Welcome! About ieh.one, this category, and me

Daychilde's Corner
1

As I am starting to get happy with the setup of this Discourse instance, I thought I would take a moment to post a few thoughts on who I am and what I’d like this space to become.

If you’re reading this anywhere close to its publication, you know me. You’re either family or friend or otherwise an acquaintance. Welcome! Thank you for coming to this space I have set up!

daychilde-2023
daychilde-20231024×1024 254 KB

The avatar I use for myself on the forum.

I’d like it to be a space for conversation and sharing. While chat is available, and there are a few I chat with, I go long periods of time without talking to many more. I’d like to see that change a little.

I also think that some of the avenues we have for sharing those little moments and laughs - like Facebook - have become so full of spam as to be toxic. So I’d like to have a little corner of the web to have a safe space - free from advertising and algorithms trying to shove ideas in your face.

I want this to be a polite and respectful place in general. And while I intend it to be tolerant of fair ideas - indeed, I want to hear other perspectives and think about things from other points of view - I will also disclaim that extremist views and absolute free speech are not a guarantee. I will not accept fascism, racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, nor agism here. It’s the paradox of tolerance. But that said, other than low tolerance of bigotry, I otherwise want this to be an open space for discussion and sharing.

There are some categories that are set up that are intended for the lightest of internet sharing, such as the Memes category, designed for that funny image you saw and would like to share. Other categories such as Reading are intended to be more thoughtful - in specific, that category is to post about what you are reading, and perhaps spark a discussion on why others might wish to do so as well.

I intend this little corner to be my little personal home here, to post about how my life is going and communicate with some of you in that way.

If you need help in figuring out how the site works, the best place to post is perhaps in the General category for now. But if you’re having trouble, communicating anywhere you can - here or elsewhere - and I’ll be glad to try and help you.

So welcome! I hope you enjoy your stay and will find this to be a little home on the web for you. And if you like it, do not feel compelled, but feel free to invite one or two more that might also find a home here. And please feel free to share content where it seems appropriate, and request new categories where it might make sense.

—Isaac Eiland-Hall

7

I saw another day a person calling this “the contract of tolerance” , and I agree it’s a better name. It describes better what it is - a social contract. If you break the terms of the contract, you are no longer covered by it.

Oh, and thanks for the invitation!

8

Now, that truly is an interesting take on the idea! I think I am going to steal that idea — specifically for this community, as I intend to write a more lengthy and formal welcome and introduction to the community.

It has me thinking a little, though: A contract is a formal thing, typically needing a signature, but also implying a legal framework, and active consequences only for breaking it.

I might suggest a slight modification to consider the idea of a “compact of tolerance” instead. This, to me, implies more that there is a mutual agreement to participate in the compact of tolerance; and while those who do not participate are still outcast, to me it implies less that they are thrown out and cut off and more that they are merely removed.

It probably is a somewhat subtle and subjective difference, but implies more cooperation than coercion.

Certainly people can choose not to participate in the compact of tolerance; and if they do not, their choice is respected. But they also lose all the benefits of participation, including a seat at the table, for example.

I am delighted by the new spin on a familiar topic, and I like the framework!

Also, thank you so much for joining! I hope to see you around from time to time. :slight_smile:

1 Like
9

If I might suggest, on my own forums and BBSes over the decades (yes, I’m that old) the basics we’ve come up with is that there are two absolutely prohibited subjects, religion and politics. With those two off the table it drastically reduces the nastiness found on other sites. If someone wants to delve into those things we are happy to wish them well and keep a light on should they want to come back. Along with building a good team of moderators and getting members invested in the site with their time and thoughts seems to be the winning combination for sites such as this, and from what you’ve laid out as the ground rules here I think this site has real potential to grow into a warm and close-knit community of friends. Thanks for letting me join it.

1 Like
10

fyi, I have your comments in open tabs to reply when I can catch up. <3

11

I’m seldom in a rush. I’m still waiting for hell to freeze over so my first wife and I can be friends again.

1 Like
12

Yes, indeed! I’m open to suggestions completely. Although I do have ideas on how I want this place to run, and what it should be. But I’m also open to ideas.

I’ve been a computer geek since 1987, and on the internet since 1994. I was a BBS monkey back in the day :slight_smile:

Mixed feelings there.

I am definitely not going to tolerate expressions of bigotry, but I am not sure that I want to make this place a “bastion of free speech”, either.

My feeling, frankly, is that those that have chosen to align themselves with fascism, misogyny, homophonia, transphobia, racism, and other forms of bigotry should NOT feel welcome here.

