[Poll] New forum section called The Maelstrom (or something like, idk) :maybe:

[ninjadork]

This is something I half-expected given that Mangadex has (so far) proven to have a much more healthy community than others, but recently the General sub-section has been filling up with really serious topics that tend to stray into tangents and long debates because people have questions and ideas related to but not on-topic. And honestly, even when it is politics, people aren't really following the rule of taking it over to the politics megathread (as far as I've seen).

I think it would be helpful to have a forum sub-section for those types of questions and discussions.

 

[421cookies]

The only forum section that I wouldn't be able to compete in

 

[Zephyrus]

@ninjadork
It's not a bad idea, but the general section is supposed to be a mishmash of everything unless you're suggesting a specific political subforum.

 

[ABCsOfLife]

The Maelstrom sounds like a target from Hitman game, the idea is cool but the name is bad.

 

[Holo]

We could make a subforum for serious and intellectual discussions.

 

[ninjadork]

@ABCsOfLife Which is why I said other names are fine in the title. Suggestions are welcome.

@Zephyrus I was under the impression that anything posted in the general subforum was supposed to at least kind of stick to the topic of the specific thread, which in my observation they haven't. Are either of my impressions incorrect?

And a specifically political subforum would be cool, seeing as how the entire field of politics is far too complicated even for a dedicated megathread. If we go that route, I would like to see two things included; a guideline for titling threads in a non-partisan way to give a quick description of what people are arguing about ('Capitalism vs Communism', for example), and guidelines for redirecting conversations from other threads that have turned political. Maybe something like "More than 6 political posts gets redirected" or something?

@Holo That was kind of what I had in mind when I posted this thread, but I'd be content with just a straight political subforum.

 

[ABCsOfLife]

This might sound even lamer or too plain but in the case of discussing political and serious topic..

"Debate" forum??

I'm sorry, naming is hard yes?

 

[DANDAN_THE_DANDAN]

mael·strom
/ˈmālˌsträm,ˈmālˌstrəm/Submit
noun

a powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river.
synonyms: whirlpool, vortex, eddy, swirl; literary Charybdis
"we headed south, with one eye on the maelstrom to starboard"

a situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil.
"the train station was a maelstrom of crowds"
synonyms: turbulence, tumult, turmoil, uproar, commotion, disorder, jumble, disarray, chaos, confusion, upheaval, seething mass, welter, pandemonium, bedlam, whirlwind, swirl
"they were caught up in the maelstrom of war"

I like this name. We need a "serious" subforum under the general page. There are more serious threads recently like this, [url=https://mangadex.org/thread/69362]this, and this. Something with a name like that indicates "this forum is scary".

 

[DANDAN_THE_DANDAN]

This begs the question tho - how scary does a thread have to be in order to deserve a place in Maelstrom subforum?

Does "Is Mangarock bad?" count because it would offend the staffs of Mangarock?
Does "What is the most recent thing that is making you stressed?" count as it has the possibility to reveal explicit stories that some people may find worrying?
Does "EU accepted articles 11 and 13.. What it means for mangadex?" count since it discusses politics in the context of the website itself?

I mean, I know that "need some opinion. Why do people end up being serial killers?" count cause obviously it's scary. So where is the line where we are able to decide if something is "scary enough"?

Or perhaps should the line simply be "serious replies only" and the thread counts?

 

[ABCsOfLife]

@DANDAN_THE_DANDAN While The Maelstrom does sounds cool I think it's not scary if intended for serious topics.

We have General forum, Gaming Forum, News Forum, Anime forum, Manga forum.. And then... There's The Maelstrom.

Sounds kinda edgy for me, hence why I previously said the name was bad.
Though again it's just my personal opinion.

 

[DANDAN_THE_DANDAN]

@ABCsOfLife Yeah if the subforum is for serious threads we're probably gonna need another name but if it's scary, this is pretty dope.

Might be too poetic but how does "Solemn Thoughts subforum" sound?

 

[ABCsOfLife]

@DANDAN_THE_DANDAN That's.. While less edgy, it slightly sound condescending.
If the idea accepted, the name should be more formal I think.

Then again this is just if... In any case let's just start getting people to notice this thread and vote whether we need this or not.

 

[ninjadork]

On the other hand, there's a certain amount of self-mockery we can accomplish which would very much fit the purpose of the subforum - serious, but not destructive. Therefore, I vote that we go full chuuni and call it:

THE BLACK ROAD

 

[Pika]

The dark side (of isekai)

Nebula would work too!

 

[Xzayer]

I like the idea of the maelstrom, especially if it’s for serious discussion about matters.

This is just a thought. If the maelstrom comes into fruition, should we have a specific set of rules when posting? Certain topics could potentially swing to becoming political. Would it be best to link the politics thread?

 

[ninjadork]

If we're going to have rules above and beyond the standard guidelines, I wouldn't want much more than what I've already suggested. This whole site seems to work best when a certain amount of free-flowing shenanigans and abrasiveness is allowed.

 

[PantsMan]

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. These forums barely get enough traffic to warrant sub-subsections outside of manga-specific threads. Currently even political/controversial topics are barely pushing week-old threads off the first page. If you take "serious" topics somewhere else, all you're left in the General are dumb Counting and Word games.

 

[ninjadork]

@PantsMan This mostly applies to politics, but if people aren't following the rules and staying on topic when serious discussions crop up (which IMO they usually don't, even when the discussion starts out serious), then we need to either change the rules that we're not strictly enforcing, or we need a subforum. Rules that are inconsistently applied do nothing but provide weaknesses to be exploited by people looking to troll the system.

A very small selection of very specific and clearly defined rules that are rigidly enforced across the boards is the only long-term way to keep a disparate community like this together.

 

[TMW]

I have roamed fandoms since before even the ancient days of Geocities and I have witnessed the rise and fall of many great sites, and verily I say unto ye only despair and fuckery can follow from implementing this suggestion.

Basically it boils down to moderator time versus value for the site. Keeping a general purpose/politics forum civil takes a lot of time. But the conversation on a general purpose forum doesn't add anything to the site. No matter how polite*, well-reasoned**, and constructive*** an internet conversation about religion might be, it doesn't have anything to do with Mangadex. And if it stops being polite, well-reasoned, and constructive, there's no way for the moderator to shut it down without someone getting angry either at the moderator personally or Mangadex in general.

Right now everyone on Mangadex seems like a sane and cool person who it would be interesting to talk to. But that's only because there hasn't yet been a major politics/religion/gender/economics/whatever meltdown yet. Think carefully before you answer this question: Do you really think that right now, a conversation between a Mexican, a Canadian, and an American about federal politics would end in anything other than a screaming match?

* snicker
** HA!
***

 

[PantsMan]

@ninjadork
Mangadex is a manga reader first and foremost, not a forum. Any thread that isn't about manga is off-topic to begin with. I don't think most users come here explicitly to discuss anything else, as proven by the fact the General threads probably see, what, 20-30 unique users at best? I really fail to see why there's a need to enforce rules regarding "being on-topic" in the explicitly off-topic section, serious discussion or otherwise. Sounds like a hassle to monitor/moderate, with next to nothing to gain.