I'm not even sure we are that worse off than before. I remember when most full on "debates" were two posts long for each reply and half of them were just insults and arguing about peoples history. And even then most debates were hugely hypocritical slapfights. You complain about double standards now, but in the past you had no problems with doubting Nihilus' Ravager feat while pimping Sidious' Byss feat. It was the same for everyone, people were constantly looking for ways to rules lawyer feats and get an edge. Thats what fueled all the "great" debates we used to have.
People need to be willing to just debate. But willingness requires enthusiasm and theres not much left. A bunch of regular posters aren't willing to put the effort in any more. There's not much you can do about that other than make it more fun to debate. Cut down on the toxic, bullying behavior thats rampant.
To play the devil's advocate: let's say we cut down on the toxic, bullying and people stop reporting each other for differing viewpoints.
Then what? There's clearly more at play here than bad attitudes. Those don't happen in a vacuum, right? Things have to happen to inspire those bad attitudes. Which is why I say the debating practices, such as double standards, are equally problematic.
It wouldn't do much. People are still kind of burnt out on the whole thing. There isn't the kind of insanely competitive air that we used to have.
I can only tell you my experiences but I don't think double standards have much to do with anything. You got burnt out and couldn't muster the effort to do big debates anymore. Dmb stopped posting so much because people were harassing and trolling him constantly. I cut down for much the same reason. Newguy has probably just lost interest. Sidious66 seems to have just buggered off. Nai's barely here. Janus has left. Ant was banned for ages. Ellimist is banned. Etc.
The bad attitudes happened because of trolling and personal clashes. Loads of people b*tching about each other in chat, forming groups and becoming hostile towards each other.
That's why this forum needs new leadership with different ground rules centered specifically on debating. If temp bans were handed out after 1 infraction, this forum would operate more efficiently. At the same time, guys like quan and trocity would no longer have a purpose here since they wouldn't be able to troll.
Registered: May 2007
Location: Best company on the planet
Someone already has. This was a personal challenge to you. Your posturing and idiocy aside you are gutless and are a formerly banned poster who can't even maintain an account while I've done so for 9 years and counting. I have done more battlezones than anyone on this entire forum. In battlezones can't troll but debate alone. So let's do one. If you want to talk the talk walk the walk.
I think this is merely part of it. It's hard to have any sort of debate when we won't even entertain the other's perspective and double standards are employed.
Even if you had less trolling and less reporting, there's an inexorable roadblock to actual discourse.
Registered: May 2007
Location: Best company on the planet
I already have one in December. I won't have the time for one now but I knew warehouse would pussy out. Just proving he's a banned troll who keeps showing up for some odd reason.
Registered: May 2007
Location: Best company on the planet
You retreated from the Khan/Vader one the day of. You had no faith in Vader but worship Tano surprisingly. Great job undermining your Vader fanaticism for your new and odd Tano fanboyism.