CorvusCael QuinanLegatus Legio Consul
Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 816
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Cael Quinan on 2008/07/15 16:11
It is inevitable that in any collection of individuals conflicts will arise. In a communication format like World of Warcraft, it is inevitable. As such, I am posting this thread to further expand upon points made in our charter. If you have not read the charter yet, do so now. Ignorance of our charter will not be a valid excuse for violation of the policies being set forth in this thread. Be warned.
First, let me cite our [url=]charter[/url]:
Ravth wrote: | Behaviors that will not be accepted include: racism, sexism, ageism, or other examples of overt intolerance; excessive usage of expletives; poor gameplay, such as ninja-looting, ninja-logging, or loot-mongering; and overtly sexual behavior - this is a PvE server, not an ERP server.
While we encourage our members to have strong opinions and attitudes, we also require that they temper those opinions with respect. For every word you say, you should listen to ten of a differing opinion. We fully expect debates to occur about a number of in-game issues, but we will only allow the most civil of debates to rage concerning real-life events, religion, or politics. This is a game, not a soapbox for your own social opinions. |
We are a guild. This means that we are comprised of a vast assortment of people of differing age, sex, race, religion, sexuality, and political or social viewpoint. Joining any guild in WoW includes an implied understanding that you will be presented with people who will not share the same viewpoints as you. With that understanding in place, there is also a tacit agreement that we will all be tolerant of each other's differences.
When discussing these differences, there is a delicate balance that must be kept. On one hand, this is a game. As such, people log into World of Warcraft to play a game, to have fun, to essentially escape the concerns of the real world. As stated in the above quote, "this is a game, not a soapbox for your own social opinions". WoW is not a chatroom and people do not come online with the primary intent of discussing issues, beyond those that revolve around class balance or strategies on how to 'down' Boss X. We do not log into WoW for the purpose of social enlightenment.
However, it is naivé and foolish to expect any MMORPG to be completely devoid of social commentary. WoW gives us an extensive chat pane just for chatting. Furthermore, a guild is as much made up of friendships as of social partnerships. Ultimately, we should become more than just a group of people who share a common tag and a common in-game goal. We should become friends. And friends should feel free to discuss more candid topics.
Thus we must strike a balance. People should expect the occasional discussion which exists outside their comfort zones. Peace Through Violence is not in the business of telling people what topics they can and cannot speak of, as long as it abides by our established charter. Conversely, people should be cognizant that not everyone shares their viewpoints about life. Do not force your opinion or expect others to always agree with you, nor become angry when they do not. Also be aware that behaviors that are entirely permissible (and sometimes expected) within your close circle of friends may not be acceptable (and perhaps even offensive) amongst the general public. A good question to ask yourself is "would what I am about to say and how I am going to say it be ok to say in a church? a baseball game? a school auditorium?" If not, then a little self-restraint might be in order.
Ultimately, the common theme here is tolerance. It is the one thing PtV will zealously enforce. Be tolerant and accept people discussing topics you might be uncomfortable with; if you feel what is occurring is excessive, please politely ask that people refrain from being too egregious in their chats. If they refuse, then speak with a guildleader or officer. Be tolerant and understanding if people are uncomfortable with a topic and make a private channel for more risqué or controversial discussions; being asked to restrain the more outrageous of expressions is not censorship, it's simply being considerate. Also, joking about some topics might not be funny to certain people, so be cautious and polite.
However...
One thing we will never tolerate is open bigotry. There is a clear line between 'being offended and responding' and 'being patently offensive'. At no point will we tolerate in any venue (guildchat, worldchat, trade, city, or group) expressions of gross vulgarity, explicit offensiveness or patent bigotry. We are all knowledgeable enough to know these words and phrases. No racial, social or political epithets or slang will be acceptable. If you need a re-education of what these words are, feel free to ask a guildleader or officer. We will let you know what is not acceptable.
Please, don’t delude yourself into thinking this constitutes a form of censorship or enforcement of political correctness. I am a staunch opponent of both, a stance that has put me in a quandary many times. The simple fact is that there are thousands of ways to debate a point without calling people names. Those names aren't protected speech; they are a refuge for the ignorant. They are used by people whose only rebuttal towards an opponent is to paint a caricature of them to support their biased, bigoted opinions. Don't be one of those people. On those words, there is no second chance. If you use one of those words, expect to no longer be welcome in Peace Through Violence.
We are here to have fun. We are here to share a small portion of our lives, both in-game and out-of-game. The closer we are, the better we will do, as a guild and as a collective of individuals. Being tolerant of people's differences and respecting boundaries is not only a courtesy of polite society but a step towards becoming an enlightened person. To close on that ideal: Our focus is on honing how we play together. We will display our quality as a guild by the excellence we cultivate in our ranks.
Last edited by Cael Quinan on 2011/02/18 17:28; edited 3 times in total
_________________
twitter:@CaelQuinan,@AshenBro_SWTOR
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Aetherias on 2008/08/11 1:32
I couldnt agree more, i read it, and understand it. This is important to know. If we join as friends we will accomplish alot together. Also "This isnt a soapbox" lawl
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re: Read and Understand Policy
by Steaktank on 2008/08/12 10:24
I have read and understand the policy, the charter, and the EP system.
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Jebradin on 2008/08/13 11:02
Read, understood, and agree 100%.
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re: Yes.
by Gothena on 2008/08/28 11:39
I have reviewed. I understand, treat others as I would like to be treated! =) This is an Adult Guild, we need to act like adults when we have conflicts arise!
Viola
_________________ Gothena =)
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TiogaTribuni Legio Prelate
Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 335
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Tioga on 2008/08/28 13:54
Read, unerstood, and stamped with my own personal "hell yeah".
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RohannRohann/LomeqLegio Prelate
Joined: 02 Jan 2008 Posts: 279
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Rohann/Lomeq on 2008/08/28 14:51
Agreed understood and waiting on 25 EP
:D
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re: It is implied
by EllesarWoW on 2008/09/05 11:47
that i am in complete agreement since i started the guild with sean after much discussion of these issues.
That being said i haven't seen EVERYONE reply to this thread. Make it happen folks.
_________________ "To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle that any human being can fight; and never stop fighting." - E. E. Cummings
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Xpocalypse on 2008/09/05 15:40
DRAMA.....BAD! completely understood! and more than willing to work together without making issues, ever need a hand on something if im on let me know i get bored easy
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re: READ: Guild Behavior & Discussion Policy
by Gannaria-Martha on 2008/09/10 16:33
I read it and fully understand!
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