• Welcome to ZD Forums! You must create an account and log in to see and participate in the Shoutbox chat on this main index page.

Official Suggestions Thread

Justac00lguy

BooBoo
Joined
Jul 1, 2012
Gender
Shewhale
Can we perhaps have an option in the settings to turn the chatbox off? It obviously doesn't load on my iPad, and while I haven't experienced any unusual loading errors so far, having that pointless bar at the bottom of the screen is somewhat annoying. It also occasionally doesn't remain at the bottom of the screen when I scroll down and starts blocking text... I mean, I guess I could go disable javascript as suggested, but it'd make more sense to just have a site option for that kind of thing.

Yeah this.
 
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Location
United States
Considering this is a suggestions thread, I was wondering if anyone else was having any problems loading the site? I'm gonna look into my computer a bit more, but on both Google Chrome and Firefox I've had a ****ty time loading the site. On Firefox, the new SB doesn't even load. For once I think this new chatbox is the problem. Ever since it was added, I was having trouble loading numerous pages. They'll stop loading halfway and whatnot, it's starting to become very bothersome. Like I said, I'll look into my comp and see if I'm having any other problems, but is anyone having a similar issue? I know some people have said the new chatbox doesn't load for them, but are there any other problems you're having?

I've been having problems with the site, too. Couple days ago, ZD wouldn't even load for me due to constant database errors. It may be the new SB causing these problems since even before it was added, the loading problems didn't happen all that often. If only the old one wasn't eliminated. :/
 

Jamie

Till the roof comes off, till the lights go out...
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Gender
trans-pan-demi-ethno-christian-math-autis-genderfluid-cheesecake
Satire is a legitimate form of expression. There are plenty of things people are offended by and there are plenty of things people don't understand. Satire is not a "joke", it is a display of very real viewpoints and possibilities for the means of generating serious thought provoking conversation and ideas. While Seth's post was in jest, it's meaning was not to be a joke but rather to display the thought process of actual individuals.

In All in the Family, the main character Archie Bunker is a racist. His racist actions are funny to people who aren't racist and it makes us realize how foolish racism really is. George Orwell's 1984 is based on a dystopian "future" (now the past), where the entire country is being watched and controlled by a small faction of people. Just as the creators of All in the Family are not promoting racism, but rather showing how silly it is, George Orwell is not promoting totalitarianism, and Seth is not promoting sexism.

Just because you are "offended", or "didn't understand the topic", does not mean Seth did not raise legitimate points and it does not mean there is anything fundamentally wrong with his OP. Satire is a difficult art and many great satirists are misunderstood (Stephen Colbert, for instance). This does not mean we need to move satire to a different board or we need to explain in detail what the meanings of our posts are. If you are offended, too bad. People get offended. Even if Seth was actually a sexist there would be no grounds to move the thread to a different board, and that would be considerably more offensive.

This is just becoming a bunch of nonsense, honestly. Satire is serious discussion.
 

CynicalSquid

Swag Master General
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Location
The End
Gender
Apache Helicopter
sat·ire
ˈsaˌtīr/Submit
noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
synonyms: mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, caricature
 

Jamie

Till the roof comes off, till the lights go out...
Joined
Feb 23, 2014
Gender
trans-pan-demi-ethno-christian-math-autis-genderfluid-cheesecake
sat·ire
ˈsaˌtīr/Submit
noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
synonyms: mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, caricature

Thanks chief. I never said satire didn't use humor, I said satire isn't a joke in itself. It's a legitimate, serious way to tackle issues. It uses humor, irony, exaggeration, etc, to enforce the points. It is still serious.
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Gender
Timecube
sat·ire
ˈsaˌtīr/Submit
noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
synonyms: mockery, ridicule, derision, scorn, caricature

i·ro·ny
ˈīrənē,ˈiərnē/
noun
the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.
 

Lord Vain

Dawn of a New Day
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
i·ro·ny
ˈīrənē,ˈiərnē/
noun
the expression of one's meaning by using language that normally signifies the opposite, typically for humorous or emphatic effect.

