“The discussion of political candidates has, on the whole, lacked reason and decency. I have never seen anything like it on FR.”
Oh, I see it every time I post on FR. There have always been those who rely on insults and invective...and who run howling to the moderators the moment someone gives them a taste of their own medicine. Those sorts of posters seem to be taking over the debate.
I often wonder how to reverse that trend, and I’m beginning to think that something like a code of conduct is in order. I doubt FR will impose one, but that doesn’t stop individual posters from observing one. I’m also finding myself engaging the more obnoxious posters on a more frequent basis. Easy to do given my candidate preference.
I expect, and sometimes throw, “sharp elbows” when posting. So, I really don’t mind the “contact sport” aspect of FR, but what I have seen is eruption after eruption of mindless invective, credulous repetition of questionable or absurd claims, and a complete abandonment of reason when candidates are being discussed.
Who knows what to make of it? Has Obamalini upset people to the point that they are in a nearly constant state of rage? I don’t have the answer, but I haven’t seen anything like it on FR before.
Something valuable has been lost.