The Other Writing section is missing something

Started by Glitter Stain September 20th, 2008 5:53 AM
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Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
I feel like the Other Writing section (And especially its subsection Poetry) needs a moderator. I've been looking around and I don't see a whole lot of potential moderators, but I think that if a moderator takes control of that section, the quality of stories and poems will increase, and maybe we can just be done with all of those suicide poems. It's kind of sad to know that there are multiple poems on that board involving killing yourself, getting stabbed, and being feasted on by a parasite. I know I haven't been at PC long enough to know what it used to be like, but I'm guessing that it was probably better than it is now.

Mainly I was just wondering if the higher staff were even considering a new mod for that section. I think that a new mod would be nice. (Of course, since there aren't very many candidates in that section, I'd understand if they weren't considering one.)
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
There's nothing wrong with poems about suicide. I would rather have the person writing down what they feel instead of keeping all these emotions inside until they actually commit suicide.
There are better ways of getting things out. Reading poems about suicide where the writer has related it to their life makes me really uneasy, and as you can see by some of the responses, it just flat-out makes some people angry.

AJ™

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There's nothing wrong with poems about suicide. I would rather have the person writing down what they feel instead of keeping all these emotions inside until they actually commit suicide.
I Definitely agree.
I think it's great that people are open about their feelings about life. That way, others can help them. Some of the best poetry over the years have been depressing.

Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
I Definitely agree.
I think it's great that people are open about their feelings about life. That way, others can help them. Some of the best poetry over the years have been depressing.
There's a difference between depressing and uncalled for. If someone is completely miserable, PC should be a place to get away from that entirely, not talk about it.

Their isn't enough activity in that board to get a Moderator to moderate it.

TLM
The Other Roleplay isn't much more active, yet it has a moderator.

parallelzero

chelia.blendy

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Posted May 20th, 2013
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19.3 Years
The Other Roleplay isn't much more active, yet it has a moderator.
That's because half the threads get declined for being not up to standards. And who declines these moderated threads? A moderator.

OW doesn't have moderated threads, and I can't see it needing them in the near future.

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Cherrim

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But don't you know? It's ~cool~ to write emo poetry these days. Oh god I'm going to be lynched for this post or something now, haha. Anyway, I don't think it's something we can necessarily restrict since we don't want to censor anything that doesn't deserve it and people can make a good argument that, even though it may be rather morbid and unnecessarily dark at times, that kind of poetry is still poetry.

Personally, all I can suggest is filtering out the poetry you don't like with your own (preferably happier) work. Maybe you'll inspire others to write other content? I'm not an expert on poetry, though, and I do agree that not EVERYTHING in there should be the same kind of poem, but it's hard to judge those kinds of things. The most we could do is write rules about it (which is hard, because where do you draw the line for good and bad, etc.?) and that would be enough, because the threads out of line could be reported. But it's how to write the rules without alienating anyone and making everyone happy that's the hard part.


paired with professor plum.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Hm. Well, I'm gonna have to agree with Sya on this.

But if there isn't any Mods by now, there probably isn't gonna be one anytime soon. =P

{日本語}
I don't understand why you people are okay with suicide poems. Most of the people I've talked to on private terms agree with me. The only way that posting it could help is if members replied encouraging the writer not to commit suicide, and no one's done that anyway.

But don't you know? It's ~cool~ to write emo poetry these days. Oh god I'm going to be lynched for this post or something now, haha. Anyway, I don't think it's something we can necessarily restrict since we don't want to censor anything that doesn't deserve it and people can make a good argument that, even though it may be rather morbid and unnecessarily dark at times, that kind of poetry is still poetry.

Personally, all I can suggest is filtering out the poetry you don't like with your own (preferably happier) work. Maybe you'll inspire others to write other content? I'm not an expert on poetry, though, and I do agree that not EVERYTHING in there should be the same kind of poem, but it's hard to judge those kinds of things. The most we could do is write rules about it (which is hard, because where do you draw the line for good and bad, etc.?) and that would be enough, because the threads out of line could be reported. But it's how to write the rules without alienating anyone and making everyone happy that's the hard part.
Emo poetry (Or "emoetry" >_>) is one thing. I don't really like it, but it's certainly not as dreadful as, "Hey, I wrote this poem about trying to commit suicide. It's based on my life."

