Can neutral people express their opinion on any topic that's discussed?
Can Neutral People Expressed Their Opinion?
Can neutral people express their opinion on any topic that's discussed?
In general or on PF?
In general, yes.
On PF? I don't really evaluate a comment's neutrality or lack there of when modding. I generally evaluate whether
1) It violates a rule
2) The topic is banned
3) The comment is going to derail an existing thread
4) The comment is going to provoke a shitstorm that I will need to deal with
5) The comment belong in a different section of the board
If the above five criteria all result in a solid NO then I move along. If one or more of them result in a solid maybe then I monitor the thread. Sometimes I monitor openly and sometimes I pretend not to see it so that people have extra time to screw up. If any category with the possible exception of the fifth results in a solid YES then I fish out my tyrant hat and everyone gets to see cranky MO.
"It is not simply enough to know the light…a Jedi must feel the tension between the two sides of the Force…in himself and in the universe."
―Thon
"When to the Force you truly give yourself, all you do expresses the truth of who you are,"
Yoda
Yoda told stories, and ate, and cried, and laughed: and the Padawans saw that life itself was a lightsaber in his hands; even in the face of treachery and death and hopes gone cold, he burned like a candle in the darkness. Like a star shining in the black eternity of space.
Yoda: Dark Rendezvous
"But those men who know anything at all about the Light also know that there is a fierceness to its power, like the bare sword of the law, or the white burning of the sun." Suddenly his voice sounded to Will very strong, and very Welsh. "At the very heart, that is. Other things, like humanity, and mercy, and charity, that most good men hold more precious than all else, they do not come first for the Light. Oh, sometimes they are there; often, indeed. But in the very long run the concern of you people is with the absolute good, ahead of all else..."
John Rowlands, The Grey King by Susan Cooper
"You come from the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve", said Aslan. "And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor on earth; be content."
Aslan, Prince Caspian by CS Lewis
I meant in general.Originally Posted by MaskedOne
Just playing the Devil's advocate but if your neutral how can you really have an opinion on the topic? Neutrality would seem to imply you have no preference for the material. I'd think for most of us, I admit speculative on my part, that we'd just move on if it was truly a neutral subject for us.
I'm Only Responsible For What I Say Not For What Or How You Understand!
That's a good point there.
monsno makes a good point, I'd say the same.
But for the sake of the argument, let's say you can possibly be neutral. I think there's more to it than whether you CAN express your opinion, that's a pretty short yes or no answer.
Can you? Certainly. Nobody can really stop you.
Can you do it without social repercussions? that's a lot harder to say. Just because it's neutral doesn't mean it's right.
Should you? again. much more nuanced, it depends a lot on the forum, and on the topic. sometimes adding a "neutral" opinion is just entirely unhelpful and hurtful. For example, if the topic is one that is emotionally painful to one or more of the people involved, even more so if it's a topic that has no effect on you at all, you have to be really careful balancing "neutral" with empathy and compassion. if you're simply offering an opinion that's not constructive in some way, probably shouldn't.
Are you entitled to? No. you're always entitled to have your opinion of course, but you're not entitled to other peoples time and energy, so while you might express it as much as you want, you can't really expect anyone to hear it out.
Mostly though... if you think your opinion is neutral, take some time to examine if it really is, usually you'll find you're still biased in some way. And then think whether you SHOULD share it. Just cause you can do something doesn't mean you should do it.
You remind me of the babe
What babe?
The babe with the power
What power?
The Power of voodoo
Who do?
You do!
Do what?
Remind me of the babe!
Army of Darkness: Guardians of the Chat
Wow. I didn't know that.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks