Politics on Rockpage?

[brokenstrings]

Should political debate be a part of a music forum?

[BDR]

Politics and music have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. IMO, if you care not for political debate, skip over those threads.

r:>)

[MeYatch]

Politics and music have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. IMO, if you care not for political debate, skip over those threads.

r:>)

I agree with you, to a certain extent. But, over the past few months I find myself skipping more and more threads. Until we get to the point where I check rockpage every day, and I only read a thread every other day or so, and I only find a thread I actually want to post in about once a week.

[BDR]

Keep in mind, it is November.

r:>)

[MeYatch]

yeah, but if anything there are less politcal threads than usual on here.

[bassist_25]

With the exception of a few true free thinkers on this site (e.g., Songsmith, Grimmbass, Lonewolf, etc.), I'm 99% accurate at predicting what every poster is going to say in a political thread just by seeing their user name in the "last post" field. Generally, people don't debate here; they just tow the reactionary extreme view of whatever side they seem to align the most with. Sprinkle in some ad hominem rhetoric and you gots yourself a really "intelligent" political debate. I suppose in that sense, Rockpage is a microcosm of A.M. political talk radio. LOL

While I may read them, I generally refrain from posting in most political threads for the reasons stated above. I don't have time to respond to all of the points that get brought up, and I'll let the analysis of all of the confirmation biases that appear in these threads be the subject of some social psychology graduate student's doctoral dissertation. (say that three times fast!)

With that said, I don't like intellectual facism, and despite this being a privately owned site, JP and Ron let us discuss just about anything that we want. I've seen the political debate on here dwarf what's currently being discussed. I vote a resounding "keep the politics," but of course, it ultimately isn't up to us anyways.

[MeYatch]

With the exception of a few true thinkers on this site (e.g., Songsmith, Grimmbass, Lonewolf, etc.), I'm 99% accurate at predicting what every poster is going to say in a political thread just by seeing their user name in the "last post" field. Generally, people don't debate here; they just tow the reactionary extreme view of whatever side they seem to align the most with. Sprinkle in some ad hominem rhetoric and you gots yourself a really "intelligent" political debate. I suppose in that sense, Rockpage is a microcosm of A.M. political talk radio. LOL

Oh yeah. Maybe everyone could just state their views and Ron/JP could make it a sticky at the top called "politcal debate"

The real problem isn't the political threads. If they were gone then there would be 14000 threads on the Steelers or what have you.

I just wish the 2637 registered users had as much to say about music as they did about politics and other topics. What a rockpage utopia.

[bassist_25]

I just wish the 2637 registered users had as much to say about music as they did about politics and other topics. What a rockpage utopia.

When the new version of Rockpage first came about, majority of the threads were about music. Of course, there were many more semi-pro and pro musicians posting here then too. I don't say that to be a dick, but that was the case when compared to how Rockpage has changed. Ironically, I didn't post much back then, because there was about a two or three year period that I wasn't in a band. The only thing really worthwhile I did during that time period was an all-original studio project. I didn't know as much then as I know now about how things worked on the local scene, so other than getting into the occasional spats with a troll (RP's first official troll) named The Reason, I enjoyed sitting back and reading what the other cats had to say.

Rockpage has changed. For the better or for the worse? I don't know if you can really qualify something like that. I do like more musical topics, but I suppose that ultimately if we desire more musical topics, then we always have the option to click the "New Thread" button. Actually, I think that I'll do that very thing today. I'd do it now, but I have something else to do right now that has priority. I'll think of something cool to post. LOL

[orangekick]

Politics and music have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. IMO, if you care not for political debate, skip over those threads.

r:>)

It's just like TV, if you don't like what's on it, change the channel.

[bassist4life2004]

Politics and music do go hand in hand, hell, if politics weren't a part of music, some of the greatest songs known to man wouldn't have been created. BUT, I think that Rockpage should be kept as what it was created for, a musicians forum to talk about music.

I used to come on here all the time even before I was a member and get some helpful hints from people who knew what they were talking about, but lately I haven't found anything on here that is even remotely helpful for any purpose. I agree with the fact that there should be a forum titled "Post your politics here" or something, because when I do want to look for something (and some of you may agree with me on this), i can never find it through the millions of "I hate bush" or "I love hillary" threads on this board, and lets not forget the trillions of iraqi war threads.

[Merge]

Political threads wouldn't be too bad, if that were the only place that politics was being discussed. It's gets old going into a thread just to read "Yeah, so and so's new CD rocks, and George Bush is the worst president we've ever had". I agree with bassist4life, a thread titled "Post your politics here" would be nice. It would give anyone that wants to discuss politics a place to do so. I've grown tired of coming in here to read the newest posts on CD's and bands, only to be sucked into some political debate.

[brokenstrings]

I’m also am growing tired of non-musical related subjects being discussed on this forum. Aren’t their political forums where these issues can be discussed rather than a local music website? All of us are guilty of posting unrelated topics from time to time, but the whole politics, sports subjects are constantly popping up again and again.

