Member Identification Icon?

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ausGeoff

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Member Identification Icon?
« on: June 28, 2014, 12:08:40 AM »

Sometimes, especially with newbies or members with somewhat erratic viewpoints, it's difficult to ascertain whether a member is a genuine flat earther or a round earther, or someone sitting on the fence.

It's a situation sort of like this:

"Theist" flat earther = believes/accepts totally the flat earth theory.
"Agnostic" flat earther = accepts nominally the flat theory, but is open to round earth possibility.

"Atheist" round earther = rejects all flat earth theory in totality.

Would it be possible to have some sort of icon attached to the member's username/avatar on the forums as an indicator of which of the three groups a member is part of?  It'd also cover the scenario when a true flat earther uses satire or sarcasm—which in the past has been mistaken by some round earthers as a genuine comment, (often because of a lack of an appropriate smiley).  Sometimes—particularly with infrequent respondents—it's difficult to remember which group they belong to, particularly with imprecise content that could be interpreted either way.

(Moderators please delete this thread if it's considered inappropriate or unnecessary)

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sceptimatic

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2014, 04:06:55 AM »
What will it solve, Geoff?
An icon is exactly that. You see; unless you actually know a person, then that person could be a troll, a liar, out for a giggle, true believer, partial believer or any other variation.
It's about using your own judgement to decide what you think fits best to any person you correspond with.
For instance: you have me down as a troll and so do most others. In that scenario, I should have a troll icon, which tells people that anything I put forward and all my thoughts are simply just trolling, regardless of the time I've spent posting, all because people believe I am a troll. Whether that appears clear or true to a person is neither here nor there. The fact is, nobody knows what I am, other than what I decide to tell them...and even then, they still don't know.

I don't know what you are. I can guess that you could be anything and anyone and make an assumption that you are one specific thing. Let's say I have you down as a shill. That means you get a shill icon. Would this be right?

A flat Earth believer. Vauxhall? Thermometer? Duckdodgers? or is it Jroa, roundy, Pongo,i wanttobelieve, cowgirl, etc?
What icon for Vauxhall? maybe a liar icon? shill? flat Earth? maybe a question mark inbetween flat and globe? maybe a question mark inbetween flat, liar, globe, shill, troll, etc?
What about Thermometer? A convert, troll, mixed emotions,shill?
How about Duckdodgers? Covert to flat but which one, or a season long alternate thinker to see what the flat side is like against the global model.
I don't even know what any of these people really believe in but that has no bearing on me, because I look at people THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, which all of those people do, regardless of what others may think of them or tag them with.

Being officially tagged by the admin will not go down too well when newcomers see icons displayed against a name, as it will create more confusion.
Are you going to be taken any more serious than you think people take you if a shill icon is placed next to your name?
Am I going to be taken any more or less serious with a troll icon placed next to mine, because people think I'm a loony, anyway?

Remember, Geoff: there's more than one flat Earth theory or hypothesis, which means there is a conflict of information you will get between people who go with whatever variation.
Your argued stance is the same as any other official follower, which is the globe, so there's no issue with what you are arguing for.

You've been here long enough to know the people you want to debate with. The real issue is, why are you doing it? I mean; your stance will never change, you're basically ridiculing anyone with a different stance, so why the need to know what you are ridiculing?
You can't simply say that X person is arguing a better model, so you need to know how many are arguing this certain model, because to you, it's all batshit crazy, so knowing what people are and what they think, is irrelevant when you think about it, Geoff.

Someobody is seriously, seriously wrong, no matter which thing you are arguing against, whether it's deemed as trolling, legitimate thought or whatever.
3000 miles v 93 million miles. 32 miles v 1000,000 +km wide.
Resting on turtles v upward moving disc v spinning ball, etc.
Infinite Earth v stationary globe.
Ice dome, slightly concave Earth with no universe v star glittered universe.
The list is long. The thoughts are spread far and wide for those who are trying to decipher what is what.
All that ^ is directly against your one model. A model that you believe is done and dusted with no further arguments against it, needed, in your mind.

