Every time someone reports something and its not upheld, MN give a reason. It gives people good at getting round the rules a tactic to use in order to attack others and get their point across.
How do you deal with people who say 'I'm only being abusive because I've been abused'? You try and actually get to the bottom of that frustration and why they feel like nothing is being done to address issues. If you don't the situation continues.
You need to abuse people in a certain way for it to be acted upon on MN. It means certain people although the same intent is very clearly there, they aren't breaking the letter of the law. It causes resentment and a feeling of untouchability.
Off the radar stuff, is just as bad as it makes people less likely to get involved in debate. It closes people down. Loads of people have complained about it, and it does need to be looked at more seriously. If there is no action in response the problem just festers.
We need a proper debate on why people feel unable to speak on certain subjects or even use certain sections. Why people aren't reporting when perhaps they should be? Is it because its not a single post but a repeated belittling? And then theres the individuals who do a great job of playing the system to look the victim, fully knowing how to manipulate responses.
What ends up happening is just great and greater polarisation rather than a bridging of a divide. The problem gets worse and worse. No ones happy on any side either tbh. You need to do something about trying to get people to understand how off the radar stuff affects others as much as direct stuff.
The trouble with forums is they go through life-cycles and people think that they can be run the same way as they were from day one. I don't think thats the case as they mature and reach a certain point. They need to be looked at again and things reassessed. Or the problem becomes institutionalised and people know all the ways to get around the rules. At some point you need a managed solution or things just get even worse. All thats happening right now, is there is a big bitch-fest, someone flounces, a winner is declared and it starts all over again, with someone else. All over the same issues.
The fact that this is just one more thread like this, in a long line of them without any changes or seemingly constructive steps to look at the problem speaks volumes. I'm sure the same names must come up time after time too.
I'm just the latest in a very long line of people to raise the same issues.
A lot of it is born of frustration and a general lack of respect for other posters. A campaign to try and promote respect for other views is just one thing that could be done.
I just feel that it falls on deaf ears though or is interpreted in wanting to end robust debate. You can argue robustly without resorting to underhand tactics, especially since those most able at them are generally the most intellectually gifted in the first place anyway. They only use the tactics as they know they have a weak argument in the first place. Pull them up on it, and I think it will stop. Its not unintelligent people who are most guilty here.
Contempt breeds contempt.