Too often and too regularly have I seen the same dreadful mindset in discussions lately - a mindset I prefer to call the 'Just... Go away' one. I find this mindset to be particularly well illustrated in this post in this particular thread on the Elder Scrolls forums:
The fact that majority disagrees does not mean you do not have the right to dissent. I realise that in some mindsets, especially the prevailing American one, the Majority is Always Right. But to me that is, frankly, bullshit. The very damn bottom line of western thinking is that *every* opinion is important, and that in democratic mindsets *every* opinion matters. Or, as Voltaire said, "I might disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
First of all, in these particular spheres majorities are practically impossible to define. If you, in this instance, define your view of majority to be the posters on the Elder Scrolls Forums, you are missing the obvious point that people who didn't like, didn't want, and/ or didn't buy the game would obviously not take the time or effort to register themselves to the forum dedicated to it. That leaves a potentially overwhelming silent majority that's simply never taken into account.
Secondly, everybody has the bloody right to complain. And ESPECIALLY the people who actually bought the game, and ended up disliking it. I'm pretty sure the majority of people pretty much liked asbestos, but if nobody would've bothered to complain about the fact that it might, y'know, cause cancer the world would be a heck of a lot worse off now. If you buy something and dislike it, it's not only your right but your bloody DUTY to say why.
Being able to think things through and offer an opinion different from the herd is, basically, what separates humans from cows. So if some people want to be bloody cows that's their problem - just don't try to force other people to be cows too.
I decided to write this on these boards because, especially with the latest influx of noobs, a kind of 'This is OUR territory, and WE are the majority of the Fallout fanbase' mentality has started to develop on these boards also, which basically quenches a lot of potentially interesting and enriching discussions. People are too easily branded and treated as trolls just because they (sometimes aggressively) offer and opinion that radically differs from the majority of people on these boards. That does not, however, automatically mean that they are pariahs in the Fallout fandom in general, and even if they were they would still have the right to say what they do.
So please, new people - attack, ridicule or humiliate antagonists arguments all you want - just never, ever deny them the right to say it. This has been an NMA policy for all the years that I have been here - and while it might sometimes be hard to discern this, it's a policy that the moderator crew will - hopefully - always continue to live by.
Also, note that I have not written any of this on the Elder Scrolls forums because it would be like throwing pearls to the swines.
*edit* Crap, wrong forum
Thunderslf said:
The fact that majority disagrees does not mean you do not have the right to dissent. I realise that in some mindsets, especially the prevailing American one, the Majority is Always Right. But to me that is, frankly, bullshit. The very damn bottom line of western thinking is that *every* opinion is important, and that in democratic mindsets *every* opinion matters. Or, as Voltaire said, "I might disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
First of all, in these particular spheres majorities are practically impossible to define. If you, in this instance, define your view of majority to be the posters on the Elder Scrolls Forums, you are missing the obvious point that people who didn't like, didn't want, and/ or didn't buy the game would obviously not take the time or effort to register themselves to the forum dedicated to it. That leaves a potentially overwhelming silent majority that's simply never taken into account.
Secondly, everybody has the bloody right to complain. And ESPECIALLY the people who actually bought the game, and ended up disliking it. I'm pretty sure the majority of people pretty much liked asbestos, but if nobody would've bothered to complain about the fact that it might, y'know, cause cancer the world would be a heck of a lot worse off now. If you buy something and dislike it, it's not only your right but your bloody DUTY to say why.
Being able to think things through and offer an opinion different from the herd is, basically, what separates humans from cows. So if some people want to be bloody cows that's their problem - just don't try to force other people to be cows too.
I decided to write this on these boards because, especially with the latest influx of noobs, a kind of 'This is OUR territory, and WE are the majority of the Fallout fanbase' mentality has started to develop on these boards also, which basically quenches a lot of potentially interesting and enriching discussions. People are too easily branded and treated as trolls just because they (sometimes aggressively) offer and opinion that radically differs from the majority of people on these boards. That does not, however, automatically mean that they are pariahs in the Fallout fandom in general, and even if they were they would still have the right to say what they do.
So please, new people - attack, ridicule or humiliate antagonists arguments all you want - just never, ever deny them the right to say it. This has been an NMA policy for all the years that I have been here - and while it might sometimes be hard to discern this, it's a policy that the moderator crew will - hopefully - always continue to live by.
Also, note that I have not written any of this on the Elder Scrolls forums because it would be like throwing pearls to the swines.
*edit* Crap, wrong forum
And I believe, like you, that thought is very present in the average American citizen... Here in Portugal it's not that present, but there's also that idea, in some people from all social levels.
It's a prejudice, even if founded, but only those to which it is fit should be bothered by it... 
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