Everything has rules. Countries have rules, states have rules, households have rules, and even this website has rules (crazy I know). I'm sure every sane person believes that in almost every society or group of people some rules are needed for the community to function. In every forum I visit I always take a look at the rules to see what is acceptable and what is not on the site. The rule I would like to discuss is one of the many rules I don't agree with on this forum. 3. FLAMEBAITING Posts or images that, in the judgment of a moderator or administrator, are specifically intended to provoke emotional responses or personal attacks from other posters, rather than civil discussion, will be considered flamebaiting. Posts or images specifically designed to provoke an emotional response. That covers a large area. Anti abortion ads most commonly have a picture of a baby on them, why? because babies are cute and evoke an emotional response. Thats why people that are against abortion don't show a show a photo of a fetus on the poster! It isn't cute and does not provoke an emotional response even though that is what people are actually aborting! I would say that at the minimum 25% of the avatars on this forum are intended to provoke an emotional response, including my own. The point I am trying to make is that since the great variety and volume of content that is considered in violation of the rules is so great that the only things that get taken down are posts that the majority of people or a staff member does not agree with.
