Is this thread pinned to the front-page? Hiding all the posts mentioning the drama while letting the one allowed thread drift away could be characterized by onlookers as an attempt to sweep a serious issue under the rug, and I would argue has a silencing effect on discussion.
Also, is a new thread going to made if this one becomes too long? If there ends up being like, hundreds of comments in the only allowed discussion thread, I feel it would also damage discussion by clogging it all up into reply threads.
Many people are tired of being constantly exposed to posts that trigger strong emotional reactions but do not help us make intellectual progress on how to solve the world’s most pressing problems. I have personally decided to visit the Forum increasingly less frequently to avoid exposing myself to such posts, and know several other EAs for whom this is also the case. I think you should consider the hypothesis that the phenomenon I’m describing, or something like it, motivated the Forum team’s decision, rather than the sinister motive of “attemp[ting] to sweep a serious issue under the rug”.
I meant “could be characterised as sweeping under the rug” as “people will use this to characterise EA as sweeping the issue under the rug”, an accusation which has already started.
I am very sympathetic to people who don’t want to deal with this drama, especially considering the highly sensitive content. But I’m also sympathetic to people who find the email controversy (and peoples reaction to it) concerning and feel that it raises bigger issues.
If someone hears of the controversy and wants to look at the EA response to it, I think it would reflect quite badly if they see zero discussion of it on the frontpage (this thread is currently 9 posts from the top and slipping), and learn that this is due to deliberate admin action.
This is why I suggested that this thread should get pinned, and periodically renewed if too large. I think this solution allows people to both discuss the issue and to avoid it.
Is this thread pinned to the front-page? Hiding all the posts mentioning the drama while letting the one allowed thread drift away could be characterized by onlookers as an attempt to sweep a serious issue under the rug, and I would argue has a silencing effect on discussion.
Also, is a new thread going to made if this one becomes too long? If there ends up being like, hundreds of comments in the only allowed discussion thread, I feel it would also damage discussion by clogging it all up into reply threads.
Many people are tired of being constantly exposed to posts that trigger strong emotional reactions but do not help us make intellectual progress on how to solve the world’s most pressing problems. I have personally decided to visit the Forum increasingly less frequently to avoid exposing myself to such posts, and know several other EAs for whom this is also the case. I think you should consider the hypothesis that the phenomenon I’m describing, or something like it, motivated the Forum team’s decision, rather than the sinister motive of “attemp[ting] to sweep a serious issue under the rug”.
I meant “could be characterised as sweeping under the rug” as “people will use this to characterise EA as sweeping the issue under the rug”, an accusation which has already started.
I am very sympathetic to people who don’t want to deal with this drama, especially considering the highly sensitive content. But I’m also sympathetic to people who find the email controversy (and peoples reaction to it) concerning and feel that it raises bigger issues.
If someone hears of the controversy and wants to look at the EA response to it, I think it would reflect quite badly if they see zero discussion of it on the frontpage (this thread is currently 9 posts from the top and slipping), and learn that this is due to deliberate admin action.
This is why I suggested that this thread should get pinned, and periodically renewed if too large. I think this solution allows people to both discuss the issue and to avoid it.
Maybe the pinned thread could be called “Current Event Policy in Effect—Megathread Here” or something nonspecific.
As expected, this is how it has been characterized by some
https://twitter.com/JotieFr/status/1613918086326788101