On 13 Nov 2020 at 12:27pm Mark wrote:
When I discovered this forum about 15 years ago, I was thrilled. It was so Lewesian. It was completely independent, just like most of our High Street shops are. I liked that it was so clearly local. It spoke of the Tom Paine spirit. And now it's dead. In better times, I used to love crossing verbal swords on here with Paul Newman, Sussex Jim and many others. It's all about Facebook now - helping Mark Zuckerburg find ways to be more rich. Fare you well, Greensleeves, Nevilleman, Annette Curtain-Twitcher aka ANC (the best forum name ever!!) and even Tom Pain (rather odd). And thanks Webbo, for contributing this thing to the history of our town. Mentioned in the Guardian once! It was a beautiful parrott (Norwegian Blue) However, it has shuffled off its mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleeding choir invisible.
On 13 Nov 2020 at 1:30pm David Stanley wrote:
Someone with a name that begins with an F ruined it all by because they couldn't cope with some moronic trolling by two or three idiots. It's a shame but it has saved me from wasting time considering other people's opinions. I just smile and keep quiet now.
On 13 Nov 2020 at 5:04pm Nevillman wrote:
You might be right mark but I hope not. Why don't you post something on here that will start a debate? The symes Facebook site is in no way a substitute for this site. There is very little debate on there. I suspect that the right wingers on here have given up as they got fed up with being shot down in flames continually. Symes site is much more comfortable for them. The main debate recently has been Tom pain unsuccessfully arguing his case. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that people form an instinctive opinion about something (based on their genetic make up and environment) and then come up with arguments to subsequently rationalize it. That is what we mainly see on here. Some people are able to reassess their instinctive view based on further thought and understanding other arguments. This is what the forum has helped me to do and it would be a shame if it has gone. Like Tom, my instinctive reaction has been that we have over reacted to covid but I do now understand the argument for the measures taken and thank everyone who has taken part in the debate and helped me to formulate my more considered opinion.
Keep posting and the site won't die.
On 13 Nov 2020 at 7:01pm Mark wrote:
No, Nevilllmman. I fear that the die is cast. The last post was about a week ago. The sad destruction of a willow tree. The truly great times are behind us. The best thing for me was about 8 years ago when some lunatic bloke kept coming on pretending to be a little girl and telling stories about her life. How the traffic was scary in Ringmer. He/she made me howl.
On 13 Nov 2020 at 8:47pm Ferret wrote:
@David Stanley I don't know if you are referring to me, but I happily admit to passing on my objections about some of the content on this forum. Those objections were about vile anti-semitism, general racism, homophobia, incitement to violence towards homeless people in Lewes, as well as some inappropriate misogynistic language, and other matters. At that time, registration was not required allowing a level of anonymity which emboldened far more than two or three idiots. I can understand the desire for anonymity (I am not really a ferret) but not when it allows abuse of "freedom of speech" which so many trolls seem to value so much. Trolling is still unfortunately possible, as a certain Mr. Tom Paine can testify, but if you break the law, the authorities now take interest and can track you down. That's what has really changed.
On 14 Nov 2020 at 7:40am TheGardener wrote:
Ok, I’ll throw my hat in.
Was what the FA chief said, offensive enough to lose him his job.
I can honestly say I was shocked when he used the word beginning with c. Shocked because I wasn’t aware it carries the same weight now as the n word. Personally I find describing somebody as black, very uncomfortable and try to avoid it. I’m sure I have used the c word in place of black, plenty of times, unaware that it has become offensive.
It’s like a minefield out there as you get older!
On 14 Nov 2020 at 8:22am IDM wrote:
It only struck me yesterday that (apart from DavidStanley?), I am the only identifiable person on here. What are you all afraid of; someone knowing which window to smash?
On 14 Nov 2020 at 9:34am Hyena wrote:
What do you mean? I’m Mr Bill Hyena.
