Town Pub

[Pally]

My sense is that some enjoy the rudeness and baiting but I could be wrong on that one! Either way, there seems to be a general sense that the tone of some debates is putting off a wider audience ...a shame!

The solution seems still to lie with the posters!

That is too easy. It must be partly shared by us all. When someone is unacceptably rude then tell them (politely?) they have been rude. Accepting rudeness just encourages it. The real difficulty, which I have sometimes succumbed, is to reply in kind. That just helps to lower the discourse one more notch.

I guess its also up to the rest of us to support someone who has been insulted. This does need to be graduated a bit. A newcomer should be fully protected, one of the old lags, rather less so.

Stuart

I agree ..I did not express myself well, I meant all posters- not just Pub ones. However commenting on rudeness has also sometimes encouraged it as well.

[Rachael]

But if it was about the artistic merit of the mosaic, I think that's fair game, and if you are going to impose something on the public realm you have to be prepared to fight your corner.

You may be right, Rachael. But perhaps the clue is in the word 'game'. I was merely trying to point out that what to some people is robust and frank criticism can feel to others, who are not used to it, like a personal attack. That may put them off from having anything more to do with the forum.

Now, Robin, I'm going to get robust here and say that picking up the word 'game' is unfair. In neither senses of the word - hunting game, or making a game of it - were the mosaic organisers attacked. I'm truly surprised to hear people felt personally attacked. I'm sorry that they did, but I don't think it was warranted. It would be cruel, maybe, to say if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen, but imposing something on the public realm is a serious business and if they didn't expect at least some negative reaction, quite frankly they were being naive.

[Robin Orton]

We're all naive sometimes.

[Tim Lund]

I was merely trying to point out that what to some people is robust and frank criticism can feel to others, who are not used to it, like a personal attack. That may put them off from having anything more to do with the forum.

Maybe they should find a university, other than that of Life, where they will be assured a safe space.

[Robin Orton]

It looks as if the SE23 forum have found a gap in the market and are developing their own (openly accessible) version of the Town Pub. They've even found an Eagle lookalike. Take a look at recent posts here. They will make your hair curl.

[Rachael]

It looks as if the SE23 forum have found a gap in the market and are developing their own (openly accessible) version of the Town Pub. They've even found an Eagle lookalike. Take a look at recent posts here. They will make your hair curl.

I'm wondering if chrisbeach is a by-the-numbers troll. It's like he's going through a Daily Mail checklist, cross-referenced with the Tory Party manifesto. I find it hard to believe that anyone is so totally driven by a single political ideology in real life.

If I remember correctly, he posted some anti-immigration and anti-Muslim threads a while ago on the same forum and didn't get much reaction. So maybe he's trying a different tack. Would a young professional working in Canada Water and earning enough to pay over £50K a year in taxes (as he claims) really have the time or inclination to hang around the SE23 forum picking fights?

[michael]

I'm wondering if chrisbeach is a by-the-numbers troll.
Would a young professional working in Canada Water and earning enough to pay over £50K a year in taxes (as he claims) really have the time or inclination to hang around the SE23 forum picking fights?

He is real according to LinkedIn, with recommendations from real people. Fortunately his contributions probably don't take much thinking time, so I'm sure he is able to hold down a well paid job without spending as much time as we do on these wasteful forums.

[Rachael]

I'm wondering if chrisbeach is a by-the-numbers troll.
Would a young professional working in Canada Water and earning enough to pay over £50K a year in taxes (as he claims) really have the time or inclination to hang around the SE23 forum picking fights?

He is real according to LinkedIn, with recommendations from real people. Fortunately his contributions probably don't take much thinking time, so I'm sure he is able to hold down a well paid job without spending as much time as we do on these wasteful forums.

That's slightly depressing. He seems to be possessed of a good job, and good fortune in life, but no soul.

[Robin Orton]

I discover that he announces himself as

Founder of @StreetLend, @Caption_Me and @Ask_Atheists. Passionate geek-of-all-things, working in and loving London.

You can even see his picture.

[Rachael]

Interesting that he has a private Twitter account - you have to ask his permission to follow before you can see his tweets. Ho hum.

[michael]

That's slightly depressing. He seems to be possessed of a good job, and good fortune in life, but no soul.

