Long time P&P users

[cockneyrebel]

In my opinion, unless there has been a corresponding rise in standards elsewhere on the net, this decline is a symptom of the state of politics in general, rather than urban in particular. I'd be interested to know, either way.

This is true. I don't post on many boards other than urban but the other political ones I know of have also declined in standard and people I know who use other political ones say the same.

The only thing I'd say about urban is that it's partly the general decline in radicalism (the STWC coalition is now tiny (but could be revived) and the anti-capitalist movement pretty much non-existant in the UK). But I think the loss of certain posters has also contributed. I'd say the loss of posters has disproportionately been among those from the left/far left.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Maybe you were, i wasn't. I also reckon that for a while the p and p boards were just the most excellent resource for links to worthwhile and informative websites that i would never have found otherwise.
.

I agree. For a time, I spent the bulk of my U75 time on p and p, because there was good debate on various topics. Then, it seemed to fall into almost a routine, and started to seem boring to me.

Who knows, maybe future world events will revive it again.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I've been about since 2001. Rarely both with P&P these days, though. I've not the time to write long, detailed posts any more, and I'm not particularly interested in getting involved in the flamey, circular arguments on a limited range of topics that are all too common these days. Several good P&P posters have gone too.

That's part of it too; to do it justice involves research, and longish, well written posts. Time constraints get in the way.

 

[editor]

Good posters left because of the attitude of the editor.

And absolutely nothing at all do with the posters themselves, or the endless infighting, threats, bullying and the aggro that they were dealing out to each other, of course.

I must have dreamt all those reported posts and people pleading that I get rid of posters they personally found unbearably troublesome and disruptive and all the other shit that was going on.

It was a no-win for the mods and I certainly don't miss the stress of a few years back. Mid you, most of the good posters have come back anyway.

 

[editor]

But there's always a silver lining, and that is that i spend much less time on urban than i did.

Aye, you're not wrong there.

 

[Fruitloop]

Good posters left because of the attitude of the editor.

Sorry fela, but this is complete bollocks.

 

[newbie]

yes the arguments were circular, and yes there has been a loss of interest/confidence in non-mainstream politics, but this place didn't implode because everybody got bored.

Like most leftist politics there were way too many wannabe alpha males who wouldn't let arguments drop and couldn't comprehend that neither they nor their opponent were actually listening, so it really didn't much matter who said what.

 

[cockneyrebel]

To be honest some people blamed the editor but then went on to be totally aggro on other boards, so think they had to take some responsibility for it as well. Some of the pettiness and insults did go over the top.

Having said that I still preferred those days on p&p!

 

[Fruitloop]

To be honest I think there's more to play for now that the P&P boards are less of a lefty talking shop and more representative of mainstream political opinion, even though I might not necessarily like all of those mainstream political opinions. The best response to the 'immigration bunfight pt. 143,234,234' threads is just to ignore them.

If you realy want a leftist navel-gazing board then there are others about.

 

[newbie]

It was a no-win for the mods and I certainly don't miss the stress of a few years back. Mid you, most of the good posters have come back anyway.

I understand and accept your point about the stress this forum put you under. But it's simply not true that *most* of the good posters have come back.

I don't suppose many will- or can- unless you declare an amnesty and let bygones be bygones.

 

[editor]

Like most leftist politics there were way too many wannabe alpha males who wouldn't let arguments drop and couldn't comprehend that neither they nor their opponent were actually listening, so it really didn't much matter who said what.

Indeed. And the mods were stuck in the middle and no matter what we did we'd piss someone off, often becoming the target for their personal attacks as a consequence.

I'd be the first to agree that there's been a falling off of political debate in recent years, but we've already discussed this before (I put it down to a general lack of underground/grassroots political activism mixed in with post-Iraq war disillusionment, amongst other things).

Thing is, despite all that, urban is still here with a healthy readership and a (generally) happy community.

 

[newbie]

To be honest some people blamed the editor but then went on to be totally aggro on other boards, so think they had to take some responsibility for it as well. Some of the pettiness and insults did go over the top.

Having said that I still preferred those days on p&p!

all true. Personally i'd like to see all the regular contributors who've been expelled, flounced or simply left (going back to at least when ftp posted regularly) invited back, but there would have to be a huge responsibility on them to behave reasonably.

 

[editor]

I don't suppose many will- or can- unless you declare an amnesty and let bygones be bygones.

There's more here than you think actually, and we've been happy to let them back in

But we're not going to let back in posters who are almost certain to continue their malicious, disruptive antics and personal attacks. I can't see much point in that, to be honest.

Interestingly enough, a great many of them ended up getting banned from the boards they flounced to.

 

[butchersapron]

To be fair the only ones banned from MATB are:

ern
Intosellla
Anna key
Fat hamster

Not a massive loss i'm sure you agree.

 

[editor]

To be fair the only ones banned from MATB are:

ern
Intosellla
Anna key
Fat hamster

Not a massive loss i'm sure you agree.

Have to be honest and say I really didn't have MATB in mind when I made my comment. I was thinking of the two other sites



*shudders at the list

 

[nino_savatte]

To be fair the only ones banned from MATB are:

ern
Intosellla
Anna key
Fat hamster

Not a massive loss i'm sure you agree.

But you're quite happy to retain Swarthy Thug. Oh, the irony!

 

[butchersapron]

Yes, we are.

 

[newbie]

To be fair the only ones banned from MATB are:

ern
Intosellla
Anna key
Fat hamster

Not a massive loss i'm sure you agree.

er, and me


and yes, whether or not I have personal difficulties with some of those people, I do miss their voices in debate.

 

[nino_savatte]

Wasn't vimto also banned, torres? Seems to me that you're being rather economical with the truth.

 

[butchersapron]

Wasn't vimto also banned, torres? Seems to me that you're being rather economical with the truth.

No, as ever you are wrong. Vimto was banned from TTG (by ern). he's not been near MATB.

 

[butchersapron]

er, and me

and yes, whether or not I have personal difficulties with some of those people, I do miss their voices in debate.

True, you got hit in the fallout of TTG. I had forgot abut you as you've not gone on an on and on about it for a year like the above mentioned 'people' and deliberately tried to ruin 'real life' relationships in the process.

 

[Fruitloop]

Explusions, factionalisation, in-fighting. It's the UK left in miniature!

 

[editor]

But you're quite happy to retain Swarthy Thug.

He's banned from here, so please take any complaints about MATB's modding policies to their boards.

 

[Crispy]

Ah, there's still a touch of the old flavour

 

[editor]

and yes, whether or not I have personal difficulties with some of those people, I do miss their voices in debate.

I miss their political contributions around the 2001-3 mark. Absolutely delighted to see the back of what they turned into (you'll find it's anything but 'robust political debate' that fills their minds most of the time these days).

They all still read the boards by the way. They can't leave it alone.

*waves at sad lurkers

 

[nino_savatte]

He's banned from here, so please take any complaints about MATB's modding policies to their boards.

I realise he's banned from here but torres isn't being entirely truthful about bannings and the reasons why.

 

[butchersapron]

Nino, can't you just leave it please?

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I realise he's banned from here but torres isn't being entirely truthful about bannings and the reasons why.

Probably best to discuss it over there then.

 

[nino_savatte]

Nino, can't you just leave it please?

If you stop lying about me, I will, but until then, no.

 

[nino_savatte]

Probably best to discuss it over there then.

Why would I want to do that? All I have to do is post once and then they all descend on me - dogpile style.