I mean, really, sometimes the rules don't make everyone happy. Request threads aren't allowed in Pixel Art. In-game rates aren't allowed on the Moveset board. Bodily function polls aren't allowed on the Other Polls board. I don't have a problem with those restrictions, but I'm sure plenty of people do.

Archer

NSW, Australia
Seen January 26th, 2020
Posted January 5th, 2020
3,956 posts
16.7 Years
I don't understand why you people are okay with suicide poems. Most of the people I've talked to on private terms agree with me. The only way that posting it could help is if members replied encouraging the writer not to commit suicide, and no one's done that anyway.
Maybe someone needs to. Besides, while they're mashing away at their keyboards, they can't be committing suicide, so support them.

If something is too inappropriate, report it and let an SMod deal with it. Mods aren't the only ones that can Mod.

Syaoran

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Posted October 4th, 2011
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The point is, you shouldn't limit anyone to writing about anything. If you don't like it, the solution is simple - don't read it! - no one is forcing you to read something that is making you unpleasant. With that said, a rating system would be nice to include in the thread title, like PG 13 if the poem isn't fitting for users under 13, PG 18 for people over 18, and G for everyone.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Maybe someone needs to. Besides, while they're mashing away at their keyboards, they can't be committing suicide, so support them.

If something is too inappropriate, report it and let an SMod deal with it. Mods aren't the only ones that can Mod.
Someone could commit suicide at the computer if they wanted to. I don't understand why anyone who wanted to commit suicide would talk about it publicly over the internet. You know, wouldn't they just want to talk about happier things?

The point is, you shouldn't limit anyone to writing about anything. If you don't like it, the solution is simple - don't read it! - no one is forcing you to read something that is making you unpleasant. With that said, a rating system would be nice to include in the thread title, like PG 13 if the poem isn't fitting for users under 13, PG 18 for people over 18, and G for everyone.
The rating system is probably the best alternative I've seen thus far. (although I like Lightning's, too)

Cherrim

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Emo poetry (Or "emoetry" >_>) is one thing. I don't really like it, but it's certainly not as dreadful as, "Hey, I wrote this poem about trying to commit suicide. It's based on my life."

I mean, really, sometimes the rules don't make everyone happy. Request threads aren't allowed in Pixel Art. In-game rates aren't allowed on the Moveset board. Bodily function polls aren't allowed on the Other Polls board. I don't have a problem with those restrictions, but I'm sure plenty of people do.
I quite realize that, but when it comes to actual art and expression, it's hard to say "this is what's allowed and everything else is not". I mean, if it's PG-13, it should be allowed, right? I dislike morbidity and whatnot as much as the next person, but I just can't justify banning it altogether. I could support a rule of mandatory content warnings. If something isn't what people normally come across, and could offend or bother others, it should be obvious in the title of the thread? :/ What would you suggest?

edit: PG-13 is actually the rough age limit for things on PC. It's not really in the rules anymore since rating systems aren't worldwide but if anything is above, oh, I guess I'd say PG-15, it doesn't really belong here at all anyway. D:


paired with professor plum.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
I quite realize that, but when it comes to actual art and expression, it's hard to say "this is what's allowed and everything else is not". I mean, if it's PG-13, it should be allowed, right? I dislike morbidity and whatnot as much as the next person, but I just can't justify banning it altogether. I could support a rule of mandatory content warnings. If something isn't what people normally come across, and could offend or bother others, it should be obvious in the title of the thread? :/ What would you suggest?
That's actually a great alternative. Of course, the PG 13 label might not be accurate. Possibly something along the lines of "May Offend" only better-sounding. I'm over 13 and I don't mind reading a poem that's a bit crude, but I don't feel like reading anything offensive or morbid. (And I'm sure a few people share this opinion).

Klippy

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Posted February 19th, 2022
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As for the moderator question, Careful With That Axe, Pichu! has handled the section, even after he was promoted. And whenever another higher staff member is alerted to an issue in Other Writing, they handle it. >: If they need a moderator, I'm sure they'll get one. XD

And as for the poetry about suicide, I understand what they are going through and if their way of venting and just unleashing that horrible feeling inside is to write poetry, then I applaud them for finding a way to release it and not commit the act their writing about. D:
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Yes, I'm using Century Gothic to address my point. How ironic. Anyway, I'm feeling artistic. Let me expand on my points. I think the reason why this thread got so much negative reception was because of the fact that I didn't explain everything. Here you go:

