Christopher Rose weighs in on policies, ethics, and the future of Blogcritics.
The following interview with Christopher Rose was conducted via email a few months ago. The interview is part of a series that will end up in an article that provides history and analysis of Blogcritics.org…
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26 - bliffle
Actually, I'm amazed at C Rose's patience with commentors that have nothing, apparently, to contribute except cuss words and lurid sex demands.
27 - MCH
"in my time here, i've only known of a few people getting banned from the site (or put on "vacation"). those have been richard brodie (who is a flat out racist), justoneman (who is a conservative, and an ass), and moonraven (who is a liberal, and an ass)."
Yes, and don't forget Mac Diva and RJ Elliott. Several years ago, RJ was temporarily banned for personal attacks against Mac Diva (although he kept posting using false pseudonyms, like "Reggie," "anonymous," etc.); whom herself was later permanently banned for making an allegation against E.O.
28 - Matthew T. Sussman
"everyone has their own lines. I'm not sure mine is where you think it is!"
I'd be shocked if they were equal, that's all.
29 - STM
My view on the point of view of people like Richard Brodie is that we should let them comment, so we never forget how vile their ideas are. And Moonraven's little holiday ... I think she's back, anyway. I suspect anyhow she was just having a little sport at our expense, as someone on another website who claims to have worked with her says she can be prickly, but is nothing like her cyber/BC persona in the flesh.
I reckon Chris does a great job of ensuring a modicum of decorum on this site, although I suspect that like the English cricket team, it's often largely a matter of good luck luck rather than good management :)
30 - Christopher Rose
Arch, I see now that one of your issues is that you can't actually see things for what they are because you're so dogmatic.
I didn't say that I hoped you would be banned, I said that if you continue to ignore the house rules, I'll reluctantly have to ban you. I also specifically said "I also hope you won't force the issue but the matter is in your own hands." So it was in fact exactly what I said and not your own massively subjective interpretation of it.
I haven't claimed to be objective, indeed absolute objectivity is a very very hard thing to do. However, I am aware of my own biases and try very hard not to let them make me overstep the mark.
You, on the other hand, are always so willing to accuse others, myself amongst them, of holding views they don't actually have. That is what you should apologise for.
My opinion is that you don't have the integrity to be truthful about any of these matters as you are in the grip of a strong set of prejudices that actually blind you to the truth. We shall see.
Finally Arch, please take on board this:- there are three fucking dots in an ellipsis, THREE!
31 - Arch Conservative
"I didn't say that I hoped you would be banned"
Yes you did. I cut and paste those very words from one of your posts.
" I hope in that scenario they will see that you are incapable of behaving with a basic level of civility and will have to be banned"
Maybe it's time you stop playing semantic games and own up to the things which you have said CHristopher.
32 - Christopher Rose
Arch, you're so comprehension challenged it's kind of embarrassing.
Please contrast and compare:-
1. I hope you are banned.
2. If I see one more occurrence of you doing that, I am going to ask the bosses how they feel about your persistent crass vulgarity and rudeness.
I hope in that scenario they will see that you are incapable of behaving with a basic level of civility and will have to be banned. I also hope you won't force the issue but the matter is in your own hands. For the moment...
The first is a statement.
The second is a conditional argument based upon responses to your own future behaviour.
You just took out a part of what I said and then misrepresented its meaning.
Finally, I don't need permission to ban you if I decide it's necessary. I just like to keep the troika on board.
Frankly, they're far less patient with you than I am and you would have been banned already if I hadn't spoken against it, as I also did with other recent bannings...
33 - Arch Conservative
" I hope in that scenario they will see that you are incapable of behaving with a basic level of civility and will have to be banned"
That's what you said Christopher.
I didn't misrepresent it's meaning at all.
Anyone can clearly see that the meaning of that sentence is
A. That you hope the editors see that I am incapable of behaving civilly
B. You hope I get banned because of the editors seeing this.
You're the only one guilty of misrepresenting anything around here Christopher.
34 - Christopher Rose
Arch, I'm not going back and forth with you on this any more. You're clearly incapable of believing anything outside of your fixed idea set, even when it's right there in front of you. Have a nice illusory life.
35 - Michael J. West
And Moonraven's little holiday ... I think she's back, anyway. I suspect anyhow she was just having a little sport at our expense, as someone on another website who claims to have worked with her says she can be prickly, but is nothing like her cyber/BC persona in the flesh.
NOTHING like her cyber/BC persona? You mean she has faculties of reason in real life? That would be refreshing.
36 - bliffle
Don't waste time with Archie: he's totally self-involved and has nothing to contribute.
37 - Dr Dreadful
You have a tricky job, Chris. You can't please everybody and I think the line you take, of firmly reminding people of the guidelines when necessary, is the fairest way to go.
We should all respect the idea of free speech but also that this site is privately owned and the owners have the right to make house rules. You don't visit someone's house and crap on the carpet because you don't like the other guests.
I'm all for the occasional insult or cuss word - when used judiciously they can add spice and wit to an argument. However, Arch doesn't understand the norms of civilized discourse. He doesn't see that his constant use of insults, aggression and foul language are both antisocial and detrimental to his own arguments being taken seriously. If he behaved that way in a spoken - as opposed to virtual - debate, he'd be thrown out in a heartbeat.
When he does refrain from those tactics - which isn't often - he's actually quite stimulating to argue with and I'd hate to see him banned. But I'd understand completely why.
38 - Arch Conservative
"However, Arch doesn't understand the norms of civilized discourse. He doesn't see that his constant use of insults, aggression and foul language are both antisocial and detrimental to his own arguments being taken seriously. If he behaved that way in a spoken - as opposed to virtual - debate, he'd be thrown out in a heartbeat."
What you may fail to realize is that I see the refusal of a bunch of leftists to take me seriously as no great loss Dreadful. Posting on BC is very cathartic for me. The opportunity to vent here is sometimes the only thing that keeps me from running every moonbat I see that still has a Kerry Edwards bumper sticker still on their auto right off the road!
39 - archLeftist
Arch Conservative, next time you have a thought - just let it go. [Personal attack deleted] And if you want to run over leftists - go ahead man. You know dimwit I don't mind sacrificing a leftist brother so that you remain in jail for the rest of your sorry life. [Personal attack deleted]
40 - STM
Oh, no ... please, tell me it ain't true: not two Archies on BC, at polar opposites of the political spectrum. Heaven help us.
41 - archLeftist
Arch Conservative is nothing but a nasty little conservative [Personal attack deleted]. [Personal attack deleted]
And STM - I am a conservative. It is just I need to use a name to give [Personal attack deleted] the Arch Conservative - [Personal attack deleted] who can only straw man the left because they are too intellectually inferior to do anything else - a little jolt of reality.
Chris - Ban this guy. He is begging for it. He will beg for it everyday and then when you do ban him he will cry wolf - oh my god another leftist site banned me. Yeah bro, because you don't have a civilized bone in your jacket. [Personal attack deleted]