Politics forum?

[wufwugy]

i have been searching and searching for a good politics forum on the web, but have yet to find one. as we all know, they're mostly full of the spew of ignorant opinion, and often plummet into flame wars. i do not like this nor want this.

 

what i have discovered is that political discussion is largely a product of the intellect and propriety of those engaging in the discussion. this is partly why i feel that hypography not having a politics forum is a shame. you guys are the most level-headed, clear-minded individuals ive found on the web so far. i do not want a good politics forum so i can blindly opine like most do, but so i can evaluate the dialogue of those with superior understanding. as it is now, i have yet to find much of the latter in politics forums on the web.

 

it seems that the social sciences forum here has the occasional political thread, but still not much with regards to general politics (as is appropriate for political science). i am one of those people who pretty much never votes simply because i do not understand the issues. instead of jumping on some bandwagon and blowing my horn i would like to actually believe in what im representing. i have found that i cannot do this without understanding the issues, and that the issues are largely misrepresented in most political forums. i believe that it is likely that hypography could have a political forum which would be mainly devoid of the noise.

 

it seems that postmagnet is meant to be the place for political discussion, but as it is now, the traffic is just way to small for that.

 

anyways, even though is strays from the strict theme of science found on hypography, i believe there is great merit in a place for political discussion among hypographers. and thank you all for making this a haven for intelligence, critical thinking, and cordiality

[freeztar]

The idea of a Political Science forum has been suggested before. I do think it would be great to discuss politics with members here, but I see potential problems:

 

-As a Science site, political discussion will attract a very wide demographic that might not care about Science in the least bit.

 

-Hypography is an international community, so discussing foreign politics can add a certain complexity/confusion.

 

-A PoliSci forum, with its assumed propensity to cause clashes, would require extensive moderation.

 

This is not to say that it's not possible or that it is a bad idea. It would be an enormous challenge though, imho.

[wufwugy]

The idea of a Political Science forum has been suggested before. I do think it would be great to discuss politics with members here, but I see potential problems:

Seems to me that Political Science is already addressed in Social Science. I'm referring to more general politics stuff. Politics may not be a science, but it definitely requires a scientific approach in order to understand it correctly. This is why I want to see one here; because the people here are smart and I wanna know what you all got to say about politics.

 

-As a Science site, political discussion will attract a very wide demographic that might not care about Science in the least bit.

Actually, I feel this would not be the case. I've been a member of a handful of forums that have subforums on totally unrelated topics (like politics), and the traffic in the subforum wasn't anybody other than a regular of the forum community or the forum primary topic. If Hypography had a politics forum I venture a guess that it wouldn't attract anybody other than those who are already into the science of the forum.

 

-Hypography is an international community, so discussing foreign politics can add a certain complexity/confusion.

Most definitely. However, politics is often global, or at least national politics has global implications. Even then, any confusion herein could be easily fixed simply by specifying designation either in thread title or post content. There isn't even a prerequisite among the science forums here to do this, yet I see posters do it. Like they opine on something wrt chemistry but begin with "I'm no chemist so take this fwiw" or something. This type of thing has been a moderate problem on other forums I'm a part of, and the solution has been simply in just a more specified thread titling.

 

-A PoliSci forum, with its assumed propensity to cause clashes, would require extensive moderation.

Very true. However, I feel that it would be less required here since the members of this forum are already amongst the most level-headed. When it comes to emotion, there is little, if no, distinction between political discourse and religious discourse, and Hypography has a religion forum. If that can be cordial and moderated then so can politics. Politics is also no less science than religion. In fact, I believe that politics is more appropo amongst the science crowd than is religion.

 

This is not to say that it's not possible or that it is a bad idea. It would be an enormous challenge though, imho.

Few valuable things are not challenges. At the very least, I hope that those in charge give this some consideration. I loathe having to wade through the bile of the logically and politically ignorant found on almost all other sites with political primary or secondary forums. Would be very nice to be able to peruse or engage in calm, intelligent, and progressive discourse on political subjects like is standard for Hypography.

