Thanks for clarifying and no, no new thread desired.
The issue raised by this thread is about specific words that were complained about. I’ve already made my suggestion about dealing with specific words that have the potential to offend in my first post on this thread.
But the thread seems to have taken a turn about what content belongs or doesn’t belong on a food board.
I’ve seen other forums that are pretty much devoted to one subject – movies, travel, books – where, when people try to introduce any cultural or political observations or context about something regarding that subject – there is a group or moderators who swoop in to declare: “This is a board about XXXX” and get the content removed, no matter how relevant it is.
I actually think this has been a huge fault of the Chowhound boards. Anybody who makes an even halfway intelligent observation about a phenomon like Shake Shack or Eataly is told to stick to posting about where to get the best junk food or the Michelin stars list.
I hope Hungry Onion will allow people to occasionally rant about food culture.
I wouldn’t have a problem with you discussing the components of Nigella Lawson’s television persona, unless you did so in a vicious or demeaning way, and then I would.
Here’s example of something I did have a problem with: a Chowhound participant posted about Giada De Laurentiis in a way that could be interpreted either that he’d like to ejaculate on her, or that he thought about her when he masturbated. No one would have raised an eyebrow at the actual words he used. But I flagged the post anyway. And I’d do it again.
1 Like
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
87
'Tis tricky. I use a “one subject” forum which has a “no modern politics” rule. The tricky bit is my “modern politics” is your “social commentary”. You’re always in the hands of the mods to decide what’s what. I am great believer that, whilst the mods are not always right, they are always the mods. We play by their rules or we do not play at all.
Write if you find work. But seriously (only not really), where would you go? And what’s the point of flouncing over something like that? I’m a big girl (again, not really, see user name), so I have plenty of opportunities to use all my grown-up words. If there are a couple of places where I have to rein it in, I can deal with that.
Harters
(John Hartley - a culinary patriot eating & cooking in Northwest England)
97
Now here’s a thing. TripAdvisor won’t let you post a review that includes the word “ass”. Now that may not be a general problem for me as, in this context, I’d say “arse”. But it was a nuisance when I was trying to describe a donkey ragu I’d eaten in northern Italy. I read and reread my post several times and simply couldnt find any profanity and then I realised what word was the offending one.
I’m kinda saddened by this whole discussion. I wont tolerate personal attacks but this whole discussion and banning of a few words like t#ts is just sad
Don’t get your tts in a ringer over it. This site is a new venture, growing pains even if in your tts, d*ck or a$$ are bound to happen. With communication and cooperation a happy medium will be reached. Don’t be sad, be happy! If this wasn’t going on it would mean the site wasn’t growing and growth is good!!
There was quite a kerfuffle some years ago when the term “fanny pack” came into play – it’s an utterly harmless phrase in the states, but the British folks were aghast. TA won’t allow fecking or arse, but bastard and pee are fair play, and once in a while one poster tells another poster to go to hell. There’s not much logic to that one, either.
Some folks still object to the use of “bloody” and “bugger” – both of which are harmless in US vernacular, as well.
Add bummer to that list - was such a common phrase in the U.S. (Maybe more late 80s than current) but would always throw the Brits off - as I was when they wanted to go outside for a fag …
I thought Chowhound has been ok on this. Yes, it prevents people from talking about food poisoning and whatnot, but most of time people were at least allowed to discuss a bit of politics. Afterall, there were tons of talks about “fair wages” and many other topics.
I agree with NotJr. This is part of the growing pain.
In this case, the changes were made in respond to a complaint. However, after the change was made, there were a good deal of counter-complaints. I think this is a good lesson for all. It is important to balance every complaint against the backdrop.
I also think it is very healthy for all of us to talk it out. If we all withhold our displeasure, then next thing you know, people start leaving because too many words were banned. In a sense, that was what I did. I did not complain about the new Chowhound redesign. I just left. I figure that the moderators were not listening to others anyway, so no need for me to waste my time and energy to complain. When people are truly giving up, then they don’t complain at all.
I hope this site will not permit the use of racially offensive words, and other insulting words of similar nature (religious, ethnic, agist, etc), and that repeat offenders will lose their posting privileges. Or I am gone.
I didn’t really follow that thread on Hooters because I wasn’t that interested in it, and because I saw that people were fighting with each other. My one concern is that I’ve been posting that Michelin doesn’t know what the f— they’re doing in New York (using the full word). I don’t use profanity a lot on food boards, but I do in that phrase because it make the point more emphatically than if I used “hell” or some other word. It seems like I’ll need to use a circumlocution now, but it’s certainly possible I might forget, because I’ve used the full word on at least two other boards if not on this one.
I was pretty sure you were trying to figure out whether you could insult Nigella Lawson. Am I misinterpreting you? It’s possible you wanted to celebrate her successful use of her physical attributes to gain fame, and the word “catapult” threw me off 'cause it sounds negative.
Okay. I feel better now:grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes: . Thanks for putting it perspective