On 14 Nov 2020 at 11:14am Formerly AC-T wrote:
It was good back in the day, but then everything was better then.
I miss Spinster of this Parish, Lopster, Brixton Belle and a few others. Even Paul Newman, although he was amusing and irritating in equal measure. But it did get close to unpleasant bullying on occasions, and I can understand why some of those posters opted to go and play elsewhere.
I've graduated to a wider audience for my pontificating, and mostly hang out on politics forums these days.
I'm a Facebook refusenik, so have no idea what the Symes page is like.
On 14 Nov 2020 at 11:20am Hyena wrote:
Everything was better ‘back in the day’
On 14 Nov 2020 at 11:24am Hyena wrote:
Only the old say that.
On 14 Nov 2020 at 1:37pm David Stanley wrote:
Just as long as Ferret feels " safe " then.......
On 14 Nov 2020 at 4:52pm The Tooth Fairy wrote:
Oh come along now and dry your eyes!!
There is a beginning, middle, and end to everything. This place was terrifying to the new poster. No wonder LP took off, say what you want under a stupid name (mine included) was never going to last. We can put a wreath on the War Memorial if you like …
On 15 Nov 2020 at 5:04pm Sussex Jim wrote:
Yes, it is sad how the Forum has become a shadow of it's former self. I only read it occasionally now, as it seems to be the same four or five posters arguing with themselves.
Why don't a few more people post; on a broader range of (local) subjects? There is no need for political propaganda, now that we have a stable Government with an 80-seat majority for another four years.
On 15 Nov 2020 at 11:15pm janet street preacher wrote:
I find fb groups really depressing. Why is being nice to each other so unfashionable?
It’s a bit ironic for people to visit a group like this and moan about it tho.
On 15 Nov 2020 at 11:51pm IDM wrote:
Yes, Tooth Fairy, it can be hard work for a new poster, especially the established jargon Who or what is DFL? Obviously, we need more posters (I am spreading the word), although it is useful to see the development of an argument (logic, not slanging) in a thread.
On 17 Nov 2020 at 11:52pm Basil wrote:
I miss the arguments about the tables outside Bill's. Those were the days.
On 17 Nov 2020 at 11:53pm Basil wrote:
I'm also fascinated by a system in which you write a post and sometimes it appears, sometimes it doesn't. It does make you feel like just not bothering.
On 18 Nov 2020 at 1:57pm Tom Pain wrote:
I know exactly how you feel,Basil. Even light satire is censored, no wonder the forum is moribund.
On 18 Nov 2020 at 2:48pm Green Sleeves wrote:
It's not hard to swerve the basic censorship and filters. I would have thought a poet like yourself would have got over that by now....
I think you also can't post at certain times, presumably because it's moderated by just one person. Again, no big deal...just avoid a Trump-esque 3am Twitter rant and contain yourself till a more respectable time in the morning!
What's "killed" this forum (if it is really dead) is just the way the majority of forums have gone in recent years. I quite like the format of "forums", but appreciate others may not and prefer to indulge in more modern forms of social media.
On 18 Nov 2020 at 3:11pm IDM wrote:
This place is better than chat rooms, which have posts on the spur of the moment. Comments here can be properly thought through, with the best like miniature academic papers.
On 18 Nov 2020 at 4:26pm Tom Pain wrote:
I know all that and abide by it, what I want to know is why Webbo is preventing me from continuing my story which is so harmless and contains no bad language nor mentions anything controversial, it's just fiction. Perhaps it's because there are no petty vindictive personal attacks on anyone, the automatic system doesn't recognise it as a post.
On 22 Nov 2020 at 3:00pm Formerly AC-T wrote:
"There is no need for political propaganda, now that we have a stable Government with an 80-seat majority for another four years"
Some might argue that creates a greater need for political discussion, @Sussex Jim, not less!
On 18 Dec 2020 at 11:25pm IDM wrote:
No posts at all today until this. It may not be dead, but it's certainly in the ICU.