.

As he finds there's no way to justify it within the rules of debate, he begins reciting that it's his opinion. And my dear members, it actually gets worse.

When challenged by Mike, he engages in snipping out everything he can't respond to, singling out comments, and declaring over and over that he hasn't lied, even when the evidence contrary sits there. And when Surlethe steps into the ring, out comes this card:

Ah I see. Now it's all "jump behind the leader" time.

It's a gangup. Plain and simply.

Do you fucking get it yet people??? Christ! I'm going to turn around and say to you all what started this argument with me in the first place. Grow UP!! Exclamation

The outrage at being insulted(The rules have a clear 'You will be flamed' note, and N&P gets it's own special one), at being challenged to use logic and evidence to back up a position, are also amazing.

We have here a member whose been here a while. But it appears he views his ego as more important than working by this place's rules.

So, I would hear what the Senate thinks is the appropriate measures against such insanity.

[Lord Poe]

I think a formal reprimand would be in order; not a banning or titling. It should be noted that my position here did not shield me from flames, HoS-ing, etc. even after I've gotten into heated exchanges with Mike and a few Mods. And I did not expect them to one bit. A longstanding member of this board shouldn't have no problem with this. That's what makes this board what it is.

JFF has to understand why he came under attack. If he doesn't acknowledge this, then more serious measures might need to be considered.

[Broomstick]

I stopped following the thread some time ago, I see it has only gone downhill since.

Strikes me as a case of a poster who let his emotions get the better of his debating skills. Something that happens to all of us at one point or another but not typical of JFF.

I agree with Poe - formal reprimand would be in order, at which point I would like to see him step out of thread voluntarially to cool off for a day or two.

[Surlethe]

It looks like he's taken the opportunity to step out, cool down, and is going to come back in a day or two and look at it again from a fresh perspective. That is most certainly a step in the right direction.

[Coyote]

A cool down period is good, and things are moving in that direction. I, too, was surprised at how out of place this seemed, but I too have let emotions get the better of me in debates so I'm understanding.

[GrandMasterTerwynn]

His posting history to date has tended towards unremarkable. He hasn't previously shown tendencies towards being a troll . . . but he's clearly been here long enough that he really should know better. In holding what is plainly an indefensible viewpoint he's turned to several major types of trolling and has demonstrated a flagrant disregard of the rules. While the former is repugnant, the latter demands an answer.

I would say he needs his sig/av privileges revoked, at a minimum. Even in his last post in the thread he asserts that he's still right, and still denies moving the goalposts, even though there numerous replies with quotes by him demonstrating how he's moved the goalposts, and seems to be somehow surprised that seniority hasn't given him the benefit of the doubt when the board has banned people with much more extensive and notable posting histories than his for pulling the same sort of bullshit that he pulled.

[RedImperator]

At one point, Surlethe called him on 6 different simultaneous rules violations, including AR4. And his concession is nothing of the sort. He's a longtime member without a history of trolling, so I agree with the consensus that he just lost his cool in an emotional debate, and thus the punishment should be more leniant, but a formal reprimand isn't strong enough.

Avatar and sig privileges, gone, six months.

[Simplicius]

I hesitate to chime in, but he seems to have realized his error. It's easy enough to make a colossal mistake, such as failing to recall what one has said, when one is thinking emotionally, rather than rationally. Given that he has realized this on his own, the function of any punishment meted out need serve no other purpose than as a reminder to keep a level head when debating. To that end, something as mild as a reprimand should suffice for now, with more substantive measures necessary only if such events become commonplace.

[SirNitram]

Viewing his recent reaction to the simple presense of this thread, it seems public reprimand has been dealt. Sometimes you just need a splash of really cold water on your face.

[Spyder]

Probably important to remember that we all have our off days. Some of us are better at not posting here during them.

I think we should encourage people to take their time with arguments, maybe spend a couple of days away from the thread just looking things up and preparing, then posting. We should encourage the fact that not responding right away isn't a concession.

The idea is to discourage emotional argument in favor of reasoned argument, something which I do believe the greater majority of this board is capable of, although some members may need a nudge in the right direction once in a while.

[Admiral Valdemar]

I don't see a need to revoke privileges if he has accepted he was acting an ass because of emotional involvement. We all do that now and then, as we've seen. Given his history, it's clear this is an isolated event and so I don't think anymore need be said now he's seen it was a silly affair.

[Surlethe]

It's one thing to act an ass out of emotion, as Justforfun00, and all of us, at one time or another, have done; it's another entirely to be unfamiliar with the rules, as he admitted in one of his latest posts. The question then becomes, does unfamiliarity with and, hence, increased propensity to break the rules deserve punishment in and of itself? I myself am not sure whether to support punishment or not; on the one hand, he's admitted he was in the wrong, owned up to his behavior, and promised to familiarize himself with the rules; on the other, he did break them.

[Knife]

It's one thing to act an ass out of emotion, as Justforfun00, and all of us, at one time or another, have done; it's another entirely to be unfamiliar with the rules, as he admitted in one of his latest posts. The question then becomes, does unfamiliarity with and, hence, increased propensity to break the rules deserve punishment in and of itself? I myself am not sure whether to support punishment or not; on the one hand, he's admitted he was in the wrong, owned up to his behavior, and promised to familiarize himself with the rules; on the other, he did break them.

Interesting point; if I may chime in at this time. It's multifacited if you think about it. Is he sorry for the ruckess? Or sorry he got in trouble for it? Did he say he was going to familiarize himself with the rules because for some reason he hasn't yet, or because it was a 'saving face' manuver for him?

All and all, after all the drama, I do feel he's been contrite enough considering the situation. That's my take though.