Raising the game

The standard on the comments threads has deteriorated markedly in recent weeks and particularly today.

Please can commenters:

1. Avoid dominating threads. If you want to go toe to toe with another commenter, please take it to the discussion forum.

2. Please avoid insulting language and abusive analogies to other commenters and to people on other websites.

Comments

[hunter]

Well, the *&%!!&*_)%$ and more over !?)&((^$"}#$$%! on that.

[ben]

Hey, he started it.

[Paddy the Penguin]

I have got this theory about Antarctic ice coverage, anyone fancy discussing it...?

[andyscrase]

Monty Python's Argument Sketch
does spring to mind after some of the recent threads.

[Mailman]

Speaking of which I see our beloved Zeeds has started to post on any Mann Made Global Warming (tm) climate article over at the Daily Mail.

Thought it was strange she wasnt here any more...now we know why :)

Regards

Mailman

[Robinson]

Unbelievable. Why would anyone want to post at the Daily Mail? My regular comments there about Jordan's boobs are almost never published.

[Foxgoose]

Does that mean "Skunk Science" is a no-no Bish?

[Maurizio Morabito]

I was going to suggest People Universal Skeptical Science but might be seen as a way to lower rather than raise the game.

[SayNoToFearmongers]

Is use of the word 'Lysenkoism' within the Pale, given that it stems from a mass-murdering totalitarian regime and obviously draws strong parallels with utter political corruption of science - i.e. is there a version of Godwin's Law here or are Soviet allusions fair game?

[dearieme]

What's up, Bish? Have the comment threads been invaded by a parcel of University Vice-Chancellors?

[Prof Jones's Mum]

What you need to do, dear, is to calm down. Just like my boy Phil. A lovely boy 'e is, my Phil.

[golf charley]

Before anyone decides to go toe to toe with me, could I point out I do wear glasses and have athletes foot.

[Jeremy]

Apologies for contributing to what was undesired.

[Anoneumouse]

Without wishing to bash the bishop, how do you define an abusive analogies?

[Bad Andrew]

My liege, and madam, to expostulate
What majesty should be, what duty is,
What day is day, night night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time;
Therefore, since brevity is the soul of wit...

blah, blah, Global Warming
blah, blah, blah

Andrew

[Jeremy]

Is use of the word 'Lysenkoism' within the Pale, given that it stems from a mass-murdering totalitarian regime and obviously draws strong parallels with utter political corruption of science - i.e. is there a version of Godwin's Law here or are Soviet allusions fair game?
Sep 22, 2011 at 11:12 PM | SayNoToFearmongers

It is interesting when you compare what political correctness says is ok, when stacked up against magnitude of event, isn't it?

[jorgekafkazar]

Nov shmoz ka pop?

[andyscrase]

By the way, Dana is over at the Blackboard in full form

[Gixxerboy]

Fair enough your Grace. Things have taken a turn for the worse. More civility, more concentration on the facts (as much as they are discernible) and sticking to the topic would be welcome.

[Viv Evans]

Thanks, bish!

Experience has taught me that any argument that is brief and polite will get a better hearing than a lengthy one, interspersed with snark, shouts and other well-known techniques - especially on blogs.

I personally abhor the patronising stance some like to adopt. That reminds me powerfully of 'dawa', which certain faithful like to spread around certain other blogs, and is totally off-putting.

[marchesarosa]

It has happened on Climate Etc, too. I should say it is a deliberate strategy by warmists to lower the tone and hijack threads, if not the entire board.

Personally I find it very easy to ignore trolls and hijackers. Sadly there are some overgrown schoolboys here and elsewhere who just cannot resist the bait. They are as much to blame for lowering tone as the original provocatueurs. The desire to have the last word is counterproductive.

[ThinkingScientist]

I hate political correctness, but if you are genuinely trying to have a debate it is stupid to post anything that could be taken the wrong way. You won't get an answer to your point if you introduce something else into your post which gives the recipient an excuse to take exception to something and avoid your question, rather than addressing the point in hand.

I hate political correctness, but I also dislike it when people ruin a good debate with what amounts to just plain bad manners. Grow up and learn to let some things go. As Bad Andrew implied on the previous thread that spawned this one there has been a run of threads recently which have quickly degenerated into crock.

[Maurizio Morabito]

Does anybody truly believes there was a chance of having a constructive debate with dana1981, and it got ruined by the Schutzstaffel jokes? Hasnt anybody read his character assassinations? Oh please!!!

The guy is unsure if we're subhumans by birth or choice. Deal with it.

[Jane Coles]

Bishop Hill: "Please avoid insulting language"

Didn't I just read a post entitled "Cooking the books"?

The fact that a claim is both true and appropriate doesn't make it any less insulting.

[BBD]

SayNoToFearmongers

Wrt Lysenkoism. Agreed! IIRC Jane Coles made exactly this point recently on the second Cook thread. And she is right too ;-)

What makes it so irritating is how transparent this stuff is: it's just a tactic to polarise debate and increase the amount of stupid noise in the room.

[John Whitman]

BH,

OK, no problema.

Mi casa es su casa La casa gana siempre.

(apologies for probably butchering the Spanish language).

BH, I have great respect for you for creating this wonderful venue. Your energy is truly inspiring. Thank you.

John

[Louise]

@Marchesarosa - I think you'll find that BH has made this request for civility as a result of the treatment that the 'regulars' here dished out to contributors from Skeptical Science - who were in no way using abusive language or insulting anologies.

So it wasn't the trolls who were lowering the tone and hijacking the threads (unless you think Shub, Theo Goodwin, Josh, Maurizio Morabito, et al are trolls?)

[BBD]

Louise

Very well said.

[John Whitman]

So it wasn't the trolls who were lowering the tone and hijacking the threads (unless you think Shub, Theo Goodwin, Josh, Maurizio Morabito, et al are trolls?)

Sep 23, 2011 at 6:49 PM | Louise

-----------

Louise,

Please, probably had enough of the "you did", "no you did first", "did not", "did" stuff.

John

[Maurizio Morabito]

Louise - please - if you want to rewrite history, it's the wrong site!

[Shona]

I have to say I haven't been coming here so much be cause of this. It makes for really boring reading.

[Jane Coles]

BBD: "Jane Coles made exactly this point"

For the avoidance of doubt, my position is that historical analogies are potentially useful and should be judged on their merit. The activities of both the Lysenko school and the Ahnenerbe provide candidate analogies to contemporary 'climate science'. Those who would prefer to ignore history facilitate its repetition.

[Maurizio Morabito]

Louise- apologies - I had completely misunderstood your comment. /redface

[BBD]

Jane Coles

The activities of both the Lysenko school and the Ahnenerbe provide candidate analogies to contemporary 'climate science'. Those who would prefer to ignore history facilitate its repetition.

You have lost touch with reality.