Dunno, but I'd say "situational irony" is the type if irony we're dealing with, or both, situational is likely the most common type of irony to appear here at ZD in either case though really.

situational irony

noun

irony involving a situation in which actions have an effect that is opposite from what was intended, so that the outcome is contrary to what was expected.

Yeah, sounds like a lot of situations we've had here to me. :boo:
 
Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Gender
Timecube
Dunno, but I'd say "situational irony" is the type if irony we're dealing with, or both, situational is likely the most common type of irony to appear here at ZD in either case though really.



Yeah, sounds like a lot of situations we've had here to me. :boo:

92e77b280e.png


You sure did.
 

Lord Vain

Dawn of a New Day
Joined
Nov 29, 2011
92e77b280e.png


You sure did.

Hmmm, the "words" in my user title isn't aligned in that image like it is on my end...strange. Then again it doesn't look like you're using the green skin, so perhaps that's why, I really have no clue. That's funny though if it is the case, not using a theme you helped create. Either way, point still stands, situational irony is quite common. Farewell now.
 
Hmmm, the "words" in my user title isn't aligned in that image like it is on my end...strange. Then again it doesn't look like you're using the green skin, so perhaps that's why, I really have no clue. That's funny though if it is the case, not using a theme you helped create. Either way, point still stands, situational irony is quite common. Farewell now.

A nice, little, not-so-subtle jab at another member. I thought you held yourself up to a better standard then that?
 

CynicalSquid

Swag Master General
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Location
The End
Gender
Apache Helicopter
Thanks chief. I never said satire didn't use humor, I said satire isn't a joke in itself. It's a legitimate, serious way to tackle issues. It uses humor, irony, exaggeration, etc, to enforce the points. It is still serious.

Yea, I get what you mean, but the policy for satire has already been made. I realize now that is not that bad and could be useful, but the uproar after Seth's thread (And my stupid actions in that thread I still hate myself for) shows that something that could be taken offensive could bother people a lot.

Which is why I still think there should be sub-sub forums on the MD for different topics. This will help keep young members and sensitive members out of threads they shouldn't see. That probably doesn't make sense but I don't know how to explain it.
 

Garo

Boy Wonder
Joined
Jun 22, 2011
Location
Behind you
Regarding the use of satire in the Mature Discussion, no, I do not think it should be outright banned.

I do however think that it's been taken too far. To the point where I'm currently unconvinced if these "satire" threads really are so, or simply bait threads with an excuse to fall back on. Threads should not be based entirely on satire. By definition, someone who adopts it to make a point is purposefully trying to ridicule something or someone. Disagreeing is fine, arguing against something is also fine. Ridiculing isn't.

Yes, satire can be used to make valid points. But it's purpose becomes lost when people cannot grasp if something is or is not satire. I'm not going to get into the "people should be able to recognize it better" debate, because that's just a method of sliding past the actual issue even if I do agree with it. It's a similar situation that people find themselves in with sarcasm which is, incidentally, very similar. If I compose a post explaining how I disagree with the way sexism against men is ignored in society, and included in that post a single satirical quote saying something like "Don't be silly, there's no such thing as sexism against men!" to put across what I view as a laughable attitude that some people today have, then people will get the point. If, however, my entire post was an extended version of that quote, how on earth are people supposed to know if I'm serious or not?

Satire should be one of the many tools you use to make a serious point on a serious topic, not be the blood, flesh and bones of it. All in my opinion of course, I'm no mod.

I am in full agreement with you, and most of the other moderators are as well. The new policy regarding satire was put into effect with this in mind, and we hope that it will be effective at curtailing thinly veiled attack threads while still allowing for the proper, reasonable and civil use of satire as a tool for argumentation.
 
Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Is there some a way that you guys could remove the stopgap between the log in and the logged in forums pages? There's this pseudo-logged in page in-between the two aforesaid pages—that appears after the "thank you for logging in, [member]" message—that makes it look as though you're logged in, but not really. The If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. message is there as well.

It's been there for a while now, but I can't seem to pinpoint when it began showing up. However, it has become quite bothersome.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Top Bottom