No matter what funny a comedian said, this is still an obit thread. I don't run into dead politicians threads and harp about how politics suck, or piss in any obit threads at all no matter what I think of the person it is about. Could we extend this courtesy to dead ad men as well, please? [more inside]
posted by dabitch on Mar 26, 2008 - 115 comments

How do we talk about religion and morals while respecting all beliefs? [more inside]
posted by RikiTikiTavi on Feb 28, 2008 - 458 comments

Can we work harder at having mature and respectful discussions? Do we need to do so? [more inside]
posted by dios on Feb 12, 2008 - 317 comments

I think everyone's read the "note" about relevance and respect at the bottom of the posting window in the blue. But it seems that very few people actually take that message to heart. [more inside]
posted by seanmpuckett on Nov 27, 2007 - 189 comments

We obviously can't have respectful discussions about respectful discussions. Every time the topic comes up, the same insulting "discussion" occurs. Seeing as how no new information is ever presented in these topics, shouldn't they all be considered double posts and deleted? When they are nothing more than another opportunity to display your disgust with someone who disagrees with you, what value do they add to the site?
posted by boo_radley on Apr 18, 2006 - 111 comments

We obviously can't have respectful discussions about evolution. Every time the topic comes up, the same insulting "discussion" occurs. Seeing as how no new information is ever presented in these topics, shouldn't they all be considered double posts and deleted? When they are nothing more than another opportunity to display your disgust with someone who disagrees with you, what value do they add to the site?
posted by dios on Apr 18, 2006 - 197 comments

If someone doesn't want to share their real name here, why can't we respect that?
posted by Vidiot on Sep 18, 2005 - 121 comments

Ask MetaFilter is as useful as you make it. Please limit comments to answers or help in finding an answer.

Unless you're in high school and you deserve to get preached to because you're still a teenager.
posted by PrinceValium on May 18, 2004 - 72 comments

This thread is a good example of someone itching for a holy war. Is it necessary to deride people's religious beliefs every time someone mentions God?
posted by mr_crash_davis on Jan 24, 2002 - 32 comments

There is something disquieting and deeply disrespectful about the way some well-intentioned but impatient members have chosen to abbreviate the September 11 massacres. After 0.81 there has just appeared a 911 designation. Is a geeky insider-code-thing acceptable in these circumstances?
Is it even understandable to non-savvy members? To non-Americans, for instance "911" is a Porsche or an emergency phone number or the 9th of November.
Also there seems to be something inconsiderate about saying "WTC" when so many others died in Washington and Pennsylvania.
I am at a loss for suggestions. It would be too jinxy to say History will probably record the attacks as the September Attacks(there already is a "Black September"...) - because September is not yet ended.
Any ideas, meanwhile?
I often need to refer to these events here at MeFi and would welcome a short, but respectul abbreviation.
Thank you.


posted by MiguelCardoso on Sep 23, 2001 - 10 comments

Just so you all know, I'm getting pretty sick of MetaFilter. Changes are coming very soon.

Big. assed. changes.

Call me mr. crankypants, but the level of discourse here is approaching an eighth grade level. Seriously. A lot of old timers say "it used to be so much better when..." and I hate to say it, but it's true. A long time ago*, people used to be a lot more respectful to others, people didn't attack each other, people of opposing viewpoints could bring their perspective to a topic and not just point out knee jerk political viewpoints and philosophies. Everyday I see the place getting more and more "mainstream" with all the closed minds and inflexible opinions that come with that.

Be prepared for the upcoming experiment at MetaFilter.

(I know I should just take a vacation from the site, but really, this place doesn't run on its own. I'm spending more time everyday here cleaning up self-posts, watching people attack each other, and banning IPs and accounts. So instead I'm making some huge changes.)

* - and don't go back into the archives and show me a year old thread that got ugly. I know the place used to be better overall, and you're not going to convince me of otherwise, okay?
posted by mathowie on Apr 5, 2001 - 85 comments