Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>But with the caveat - when expressing those views in someone else's forum, ultimately the owner of that forum is free to allow or not allow whatever they wish for any reason they wish.<<< Right, and as said, we will conform to that.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip I enjoy reading some of the more critical threads and like putting in my "Defender of Mediocrity" two cents worth. At the same time, I feel the increasing prevalence of negativism HAS led to reduced traffic on the boards and am glad that Doobie is addressing the situation. I know that personally I used to come here every day, figuring that if I weren’t here that often I'd never keep up with what was happening. Now I feel I can check in every week or two and not miss much. This site is not anyone's personal soapbox. It was created by Doobie as a place for Disney fans to gain information and have questions answered about the parks and other things Disney. Having some negativism mixed with the good was not a problem... when it started to become so prevalent this site lost much of it's fun. I don't want any point of view totally censored... but let's keep things in perspective and remember what this site is all about.
Originally Posted By WDWVacationer <<Vacationer, I do NOT know your background. Too often people throw around words with no respect for their actual meaning. Libel is one of those words frequently thrown out when someone says something that someone else simply doesn't agree with or understand. It's a legal term and has legal implications. Let me assure you, no such act was committed here. You might wish familiarize yourself with the word before using it. And, while more broadly, any blogger/podcaster out in the Cyberverse is in the Public Domain. That makes them fair game to be criticized and questioned, just like any celebrity. And again, so many of them want to be just that. If you can't stand up to public scrutiny then don't put yourself out there. A blogger/podcaster is not anonymous nor do they wish to be, a poster on a discussion forum is a different story. We all are as anonymous as we choose to be. The former has an incentive to write/blog/talk, the latter does not. There's a difference there.>> Along with the leagal/courtroom definition, Merriam Webster online also defines libel as: "a written or oral defamatory statement or representation that conveys an unjustly unfavorable impression" <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/libel" target="_blank">http://www.merriam-webster.com...ry/libel</a>
Originally Posted By WDWVacationer ^There were some cases where what was said about online personalities was true and just, but many where it was just an assumption based on the person's opinion and possibly false, unfair an unjust.
Originally Posted By Lee hisownself >>There were some cases where what was said about online personalities was true and just,<< Which eliminates libel. >>but many where it was just an assumption based on the person's opinion and possibly false, unfair an unjust.<< Opinion, also, can not be held a libelous so long as the opinion is based on fact. Off hand, I don't recall any libelous statements in that thread...and I'm sure not going to go through that beast looking for some.
Originally Posted By WDWVacationer I remember a couple, but I'm not wading through to find them either. All I'm saying is that some posts took it a little too far.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox I have a legitimate question for Vacationer. This is what's currently listed under your profile: "I'm not all negative. I know I don't fit in here." If you actually believe this statement, why do you bother to post here? Seriously. You have problems with the "negativity" on LP. And you openly admit you feel uncomfortable about participating here. So why do you do it?
Originally Posted By WDWVacationer Because there is some great discussion here that I enjoy when everyone isn't caught up in total negativity. When Spirit starts a new thread, I enjoy the new insights, news and rumors and I like the deeper discussion offered here. I really don't feel uncomfortable, I was a little intimidated at first because it just didn't seem like a welcoming place, but I do enjoy it now. That's why.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Then perhaps it's time to edit your profile to something more akin to what you just wrote in post #90. Just a suggestion. 8^)
Originally Posted By MousDad >>At the same time, I feel the increasing prevalence of negativism HAS led to reduced traffic on the boards and am glad that Doobie is addressing the situation.<< This forum has more traffic now than I've ever seen it. There were times not more than a few months ago that there was maybe 3-4 threads a day that even got a post in them. I mean, it was deader than a hammer. I don't think your statement could possibly be any farther from reality.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Yes, but if you look close enough you will find that a lot of the long threads are participated in by only a handful of people. It's like a personal chat room. No one dares jump in and question the collective superior knowledge so therefore the overall board suffers. Just because a single thread goes over 1000 posts it doesn't mean that 1000 people participated in it. However, those that read it, without the inside knowledge (first timers, etc.) will be discouraged and biased in what opinion they have of the place (Disney) without ever seeing it. I used to love thinking about my next trip, now I wonder if I am an idiot for liking the place cause I, personally, do not see the massive deterioration that is being expressed by that small group.
