What Would Happen if We Didn't Engage with "Controversial" Forum Posts?

barge-in hunter on 06/09/2022 - 11:54
Last edited 06/09/2022 - 21:56

Over the past 2-ish years, we've all noticed a lot more OzBargain forum posts that usually push theories or points of view that are questionable/controversial - often based on research from less reputable sources (but not always).

These forum posts can be viewed in two ways:

1) they appear to be deliberately inflamatory (based on previous reactions from the OzBargain community), and contain what many people consider as misinformation

2) on the flip side "deliberately inflamatory" can also be considered as encouraging people to challenge their thinking, with more positive intentions from the posters

I began wondering what would happen if the broader community didn't engage with these forum posts; would the true intentions behind them come to light?

If they're designed to be inflamatory but nobody responded, would the posters just get bored and leave? If the intention is to create an environment where people challenge their internal norms and question their beliefs, would the lack of engagement actually make a difference to the posters' (somewhat more) noble intentions?

So as the title says…

What if We Didn't Engage with "Controversial" Forum Posts?

UPDATE:. https://youtu.be/FONN-0uoTHI

Poll Options expired

  • 26
    I think these posts would stop - because the posters will lose interest
  • 7
    I think these posts would continue - because the posters just want you to challenge your thinking
  • 156
    I think these posts will never stop - because we can't help but react to controversial topics
  • 18
    I think these posts will never stop - because under it all, we enjoy them too much
  • 3
    I think these posts would stop - for a different reason
  • 10
    I think these posts would continue - for a different reason
Site Discussion

Comments

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 06/09/2022 - 12:08
    +32

    nah it would be pretty boring without controversial topics

  • Almost Banned on 06/09/2022 - 12:08
    +11

    What if people don't engage with this post?

    • barge-in hunter on 06/09/2022 - 13:44

      Touché @Almost Banned - I guess we wouldn't find out the answer to the poll

  • Drakesy on 06/09/2022 - 12:12
    +24

    But SlavOz and Hellopam/Screensaver was placed on this earth for this exact reason.
    Without it what is their purpose?

    • kanmen on 06/09/2022 - 12:26
      +10

      Probably to continue their self-sufficient echo chamber by themselves, because god knows a comment in response to their views won't change a single thing either.

      • Drakesy on 06/09/2022 - 12:32
        +3

        Confirmation bias is strong with them.

    • SF3 on 06/09/2022 - 14:44
      +1

      and IVI?

      And many DisabledUsers (onion) that didn't last the distance.

    • Seraphin7 on 06/09/2022 - 15:25
      +8

      And some that post what starts out as not necessarily controversial, albeit usually a rant as to the way the world has "slighted them", but then just descends into the OP arguing with everyone who points out entirely reasonable responses that could be made, seemingly because the OP has no ability to operate in a world that is not designed around their own specific requirements and conveniences.

    • DoctorCalculon on 06/09/2022 - 20:00
      +3

      I need a thread from each of them every week to keep me entertained. LOL!

  • SBOB on 06/09/2022 - 12:12
    +2

    All social sites and social media aim to drive engagement…So increased engagement is good for Ozb's bottom line ;)

    I doubt it would vanish, as many of those posters would regurgitate the same talking points regardless. Some even resurrect themselves from penalty bins just to do so :)

    "Some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money. They can't be bought, bullied, reasoned, or negotiated with. Some men just want to watch the world burn"

  • wisdomtooth on 06/09/2022 - 12:26
    -4

    "What if we ostracise (i.e. shadowban) views I don't agree with (and therefore don't like)?"

    There, summarised it for you.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 12:48
      +12

      how did you manage to misrepresent the intention of this post in such a big way? how is ignoring something the same as "shadowbanning" it? do people have to engage with every single post they ever see?

        • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 13:28
          +7

          no one is at all talking about forcing people to not engage with posts they don't agree with. this post isn't saying that either, if you actually read it.

          this is what the OP asked:

          what would happen if the broader community didn't engage with these forum posts?

          as in: what if the broader community chose to ignore the posts they don't like, which they are of course free to do if they choose.