I think this explains it well: Bartender Kicks “Polite” Nazi Out Of His Bar, His Explanation Goes Viral

I think that’s the attitude I want to have here. And I don’t mind some political and religious discussion, becauce I think reasonable people with a reasonably similar point of view can responsibly discuss such things generally well enough such that I don’t want to prohibit those topics.

And frankly, I will want to discuss them from time to time.

So while I think yoru suggestion is a good one, I think for the type of space I want, it’ll be okay to allow those topics. But that said, if they cause problems, they can always be banned later. :slight_smile:

That is indeed the question: Will this be a place that will attract some folks who might want to form a community?

Time will tell.

In some ways, I have some experience with building communities. I have hosted much of the [Simutrans](https://simutrans.com/] online resources since 2004, including the forum, for which I was the sole admin for many years.

On reddit, many years ago I stumbled across /r/nottheonion, which had been abandoned and had something like 200 subscribers. I got reddit to make me a moderator, and I helped the subreddit to grow. When it got to around 20k, I brought on a team of mods. We started to disagree one what should be allowed, so I ended up stepping back and giving it to them - my choice, I was not kicked out or asked to leave - and they continued to grow it such that it became a default subreddit when reddit had those.

I was a default mod, though, in some other places. And after I stepped back from that, I modded a few mid-sized subs for several years before stepping back as reddit’s admins continued to go downhill.

[quote=“NT2C, post:9, topic:42”]
I think this site has real potential to grow into a warm and close-knit community of friends. [/quote]

I can confidently say that I’ve successfully run communities, so I’m hopeful that this might be the case. I think I’ve learned how to successfully balance moderation with inclusion, at least. :slight_smile:

I’m sincerely glad you’re here. And I hope others will come along with time as well. :slight_smile:

13

It saddens me to see you type this, not because I support any of those things but because it is inevitable that I will find myself painted with that broad brush the moment I say anything that could be linked with the above, or which does not express 110% agreement. For the record, before I go, I want to state that in my worldview, patriotism does not equal fascism and I am patriotic to my core. I love my nation, my government not so much. But I can continue to embrace that love of country while working to better my government and nation as a whole. I am a Vietnam Era Veteran and life member of both the American Legion and the Vietnam Veterans of America. I remember well the things that I was called and the abuse I received during those turbulent years. No Vietnam Vet can ever completely forget it. I endured it because not matter what my country was doing in SE Asia. it still needed defending. Today’s accusations of certain people being fascists and Nazis stinks to high heaven because in many ways it strongly echoes the “baby killer” accusation leveled at vets like me for simply being in the military, regardless of where we served or if we were conscripted or not. Today’s cries of “fascist” and “Nazi” directed towards anyone who does not embrace everything the accuser embraces actually sickens me.

We are a nation of diversity. Diversity in our racial makeup, diversity in our political views, and diversity in our religious beliefs. It is what we are founded upon! Any who would attempt or desire to silence or nullify completely any side of that diversity denies our heritage and one of the foundations of our nation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I believe those words, I embrace those words, I live those words, and I have for my entire lifetime to date. Am I a fascist or a Nazi because I recognize that with our diversity comes a diversity of lies these days that seek to vilify and denigrate opposing views or sides? Am I somehow an evil person if I do not align precisely with just one side and I want to call out such lies? If I want to pick and choose aspects of each side? What if I align with some views completely opposite of the views that would be expected of the niche that some would jam me into?

We are not a “two sides fits all” nation and it’s past time that we recognized and accepted that. Accepted that because someone does not fully align with the beliefs you have they are probably not a bad person. Does true evil exist in this world? Yes, of course it does, but it is generally not to be found in the heart or views of a fellow American who differs from you.

Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to fit in well here, despite my initial interactions with you Issac. I still see you as a brother and a friend, I will still encourage you as you regain your mobility, and I wish you and all who participate here nothing but the best, but I need to leave before y’all kick me out.

Goodbye.

14

It has taken me a while to reply to this because I believe you will not be reading it, so it’s just going to be a little historical note for anyone else who comes along.

I will not apologize for standing against bigotry.

I am not an evil dictator. I have more than two decades of proof, in that I am the administrator and webhost for the International Simutrans Forum.

I am well loved in that community. And I say this not to blow my own horn, but as proof that I do not censor without need.

The culture of the forum there is such that arguments are very few and far in between, and when one does arise, we work with all parties to come to a resolution.

I’m not quite sure what you think would happen if you stayed. I’m not sure what you might say that you think would be found offensive.

I think you’ve been rather quick to judge me of something I don’t believe I’m guilty of.

But that is your right and your choice.