Originally Posted By skinnerbox << I used to love thinking about my next trip, now I wonder if I am an idiot for liking the place cause I, personally, do not see the massive deterioration that is being expressed by that small group.>> Sorry if this sounds snotty and arrogant, but that's pretty much your problem. Either you love Disney parks or you don't. Either you see the "deterioration" or you don't. And if you see the "deterioration" it's up to you and you alone to decide whether or not it keeps you from going back. If you're too uncertain about what you value, what you enjoy, what about your life makes your life worth living, then no amount of positive pixie-dusted warm fuzzy feelings are going to make a difference. If you have honest-to-goodness love for someone or something, nothing but nothing in the universe is going to shake that. Your love will endure and prevail if it's what you truly believe. So if you have doubts about your love of Disney parks, then accept those doubts as being your own. Quit trying to pin the source of those doubts on some external force which you somehow believe is beyond your control. You and you alone have sole control over how that external force makes you feel. Time to grow up and accept it.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>This site is not anyone's personal soapbox. It was created by Doobie as a place for Disney fans to gain information and have questions answered about the parks and other things Disney. Having some negativism mixed with the good was not a problem... when it started to become so prevalent this site lost much of it's fun.<<< Wrong, it's EVERYONE's soapbox. It's a discussion forum. It's BUILT for talking and the exchange of ideas. Granted, your ideas of fun and what's wanted are all your own, but I really find that people need to disagree (albeit respectfully) for there to be a cogent, coherent, flow of ideas.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>>This forum has more traffic now than I've ever seen it. There were times not more than a few months ago that there was maybe 3-4 threads a day that even got a post in them. I mean, it was deader than a hammer. I don't think your statement could possibly be any farther from reality.<<< Yeah, and some of the best discussion has gone on since then. Love it. No where else has that... and it's a huge draw here.
Originally Posted By EPCOT Explorer >>> Either you love Disney parks or you don't. Either you see the "deterioration" or you don't. And if you see the "deterioration" it's up to you and you alone to decide whether or not it keeps you from going back<<< Ah, but it's mot that cut and dry, Skinner. Goodness knows that I still love the parks, but there are a lot of areas in which they need help. Shades of grey... and in discussion, too. I think the majority of our talks are quite balanced because there ARE opinions like this.
Originally Posted By GOB I'm fully cognizant of the poor shape WDW is in. I would be the first to say that other parks are managed much better than WDW. But I also love the parks. Maybe it's because I've gone only half or a quarter as much as most of the folks here, but I still get excited flying into MCO or riding the monorail. But there's a mindset that people like me who enjoy the parks are (intellectually or otherwise) inferior to those who now avoid WDW altogether yet rant about it ceaselessly online. There's a difference between being elitist and being a snob, and the behavior described above is the latter. Now, I don't find Modern Family to be funny. I haven't laughed at an episode since the beginning of the second season. However, I don't look down upon those who do enjoy the show. Similarly, they should be able to hear criticism about the show, but I'm not about to spend my time on a Modern Family discussion board telling people that the show is a waste of time and that they're stupid (or mentally ill) for watching it.
Originally Posted By HokieSkipper <<I still get excited flying into MCO or riding the monorail.>> As do I. I love when I'm there, but I think the majority of that comes from those that I spend my time with rather than the parks themselves. Liking the parks is great. People can like them all they want. I like them plenty. But I'm also not going to turn a blind eye to the multitude of problems that currently plague them. That's not my style or way of going about things. You'll never see me actively tell people not to go. But I'm also not going to stop pointing out the things that are wrong.