          • wisdomtooth on 06/09/2022 - 13:32
            -1

            @[Deactivated]: Yeah, bc expression and opinion are community decisions 🙄

            Handle checks out, again.

            • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 13:35
              +7

              @wisdomtooth: sounds to me like you're the one who is against respecting peoples' choice to engage on this forum as they want.

              • wisdomtooth on 06/09/2022 - 13:41
                -1

                @[Deactivated]: With opinion and expression, there's no "people's choice", only people's choices (or certain persons' choice to usurp the choices of others).

                But I digress… Lemme ask you: is that handle unironic?

                • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 13:57
                  +1

                  @wisdomtooth: seeing as cultural marxism doesn't exist and is just a boogeyman used by certain people to describe things they don't like, the username is ironic.

                • ceroau on 07/09/2022 - 22:49

                  @wisdomtooth: So what you're saying is anyone who makes a choice, expression or opinion that you don't agree with isn't actually making a choice, they don't get a choice because they're drones? the only people choice out there are from those "free thinkers" like yourself who choice is to usurp the choice of others? Am I understanding your particular brand of crazy correctly?

          • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2022 - 15:53
            -1

            @[Deactivated]: They don't ignore it because they too get to see the other side of the argument. Poke the beast enough and you can get all the freudian slips from people coming out and you find out their inner thoughts.

            It's a bit like how I saw recently someone poked the GPs and we found out their real intentions were to earn money and not to actually help their clients get better. But hey, who doesn't go to their job to make money. I thought that was obvious.

    • GrueHunter on 06/09/2022 - 13:33
      +8

      edits somebody else's thoughts to misrepresent them
      complains about policing thoughts

      onya champ

    • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:10
      +1

      …and who is this 'We' that the OP is referring to…? last time i checked ozbargain didnt have co-ordinated factions and groups here…?

    • smartazz104 on 08/09/2022 - 08:10

      Exactly, it's fun to shit on certain people and their views.

  • tallkid123 on 06/09/2022 - 12:41
    +1

    OzBargain forums are pretty tame and boring.

    You'd get more comment activity on a deal considered questionable here.

    Basically, if any deal gets downvotes, you'll find more passionate engagement overall on either side than whatever internal monologue of the day SlavOz can be bothered typing up to share with us all.

    • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:08

      also see: 'price errors'

    • p1723 on 07/09/2022 - 15:25

      I mean how much drama can you get from posts about discounted items and saving money.

      You gotta be really bored to start a fight on ozbargain that's not trolling

  • bobbified on 06/09/2022 - 12:59
    +1

    I think most people here understand that people have different opinions on different topics. I see that people mostly seem to keep arguments on-topic in the threads and then don't carry their dislike/disagreement for a particular person/people over to the next thread (except for some very specific people who seem to enjoy being the centre of attention).

    Admittedly, some threads are good entertainment when I'm not doing much during my work days.

  • Sweet3st on 06/09/2022 - 13:13
    +6

    I don’t engage, in fact I just scroll past. I think they’re off topic for a bargain website and would be more appropriate elsewhere.

    • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:13
      +5

      The the problem is that certain sites that claim they are there to support discussion don't let people express controversial opinions, whereas this one, which purportedly is about bargains, is more tolerant of them.

      • SlavOz on 06/09/2022 - 18:06
        +9

        This post nails it. Not sure whether it's an embarrassment that a bargain chat room is the only place that actually embraces diversity and intellectual progress. You can say more on this site than you can out in public in front of police, which is quite distressing. Ozbargain has more free speech than Australian land.

        We have a government funded platform in the ABC that doesn't even embrace diverse opinions.

  • JimmyF on 06/09/2022 - 13:14
    +1

    What Would Happen if We Didn't Engage with "Controversial" Forum Posts?

    Bit like people voting on this "Controversial" Forum Post, about "Controversial" Forum Posts!

    • barge-in hunter on 06/09/2022 - 13:43

      Well played JimmyF, well played!

      • [Deactivated] on 08/09/2022 - 15:55

        Well played, let's help you get on the highest trending forum thread for the month.