I'm told that is quite common in the banking sector, although my experience of people in the banking industry tells me it is not compulsory.

[mosy]

...[clip]...
so I'm sure he is able to hold down a well paid job without spending as much time as we do on these wasteful forums.

These forums are only wasteful if posters cause them to be so. Indeed, since the start of this thread, The Pub has all but died. Why is that? Maybe people have stopped posting altogether given all the criticism levelled in this thread at even existing posters as well as those earlier ones now less prolific.

Again, I'd say that any and all members should start threads that they themselves are interested in. If people are fully engaged (time consumed) in their own lives, then the views of others on any subject which doesn't affect them directly will always be take it or leave it discussions. But what's wrong with that? There seems to be this notion that a thread has to "fly" with lots of views and replies, but it doesn't actually. People can simply post what interests them without having to worry about whether it "takes off" or not. It is chat after all, not a game show that has to go through stages until someone "wins" - or everyone gets bored at going round in repetitive circles.

Katie Hopkins' style of controversial provocative speak isn't conducive to discussion is it?

[stuart]

That's slightly depressing. He seems to be possessed of a good job, and good fortune in life, but no soul.

I put it down to the lack of windsurfing in Honor Oak. If only they hadn't filled the canal in ...

Stuart

[michael]

These forums are only wasteful if posters cause them to be so.

Well I waste too much of my time on forum, often drafting responses that I'm too sensible to post. It would be okay if I tried not to think about what I type.

[rod taylor]

Again, I'd say that any and all members should start threads that they themselves are interested in. If people are fully engaged (time consumed) in their own lives, then the views of others on any subject which doesn't affect them directly will always be take it or leave it discussions. But what's wrong with that? There seems to be this notion that a thread has to "fly" with lots of views and replies, but it doesn't actually. People can simply post what interests them without having to worry about whether it "takes off" or not. It is chat after all, not a game show that has to go through stages until someone "wins" - or everyone gets bored at going round in repetitive circles.

I'd like to say that I agree 100% with this.

[Manwithaview1]

It looks as if the SE23 forum have found a gap in the market and are developing their own (openly accessible) version of the Town Pub. They've even found an Eagle lookalike. Take a look at recent posts here. They will make your hair curl.

I'm wondering if chrisbeach is a by-the-numbers troll. It's like he's going through a Daily Mail checklist, cross-referenced with the Tory Party manifesto. I find it hard to believe that anyone is so totally driven by a single political ideology in real life.

If I remember correctly, he posted some anti-immigration and anti-Muslim threads a while ago on the same forum and didn't get much reaction. So maybe he's trying a different tack. Would a young professional working in Canada Water and earning enough to pay over £50K a year in taxes (as he claims) really have the time or inclination to hang around the SE23 forum picking fights?

There are quite a few PAID Tory trolls on twitter, they block you when you respond with facts...I suspect they troll various forums in areas where the majority is very low.

[Rachael]

It looks as if the SE23 forum have found a gap in the market and are developing their own (openly accessible) version of the Town Pub. They've even found an Eagle lookalike. Take a look at recent posts here. They will make your hair curl.

I'm wondering if chrisbeach is a by-the-numbers troll. It's like he's going through a Daily Mail checklist, cross-referenced with the Tory Party manifesto. I find it hard to believe that anyone is so totally driven by a single political ideology in real life.

If I remember correctly, he posted some anti-immigration and anti-Muslim threads a while ago on the same forum and didn't get much reaction. So maybe he's trying a different tack. Would a young professional working in Canada Water and earning enough to pay over £50K a year in taxes (as he claims) really have the time or inclination to hang around the SE23 forum picking fights?

There are quite a few PAID Tory trolls on twitter, they block you when you respond with facts...I suspect they troll various forums in areas where the majority is very low.

Interesting (if true). Given this guy is a social media 'entrepreneur', he might fit the profile. What's your source for this information?

Also, if chrisbeach is reading this, hi! *waves*

[Pally]

Just wondering if any decision has been made on the open/closed pub yet?

[admin]

Hi Pally,

Yes, as per my post at the bottom of page 1 of this thread, the pub will remain behind the wall.

Admin

[Pally]

Oh sorry, I missed that one! Duh!!