Option to Flush for Topic Authors
The County Fence now has a “flush” button. If you’re the author of a new topic thread, you will see the toilet paper icon on any posts that respond to you. It looks like this:
When you click it you will see a confirmation screen:
As an author, it’s up to your discretion when to use this. But the general rule is:
- We want each topic to be “the best possible version of an idea”
- If someone’s negating all your positions and expressing a view that is fundamentally incompatible, maybe they should have their own space to discuss that?
BUT: the two topic threads are now linked. So while we want a topic to be “the best possible version of an idea” we also want other ideas to be adjacent and visible.
Options for a Post that got flushed
You are now the author of a new thread, which finds itself currently in the Latrine. You now have the authority to flush other people’s posts and to curate your own discussion.
Although your post ends up initially in The Latrine, you can ask for it to be moved to one of the other categories. In the future we will crowd source this with a “Plunge” button.
Intention behind the Flush feature
I’m offering this as a way that we can support free speech (by not censoring anyone) but also avoid endless head butting and unproductive conversations (you can have your opinion, but you don’t have a right to take over my living room). Granting this authority to authors gives everyone the chance to create conversations that are satisfying to them without blowing their circuits.
Some authors are going to be very welcoming of debate and other perspectives. Others are going to flush anything they don’t agree with. Just like the real world, right?
I hope this is good food for thought. Maybe if we can figure out a good protocol for The County Fence, we can also make progress on the other common spaces that we share.
Peace and blessings,
Brandon