20

There's a trend on SciFi.SE, where any mentions of works that are less popular with fans (Dune prequels, Highlander II, Matrix sequels, Star Wars prequels) are frequently met with snarky comments denigrading the unpopular works.

"What Prequels"? (just commented on my own question today about Dune :)

"Too bad that movie didn't have any sequels" (insert XKCD comic).

Usually the snark is not really offensive or rude (e.g. it almost never rises to the level where it should be flagged and deleted on that basis).

However, it's a noticeable and pervasive pattern, and there's a possibility that it can make users who like those works feel unwelcome.

What should we do with such type of comments as a policy? Leave them alone? Ban them?

(again, the assumption is that none of the comments in question are really rude or offensive)

2
  • 1
    Excellent question. And the examples you provided are the really "light" versions. There's worse.
    – Cahir Mawr Dyffryn æp Ceallach
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:46
  • 4
    Full disclosure: I'm guilty of some of that snark. But it's acceptable on SciFi.SE culture, since the site tone in general is less formal.
    – DVK
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:48

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
20

Flag 'em.

It might be arguable whether they count as "rude or offensive", but at best they're "not constructive".

This falls under the same basic rules of courtesy as this recently-featured main meta post: just as you should be able to respect others' political viewpoints, you should also be able to respect their choice of literature. If you want to argue that Pride and Prejudice is a badly written novel because XYZ, that's fine. If you just want to scoff at Pride and Prejudice and make those who like it afraid to voice their opinions, that's not OK.

10
  • 3
    Or calling works "nonsense". ;-)
    – Cahir Mawr Dyffryn æp Ceallach
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:47
  • Am I gonna get banned from the site if I admit to having never read Pride and Prejudice?
    – DVK
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:49
  • 1
    @ChristianRau - "nonsense" would actually fall under "rude or offensive" in my book, without any caveats, and would be flagged as such on sight.
    – DVK
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:50
  • @DVK I started reading Pride and Prejudice, couldn't stand it, and gave up. I've only seen a film version. Feel free to shoot me.
    – Rand al'Thor Mod
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 18:53
  • 3
    @DVK Maybe donkeys are migratory animals?
    – Skooba
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 19:10
  • 3
    +1 for the "at best the're not constructive". Flag and let the mods decide!
    – Skooba
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 19:12
  • Mods will handle our flags right away (tm)
    – Helmar
    Commented Jan 18, 2017 at 22:09
  • 3
    @DVK: you probably aren't going to be banned, because we don't ban people from Sci Fi SE just because they haven't read Harry Potter or haven't watched Star Wars.
    – b_jonas
    Commented Jan 19, 2017 at 12:27
  • @b_jonas - We should do
    – Valorum
    Commented Jan 24, 2017 at 22:27
  • 2
    @Valorum Some of us value quality over popularity ;-)
    – Rand al'Thor Mod
    Commented Jan 24, 2017 at 22:32

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .