Debate Section

[WillowsTara]

I just noticed this forum does not have a debate section, so I was wondering maybe we should put one in? For both real life and Home and Away. Considering that in many threads especially concerning H&A alot of debate arises that it would be a good idea, that way everyone can get there opinions out in the open but not in the Aus or spoiler section, and there's the issues like gay marriage, underage sex, 16 dating a 25 year olds, etc that comes up in the show as well

Many forums I go to have it (Some don't allow like religion or Politics though) so it may be a good idea if you guys would consider it (Unless I am blind and it's tucked away somewhere, couldn't see it in the general section(

[emmasi]

A forum I used to go to had a section like that. They called it "Fight Club." We were all mature, responsible people (not all adults, either) so letting go and getting fired up once in a while wasn't too dangerous. Sometimes it did get nasty, but we were a small, close-knit community and we had enough respect for each other to get over any rough patches. I'm not confident that it would work like that at BttB. There are hundreds of people here with hundreds of different and very strong opinions - I'm obviously one of them . I don't think calling it a "debate forum" instead of a "fight club" would change the likelihood of debates turning into fights. Fights happen at BttB anyway, and sectioning them off in their own forum might make people think that it's a green-light to go for the jugular when trying to "win."

But, at the risk of THIS turning into an argument, I'll just leave that as my two-cents and... make a note to stay out of the debate forum if it goes ahead lol.

[Zetti]

I really like this idea. I love putting real life in with H&A especially since I know a few people who watch h&a that expect it to mirror the realities of life. I think it would be a good idea!

[Symphony]

I agree with Emmasi; while it might sound good in theory, I think in reality it would be a disaster zone.

[-Kevin-]

I agree with Emmasi; while it might sound good in theory, I think in reality it would be a disaster zone.

Well I don't necessarily agree it would be as bad as you would expect, if people participated in the proper way without getting too over the top I think it could become rather good!

I think it would be a good idea , but only if it was handled well by everyone , especially the members. I wouldn't see the harm in trying it out and then maybe make a decision instead of just ruling it out from the off. I think it would add a bit of freshness to the forum actually as well, it would always nice to see another feature/section on the board because its been ages since the forum had anything new.

[-Karen-]

This is just my personal opinion and is in no way the view of the staff as a whole Just thought I'd point that out

Aside from the issues already raised, I just feel that a forum is all about debate anyway, so I'm not sure having a seperate debate section would add anything to the forum. There are existing threads for 'debating' H&A issues and obviously anything else can be debated in General chat, and it usually is!

I think it would add a bit of freshness to the forum actually as well, it would always nice to see another feature/section on the board because its been ages since the forum had anything new.

It may have been ages since the forum had something new but the main site is updated on a daily basis with various bits and pieces and odd 'exclusive'! A lot of work goes into that area of BTTB but goes unnoticed a lot of the time.

I'm not sure a forum needs new features or sections unless they are really adding something to it. It's a bit like reinventing the wheel, not really neccesary if something works. Having said that, no one is ruling anything out straight away, I just think that there needs to be a 'gap' in the forum for something new and I'm not personally sure this would fill a gap as it already exists in one form or another.

[Laura]

It does sound like a good idea but then again I'm not sure if it'll work. I myself, have had lots of arguments on this forum in the past in probably every topic on here and it just got me in trouble and I think it might be more of an "arguing" section rather than a debate section.

[Foxy]

if people participated in the proper way without getting too over the top I think it could become rather good!

I think we only need to examine the degree to which some people discuss a fictional show to realise that people are bound to go over the top when debating more serious subjects. That's not to say every member is like that - far from it - but without picking and choosing the members that could handle it without going OTT (which we wouldn't be prepared to do) it sounds like the sort of thing that would bring on absolute carnage.

There's nothing to stop 'debates' going on in General Chat though, but cornering it off would make it too much of a 'debate' breeding ground I think.

[-Kevin-]

There's nothing to stop 'debates' going on in General Chat though, but cornering it off would make it too much of a 'debate' breeding ground I think.

Yeah actually you're right, debate already goes on throughout the borad and there propably isn't a need for it like Karen said.

There are already a couple of debate-ish threads in General Chat like the Abortion thread which worked quite well!