Ground rules
May. 5th, 2003 09:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jayOn Friday a couple of folks on my LJ friends-list, rather than comment directly about that morning's entry, instead launched a complaint-fest about that entry in an outside forum that I don't usually read. At the time that they started snarking about my journal there, it was friends-only. After this had been called to my attention, I made it public (I'd rather be flamed for what I've actually said, rather than someone's exaggerated or hearsay description of what I've said). Nonetheless, I regard taking friends-only content and dissecting it in a public forum to be a netiquette breach at the time it occurred.
My journal is a semi-public space... I regard public posts as equivalent to a conversation in my front yard or doorstep. Friends-only posts I see as equivalent to conversations inside my house.
The level of politeness and civility expected of LJ visitors is the same that I would reasonably expect of IRL visitors in those physical spaces. E.g., don't say anything in a friends-only space that you wouldn't say in front of me in my living room. I don't expect agreement, or a lack of criticism -- my household has seen lots of arguments and debates, over the years -- but I expect civility and some degree of consideration by both sides in any given argument for each other's viewpoint. Mutual respect, even if it has to be a bit forced at times... I have been reluctant to delete nasty or disrespectful comments in the past (felt like censorship, even in my journal), but I plan to start doing so.
As far as content goes, that's completely and unilaterally my call. If my journal seems too dull and work-focussed, or too whiny, or too full of fluff and quizzes, or too introspective on my personal issues at times... then don't read it. Anyone that has placed my journal on their friends list has done so voluntarily. No one is forcing anyone else to read it. If it annoys you, don't complain in another forum about my content, comment directly (in a respectful fashion ;) or just stop reading it. I'm *not* obliged to be entertaining or upbeat all of the time. And I'm not going to stop expressing myself or my concerns in my journal.
With all due respect, this is a warning to a few, a notification to everyone else. I'm going to wait some period of time (say, a week) until I can be reasonably sure that anyone on my LJ list has had an opportunity to read it, then enforce these groundrules. Violators will get one warning, then banned upon repeat instances -- with prejudice (taken off of my list, and banned from future comments).
I'm happy to listen to constructive suggestions and comments about these ground rules, but ultimately it's my call. A link to this entry will be placed in my profile bio section for the benefit of future prospective readers ;-).
My journal is a semi-public space... I regard public posts as equivalent to a conversation in my front yard or doorstep. Friends-only posts I see as equivalent to conversations inside my house.
The level of politeness and civility expected of LJ visitors is the same that I would reasonably expect of IRL visitors in those physical spaces. E.g., don't say anything in a friends-only space that you wouldn't say in front of me in my living room. I don't expect agreement, or a lack of criticism -- my household has seen lots of arguments and debates, over the years -- but I expect civility and some degree of consideration by both sides in any given argument for each other's viewpoint. Mutual respect, even if it has to be a bit forced at times... I have been reluctant to delete nasty or disrespectful comments in the past (felt like censorship, even in my journal), but I plan to start doing so.
As far as content goes, that's completely and unilaterally my call. If my journal seems too dull and work-focussed, or too whiny, or too full of fluff and quizzes, or too introspective on my personal issues at times... then don't read it. Anyone that has placed my journal on their friends list has done so voluntarily. No one is forcing anyone else to read it. If it annoys you, don't complain in another forum about my content, comment directly (in a respectful fashion ;) or just stop reading it. I'm *not* obliged to be entertaining or upbeat all of the time. And I'm not going to stop expressing myself or my concerns in my journal.
With all due respect, this is a warning to a few, a notification to everyone else. I'm going to wait some period of time (say, a week) until I can be reasonably sure that anyone on my LJ list has had an opportunity to read it, then enforce these groundrules. Violators will get one warning, then banned upon repeat instances -- with prejudice (taken off of my list, and banned from future comments).
I'm happy to listen to constructive suggestions and comments about these ground rules, but ultimately it's my call. A link to this entry will be placed in my profile bio section for the benefit of future prospective readers ;-).
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no subject
Date: 2003-05-06 11:43 am (UTC)But Brian, let me ask you this: What are getting out of baiting folks on this issue? I mean, it's perfectly fine for you to enforce groundrules in your journal--that is well within your purview, and probably, frankly, it's high time. But you DELIBERATELY baited folks with that comment about "evil." That left you open to the very results you got, although certainly you didn't expect the form or location of the reaction. I'm starting to understand that your tendency to play "devil's advocate" is mostly a way for you to gain further understanding about an issue. But it's a way that annoys the CRAP out of a lot of folks. Why, after getting snarked at about this very behavior, did you turn around and do it again? Why not just state plainly what's bugging you, rather than baiting traps like this?
no subject
Date: 2003-05-09 11:18 am (UTC)It's your journal, and you can make the rules. But what about the consequences for people who don't like them? If people un"friend" you, can they do so without you thinking that they're actually disowning you as a friend?
-J