To sum it all up, Geoff: if you felt the need to put this suggestion up because it bothers you that you can't work out who is who, then everyone should put up a topic like this, because everyone is in the same boat.
The best way to deal with a person is to remember their stance and not simply accept that every persons' mind is nailed onto one particular model.
People keep telling me that I believe in UA, when my stance is as clear as day as to what I believe. The fact that people refuse to see that, is there problem and they will be continually confused if they don't take onboard each persons thoughts when trying to deal with what is at hand.

The best way for you to deal with stuff, is to deal with those who you feel you are capable of dealing with and leaving the rest alone who you can't fathom out. That way you will at least have a good idea of what model you are arguing against and the nutters like me can be left to just plod on with our thoughts.

This is no dig, Geoff, I'm simply just explaining that each person has to be taken as is, not put into one specific catergory of people.
I get told that I'm harming the flat Earth with my stance, yet my stance is deemed idiotic, so how can I be harming anything?
You people are harming the flat Earth stance by coming on and ridiculing it for all to see. I'm just an out of the box thinker, like most are who go against the official line. Out of the box thinking is not specific to anything or any particular model, as each person has their own ideas and takes. Yours is thickly buttered on one side of the bread, never to be skimmed at any time, just folded and eaten like that, as habit.

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th3rm0m3t3r0

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2014, 10:37:43 AM »
I have no mixed emotions, and I'm certainly not a shill.


I don't profess to be correct.
Quote from: sceptimatic
I am correct.

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ausGeoff

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2014, 03:33:02 PM »
What will it solve, Geoff?
An icon is exactly that. You see; unless you actually know a person, then that person could be a troll, a liar, out for a giggle, true believer, partial believer or any other variation.
I thank you for your detailed response.  It'd be up to the individual member to define his own status; flat earther, fence-sitter, round earther.  From that point onwards, all his/her responses would be evaluated on keeping that self-declaration in mind.

In other words, if you consider yourself a legitimate flat earth believer (of any/all theories etc) then I'd always respond to you on that basis—regardless of whether or not I think you're a troll.  And I'd declare myself to be a legitimate round earther, and expect people to respond to me on that basis.  If people were to later on think I was a troll—and respond accordingly—then I could dismiss their comments immediately.

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For instance: you have me down as a troll and so do most others. In that scenario, I should have a troll icon, which tells people that anything I put forward and all my thoughts are simply just trolling, regardless of the time I've spent posting, all because people believe I am a troll.
You're correct at this point in time; I do have you down as a troll, but if you were to declare yourself a legitimate flat earther (with the appropriate icon) I'd then treat your responses as such.  And then you wouldn't have "most others" also thinking you're a troll.

Obviously it has to be based on an "honour system", but like all honour systems, if everyone agrees to abide by it, then it works pretty well.

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I don't know what you are. I can guess that you could be anything and anyone and make an assumption that you are one specific thing. Let's say I have you down as a shill. That means you get a shill icon. Would this be right?
By your own logic, by now you should have me down as a genuine round earther.  Which I am.  And even although I'd of course choose the round earth icon, if you treated me like a shill, then you couldn't really expect much meaningful debate with me.  But, if you responded as though I were truly a round earther, then you'll have a much better chance of interacting with me.  Incidentally, there shouldn't be any need for a "troll" icon on any credible forum like this.

And you've brought up the names of a few other members here who, at times, seem to post ambivalently.  One often responds with fairly subtle satire or sarcasm—which often slips under the radar; another often responds with empty rhetoric which can be taken either of two ways.

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Being officially tagged by the admin will not go down too well when newcomers see icons displayed against a name, as it will create more confusion.
I can't agree with this.  Sorry.  It'd actually make it a lot easier for newcomers to suss out the flatties, the roundies, and the fence-sitters from day one.  And admin wouldn't apply the tag; the member would.

