Free Republic is Drowning in Vanity Postings--Please Stop (Mod note--we concur)

Wednesday, November 5, 2008 | Kristinn

[1rudeboy]

I've noticed that a few times: someone posts an AFP article titled "Bush Administration proposes restrictions on belly-button lint," and a few minutes later someone posts a vanity titled, "Should we restrict belly-button lint?"

What I miss the most is the news article followed by the "vanity" (opinion) in comment #1. The article used to be the springboard for the discussion. Now, a good number of people no longer bother with that (in my opinion, fundamental) first step.

[wagglebee]

Technically correct... so why allow FR members to post at all? Why shouldn’t members be required to contribute before they are allowed to post? Why shouldn’t all posts be scrutinized before being published? Who actually does have the right to post here? I agree... the owners ARE the only ones who have a true right here to say or suppress anything they want. So why don’t they just ZOT anyone who expresses an opinion that differs even slightly from their own?

Yeah... you are right... but you are also wrong.

How am I wrong? Jim Robinson makes this site available as a news forum for conservatives. Anyone who joins is presumed to be a conservative and allowed to post, those posting PRIVILEGES continue unless the poster does something to indicate to Jim and/or the mods that they should no longer have those privileges.

As far as all posts be scrutinized beforehand, that is a practical impossibility, there are simply too many to review. However, OTHER posters review them and are free to hit the abuse button. This system has seemed to work just fine in the time I've been here.

The problem in the past month or so has been the deluge of vanities, often by people who are brand new. Vanities now and then are fine, but not when they overshadow the news.

[wagglebee]

What I miss the most is the news article followed by the "vanity" (opinion) in comment #1. The article used to be the springboard for the discussion. Now, a good number of people no longer bother with that (in my opinion, fundamental) first step.

Exactly! The "vanity" should be the FReeper's response to the article or what another FReeper has written. A few vanities now and then are okay, but half the threads on here have been vanities lately and almost none of them have been marked as vanities in the title.

[DocH]

Don't forget the know-it-all that feels compelled to kiss the moderators asses.

As a former active-duty Marine who served 13 years to protect my, as well as others, 1st Amendment rights, I find it amazing that so-called "conservatives" on this site are so quick to jump on others for mere technical violations of some policy.

Knowledge is power, so spend less time doing the liberal, hand-wringing and bed-wetting over mere technicalities, and more time in vigorous political and social discourse - something Americans have engaged forcefully in since day one of our country's founding.

If you are offended by mere terse words and "yelling" (caps are "yelling" - how ridiculous), then grow up.

If the moderators would like to boot me for telling it like it is, then so be it.

[1rudeboy]

And then there’s the Internet Hero . . . .

[Safrguns]

The problem in the past month or so has been the deluge of vanities, often by people who are brand new. Vanities now and then are fine, but not when they overshadow the news.

I didn't read anything in your reply that I disagree with. However, we cannot grow the conservative movement by discouraging involvement. Yes they are new... Yes they have a tendency to clog the board... but lets not throw the babies out with the bath water... ok?

I've been on FR for a while now, but in many respects I'm a newbie too, and there are still some things about the overall organization, etiquette, and procedures that are slightly confusing. It IS a complex forum. This problem is easily resolved without suggesting to new posters that their input is "vanity". True vanities don't get any response, and the problem resolves itself. Trolls rightfully attract kittens... but Overreaction to a new conservative member creates a new problem. One possible solution is this... if there is not a valid external source for the thread (i.e. news), then categorizing anywhere other than a "chat" area is not allowed in the post form. Fix this thing in the software.

[ponygirl]

Yes, let’s get back to Basics. We need Chaaaaannnge!!

[ponygirl]

Dear God, Man. Where on earth did you find that picture of Hillary? [Shudder.] That’s gonna give me worse nightmares than I’m already having.

[stentorian conservative]

I speak for no one but I think perhaps your type of vanity is the “useful” type that Kristinn was referring to.

[StarFan]

Amen!!

[theDentist]

How about suspending vanities temporarily unless it is preceeded by a donation? I just signed up for a monthly, but have no vanity to post, merely replying to others. But I figure, once the Dems start pushing the “Fairness Doctrine”, they’ll look for ways to apply it to the ‘net, and their evil eye will be upon Free Republic. Thus, donations will also help if you require Constitutional Lawyers.

[OB1kNOb]

WOW! Over 200 posts and no one has said why so many vanities!

IT'S ØBAMA'S FAULT !

[2CAVTrooper]

“Is this the vanity to end all vanities? ;)”

Or the “Mother of all Vanities”? :D

[Ruth C]

Here’s a suggestion, why not make a section for vanities? That would get them out of the other areas!

[wagglebee]

I didn't read anything in your reply that I disagree with. However, we cannot grow the conservative movement by discouraging involvement. Yes they are new... Yes they have a tendency to clog the board... but lets not throw the babies out with the bath water... ok?

I agree, they just need to be reminded from time to time that vanities are not as necessary as they sometimes think.

[mkjessup]

Absolutely right. There have been as many mindless and useless vanities in the past week as there are illegal 0bama voters. (well it seems that way anyhow)

[henkster]

Yeah, the vanities are clogging up the forum.

No, this isn’t a vanity, it’s an “internal members’ input session relating to administrative matters.”

The forum is not a state entity, but a private one. It may do what it wishes with posts and threads. You don’t like how the forum operates, go find another one. That’s the free market.

So, deleting vanities in the name of clearing up the News & Activism Board suits me fine, it does not offend my conservative principles. In fact it is perfectly in line with them. It is a private sector remedy that convinces posters that their opinions belong in the Bloggers & Personals forum, which is a fine forum in its own right.

[kevinm13]

ADMIN: Thanks for all your work.

I am very curious about something referred to on Rush Limbaugh’s show last Thursday. Were there a large number of “lurkers” and libs from the Obama campaign signing up this year to respond to everything that we posted or commented on? I suspect there were a huge number who posted things to cause us conservatives to be disheartened by polls or reports in the media or on blogs.

[Right Wing Assault]

"Your Opinions/Questions (vanity)" topic

Where is that? I turned everything on, I think, and I don't see it.

[edzo4]

having the same article posted several times on each page doesn’t help either, use the search feature people