Guidelines for commenting

We’ve had some healthy discussion here about what is and what isn’t acceptable comment. Obviously, we want the maximum of discussion here. But we don’t want the experience of the many undermined by a minority.

So – and this itself, of course, is up for discussion – I’m trialling an approach which I call ‘two gates, a filter and a request’.

The two gates to be navigated are:

– Relevance to energy, economics and finance

– Reasonable brevity

The filter is courtesy and respect for others’ points of view. The slogan for this, borrowed from sport, is “play the ball, not the man”.

So it’s fine to say to someone that “your argument is idiotic”

But it’s not fine to say “you are an idiot”.

Finally, the request is that you don’t post a disproportionately large number of comments, insert too many links, or include too many ‘additions’ (such as video clips).

The response to comments breaching these guidelines is review. This isn’t the same as a ban or block. Instead, anyone whose comment breaches these guidelines will have his or her future comments moderated – but any comments which don’t breach these guidelines will still be approved in moderation.

Reply ↓

rogerglewis
on October 18, 2019 at 11:02 am said:
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Hello Tim,
All of my posts have been moderated here for a long time when Links are included I know it is possible on WordPress to hold in moderation any posts with links or with N no of links according to the Blogger’s own preference.
If I post both briefly and on point, my posts are still moderated, I do not like it but I value the discourse here more than my dislike of the treatment afforded vis moderation. Your house your rules afterall “An English Mans Blog is his castle”,
Or are you like me a Welshman?

As I often Re-Blog your posts and where I find that I wish to take issue or expand on limitations I consider in their reference points I have taken to simply expanding a dialogue in the comments or at the bottom of my own re-blogged post.

“”So it’s fine to say to someone that “your argument is idiotic”

But it’s not fine to say “you are an idiot”.

Really? this is stretching it IMO, my last Comment complaining of regular straw-manning is still in moderation, it is not discourteous but makes a valid point.

Best wishes
Roger