Banned Photos...

[Steve5D]

I don't think anyone has implied that art is not subjective.

Terri did. If any member posts something, believing it to be "art", the moderators have the latitude to determine whether or not it is. That's not subjectivity. That's objectivity...

I think the solution is to just make TPF a "no gun" zone again. much simpler. no artistic qualities to define, and you get a definitive "line" that isn't subject to mods opinions on whether it is art or not.

Yes, it's always so much easier to run away from an issue than to address it head on. Overread has mentioned the "NSFW" section, of which I posed a few questions...

 

[Steve5D]

That other post with a picture of a gun and a knife didn't help Steve's case.

How so?

It made clear that, wherever the line, he wants to push it - and for no obvious reasons.

No obvious reasons?

The obvious reason, Lew, is that there are no way to know what is and isn't "art" here. A photo that you think is artistic may very well be considered garbage by the mods. Unfortunately, we don't know what they're looking for, because they can't say. We don't know what qualifies as "art" because the people who determine that, themselves, also don't know.

"Art" is no longer subjective. That's the underlying point here, and it's not an unimportant one...

Well, to be absolutely perfectly honest, I don't trust your intentions because I don't trust or believe anything you say.

And why is that?

 

[pixmedic]

I think the solution is to just make TPF a "no gun" zone again. much simpler. no artistic qualities to define, and you get a definitive "line" that isn't subject to mods opinions on whether it is art or not.

Awww.. I prefer my "give them one themes thread to show off their guns" solution

if a section were set up for just guns, or weapons, then sure...that would probably work too.

 

[kathyt]

I think someone needs to get laid, because this thread is giving me a headache. I can only imagine how the mods feel!

 

[Overread]

I think the solution is to just make TPF a "no gun" zone again. much simpler. no artistic qualities to define, and you get a definitive "line" that isn't subject to mods opinions on whether it is art or not.

Awww.. I prefer my "give them one themes thread to show off their guns" solution

if a section were set up for just guns, or weapons, then sure...that would probably work too.

Ahh not a whole section; just a single "show your guns" thread in the themes section - much like the show your face threads. It eases the tension by allowing people to post and show off guns whilst keeping it neatly contained within one single thread.

 

[TWright33]

AS such this content was removed because it did not fit with the site rules.

Memory and battery-wise?

I must have misinterpreted...

My M&P is always carried in battery...

 

[Steve5D]

Now will you answer a question for me - what was artistic about your earlier thread?

I posted about memory and batteries. And who took that train off the tracks? A MODERATOR. I don't fault him for that, but I take offense to you insisting I explain what was "artistic" about the thread. Help me out; what's artistic about batteries?

The one where a series of "look at my gun" posts and photos were removed from.

You mean the one where a moderator took the thread sideways? That one?

The thread itself had no artistic context - its was purely a gear question about what people carry.

True. That was its SOLE intent. The fact that I knew some people would refer to guns does not mean that's what I was going for...

The gun photos were not posted for artistic merit, consideration, critique nor display and were posted purely in a "let me show you my gun" context. AS such this content was removed because it did not fit with the site rules. That is the angle that the moderators see the thread in and has been repeated now several times.

How about the "Let's See Your Ride" threads? Someone posted a photo of a pickup on a field, and in the corner was a freakin' date code.

Artistic?

Why is it still visible? Could it be because it's not a gun, and guns are "bad"?

 

[epeddy1]

How is showing pictures of your gun different than showing pictures of your cars? I see tons of threads with pictures of their cars. Why are car pics so much more artsy than gun pics? You assume they aren't "artsy", but how can you be sure that the pictures weren't staged with lighting, etc the same way people stage car pics? Or other still life shots like pocket watches. Maybe what you deem as non-artsy is just somebody's first attempt at still life photography and they chose a gun as the subject. As Steve said, seems like a committee is making judgement calls on art vs non-art based only on the subject material.

Would a "what do you drive?" thread where people post pics of their cars get taken down because it isn't artsy?

 

[Overread]

Steve you do realise that you've not in any way been punished for the threads direction. In fact no one has been punished and the mods cleaned the thread up so that it could continue along the original intended direction of discussing general gear carried.

We only removed the gun photos/posts from the thread including the original moderators one that started the tangent. It was an error on the part of the moderator, but its been swiftly corrected and mods made more aware of the rule so that we can best avoid crossing it in the future.

 

[Derrel]

I think I know a losing battle when I see one, but I've been wrong. Now, I DO KNOW chicken wings, fer' sure though!!!!

 

[Overread]

How is showing pictures of your gun different than showing pictures of your cars? I see tons of threads with pictures of their cars. Why are car pics so much more artsy than gun pics?

It has nothing to do with art and everything to do with social disruption.

I can assure you if a photo of a car was regularly known to spark multiple pages of arguments and personal attack from members against each other and there were not only one or two combatants then - yes - we could consider limiting the posting of cars to help avoid such situations.

It's the same reason many photography forums operate a no Digital VS Film rule (A rule I might add that we've been more lax in enforcing due to significantly reduced tension and fights over this subject).



.-- edit - darn it Derrel now I'm reminded that I'm hungry AND that we don't have any chicken in the house

 

[Steve5D]

Awww.. I prefer my "give them one themes thread to show off their guns" solution

if a section were set up for just guns, or weapons, then sure...that would probably work too.

Ahh not a whole section; just a single "show your guns" thread in the themes section - much like the show your face threads. It eases the tension by allowing people to post and show off guns whilst keeping it neatly contained within one single thread.

Why not an entire section?

 

[ratssass]

I think someone needs to get laid, because this thread is giving me a headache. I can only imagine how the mods feel!

Pick me,Pick me!!!!! ughhh!!!!!just reread the headache thing

 

[Steve5D]

Steve you do realise that you've not in any way been punished for the threads direction. In fact no one has been punished and the mods cleaned the thread up so that it could continue along the original intended direction of discussing general gear carried.

I do realize that.

WHat's far more concerning to me is Terri's comment that the moderators will be the ones who determine what is artful. That's insane. To think that there's some panel or committee which decides artistic merit is frightening. It doesn't minimize but, rather, dismisses what anyone else may deem to be artistic. What's more, the moderators don't have any particularly unique skill set which allows them to do it effectively.

I could give a rat's ass about the picture of my gun being removed.

What's alarming here is the very real fact that, if a moderator doesn't believe a photo is "artistic", he or she can remove it, and that removal needn't be justified beyond "It's not artistic".

That's crazy...

We only removed the gun photos/posts from the thread including the original moderators one that started the tangent. It was an error on the part of the moderator, but its been swiftly corrected and mods made more aware of the rule so that we can best avoid crossing it in the future.[/QUOTE]

 

[Overread]

Why not an entire section?

Personally I'm not opposed to guns. Thing is we don't get enough gun-focused content to justify having a whole section dedicated to them. Furthermore such a section would require relaxation of the rule fully to allow it to work; and honestly think that would work from a social point. There are still to many who, for whatever reason, will take a very aggressive and hostile angle to such content.

Personally I'd love if we didn't need the rule - but history has shown that sadly social disruption is just too easily generated around the topic.