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You've been here long enough to know the people you want to debate with. The real issue is, why are you doing it? I mean; your stance will never change, you're basically ridiculing anyone with a different stance, so why the need to know what you are ridiculing?
I apologise if you think I'm repeatedly "ridiculing" all flat earthers personally.  That's not my prime intention.  I always do my best to ridicule (your word) the flat earthers' pseudo-science and their weird (to me) notions about the universe.  Although rather than ridicule, I'd prefer to say I try to elaborate, explain, and sustain my knowledge of the universe, and offer flat earthers a viable, alternative perspective to the viewpoint they subscribe to.  And I can assure you that I've been subjected to far more ridicule, and offensive name-calling—from flat earthers—than even a fraction of what I've fired off (if any at all).

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This is no dig, Geoff, I'm simply just explaining that each person has to be taken as is, not put into one specific category of people.
I don't think it's quite as problematic as that.  Basically, on a flat earth forum there's only two legitimate "categories" of posters; people who accept the flat earth model, and those that accept the round earth model.  The flat earth "agnostics" are only a very tiny subgroup of the former.

Anyway, I appreciate the time you've taken to post your opinion here.   :)




(PS:  I've deliberately not addressed a couple of your other points as I thought my responses would be irrelevant to the thrust of the thread.)


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ausGeoff

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #4 on: June 28, 2014, 03:39:38 PM »
I have no mixed emotions, and I'm certainly not a shill.

I have you earmarked as a flat earth agnostic.  Most of your one-liner comments are ambiguous.

Or thinly-veiled put-downs.   ;)


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DuckDodgers

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #5 on: June 28, 2014, 04:02:20 PM »
Why should it matter what position a person takes in how you respond to them?  If someone offers a rebuttal, why not just focus on the material of the rebuttal instead of focus on the viewpoint of the person?  It's pretty easy to find a person's stance if you spend a bit of time reading their posts.
markjo, what force can not pass through a solid or liquid?
Magnetism for one and electric is the other.

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Vauxhall

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #6 on: June 28, 2014, 05:30:42 PM »
This is an absurd idea. It would create bias when reading certain users posts.

Although, I will tell you this: I am a white male. Perhaps there should be a "white male" icon next to my username?
Read the FAQS.

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Son of Orospu

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #7 on: June 28, 2014, 10:39:54 PM »
Well, since we have no adims left (they have mysteriously disappeared, as if the conspiracy got to them), this thread is pointless.  Nobody can make changes.  We can only debate the shape of the Earth. 

Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #8 on: June 29, 2014, 05:01:09 AM »

Jroa for Admin!

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th3rm0m3t3r0

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #9 on: June 29, 2014, 09:47:22 AM »
I have no mixed emotions, and I'm certainly not a shill.

I have you earmarked as a flat earth agnostic.  Most of your one-liner comments are ambiguous.

Or thinly-veiled put-downs.   ;)
I have myself earmarked as a believer.
I was agnostic when I mainly identified as RE.


I don't profess to be correct.
Quote from: sceptimatic
I am correct.

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ausGeoff

  • 6091
Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #10 on: June 29, 2014, 01:35:30 PM »
Well, since we have no admins left (they have mysteriously disappeared, as if the conspiracy got to them), this thread is pointless.  Nobody can make changes.  We can only debate the shape of the Earth.

Thanks jroa.  Noted and understood.   ;)


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Space Cowgirl

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2014, 08:16:11 AM »
This would be useful for people who are afraid angry noobs will think they're on the flat side. Noobs assuming anyone who posts here is a flatty is part of the fun.
I'm sorry. Am I to understand that when you have a boner you like to imagine punching the shit out of Tom Bishop? That's disgusting.

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markjo

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #12 on: June 30, 2014, 11:48:35 AM »
Noobs assuming anyone who posts here is a flatty is part of the fun.
Especially the roundies who occasionally post sarcasitally as a flatty.  ;D
Science is what happens when preconception meets verification.
Quote from: Robosteve
Besides, perhaps FET is a conspiracy too.
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It is just the way it is, you understanding it doesn't concern me.

Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #13 on: July 02, 2014, 11:15:04 PM »
Is there proof to sustain this theory?  Please serious answers only  ???
« Last Edit: July 02, 2014, 11:19:14 PM by Imoogi »

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Pongo

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #14 on: July 03, 2014, 06:14:17 AM »
Is there proof to sustain this theory?  Please serious answers only  ???