○ Suicide Poems... yeah, they're a good way to get things off your chest, but are they really a good idea? Think about a few things...
• If you've come home from a long, hard day at school or work, would you really want to hear about someone else's misery? You're upset, cranky, or tired, and then you found out that someone wants to kill themselves... Wow, you probably feel terrible now.
• Some people have spent a long period of thier life working hard just to still be miserable. They don't want to hear about how someone wants to kill themselves because they aren't accepted in high school or because they lost their jobs. This would just make them angry and want to lash out.
• It's twisted... especially some of the figurative language I've seen used in these poems. "Getting feasted on by a parasite" ; "You cut your body right in half"... gross!
• Annoying... it's irritating to see:
A Poem About Suicide
Re: A Poem About Suicide
Emoetry
Suicidal

And just putting "PG-13" on it doesn't help... it can be offensive to people of any age easily.

○ Quality. The Quality isn't awful in the OW or Poetry section, but it could improve. Adding a mod... really, let's face it, the quality would be higher because people would be afraid to post low-quality things or questionable things.

○ It may sound crazy, but activity could actually potentially increase if there's a moderator added... it would be more like the majority of the other forums.
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I'm still against this idea, even with your expanded post explaining things. You're limiting the ability for people to express themselves. They have something to say about a subject, they want to share it with people, and you don't want them to? That's rather horrible for you to not want people to write what they want to write.

I went into the OW section after this thread was posted to see the "offending" poems. They're clearly labeled that they would be about suicide with the title, tags used in labeling, or type of poem. The rating is also helpful in letting people know that inside the thread, the poem isn't rainbows and sunshine.

But you still went in and read the poems and didn't like them. It's all right if you don't like them, but to want to go as so far as want (demand?) a rule that people can't post the poems that they want to post? That isn't a good idea.

It would be like someone in my section coming up to me and saying "Create a rule to make it so people can't post fanfics based on the anime!" I can't do that. It puts a limit on what fics can be posted and how people want to express themselves. (I do have a rule for a certain quality for the fics posted, but that's to save the members from reading spammy fics.)

Are the poems of horrible quality? From what I remember from the poetry classes that I took, they really aren't. They're poems written by everyday people and posted on a forum because the poet thought "Hey, I want people to read this!" and they post it to get feedback and make readers feel something that they felt.

Are the poems breaking any of the OW or Community rules? Not at all. The poems fit the PG-13 rating rule that the entire forum has to follow. And CWTA, P! never wrote a rule in the Poetry section rules that states "No poems about suicide."

All of your reasons against suicide poems/emotry are your subjective opinion. You find the poems annoying; other people enjoy reading it. There is no need to limit the enjoyment of people who want to write poetry. Doing this will decrease activity even more in OW, if people feel like their thoughts are against the rules.

You're not the first one in the writing world to be against a certain type of literature, and who wants it gone. But you're dealing with limiting people's thoughts and opinions down to what you want to hear/read. That would make a rather sad state of affairs in OW.

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Klippy

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Posted February 19th, 2022
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It doesn't matter what your reasons are. o_o; Really.

Other Writing will continue to allow poetry involving suicide as long as it remains within a level-headed area and isn't graphically offensive or the like. Besides that, I'll repeat again, Careful With That Axe, Pichu and the other higher staff handle Other Writing for the time being. If said higher staff find a particular entry in Other Writing offensive, they will close the thread and handle it appropriately.

And until the time that they find an appropriate moderator for Other Writing, only they can handle what goes into and out of that section. And once they do find that moderator, they will deal with the issue of suicidal poetry in the best way they can.

Also,

"Getting feasted on by a parasite" ; "You cut your body right in half"

For one, I haven't read the poetry in question, but I'm assuming these two lines are metaphors, obviously. >: Just because it sounds graphically unpleasing and unappealing doesn't mean it's really what they mean. Feasted on by a parasite is obviously the constant feeling of loneliness and shame that a person feeling suicidal can have. >;

It's sad that I know how it feels. >_>; I hated being depressed. But that's not the point. Point is...it's no different than when you post a poem about birds or shoes. They're expressing themselves the only way they feel they can and if it helps ease their pain, I applaud their method.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
I'm still against this idea, even with your expanded post explaining things. You're limiting the ability for people to express themselves. They have something to say about a subject, they want to share it with people, and you don't want them to? That's rather horrible for you to not want people to write what they want to write.

