A lot of GAFF talk
May. 3rd, 2005 11:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danalwynI have the feeling that I am about to lose some friends, because I'm finally about to weigh in on the whole age at GAFF issue that's been running all over LJ and the board recently.
First, I think the Guru is in a bit of a tight spot. You don't even have to read between the lines to see that he's openly saying that he won't enforce his own rules. Normally this isn't a legal problem; after all if the disclaimer is on the door then the disclaimer is on the door. But it does legally expose his ass a bit, and given the lawsuit-happy nature of modern society, I'm not sure I would want to be in his place. It's doubly bad because if her really does crack down, a lot of his forum will die. I don't think that anything will happen, but you can never be sure around here.
Here's where I split from several GAFFers though, I fully understand people who are leaving the board because they are underage. I don't agree with making a dramatic entry in Gabbery about it, but I do understand it. Some people, like me are very uncomfortable with breaking the rules. I must admit, I have a total aversion to breaking the rules. I have only committed two types of crimes in my life, speeding and jaywalking (and possibly through inattention, littering). I've never used a fake ID, shoplifted, stolen anything, smoked a cigarette while underage (or ever for that matter), ran a red light or a stop sign (at least, not that I noticed) or anything else. Compared to some of my classmates, I'm a paragon of legal virtue. But most of them are better human beings than I am, so it can't be a question of relative worth. It's just that some people simply don't like breaking the rules.
So I can understand why somebody like that would want to leave the forum. I mean it's true that you'll probably never be caught. It's true that this particular rule doesn't mean much, and that it's ridiculous to try and enforce it, but it just makes some people uncomfortable. It's like being told at the doorway of a business "Oh, we really aren't supposed to let your kind in here, but as long as you don't say anything about it, nothing will happen." It just would make me feel very uncomfortable for a long time. If I were underaged I might leave.
I'm perfectly fine if people want to hide their age and keep on posting. And I understand fully why people are angry at certain people-who-shall-not-be-named for making a big deal about their departure. But I do know why people may be slipping away quietly. And it just seems to get under my skin the way everybody seems to immediately assume that someone leaving is an idiot because they could sneak under the radar and stay. I don't know if people meant it to come across like that, but that was just a bit of what I felt.
All right, now people can come and tell me what they really meant and why I'm a moron. Which may be possible. I just finished a whole bunch of crap.
And Heywood's baiting me with another post in News about North Korea. Boy have we fought that one before. I don't know if I should take that one again.
And I've just finished the first draft of my review for my thousandth post! Woohoo! It doesn't feel as clean as some of the others, possibly because the plot of what I'm trying to deal with is a lot more disjointed than most others. But it sets a new length record, nineteen pages on Microsoft Word. Of course some of that is filler but hey, I'll go with what I've got.
Now if only I could master Teh Funneh.
First, I think the Guru is in a bit of a tight spot. You don't even have to read between the lines to see that he's openly saying that he won't enforce his own rules. Normally this isn't a legal problem; after all if the disclaimer is on the door then the disclaimer is on the door. But it does legally expose his ass a bit, and given the lawsuit-happy nature of modern society, I'm not sure I would want to be in his place. It's doubly bad because if her really does crack down, a lot of his forum will die. I don't think that anything will happen, but you can never be sure around here.
Here's where I split from several GAFFers though, I fully understand people who are leaving the board because they are underage. I don't agree with making a dramatic entry in Gabbery about it, but I do understand it. Some people, like me are very uncomfortable with breaking the rules. I must admit, I have a total aversion to breaking the rules. I have only committed two types of crimes in my life, speeding and jaywalking (and possibly through inattention, littering). I've never used a fake ID, shoplifted, stolen anything, smoked a cigarette while underage (or ever for that matter), ran a red light or a stop sign (at least, not that I noticed) or anything else. Compared to some of my classmates, I'm a paragon of legal virtue. But most of them are better human beings than I am, so it can't be a question of relative worth. It's just that some people simply don't like breaking the rules.
So I can understand why somebody like that would want to leave the forum. I mean it's true that you'll probably never be caught. It's true that this particular rule doesn't mean much, and that it's ridiculous to try and enforce it, but it just makes some people uncomfortable. It's like being told at the doorway of a business "Oh, we really aren't supposed to let your kind in here, but as long as you don't say anything about it, nothing will happen." It just would make me feel very uncomfortable for a long time. If I were underaged I might leave.
I'm perfectly fine if people want to hide their age and keep on posting. And I understand fully why people are angry at certain people-who-shall-not-be-named for making a big deal about their departure. But I do know why people may be slipping away quietly. And it just seems to get under my skin the way everybody seems to immediately assume that someone leaving is an idiot because they could sneak under the radar and stay. I don't know if people meant it to come across like that, but that was just a bit of what I felt.
All right, now people can come and tell me what they really meant and why I'm a moron. Which may be possible. I just finished a whole bunch of crap.
And Heywood's baiting me with another post in News about North Korea. Boy have we fought that one before. I don't know if I should take that one again.
And I've just finished the first draft of my review for my thousandth post! Woohoo! It doesn't feel as clean as some of the others, possibly because the plot of what I'm trying to deal with is a lot more disjointed than most others. But it sets a new length record, nineteen pages on Microsoft Word. Of course some of that is filler but hey, I'll go with what I've got.
Now if only I could master Teh Funneh.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-04 07:12 am (UTC)The reason I feel this way about rules and such is that I know that people make rules and that people are neither incorruptible nor infallible. Sometimes people make silly rules because they're in a snit about something or other, and sometimes, unethical lawmakers can be persuaded (or bribed) to make unfair and/or unethical laws.
But no, you're not a "moron." Only you can determine your own ethical and moral compass, so to speak. You should always do what you feel is the right thing to do.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-04 12:15 pm (UTC)The ones talking about hunting for age confessions would agree with the letter of what you said... but not the spirit. This rule is meant to serve the membership of GAFF as a whole (keeping GAFF from being sued out of existence).
The more... ahem, proactive... side is thinking "this rule exists to serve us." It's just the definition of "us" that's different.
(Not that I object to the (genuine) impulse on their part to make GAFF a better place. I just don't like this method.)
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-04 03:54 pm (UTC)I've never really had to deal with an unethical law, which is also something I'm grateful for.
Some day though my sense of ethics is going to get me into trouble (it already has more than once).
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-04 09:20 am (UTC)You and Elaryn are right though, people feel differently about breaking the rules, and that's fine. I think we've over-reacted with the 'search and edit, idiots' post thing because of a certain debate going on in CC at the moment.
(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-04 03:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2005-05-26 11:10 pm (UTC)I never post in the News section. I never read the News section. Reminds me too much of Axis of Justice, and I never want to go anywhere that fucked up ever again.