Yes AusGeoff, please provide proof to sustain the theory that, "Sometimes, especially with newbies or members with somewhat erratic viewpoints, it's difficult to ascertain whether a member is a genuine flat earther or a round earther, or someone sitting on the fence."

We are all waiting.

Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #15 on: July 03, 2014, 09:09:46 AM »
I am talking about something like a footage or something tangible, people need to be shown, not told, this is the way it works since the begining of time, it doesnt matter how elaborate your "cientific" theory is, if it is not simple, tangible & dumbed enough for a squeared mind to swalow it, then your forums would keep being meaningless to the world.
Ps. Still waiting on an answer... ???

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Pongo

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #16 on: July 03, 2014, 09:49:55 AM »
I would like to see some footage as well.

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Space Cowgirl

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #17 on: July 03, 2014, 10:54:00 AM »
Yeah Pongo, what's your cientific theory, my squeared mind needs to swalow it.
I'm sorry. Am I to understand that when you have a boner you like to imagine punching the shit out of Tom Bishop? That's disgusting.

Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #18 on: July 03, 2014, 12:00:05 PM »
I'm not trying to start a discussion.
Again trying to start a real conversation here
I mean has anyone in the last 50 years traveled (by travel I mean on an expedition) south or something?

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th3rm0m3t3r0

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #19 on: July 03, 2014, 12:15:18 PM »
I'm not trying to start a discussion.
Again trying to start a real conversation here
I mean has anyone in the last 50 years traveled (by travel I mean on an expedition) south or something?
I travel South every day.
Next question.


I don't profess to be correct.
Quote from: sceptimatic
I am correct.

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Space Cowgirl

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #20 on: July 03, 2014, 12:15:51 PM »
Okay, I will be nice because you are new and we should be nicer to people ANYWAY.

The reason you are getting smart ass replies is because you posted your request for proof in a thread that isn't about flat earth theory. This thread is a member request for a forum feature. It's not a debate thread. I suspect you aren't very familiar with the way forums work, and I'm not sure what advice to give you that you might understand... but I will take a stab at it. There's a forum called "Flat Earth General" it is one forum lower on the board than this one, located here http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?board=20.0 This is a the proper forum for your question. You should start a new thread, or add your request to an already existing thread in that forum.

Oh, one more piece of advice - go to the main page of our forum http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php then read the board titles. You are currently posting in "Suggestions & Concerns" This forum is for technical issues, board feature requests, and questions about moderator actions and other things of that nature. It's not for discussing flat earth theory.
I'm sorry. Am I to understand that when you have a boner you like to imagine punching the shit out of Tom Bishop? That's disgusting.

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th3rm0m3t3r0

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Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #21 on: July 03, 2014, 12:19:32 PM »
Okay, I will be nice because you are new and we should be nicer to people ANYWAY.

The reason you are getting smart ass replies is because you posted your request for proof in a thread that isn't about flat earth theory. This thread is a member request for a forum feature. It's not a debate thread. I suspect you aren't very familiar with the way forums work, and I'm not sure what advice to give you that you might understand... but I will take a stab at it. There's a forum called "Flat Earth General" it is one forum lower on the board than this one, located here http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php?board=20.0 This is a the proper forum for your question. You should start a new thread, or add your request to an already existing thread in that forum.

Oh, one more piece of advice - go to the main page of our forum http://theflatearthsociety.org/forum/index.php then read the board titles. You are currently posting in "Suggestions & Concerns" This forum is for technical issues, board feature requests, and questions about moderator actions and other things of that nature. It's not for discussing flat earth theory.
Yeah Pongo, what's your cientific theory, my squeared mind needs to swalow it.
This made me laugh.

I did answer his question, though.


I don't profess to be correct.
Quote from: sceptimatic
I am correct.

Re: Member Identification Icon?
« Reply #22 on: July 03, 2014, 12:34:38 PM »
Thank you