  • randomusername2017 on 06/09/2022 - 13:24
    +1

    +1 for the poll
    Content is a bit boring though…

  • pegaxs on 06/09/2022 - 13:25
    +3

    These posts would continue, because, as like most petulant children, they just scream louder and louder and louder until finally someone says something. It's not about challenging thinking, as what they post is pure tripe and easily debunked garbage. It is more about a sad reflection of their own self worth that they cannot go 10 mins without trying to start an argument, because it is all about the attention and nothing to do with their message.

    These trolls are the forum equivalent of Instascam "influencers". They are basically attention whores who crave the "look at me" any forum affords them. The more you ignore these types, the more outrageous they become because they know that they will eventually say something that will irk someone and get that dopamine hit while they [REDACTED] into their own [REDACTED] like a [REDACTED] (fropanity).

    We should not fed the trolsl, but bonking them on the head with the stick of truth and making them butt of every joke we can should be our civil duty, that way, these trolls can say what they want, but no one will ever take them seriously… (well, only the little Smeagol like trollettes they amass along the way that act like flies buzzing around a turd.)

    • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 13:41

      but….but… the bugs!

      • pegaxs on 06/09/2022 - 13:56
        -1

        "Welll…. FoxNews says…"
        "I was reading on SkyNews…"
        "There was an article in The Daily *insert far right wing media outlet*…"

        • spackbace on 06/09/2022 - 15:03
          +4

          That's in the few occasions where a reference point is actually mentioned. Most times it's vague statements born out of thin air, thinly veiled as 'researched'

          • pegaxs on 06/09/2022 - 16:04

            @spackbace:

            "Where are your sources for all this bullshit you are spewing out??"
            "I'm not doing your research for you… Look it up yourself…"

            You mean that catch cry? :D

        • SlavOz on 06/09/2022 - 18:08
          +3

          "That's Misinformation because Four Corners debunked it for me"

      • franco cozzo on 07/09/2022 - 04:17
        +1

        these bugs?

    • Chandler on 07/09/2022 - 14:35

      but bonking them on the head with the stick of truth

      Yeah but when you do this they just stop engaging in that particular comment thread. Which is the annoying part - not that they don't stop engaging entirely (which isn't what I personally seek), but that they stop engaging in that thread where their points have been seriously challenged.

    • BankstownMoeyDW on 07/09/2022 - 21:11
      +1

      "They are basically attention whores who crave the "look at me" any forum affords them. "

      Seems a bit ironic coming from one of the most flamboyant commenters on here.

  • Iwantthebestprice on 06/09/2022 - 13:29
    +1

    Could you imagine how boring my work days would be if I didn’t get a forum post referencing the daily mail saying Covid is not real or vaccination is turning us into mindless zombies.. I would need to spend more time on reddit and I really don’t want to do that!

    • BankstownMoeyDW on 07/09/2022 - 21:13

      The whole I'm vaccinated and doing the right thing, everyone else is a fool narrative is pretty old and boring now.

  • apsilon on 06/09/2022 - 13:53
    +1

    Just hide topics or posts from users if you don't want to engage/see them. Works well.

  • GG57 on 06/09/2022 - 14:10
    +2

    I find it interesting who hasn't commented in this forum.

  • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 14:31
    +2

    If reasonable people don't engage with them, they'll turn into a radicalised echo chamber.

  • ozhunter on 06/09/2022 - 14:57

    What if We Didn't Engage with "Controversial" Forum Posts?

    Then no one would have their minds from all the enlightening replies. 😆

  • p1 ama on 06/09/2022 - 15:14
    +2

    It depends on intent. The intent, most often in online discussions, ranges from stupid to nefarious. It's never genuine.

    The issue with most online discussions is that people do not engage in those discussions "in good faith", regardless of what they might say (or think), most are not engaging in the discussion to "get to the truth" or "figure out what is right".

    Most engage in discussions to satisfy their own ego and self-fulfilling goals, including:

    • Trying to convince others of a point of view, but never being open to changing their own point of view
    • Making fun of or belittling others to gain a sense of superiority
    • Being a smartass to get upvotes
      …etc.

    At the end of the day, I think the whole idea that we engage in forum discussions to change each others' minds is all BS - when we engage in forum discussions, we are not really talking to each other, we are all preaching to a crowd who already agrees with us.

    • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:21
      +1

      The purpose of engaging in debate is to clarify to ourselves what we believe. No-one seriously believes they can change anyone else's opinion. By the time anyone has formed an opinion, its too late to change it. You only have the opportunity to create a person who agrees with you is to get them before they've decided what they believe. And you'll never convince me of the contrary.

      • p1 ama on 06/09/2022 - 15:27
        +1

        Disagree - being willing to accept that you may be wrong is a pre-requisite of having a productive debate / discussion.

        • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:37

          Good luck on finding a "productive debate / discussion". Tell us when you do.

          • p1 ama on 06/09/2022 - 16:23
            +2

            @GordonD: I have productive debates and discussions on here all the time - I've changed my view on all sorts of things and I've convinced others to change theirs on a number of others as well. What's common amongst all of those discussions is that people were trying to figure out the truth, not play games.

    • ozhunter on 06/09/2022 - 16:29

      +1 for the middle portion

      It's never genuine.

      Disagree with this one. Someone could be genuinely wonder how many others think the same away, even if it from a small and potentially biased group

      most are not engaging in the discussion to "get to the truth" or "figure out what is right".

      Definitely not on ozbargain lol. Only their viewpoint is right and every other one is worth ridicule.

      most are not engaging in the discussion to "get to the truth" or "figure out what is right".

      Agree with this but sometimes there is no right or wrong; people just have different values.

      • p1 ama on 06/09/2022 - 18:22
        +1

        Agree with this but sometimes there is no right or wrong; people just have different values.

        I agree, but in this case, it's worth agreeing in advance that two sides are never going to agree and at least respecting that the other side just has different values.

    • trapper on 07/09/2022 - 14:16

      I have had my mind changed on some things, but do agree it is kind of rare…

      The thing is that people who have already thought carefully about something usually have a pretty solid foundation for why they think what they think. So it's going to take an important piece of new information or new way of thinking to change their view.

      On the other side of the coin you have people who haven't really applied any critical thought to their views at all. These views are even harder to change as they weren't really rationally arrived at in the first place. So there isn't really any argument that will make much difference.

      • ozhunter on 07/09/2022 - 15:17

        I have had my mind changed on some things

        Care to share?

        • trapper on 07/09/2022 - 17:07

          Didn't think RAT tests were very accurate.

          Then got COVID and found RAT tests were accurate. :)

  • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:19
    +3

    The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate people who speak it.
    - George Orwell

    And the same applies to groups sharing common beliefs within a larger society. Look how much both the left and right hate anyone who tries to express views that conflict with their own.

    • netjock on 06/09/2022 - 15:37

      I can say 1 is 2 and 2 is one and I can say everyone is drifting from the truth because they hate the idea.

      Jeez. Know what the truth is first.

  • netjock on 06/09/2022 - 15:41

    It is only controversial to the person posting it. The rest of us is just trying to work out what it is all about amongst ourselves.

    If you want some hilarious reading look at people's replies on Twitter. Probably 69% of the people have no idea what they are talking about the other 29% is just being smug because they got lucky.

    I think it is a conspiracy that Elon Musk did a 3 for 1 Tesla share split so he can make another joke when it goes to $420 and then $690.

    • SBOB on 06/09/2022 - 15:46
      +1

      Probably 69% of the people have no idea what they are talking about the other 29% is just being smug because they got lucky.

      and 2% just sitting around making up statistics :)

      • netjock on 06/09/2022 - 15:49

        Probably. Half of those are rich (1%) telling poor people stuff. Like I've got 9 kids because with 7.7bn people earth is at risk of population collapse when estimates is 10.9bn by 2100.

        If earth doesn't have too many people who would want to go to Mars to certain death to test it out (then work as servants) for the billionaires that want to go.

  • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:54
    +2

    The world is full of idiots, and unless someone tells them they'll never know.
    - Dr John Becker

    • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 16:55

      Such a good show.

  • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 15:57

    In order to be fully justified in holding our views, we need to know what we'd say to the most intelligent and capable defenders of opposing views.
    - Dr Robert Simpson University College London (ABC Online News)

    The problem, of course, is finding them.

