Wind-Up Merchants

[T.S]

This thread is without prejudice and has no agenda against any one poster or any group of posters. I'm starting this thread for constructive purposes - so anyone out there wishing to conduct a WUMhunt against a particular poster(s) can do that on another thread.

I'm interested to know - what do you all class as 'wumming', and what, if anything, do you think should be done about it? Do you think there should be a clearly defined code of conduct as regards wums for this forum, or should each case be dealt with individually? Should wums be banned at all, or should they be tolerated and accepted as characters on the forum? The reason I ask is because wumming is probably the regular complaint I see on most threads and yet, when a mod steps in and does something about it, said mod gets stick from other people who think the action taken was inappropriate. So, I'd like to get some kind of general consensus on the points above and just see what the rest of the forum thinks.

So...?

[QuartzGooner]

Includes -

When a poster fails to engage in rational discussion.

Basically continually ignoring another's points and refusing to answer another's questions on these points.

Posting comments unrelated to a thread when a perfectly good alternative thread exists or can be started.

[arseofacrow]

What Quartz states is a good start.

Plus if you keep banging on about Diaby, then you should definitely be banned

[GranadaJoe]

I think there are two keys questions. The second is what should happen to WUMs, but firstly we have to define WUMs and I think that is going to be difficult.

One might think that anyone expressing love and admiration for Diaby or Bendtner must be a WUM, but I'm starting to think that the posters concerned are serious and, if so, they are perfectly entitled to their opinions (though they should continue to take their medication).
Red Member has probably stood accused more than anybody and, imo, some of his posts are ludicrous, but so what? We can't be sure that he is wumming (he may just be intellectually challenged) but he too is entitled to his opinion.

As with any post we can choose to respond or ignore, so if you think a poster is a WUM, why not just ignore them. I don't believe that there is any reason to suspend or ban them, ever.

My only caveat would be if the poster's every contribution was WUM-like (WUM can now be a noun, verb or adjective) i.e they appeared to be a Scum fan in disguise, but if a poster contributes to debates over a range of issues then the thought police should leave them be.

[Henry Norris 1913]

Includes -

When a poster fails to engage in rational discussion.

Basically continually ignoring another's points and refusing to answer another's questions on these points.

Posting comments unrelated to a thread when a perfectly good alternative thread exists or can be started.

it's like reading US Martin's favourite pastimes

[LDB]

Includes -

When a poster fails to engage in rational discussion.

Basically continually ignoring another's points and refusing to answer another's questions on these points.

Posting comments unrelated to a thread when a perfectly good alternative thread exists or can be started.

Dont get bogged down in all this stuff, you'll never be able to police whether a post is "rational" or not.

Its much simpler, its about the intent of the post - have they massively exaggerated or completely invented an opinion just to get a reaction out of people? If yes then they're a WUM. The post can be irrational to you or I but if its a genuinely held delusion then its not WUMing.

I must say though I think people need to get a bit better at just moving on from silly posts, even if you feel obliged to respond theres no point getting wound up about it. It's just words on the internet afterall.

[Chippy]

Almost impossible to define a wum. Just ignore the stuff you don't like and you can now block posters you don't like.

[g88ner]

Ah, that's better

[augie]

As the old saying goes, I dont know how to describe it but I sure know it when I see it"

Contrary to perception there are many tinters on here and most are very welcome so it isnt that positivity is an issue at all. Fact is though that even those that still mostly believe still have area's that they are not happy with (for example bdb doesnt rate walnut at all) and for me that seperates those who post totally positive bulls**t designed to get a reaction from others. People may defend red member on here but even they say that he is a wum so why then should he or any other wum be allowed come on here and f**k up what was already a decent debate ?
I havent asked for any member to be banned from here (although I absolutely support the practice of banning) and now that I have discovered that I can block out certain posters (thanks flash ) I find certain people's presence on here to be more tolerant. Yes there are/were far more annoying posters on here in the past but a wum is a wum and all wum's should be treated the same

[officepest]

I can understand why people got hot under the collar re US Martin, for example, but if a thread isn't being hijacked and you're not having your lineage/sexuality/mental age tarnished I would just ignore the offending poster.

Starve them of the attention they crave and they'll disappear.

[MegaGooner]

I have noticed very few replies to any of my posts in the last year or so, which leads me to believe I might be a WUM. I take no pleasure in that what so ever, but I always post my opinion, whether people agree with it or not. I try and do it (mostly) when I am sober, but that isn't always guaranteed(sp).

So when I came onto this forum, I was always the "sitting on the fence guy", but since then don't feel the need to stab the final dagger into our players when we on a bad run or "blowing there flute" when we on a bit of a winning streak.I still would like to have a change of manager at the end of this season though(If not, I think about 40M would give us a fighting chance next season )

Having said that, I feel that there are some over the top posters who just say some weirdly positive stuff to get a reaction and also some infiltrators(ba-cough-ba) from other forums who just come on here to sprout a lot of negativity, which catches on like a house on fire over here. Stay positive my fellow gooners

[AFCasap]

WUM its easy.....THE REAL ARSENAL FANS from the arsene fan/financial club...its easy if you don't know you're clueless

[MegaGooner]

WUM its easy.....THE REAL ARSENAL FANS from the arsene fan/financial club...its easy if you don't know you're clueless

So are you saying that you don't get WUMs from "real arsenal" clubs/forums ?

[safcftm]

I see Granada Joe mentions love of bendtner, since no one else seems to love him I assume he's referring to me and he's right, I am serious. I'm definitely no WUM- all my going on about bendy is kept neatly on one thread so it's easy to avoid for those who don't want to read about/ discuss him whereas a WUM forces their "opinion" onto as many threads as possible in order to get a reaction. I just keep my thread as a light hearted thread about a player I've rated since before he went to Sunderland and who the gooners have a bit of a laugh about, it's all in good humour and not meant to wind anyone up.

SWL Gooner has met me in Sunderland and is on my facebook and he can confirm that I genuinely rate bendtner and go on about how good he is "in real life" as much as I do here, including a facebook rant after the qpr game when someone in front of me had kept slagging bendtner off and, having daftly and drunkenly threatened the bloke and told him to "go outside" (cringe), my mates moved seats with me to avoid an incident- I haven't sat in my season card seat since and am moving seats next season as I won't be near the bloke who was giving him uncalled for abuse. So SWL can confirm that my liking of bendtner isn't confined to this forum. I just hold a minority opinion on here that bendy is mint! Away from that thread I just discuss arsenal from a neutral perspective- if you see the posts I've made today they've all just been arsenal related with no mention of bendy, he stays on his one thread!

As for actual wind up merchants- I think if it's done well and triggers debate and discussion it's fine, keeps the place busier if nothing else. Some are just very tedious and don't even attempt to discuss their "opinions" and they would be no loss if banned. If they spoil it for others they should be warned then banned if needed but if like red member they're happy to discuss their stated point of view then I think even if they are on a wind up, at least they add discussion.

[arseofacrow]

I notice safc that most other people managed to make it short and sweet..