[songsmith]

I like Rockpage because I can make a click on my web browser, and suddenly I'm with people I consider my peers. If you go way, way back to the beginning, there should be a post by me about how the only way to know what musicians know is to climb onstage and pay your something-or-others. This is why I love the political discussions here. You write something, and I reply, knowing that we share common ground in our love for performing. Our opinions may be different, but it's the differences that make it great.
I think that those who can't get into the political discussions, don't because they simply haven't given much thought about the world around them. As you mature, politics does affect you more... as a teen, you don't get to vote, because you SHOULDN'T get to vote. That's because you're busy growing up, and you haven't logged enough time on Planet Earth to really have a say. (The same reason 12 year olds, who could ostensibly reach the pedals, aren't allowed to drive a car) Eventually, you start noticing things around you that you don't like, and you wish you had some control over them. You do. It's a vote, and everybody gets ONE. That's what makes yours so important. If you don't use your vote, and don't put some thought into it, you give up your say in the world, and you're basically a sheep. I don't know many sheepish musicians.
I believe the political threads are no more innane than threads about sports (sports scores have absolutely no effect on my life, and generally bore me senseless), TV (which I watch more than probably everyone else here), or shameless self-promotion (again, I'm a major offender). Man does not live by bread alone. I excluded many things early in my career... education, a good job with a future, family, long-term relationships... all to chase a "pipe dream." I paid little attention to the world at large, and when the grownups were talking, I had little to say. Now, I have more time to lift my head up from the work, and see what's going on around me. The wider overall worldview allows me to mature as a musician... I'm more in touch, I think.
I think instead of a seperate area for politics, which is a pain in the ass for Ron and JP (who both actually have lives), we should have a symbol or word in the thread title, like "OTP" for off-topic political, and such.---->JMS

[DirtySanchez]

Some of the music threads are so beat and repetitious that this place would be pretty boring. I like it. If it were all music talk, I'm sure there would be alot more bickering about the usual crap. When I go fishing I don't only talk about water temps., the hatch, what size tippet I'm using.
Hell sometimes even music comes up in conversation. Too many people know each other on here for this type of thing not to happen.

[nightcrawler_steve]

I think that those who can't get into the political discussions, don't because they simply haven't given much thought about the world around them.

Easy there cowboy. Some of us don't feel the need or desire to intellectually masturbate on a music (or public) forum about our political beliefs. The same way a lot of people keep their religious beliefs to themselves. I take comfort in knowing that after meeting most of you, in person, who talk politics on this board are actually really cool people. Otherwise, I would think most of you (on all sides of the political debate) are a pretentious bunch of blowhards.

I think instead of a seperate area for politics, which is a pain in the ass for Ron and JP (who both actually have lives), we should have a symbol or word in the thread title, like "OTP" for off-topic political, and such.---->JMS

This is probably a good idea. But when a thread gets hijacked it really doesnt matter. When I go to a steak house, I usually have steak....not seafood. I come to rockpage to read about music. Some of the off-thread stuff just goes way overboard. But whaddaya gonna do

[whitedevilone]

Free speech?Anybody?I personally can't stand it when i go to see dudes play and they're staring at their shoes all night long.I wanna see people who wear it on their sleeve,who feel passion.In the music they play,in their politics,in just about aspect of their lives.We're musicans ,we love the soapbox that's why we do it.That's the little "I'm better than you"voice in our heads that moves us away from the norm.So big deal if sometimes you have to deal with someone's opinoin that you disagree with.I mean at least they have the balls to throw it out there.If politics ain't your thing,skip those threads.Simple.Read the headings and skip those that intrest you not.I for one won't be a shoegazer.Some of us like the debate wrong or right,and i'm wrong here and there.So if standing in the corner of the stage is your thing,more power to ya ,but don't cast stones when somebody has the nerve to stand in front of you.All politics aside i'm sure if any of us were in a room together there would more jamming then talking.So i say hell yeah to the political threads Rock on my friends.

[bassist_25]

Free speech?Anybody?I personally can't stand it when i go to see dudes play and they're staring at their shoes all night long.I wanna see people who wear it on their sleeve,who feel passion.In the music they play,in their politics,in just about aspect of their lives.We're musicans ,we love the soapbox that's why we do it.That's the little "I'm better than you"voice in our heads that moves us away from the norm.So big deal if sometimes you have to deal with someone's opinoin that you disagree with.I mean at least they have the balls to throw it out there.If politics ain't your thing,skip those threads.Simple.Read the headings and skip those that intrest you not.I for one won't be a shoegazer.Some of us like the debate wrong or right,and i'm wrong here and there.So if standing in the corner of the stage is your thing,more power to ya ,but don't cast stones when somebody has the nerve to stand in front of you.All politics aside i'm sure if any of us were in a room together there would more jamming then talking.So i say hell yeah to the political threads Rock on my friends.

I totally agree, especially about the analogy concerning state presence (stage_presents).

[Hawk]

Politics and music have gone hand in hand since the beginning of time. IMO, if you care not for political debate, skip over those threads.

r:>)

Ditto

And regardless of what you might think, It's more important to me that people at least have an opinion., than it is that they agree with me.

I respect everyone who disagrees with me. I'm annoyed at anyone who has NO OPINION AT ALL. I mean, men and women have died so that you CAN have an opinion ! Educate yourself !

I also realize some have opinions and don't care to make it public.

[ToonaRockGuy]

I agree with both sides. Most of the time, I skip the political threads, because some of the stuff I just don't understand unless it's broken down into the most plain English terms that I can find. You know, the "Bush Bad, This Guy Good" type of speak.

But it's just like anything else. If you don't like it, don't look at it. Don't try to get programs thrown off the telly, just turn the friggin' channel. Pushing that channel changing button and just not watching has saved me tons of phone bills, postage, and headaches from wanting to blow up the entire American Idol organization.