intelligent conversation in the cafe: banned?

[cross blues]

I know "politics" has become a taboo subject around here, but does that mean that any and all potentially intelligent conversations must be shut down because of the slightest possibility that the conversation could turn political? I enjoy fun/nonsense threads as much as the next person but the cafe shouldn't only be that kind of stuff, should it? I am not petitioning for the return of political topics for discussion. I am only stating my opinion that some of your mods may be abusing their power and prematurely closing some threads that could be educational and beneficial to your members.

[Aquadementia]

It does make it hard to discuss many topical things, but that doesn't mean all intelligent talk is out the window.

There was that thread about the meaning of fate which could have gotten deeply philosophical.
But it kind of depends on what people find interesting.
It's just unfortunate that political topics become so sharply polarized so quickly.

[EinBebop]

I know "politics" has become a taboo subject around here, but does that mean that any and all potentially intelligent conversations must be shut down because of the slightest possibility that the conversation could turn political? It would seem so. Just a few weeks ago I saw a discussion that stayed completely away from law and government (purely social) labelled as 'political' and closed down. I think, for our definitions, that 'political' is any serious topic that people disagree on.

[William C. Maune]

It would seem so. Just a few weeks ago I saw a discussion that stayed completely away from law and government (purely social) labelled as 'political' and closed down. I think, for our definitions, that 'political' is any serious topic that people disagree on.

Actually, political does mean "political" for Cafe purposes and not just "any serious topic." That being said, what constitutes "political" is at the discretion of the Cafe mods.

[Kury Wagner]

some of your mods may be abusing their power and prematurely closing some threads that could be educational and beneficial to your members.I actually noticed something odd a few days ago. While the mods shut the could-be political threads down, threads like "How Old Are You?" (which I thought were frowned upon as it's a silly topic that can go nowhere) or "I Like Monkeys" (no offense Fone) are still up and running. Some mods even have posted in those. I realize it's up to the mods what gets closed, but it just seemed odd to me the way things have been running.

Sorry if that sounded bad at all, I just have been noticing it and wanted to say something. :sweat:

[Tienshin]

I think ultimately the Café is what we the members make of it. If people feel the content there has become light and fluffy then that rests solely on the members who post light and fluffy threads and those that reply to them and not the moderators. Unlike some the theme specific forums where mods post talkbacks that generate a lot of discussion, the Café is driven solely by the members. There are many interesting and “intelligent” topics that exist outside of politics, and an off topic forum like the Café relies on the users to bring those discussions to light. I think that can be done without veering a thread into political discussion.