While I think it would be tempting, I think I would try hard to avoid using it. I think it would be damaging to communities if people could cease to see each others' posts at the drop of a hat, but everyone else could still see those same posts. It would probably lead to some very strange, not to say incomprehensible, interactions.
I am also suspicious of the way the internet allows us to avoid dissenting opinions. I'd most likely be tempted to use this to avoid any vociferous Ron Paul supporters I came into regular contact with, for instance, because I disagree heartily with many of their views and those of their hero and for some reason tend to become angry about that when we talk. But that would mean that I can't actually address our disagreements productively. And those things we do have in common—namely a deep suspicion of the presently-failing debt-based monetary system—I wouldn't have the opportunity to talk with them about. It's likely that I wouldn't regret that much, but never having my prejudices challenged would only reinforce them.
I'd much prefer the version that left posts collapsed by default, so that I could engage with them when I felt I had the energy. I'd also be interested in a version that expires after a user-settable amount of time. If I were just really annoyed with someone for a particular interaction and needed time to cool off, that might be useful.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2009-04-28 02:00 am (UTC)I am also suspicious of the way the internet allows us to avoid dissenting opinions. I'd most likely be tempted to use this to avoid any vociferous Ron Paul supporters I came into regular contact with, for instance, because I disagree heartily with many of their views and those of their hero and for some reason tend to become angry about that when we talk. But that would mean that I can't actually address our disagreements productively. And those things we do have in common—namely a deep suspicion of the presently-failing debt-based monetary system—I wouldn't have the opportunity to talk with them about. It's likely that I wouldn't regret that much, but never having my prejudices challenged would only reinforce them.
I'd much prefer the version that left posts collapsed by default, so that I could engage with them when I felt I had the energy. I'd also be interested in a version that expires after a user-settable amount of time. If I were just really annoyed with someone for a particular interaction and needed time to cool off, that might be useful.