 

Seriously, I've been on the fence for years about a handful of science related issues, yet those questions have been answered only after a few hours of reading Hypography. I've been a reader of another science board which I find quite informative as well, but there seemed to still be enough chaff and inconclusive debates around there that I had to put those issues back on the shelf.

[Moontanman]

I'm against it, the religious forum already comes close to dominating the site and politics is at best no better than religion. Science might disappear completely:doh:

[Grains]

I'm against it, the religious forum already comes close to dominating the site and politics is at best no better than religion. Science might disappear completely:doh:

 

;):):):):hihi::):)

[wufwugy]

I'm against it, the religious forum already comes close to dominating the site and politics is at best no better than religion. Science might disappear completely:doh:

 

No way the religious forum comes close to dominating the site. Unless I'm missing some important data, science forums get many more views than Theology. Perhaps most people who view Theocracy also post, whereas most who view the various science forums do not, which makes sense since in religion everybody has a voice whereas in science they do not.

 

Even then, what kind of overflow are you noticing from the religious forum into science forums? I've noticed none or next to none, but I haven't been here that long. Also, it's not like those interested in religion yet not science are finding their way here.

 

Politics is definitely better than religion. The foundation of politics is not in Imagination Land. Also, you're greatly overstating your position if you think politics could annihilate science here. There would very likely be no spill-over, and science is still the first and foremost interest of all who find Hypography (at least I can only guess). Really the only issue imo is if those in charge want to keep Hypography purely science related, which is totally fine. There is probably some value gained in that, but also probably some lost. However, I recall tormod saying that something being purely scientific isn't prerequisite for its presence here, which is obvious given the existence of Theology Forum.

 

There's already a small amount of issues often considered political discussed in the Social Science classification. I find it hard to believe that general politics cannot be discussed with the same logical and emotional fortitude as political science is already.

 

fwiw I'm sure this won't happen because if it was wanted it already would have implemented.

[REASON]

fwiw I'm sure this won't happen because if it was wanted it already would have implemented.

 

Personally, I think you've presented some fairly good arguments.

 

Don't give up so easily. :)

 

 

One of the functions this site serves to me is to try and correct false notions. Politics is another arena full of false notions.

 

I would welcome it. At least as an experiment. Particularly if the intention was to focus on policy, and ways to address systemic dysfunction in society.

 

For example, I think Americans are completely ignorant of the way healthcare works in other advanced societies. I like to hear testimony from Hypographers around the world as to their experience with their nation's healthcare system.

 

 

As it is though, I'm not aware that there are currently any restrictions on these types of discussions here.

 

Maybe I'm wrong. :doh:

[wufwugy]

One of the functions this site serves to me is to try and correct false notions. Politics is another arena full of false notions.

 

I would welcome it. At least as an experiment. Particularly if the intention was to focus on policy, and ways to address systemic dysfunction in society.

 

For example, I think Americans are completely ignorant of the way healthcare works in other advanced societies. I like to hear testimony from Hypographers around the world as to their experience with their nation's healthcare system.

 

Couldn't have put it better myself.

 

One issue, however, is addressing current events/issues and individuals in politics. There is a degree of discussion of the former, but looks to be none of the latter, and I consider this a problem since we need both in order to have any kind of real understanding and influence on political matters. Understanding the issues is one thing, but it's nothing if we dont understand our representatives' understanding/position on the same issues.

[Tormod]

I think you should have some kudos for suggesting it, wufwuguy. It has been discussed before, but it didn't catch on.

 

The plan has been for a while to suck PostMagnet into the Hypography fold, and there is definitely room for more politics discussion.

 

Things like "health care systems" however, still belong in the Social Science forum IMHO.

[sanctus]

Yes I remember we wanted to split social sciences, but then it got forgotten...