# Too much debate or too little?



## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

In the last few days we have seen two opposing view points arise within the forum.

1. There is not enough moderation and therefore debates get out of hand.
http://www.talkclassical.com/9403-mature-criticism.html#post101179

2. The moderators are too strict and the board is boring with hardly any interesting discussion occuring.
http://www.talkclassical.com/9347-does-moderated-board-encourage.html

What do you think?


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## Aramis (Mar 1, 2009)

Not enough debate; the moderation has no opportunity to show if it can handle difficult situations or not.


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## Il Seraglio (Sep 14, 2009)

I have seen some topics locked in Members Chat simply because they involved a hot potato subject like 'religion' or 'politics' whereas on the music discussion board, debates can get way more heated and still go unmoderated. I think it might be better if we had a more relaxed policy across the board (forgive the pun).


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## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

I am also in favour of minimal intervention. The forum is pretty quiet as it is and heavy handed moderation might bring everything to a halt.


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## Nix (Feb 20, 2010)

This is a forum to discuss classical music, and I'm all for debate so long as people give reasoning to their answers. But I don't really think arguments about religion and politics have a place here, and all we end up with is heated people saying a lot of nasty things with no ones mind being changed. 

Discuss music, debate about who the greatest composer is, whatever. But it's a forum, no need to lose control, or encourage losing control.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I think there's a good balance. There are plenty of sites which cater for religious & political debate so I don't think there's any need for this place to provide a forum for these & which would need some very careful & time consuming moderating. 

I suppose you could stray into politics discussing e.g. Wagner but as long as we stick to the facts then it shouldn't offend anyone.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

sospiro said:


> I suppose you could stray into politics discussing e.g. Wagner but as long as we stick to the facts then it shouldn't offend anyone.


I'm reading "the Wagner Clan" at the moment and I think the problems is that the facts (eg what he wrote, what Cosima wrote etc) are self-contradictory so you can still get into a good argument.

I mainly visit the opera forum and it seems to be good-humoured, with people free to express their point of view. I've been on another forum where a member (banned from here) made it so unpleasant (not even directly for me) that I stopped visiting, so I value restraint in debate. Also, music is intensely personal and I think it's wrong to attack people's tastes.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

The moderators do a superb job. I'm on a couple of electronic music forums that are heavily moderated. They are not welcoming places. Here we are only moderated when we start getting juvenile, or when we throw hominids at each other or whatever. 

I think debate and lively discussion is a great intellectual exercise. I have learned a lot from reading them. Maybe someday I can say, "I know almost everything about art, but I don't know what I like."


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

The only thing I don't like is when people simply bad-mouth various composers, etc, that is, insult without serious criticism. Especially when their opinion is _not _wanted (asking for it is another story).


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## David58117 (Nov 5, 2009)

Is it really that bad? I've participated in the religion debate topic, and I don't remember it getting to the heated debate, name calling phase (well, maybe one particular member, but even that was minimal). I think people here are generally mature enough to handle the subject. 

Besides, I like having a mature enough crowd to where we can discus religion in one topic, and then recommend our favorite disks to each other in another,,,that's a plus in my book.


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## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

But the recent locked topic involved very harmless topic, a violin break. And I am quite sorry to see two new potential member get away in such away.


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## HarpsichordConcerto (Jan 1, 2010)

This is an internet discussion board; words by way of written (typed) texts are the only means of communication. Contentious topics simulate debate. I think moderators should only step in when posts are obvious personal attacks/nonsense/trolls/obscenities.

I voted there is good balance.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Not sure - be interested in responses


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