  • GordonD on 06/09/2022 - 16:06
    +3

    I love being wrong.
    - Adam Savage (Mythbusters)

    Because you learn nothing from what you get right, from what turns out exactly as you expected. You only learn from what you got wrong.

    • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 17:45
      +1

      …did you just buy a quote book or something?

  • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 17:30

    do whatever you want…? if you dont enjoy those posts dont engage.
    …what it sounds like is you want to ban/silence certain posts and certain users because they dont allign with your values.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 17:33

      that's not at all what they have suggested. you snowflakes are always so quick to complain about being "silenced"

      • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 17:35
        +1

        lol….feel free to choose not to engage with this post snowflake

        • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 17:48

          are you telling me not to reply? are you trying to silence me?

  • monky on 06/09/2022 - 18:03
    +2

    I enjoy dunking on the reactionaries righties that hit the post button.

  • SlavOz on 06/09/2022 - 18:15
    +5

    On a more practical level, Ozbargain would just turn into Reddit or Twitter where you need to program your brain to think within alternative truths every time you post, otherwise you get banned for questioning the corporate autocracy (most of the time by accident because you didn't make it clear enough that you support XYZ).

    If people prefer that echo chamber approach, they can always use those platforms. I assume there's a reason they don't, it's probably because they know themselves that those sites are toxic trash. So what's the point of making Ozbargain follow the same path?

    • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:23
      +3

      100% on the money.

    • [Deactivated] on 06/09/2022 - 18:33
      +1

      where you need to program your brain to think within alternative truths every time you post

      the irony.

      and yet another snowflake thinking people want them censored, when it's just a question of what would happen if people decided to ignore their idiotic views

    • SBOB on 06/09/2022 - 18:37
      +2

      need to program your brain to think within alternative truths every time you post,

      Look at all those reprogrammed, leftist Reddit posters.

      https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/
      https://www.reddit.com/r/conservatives/
      https://www.reddit.com/r/republican
      https://www.reddit.com/r/walkaway/

      Etc etc etc

      Bunch of leftist woke Reddit users…..

      • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:42
        -2

        you are either incredibly naive….or highly disingenuous. im betting on the latter <wink>

        • SBOB on 06/09/2022 - 18:47

          you are either incredibly naive….or highly disingenuous.

          Feel free to use some intelligence to show how censorship is applied to Reddit?
          It's a bunch of subreddits, moderated by their own users of those subreddits.

          If you think deleting right wing talking points from a left winging subreddit is censorship, you're either incredibly nieve or highly disingenuous.

          The above random couple of examples, easily found in a 30s google search like I just did, are the 'tame' right wing sub Reddit's…there are plenty more extreme cesspool subreddits should those be too 'woke' for your views.

          Also, didn't neg you, just so you know it's not only me that thinks that quality of that post earned it.

        • smartazz104 on 08/09/2022 - 08:11

          You should get that tick looked at.

      • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 18:44

        I'm not ashamed to say I love reddit. It's highly entertaining and has quite reliable information when it comes to topics such as personal finance, tech, cars etc.

        People who bash it are plain ignorant. Probably the same type who are mad that r/The_Donald or whatever got banned (although there are still some very questionable subreddits that exist).

        • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:52
          +1

          heres some background on whats going on at the site you 'love'….enjoy.
          https://grahamlinehan.substack.com/archive?sort=search&searc…

          • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 18:57
            -1

            @franco cozzo: Thanks, that made me love reddit even more.

            • franco cozzo on 06/09/2022 - 18:57

              @Ghost47: ok predditor

              Reddit has long been considered a hub for disturbing, pornographic material, and is frequently at the center of child sexual abuse scandals. Last year, the site was sued by a victim of revenge porn after failing to remove images of the victim from when she was under the age of 18 posted by her boyfriend.
              In 2021, Reddit experienced widespread site protests after hiring Aimee Challenor, a trans-identified male whose father had spent 22 years in prison for raping and torturing a 10-year-old girl.
              Challenor had hired his father into a safety sensitive position within the UK Green Party, and hid his horrific past from the public. Challenor’s partner was similarly embroiled in controversy for having admitted to fantasizing about children being sexually abused.

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