h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does one ask to join the small but vocal minority, or is one nominated? (Accused?)

Do the words "some people" or "a small but vocal minority" protect one when engaging in flaming or trolling behavior? Because it seems like the Italics ("some" of the Italics) often make accusations, statements that would debatably be considered flaming except that they're not naming names. (Except we all know who they're talking about, so it's really a pretense.)

Sadly, we of the SBVM are unable to use this polite (or passive/aggressive) trick, because you can't just say, "Some people have been applying the rules inconsistently."

It's not that flames scare me. I can definitely stand the heat in order to remain in the kitchen (???), but how is it that the small but vocal minority gets accused of trash-talking, but equivalent trash-talking hidden behind euphemisms is acceptable?

So anyhow, I assume that I've been nominated often enough to deserve membership in this group. Who else? Almighty Rob? agcB raised enough hell on Mod Helpdesk to merit membership.

PS - if those highlighted quotes on your Small but vocal minority page are actual quotes from conversations, why not give links directly to the real conversations? Just a thought.

I didn't want to be that anti-, to be honest. But my next addition will be a 'special powers' heading...

This is not the forum you're looking for

It was idle musing, to be honest - but I reckon it might work as a 'club' approach - I'll put a guestbook down for people to sign up...

On second thought, nominating people to join might not be a good idea. If they don't embrace the term happily, then it might seem like an insult.

I love how you've appropriated an insulting term and turned it into a good thing, like the word "queer."

heehee.

I'm going for the 'learn from history' approach recently - if you see me parodying the "I have a dream" speech, you'd probably be well off to steer clear...

Yeah, the Julius Caesar parody was pretty good. It's hard to accuse you of insulting the Italics or arguing with them (plus using SBVM Mind Trick to force their response) when it's in the form of satire.

Where's your "I Have A Dream" parody?

In my head...

I hereby nominate myself for membership in the SBVM, on the grounds that I have been vocal, in a small way.

Now I have to decide if membership in this elite group warrants the addition of "SBVM" to my screen name.

Wasn't me on the moderation help desk, must have been someone else.

But on the other hand, although I am neither small nor a member of many minorities, I am vocal.

In fact I think I will change my sig now....

All the best

***B

PS - nice work, btw.

Thanks Ben

Bloody dust in this cave



Tube

I've fiddled with the page. Anyone care to whinge or whine or complain endlessly about all the ways it's stupid?

btw, I've listed all members as co-authors, cos that seems a sensible thing to do. If anyone has a problem with that - just let me know!

I dunno - threads, dust... something tells me I should break out the vaccuum cleaner...

Or get hold of some dragons...!

a former McCaffrey-fan called Ben

Hi, small but vocal minorities appear to have become evident on both sides I believe.

"Both sides of what?" I hear you cry. Hmm well that depends on the issue doesn't it really. I would dare say I've definitely been lumped in with the 'small but vocal minority' in support of the italics on lifetime suspension. Happy to be there as I actually happen to agree with that particular issue. I would dare say I've even been accused of sheepdom elsewhere Interesting that one - issues I'm not happy about on h2g2 - removal of all URL's, removal of foreign language postings, pro-active moderation of posts here (although less worried about this than I was at first). These are why I joined the Zapodistas and still remain a member - I have signed the petition if only online - not sure I feel strongly enough to post the petition IRL. I've never been one to often get involved as an activist but it has been known occasionally. It doesn't affect me so strongly as to want to leave the site as I love it here; it also doesn't affect me so strongly that I would want to still be complaining six months later - I still support those that do in (as I see it) a reasonable manner however. What I don't do is hurl personal abuse at the italics and I post messages of support when I see others doing so as I don't believe it is either constructive or particuarly fair on them - if that is SHEEPdom then I am happy to be in that clan.

Hypocrisy and slander. I would have to admit that when a certain flame war occurred a few months ago - I fell in on the side of one faction and made around three or four posts elsewhere on h2g2 that I regret posting and have in fact publically withdrawn and apologised for on both the ACEforum (not so public admittedly) and to the person/s concerned (although they may have forgotten I did this). I apologise unreservedly again for those posts. I changed my views after making those posts but admittedly changed them again after a certain controvesial incident here - I see that not as hypocrisy but as simply changing my stance a couple of times - certain issues I've never changed my opinion on over this issue and in fact have always stood my ground in these. I don't think something can be slanderous if you publicly and personally apologise and withdraw those remarks. I'm not the only one to regret posting I've made here I would think.

Sorry if that was a bit cryptic to some but I think others will know what I'm talking about.

So should some of us start a SHEEP forum (must think of a good acronym for that)? Maybe our agenda should be something like
(a) If we agree with them (the italics) on something - say so.
(b) If someone is hurling abuse at them or one of their supporters over an issue then stand up and be counted - support them - don't let them be s**t on by others and stand alone amongst the flames.
(c) Enjoy h2g2 fluffiness to it's fullest because - hey - we enjoy it! The fact that others have contempt for it is neither here nor there
(d) Recognise each of us that we *are* dispensible to the community. En masse the entire community of h2g2 is of course indispensible as is the editorial team in it's entirety but of course the occasional loss of one or two of either groups is not hugely detrimental to the place - if detrimental at all.
(e) Promise not read the worst connotation that we can possibly imagine into italics' postings.
(f) Recognise that we have signed away rights to make money out of anything we write on h2g2. Frankly we don't give a s**t and have never had any intentions of making money out of anything we write here anyway. If we did we wouldn't post it here. Also recognising that if we leave the site for a great length of time then our works here are still signed away to the BBC/h2g2 and someone else may well edit them - but notice that in fact we *do* keep our name on those articles.
(g) Blindly oppose everything those dastardly anti-italic people post. Or at least appear to because - ummm - actually we don't always disagree with them but....sorry this one needs working on - surley we must always be opposed to them on everything? Or is it just thier tactics we sometimes don't agree with...?


Or could we just form SBVM-sheep subsection? Maybe a parliament with opposing sides - hmmmm?

*watches a man get killed on a zebra crossing after proving that there is no black and white only shades of grey*

Orcus

SHEEP: Someone who Helps Endangered Editors to Prevail?

Points a) and e) seem particularly sensible.
As I agreed with agcB some weeks ago, people are really too touchy ATM. Wonder why.

Tube

PS: Is a entry no-one bothered to commend upon threadbare?

*likes the acronym*

*applauds Orcus*