Adding an ignore list feature to audiogon


Some other forums have an ignore list feature, which I think could be quite helpful and useful here. It allows each individual member to create an ignore list. This is a list of other members whose posts that individual does not wish to see. When members on the list post, it will show that they posted, but the text of their post will not be be displayed. The posts are only hidden for that member, they will show up like normal for all other members (unless they also have the poster on their ignore list)

I believe adding this feature would help reduce conflict and controversy, while still allowing everyone to post freely. It would also make the moderators' job easier. I'm not sure if the forum software audiogon uses supports this feature, but, if it does, they should definitely look into implementing it.

tommylion

That would take some serious work and revisions for Admin and I doubt they'd even entertain the idea. Also, practically everyone else here will call it some form of censorship which won't go over well. 

I think that with the new tools we have at hand, something like this following an unfavorable comment will suffice:

I've always felt that humor is the best medicine.

All the best,

Nonoise

tommylion,

You really have to get over this, and stop taking criticisms and slights personally. 

Did you know that the Roman thumb up he lives, thumb down he dies is actually historically backward?

Thumb down means " Swords down", or spare the life.

Thumb up means "Swords up", or hack away, boys!

The feature you're proposing would be contributing to polarization. By vanishing those voices or opinions one doesn't like, one tends to become more confirmed in their own views, and this actually pushes groups further out to extremes they might not have gone to before. Here's a good article on this:

"Belief polarization is the cognitive phenomenon by which interactions with like-minded people transform us into more extreme versions of ourselves. To put it another way, when we talk only to others who share our views, we each come to hold more extreme versions of those views. Yes-men, groupthink and echo chambers can radicalize us."
https://www.discoursemagazine.com/ideas/2021/01/26/the-polarization-dynamic/

Although some might call it it "censorship", it is not. Censorship is an individual, or smaller group, deciding what a larger group can, or cannot, see. An individual deciding what they want to see, or not see, is freedom. An ignore list feature would promote self-moderation and self-control, thus reducing the moderators' workload. I fully expect that, if the feature were implemented, some would put me on their ignore list, and I'm totally fine with that. It could help them to not respond with impulsive posts they might later regret. The same goes for me.