I don't see how it's "horrible"... I'm horrible for not wanting suicide poems on the Poetry board? Just look down in your post a bit; you mentioned that this was my subjective opinion. There, you just called my opinion horrible. That doesn't make a lot of sense. Anyway, wouldn't you be horrified if you read a poem and below it there was a line that said, "Based on a true story," or, "This is where I see myself ten years from now"?

I went into the OW section after this thread was posted to see the "offending" poems. They're clearly labeled that they would be about suicide with the title, tags used in labeling, or type of poem. The rating is also helpful in letting people know that inside the thread, the poem isn't rainbows and sunshine.

Let me ask you something; if you ran into a thread in the OT forum with the title, "Dog falls off of building", wouldn't you still feel... I dunno... sad... just by looking at the title?

But you still went in and read the poems and didn't like them. It's all right if you don't like them, but to want to go as so far as want (demand?) a rule that people can't post the poems that they want to post? That isn't a good idea.

Great.

It would be like someone in my section coming up to me and saying "Create a rule to make it so people can't post fanfics based on the anime!" I can't do that. It puts a limit on what fics can be posted and how people want to express themselves. (I do have a rule for a certain quality for the fics posted, but that's to save the members from reading spammy fics.)

Your analogy doesn't apply to this situation. Suicide is controversial. Anime is not. Unless the anime in question is offensive, I don't see how it could cause any sort of a problem. (Besides just a bit of irritation, but that happens everywhere).

Are the poems of horrible quality? From what I remember from the poetry classes that I took, they really aren't. They're poems written by everyday people and posted on a forum because the poet thought "Hey, I want people to read this!" and they post it to get feedback and make readers feel something that they felt.

I never said that any of the poems were of horrible quality.

Are the poems breaking any of the OW or Community rules? Not at all. The poems fit the PG-13 rating rule that the entire forum has to follow. And CWTA, P! never wrote a rule in the Poetry section rules that states "No poems about suicide."

I didn't say they did... if they were already under control, I don't think I would've made this thread...

All of your reasons against suicide poems/emotry are your subjective opinion. You find the poems annoying; other people enjoy reading it. There is no need to limit the enjoyment of people who want to write poetry. Doing this will decrease activity even more in OW, if people feel like their thoughts are against the rules.

I can't imagine how a single person would enjoy reading a poem about someone killing themselves. I don't know about anyone else, but my heart doesn't start beating faster just because someone else put an end to their own miserable life.

You're not the first one in the writing world to be against a certain type of literature, and who wants it gone. But you're dealing with limiting people's thoughts and opinions down to what you want to hear/read. That would make a rather sad state of affairs in OW.

If I were limiting it down to what I wanted to hear/read, there would be a long list of things to "ban". I'm selective in what I read, true, but this suicide poetry trend is just offensive.
It doesn't matter what your reasons are. o_o; Really.

...I don't even have a response for that.

Other Writing will continue to allow poetry involving suicide as long as it remains within a level-headed area and isn't graphically offensive or the like. Besides that, I'll repeat again, Careful With That Axe, Pichu and the other higher staff handle Other Writing for the time being. If said higher staff find a particular entry in Other Writing offensive, they will close the thread and handle it appropriately.

Mhm;

And until the time that they find an appropriate moderator for Other Writing, only they can handle what goes into and out of that section. And once they do find that moderator, they will deal with the issue of suicidal poetry in the best way they can.

Also,

"Getting feasted on by a parasite" ; "You cut your body right in half"

For one, I haven't read the poetry in question, but I'm assuming these two lines are metaphors, obviously. >: Just because it sounds graphically unpleasing and unappealing doesn't mean it's really what they mean. Feasted on by a parasite is obviously the constant feeling of loneliness and shame that a person feeling suicidal can have. >;

Yeah, I know it's a metaphor. If I posted a picture of overweight tigers having sex and called it irony, it wouldn't be any less disgusting.

It's sad that I know how it feels. >_>; I hated being depressed. But that's not the point. Point is...it's no different than when you post a poem about birds or shoes. They're expressing themselves the only way they feel they can and if it helps ease their pain, I applaud their method.
Maybe none of you saw this response thread when you were browsing the forums.
Seen January 3rd, 2011
Posted December 25th, 2008
832 posts
14.9 Years
Lol, I find this almost like pleading to be a mod, and though I am opposed to suicide poems, I think people should have the right to let loose their feelings.
Before we start pointing fingers at people, I suggest you try to see where I'm coming from. However, I appreciate that you're one of... what... 4 people on this thread that actually acknowledged my argument as valid.
Age 36
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17.1 Years
This is all very much lulz-worthy.

