11 Jul 10
I am thinking of declaring August "Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden their horizons
restore their humility
put their own nation and its deeds in a more vivid context
It could help our Non-American contingent to...
boost their confidence
generate a feeling of level footing elusive in 'the wild'
enhance Forum diversity and inclusiveness
put their own nations and their deeds in a more vivid context
Implied stigma and unspoken dirision could be the price that posters pay for non-cooperation.
That's just for starters.
Let's debate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by FMFAn interesting proposal with much to commend it. I have my doubts as to whether some of the American contingent would be capable of such a thing, though...
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei ...[text shortened]... bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
Probably the single thing that stands out to me on the Debates forum is the overt American slant. It's been interesting, because as well as the choice of and popularity of topics that are specifically American, there is a definite 'tone' common to most of the American contributors - a common frame of reference, vocabulary, set of underlying assumptions or whatever - that I think the contributors are probably 'blind' to. Were the majority of contributors British (or French or Russian or Chinese) no doubt that organon would be visible to the smaller number of American contributors and 'invisible' to the majority faction. It's not that I can't see the obvious differences between American contributors (you don't all look the same to me), and it's not that that 'background' is always apparent in every post by every American; as I say, it comes across, after a while, as the background ('conditions of possibility of'😉 the way things are debated.
Interesting, but at times somewhat frustrating.
Perhaps a month (or we could be realistic and say a week) with exclusively non-US topics would allow the American contingent to see their common world-view from a different angle?
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by DrKFLet the Euro socialism fest begin! 😛
An interesting proposal with much to commend it. I have my doubts as to whether some of the American contingent would be capable of such a thing, though...
Probably the single thing that stands out to me on the Debates forum is the overt American slant. It's been interesting, because as well as the choice of and popularity of topics that are specifica ...[text shortened]... ow the American contingent to see their common world-view from a different angle?
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by FMFYou must be joking !!
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei ...[text shortened]... bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
You are by far the biggest contributer to American debates , any body would think you are American the way you panda to them at the same time denouncing Brits !!
Look at this debate ,you are at it again !!
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by phil3000Well in fact I cop quite a lot of flak for my comments on the U.S. from some of our American friends here. As for Britian, yes, I do not suffer British fools gladly, but of course there is much that I admire about Britain - something I have never disguised. Anyway, I assume yours is a vote against "Other Than U.S.A. Month".
You must be joking !!
You are by far the biggest contributer to American debates , any body would think you are American the way you panda to them at the same time denouncing Brits !!
Look at this debate ,you are at it again !!
11 Jul 10
1 edit
Originally posted by FMFHow exactly did you come to the conclusion that the americans here are close-minded or need to broaden their horizons simply because there is a considerable number of US issues threads around?
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
Also, what makes you think non-american posters need to have their confidence boosted? are you subconsciously saying your own confidence is need of some kind of boost?
Implied stigma and unspoken dirision could be the price that posters pay for non-cooperation
should these posters cooperate even though they may know nothing about whatever other region of the globe is having its issues debated?
I'd post a few brazil/latin america-related threads, but expectedly many american/european posters would refrain from commenting as they probably don't know a great deal about such issues and those who didn't often made ill-informed judgements, you for example in the honduras threads.
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by FMFFine with me. Let people come up with OPs that are interesting and debatable and I'll discuss anything. It's a free marketplace of ideas. Everyone puts forth their best shots and most compelling issues get the attention. The fact that artificial means would be necessary to steer the discussion away from American issues does say something in its own right.
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei ...[text shortened]... bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
But, since such artificial means are apparently necessary, the idea is fine with me, especially since the 2010 midterms are unlikely to be "decided" by August events.
I would suggest amending it to an "Other Than U.S.A./Israel Month" since Israel issues take up almost as much aether as American issues on this board and about 30 times the per capital interest as even the United States. Just a suggestion.
I would also dispute the implication that my humility needs restoring, though that's neither here nor there. 😉
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by FMFi think you'd do better with July 18th "Other Than USA" Day, or maybe an "Other Than USA" thread.
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei ...[text shortened]... bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by FMFYou never know when the US government is going to bomb and/or invade somebody so such an artificial dictate is impractical. Since this board is overwhelmingly Western, you'd probably just wind up with a bunch of Euro themed threads to replace the US themed ones.
I am thinking of declaring August [b]"Other Than U.S.A. Month".
It would be perfectly voluntary of course. The proposal is for all Debate Forum OPs to be about topics and regions other than the U.S.A.
For one month only. Back to 'normal' in September.
It could help our much admired American contingent to...
open their minds
broaden thei ...[text shortened]... bate the possible advantages and disadvantages of an "Other Than U.S.A. Month".[/b]
11 Jul 10
Originally posted by sh76Interesting how the resident munchkin men like generalissimo, Phil3000 and zeeblebot seize upon this moment to make rather lame personal comments. zeeblebot seems to be saying that he's not going to cooperate and that it should perhaps be reduced to a single day; Phil3000 seems to think that it's about FMF pandering to Americans and that this proposal is somehow proof of that; and generalissimo seems to think it might not work because he (and several others) and I (and several others) once disagreed over Honduras.
Fine with me. Let people come up with OPs that are interesting and debatable and I'll discuss anything. It's a free marketplace of ideas. Everyone puts forth their best shots and most compelling issues get the attention. The fact that artificial means would be necessary to steer the discussion away from American issues does say something in its own right.
Bu ...[text shortened]... he implication that my humility needs restoring, though that's neither here nor there. 😉
I am sure there will be others who will enter into the spirit though. I suppose it will just require non-Americans to make the effort to start rather more threads than they might ordinarily do, and to try to interest and engage the resident Americans with their choice of topics.