Maggie MacIntyreNov 27, 2022

Good morning! A post just rolled across my fedi-timeline saying not to post about politics on Mastodon, so I'm here to remind you that:

1 "politics" refers to decision-making about how to live together in groups
2 choosing to not participate in political discussion is saying you support the status quo, and is a political stance
3 abstaining from politics because you feel safe from its impacts is a privilege and a choice to abandon your more vulnerable neighbours

Show threadJonChevreau 🇨🇦Nov 27, 2022
@inkstainedmags perhaps a good compromise is to use CW for all political posts?
Show threadMaggie MacIntyreNov 27, 2022
@JonChevreau I know there is a lot of talk about how to use CW over here. I'm new and trying to listen and learn but my opinion is that CWs should be used sparingly and those who want to avoid certain subjects should use mute liberally.
Show threadGeoff WinklessNov 27, 2022
@inkstainedmags @JonChevreau that might be your opinion but the problem is your idea of what warrants a CW might be different to someone else's.
Show threadRevK 
@Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau That is a fundamental issue with CW. Some people "take offence" (and it is taken in a lot of cases) far too easily. Some people want to avoid causing any possible offence at all costs. Some people "speak their mind". It is never going to be perfect. The best we can do is find some compromise.
Nov 27, 2022 at 4:43pmWeb
Show threadGeoff WinklessNov 27, 2022

@revk @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau I see it as the difference between the twitter attitude of "I will shout my opinion at you" and the mastodon "let's have a conversation". Yes, people can mute you if you upset them, and you could argue that it's your right to offend shout if you wish, but if everyone shouts at once no-one listens.

CWs are probably a poor name: think of it like a subject line of an email, and it becomes far less contentious.

Show threadKevin KolkDec 1, 2022

@Geoff @revk @JonChevreau @inkstainedmags The problem is it is not akin to an email subject line at all, it causes by default the content to be hidden while removing it makes it more easily visible - making the intention of it clear - to hide content.

It does however seem to be wielded by some to suppress speech the speech of minority groups by demanding that discussion of political issues affecting them carry a CW like a scarlet letter.

Show threadGeoff WinklessDec 1, 2022
@Siberian @revk @JonChevreau @inkstainedmags evidence?
Show threadM. VerdoneNov 27, 2022

@revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau content warnings are not about preventing "offense" they are about preventing pain. There are many topics or images that cause some people anxiety or sadness. Pictures of food can stress people with eating disorders. Eye contact can cause panic. Talk of terrible politicians can cause anxiety in people who live in places with those politics but no ability to escape or change their situation.

There is no list of topics to warn about. But if you can empathize with people, you might want to use CWs for some topics. That's it.

Show threadwb x64Nov 27, 2022

@sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau yeah the opinion that CWs should be used sparingly is a common opinion of someone brand-new to Fediverse.

The opposite is more true: you will find more respect and a larger audience when you give out the respect for people's eyeballs by using CWs liberally.

CWs should rightly be renamed "subject line" because it's a phrase to let you know if you want to click before exposing your eyeballs. For traumatized people, that consent is everything.

Show threadwb x64Nov 27, 2022
@sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau and the subject matter doesn't even have to be particularly traumatizing in itself to be worth respecting someone's eyeballs over. Sometimes it's merely the walls of text on a topic that's been talked to death that people really appreciate being able to skip when they don't have the mental energy anymore. Like I just did with this post's CW, maybe you're tired of me mansplaining. It's okay. CWs are a courtesy.
Show threadJayNov 28, 2022
@wilbr @sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau CWs are courtesy, however, one thing to note is, we all won’t know 100% what those triggers would be with the audience. And at the same time, I don’t want to feel like I have to put *everything* behind a CW either, and at the same time, the last thing I would want to do is to offend anyone…
Show threadGeoff WinklessNov 28, 2022

@CanonicalAbstract @wilbr @sixohsix @revk @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau I've started putting all my new posts behind CWs just as a matter of course. It just seems polite to me.

It mildly irritates me that hashtags in CWs aren't searchable (apparently by design), because it means I must put a hashtag in the main body as well as the cw and the CW takes up text space. But 🤷‍♂️

Show threadJayNov 28, 2022
@wilbr @sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau …. So where is the fine line where the onus is on the publisher vs. the reader? How do we navigate those little nuances without fully knowing them?
Show threadM. VerdoneNov 28, 2022

@CanonicalAbstract @wilbr @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau the way you navigate nuance is by trying things and by observing what others do. Just like going to a new place (a social event or club meeting) you see what people do and you do it too. See what others on your instance cw, and try doing that too, because that's your local culture.

Remember, content warnings are not about avoiding offence, but harm. Unlike Twitter people here will not scream at you for "offending them", or quote your tweet as a form of punishment. You might get a polite message from someone asking you to CW some topic in the future. That's about it.

Show threadJayNov 28, 2022
@sixohsix @wilbr @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau In other words, trial by error. That’s all fine and dandy, but the thing that bothers me still is that I see so many tweets about what people prefer to CW and such. For someone like myself, that makes navigation a bit more awkward. I think I’m better off re-thinking my presence on Mastodon at this point.
Show threadJayNov 28, 2022
@sixohsix @wilbr @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau I do see that there are options in place about filtering certain words, or even blocking people. I’m fine with that. I think the bottom line, surfing in the fediverse should be a more comfortable affair, and not something where one feels the need to tiptoe around.
Show threadwb x64Nov 28, 2022

@CanonicalAbstract @sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau "I shouldn't have to tiptoe around" is very often a euphemism for "I like behaving without regard for anyone else but myself, why would you even suggest that I give a shit about politeness."

You say it should be comfortable. Comfortable for who?

We've let you know what's polite, here. Take that information as you will.

Show threadwb x64Nov 29, 2022
(for those watching at home, he chose to take this information by blocking me 😂)
Show threadJayNov 28, 2022
@sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau since we are now scrutinizing my words and judging me, please exclude my account from further correspondence. I was just merely asking questions. I do not deserve any judgmental attacks. That person has been blocked. Good day.
Show threadDoroteja M. Nov 27, 2022
@wilbr @sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau I like CW being thought of as Content Wrapper (while not taking away original meaning). you wrap your posts in a Wrapper with a short title and those interested in the contents can unwrap them. it takes about 5-10 seconds for first action, and 1 click for the second. it has amazing benefits for those who are often in pain, why not use them?
Show threadwb x64Nov 28, 2022

@luka @sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau right, I even like to think of it more like trying to help my friends avoid doomscrolling and the 24hr news cycle. We all usually know what the awful news of the day is, so you can give people a choice whether they feel like engaging with it further or not.

I have a giant exception for harmed people talking about how they've been harmed. Obviously that needs eyeballs, we shouldn't demand victims adhere to some desired tone or civility.

Show threadLuuk PaulussenNov 27, 2022
@sixohsix @revk @Geoff @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau
I guess an important point (implied by OP) is that there are times when it is important for people to be exposed to things that make uncomfortable. Especially people who benefit from the status quo.
Show threadGeoff WinklessNov 27, 2022
@luukpaulussen @sixohsix @revk @inkstainedmags @JonChevreau no. It's not for you or anyone else to decide what other people "should" be forced to read.