Anyway, wouldn't you be horrified if you read a poem and below it there was a line that said, "Based on a true story," or, "This is where I see myself ten years from now"?
For the first "based on a true story", they survived whatever problem they had, or found a way to get over it, and wanted to share their story. They think that if they share their story, then others in the same position would see "Oh, they found a way to survive. Perhaps I can too."

As for the second "This is where I see myself later in life", it reminds me of where I was four years ago. I thought I would be dead by now. But instead, I'm not. And if I want to write a poem or tell a story showing how I changed my life because I want to share my story, I think I should be allowed to. But since you don't want to read poems with metaphors about how I felt like I was being picked apart by parasites, guess I should just sit in the corner and pretend like nothing happened to me.

Those who write these poems have something to say. They want to share these poems with people. Let them.

Let me ask you something; if you ran into a thread in the OT forum with the title, "Dog falls off of building", wouldn't you still feel... I dunno... sad... just by looking at the title?
I would feel sad, but I wouldn't click the thread. That would be rather dense of me to click on a thread that I know would make me uncomfortable and then run around saying "I don't like it. Get rid of it even though it follows the forum's rules and the staff allows it! :( :("

It's the same in all writing. You don't want to read poems about suicide. So, if the thread has in the title/tags/note in the beginning saying POEM ABOUT SUICIDE!, why would you still read it? It doesn't make sense.

You wouldn't read a poem about any other subject that makes you uncomfortable. Why do you read these and complain about them?

Suicide is controversial. Anime is not. Unless the anime in question is offensive, I don't see how it could cause any sort of a problem. (Besides just a bit of irritation, but that happens everywhere).
Suicide is controversial. That I'll give you. Not everyone wants to talk about it. But if these people are writing poems about suicide that are clearly warned for and that still fit the forum rules, then they are fine. Discussions about controversial topics happen a lot in Other Chat. Should the mods close the discussion on U.S. politics because it could be "~*~controversial~*~" to discuss the candidate's policies?

The poems fit the forum's rules. They aren't going anywhere. Everything could be controversial. You want to limit people's thoughts and opinions that they voice in writing. Why don't we just get rid of the OW board in general to avoid all controversial poems and stories! :D:D:D

I didn't say they did... if they were already under control, I don't think I would've made this thread...
They are in control because they fit the rules. That's it. You can't report the poems because they don't break the rules. Just because there are more of them than there used to be isn't any reason to make a new rule against them. (In fact, it's rather a good thing that people are more open about this. Other than sticking your fingers in your ears and hoping the problem will go away.)

I can't imagine how a single person would enjoy reading a poem about someone killing themselves. I don't know about anyone else, but my heart doesn't start beating faster just because someone else put an end to their own miserable life.
I can't imagine someone would enjoy reading a poem about buying a box.

I can't imagine someone would enjoy reading a poem about buying shoes.

I can't imagine someone would enjoy reading a poem about rationalization.

I can't imagine someone would enjoy reading a poem about the lost innocence of childhood.

You don't know about anyone else. Your opinion isn't law. You don't like suicide poems doesn't mean that the next ten people also don't enjoy reading them. (And what about the other published poems about suicide? People read those and like them.)

I'm selective in what I read, true, but this suicide poetry trend is just offensive.
I'm so not going to make the most snark-filled comment I can because that would be downright rude. :D

OW is fine the way that it is. Let these people write their poems about suicide and whatever else they feel like. As long as the poems fit the rules of the section and the general forum, they aren't going anywhere.

Nothing is going to change. The staff is fine with it. The poems are fine.

Don't like? Don't read.

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Sydian

fake your death.

Age 30
they/them
Georgia
Seen May 22nd, 2022
Posted November 29th, 2021
33,354 posts
15.2 Years
the quality of stories and poems will increase
You can't truly judge a poem. A poem is the poet's feelings and thoughts, and in a good number of poems, their writer's are pouring their souls into it. I know I've probably mentioned too much of my personal life in the ones I've posted on here, but I try to get my point across, as do other poets.

And that goes for the suicide poems. Like mom just posted, don't like, don't read. Simple as that.
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