Thank you for saying that, Andrew

I completely agree. I have found WOTB a toxic and hostile environment for some time now, which is why I stopped posting for some months earlier this year and now come on here much less than I did (I'm on more at the moment because I have sinusitis and am not getting out much!).

Most people on here are generally amicable. The problem you describe is down to a handful of posters. We all know who they are but no-one wants to name them because that will just bring down the flood of vituperative abuse. I include myself in that - who wants that sort of aggravation?

Pants said a long time ago that if this board was moderated then those posters would be better controlled. I didn't see it at the time but I now think he was right. The "ignore" function is only a partial solution because it doesn't work on mobile.

It may be a reflection of the extreme partisanship which has developed in modern society about so many things - Labour/Conservative, Brexit/Remain in particular. It may be the rise of the Twitter-culture (abuse hard, abuse early). I don't know, obviously, just musing on modern culture. Maybe electronically shouting abuse is just the way it is now. But I do know that this board is a far less gentle, amusing, whimsical and tolerant place than it used to be.

Anyway, I don't expect any change any time soon. (In fact I think it likely that this post will itself provoke aggression, which is not its intention.) But I am grateful to you for raising it because any reduction in what you call "flaming" and I would call "rudeness" on here would be very welcome.

Posted By: Old Git, Oct 7, 09:37:31