What is "The Rule?"

[John Dule]

Let's settle this once and for all. You may select up to three options. I am voting for options 1 and 2, but I will respect the democratic result of this poll.

[Joe Republic]

Option 1 has always been the case for the 15+ years or so that we've had them.  I'm not sure who decided that options 2 or 3 would ever be the case, or why.

[bagelman]

There is only one Rule, and it's option 1.

2 is in bad taste but not The Rule.

3 is honorable if followed but totally unnecessary.

[Sestak]

1 is cardinal. Rule 2 is basically an extension of 1; it's never been considered good etiquette but by definition it can't be a hard rule, so calling it The Rule feels wrong.


Rule 3 seemed to be fairly strongly abided by when I first joined the forum in 2017-18 but over the last couple of years a number of posters (inc. the OP if I'm remembering right) have gradually normalized (re-normalized?) breaking it.

[Pouring Rain and Blairing Music]

There is only one Rule, and it's option 1.

2 is in bad taste but not The Rule.

3 is honorable if followed but totally unnecessary.

To continue on this:

Breaking 1 is automatic HP.

Breaking 2 might make me vote HP if I read the thread before voting.

“Breaking” 3 doesn’t really matter so long as it doesn’t devolve into 2.

[Joe Republic]

Option 3 on its own is a pretty f-king terrible 'rule' if we're already fine with threads devoted to potentially dog-piling on somebody who didn't necessarily ask for it.  They can't even defend themselves?

[John Dule]

I continue to believe that #3 is only ever invoked as "The Rule" because people want an easy excuse to vote HP for users they dislike.

[💥💥 brandon bro (he/him/his)]

According to Wikipedia, Ja Rule is an American rapper and actor born in Hollis, Queens.

[Penn_Quaker_Girl]

According to Wikipedia, Ja Rule is an American rapper and actor born in Hollis, Queens.

Aw, thank you Google. 

[Schiff for Senate]

There is only one Rule, and it's option 1.

2 is in bad taste but not The Rule.

3 is honorable if followed but totally unnecessary.

This. Voted for only option 1.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

Voted for options 1 and 2 but what defines "excessive" is pretty subjective. In either case, I agree with Joe that if people are allowed to make opinion threads about you, you should be entitled to defend yourself (or request the thread's deletion, which is very reasonable considering that most forums don't tolerate these types of threads at all).

[Middle-aged Europe]

The first rule of the Atlas Forum is: you do not talk about the Atlas Forum.

The second rule of the Atlas Forum is: you DO NOT talk about the Atlas Forum!

Third rule of the Atlas Forum: someone yells "stop!", goes limp, taps out, the fight is over.

Fourth rule: only two guys to a fight.

Fifth rule: one fight at a time, fellas.

Sixth rule: No linking to dick pics, no sock accounts.

Seventh rule: Fights will go on as long as they have to.

And the eighth and final rule: if this is your first time in the Atlas Forum, you have to fight.

[dead0man]

has anyone be "piled on" unfairly and then got sh**t on more (especially by people new to the thread) for defending themselves?  (obviously "unfairly" is subjective)

The only "pile on"s I can think of have all been very deserved.

[John Dule]

I would be interested to hear what a #3 voter has to say in defense of their position.

[TDAS04]

Just option 1.

[Fuzzy Bear Loves Christian Missionaries]

The ToS are the Institutional Rules for inmates here at Atlasia Penetentiary.

Rule #1 is the most important part of the "Convict Code" of the Atlasia Rock.

[GeneralMacArthur]

has anyone be "piled on" unfairly and then got sh**t on more (especially by people new to the thread) for defending themselves?  (obviously "unfairly" is subjective)

The only "pile on"s I can think of have all been very deserved.

This was basically my experience my first year or so on the forum.  I'd post, and then someone would say "nobody wants to hear your opinion, you puppy murderer."  And I'd say, "I'm not a puppy murderer, how dare you say such a thing" and everyone would go, omg, why is GMA always picking fights.  Then they'd make an opinion of GMA thread, and say, "HP, puppy murderer" and when I'd show up to say "show me any evidence that I'm a puppy murderer I dare you" they'd all say omg, can't you follow the rule, stop picking fights everywhere GMA.

Got a lot better after the primary ended.  But now the quarterly "opinion of GMA" thread is always, HP, always picking fights and arguing with people.  That just became baked in.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

has anyone be "piled on" unfairly and then got sh**t on more (especially by people new to the thread) for defending themselves?  (obviously "unfairly" is subjective)

The only "pile on"s I can think of have all been very deserved.

This was basically my experience my first year or so on the forum.  I'd post, and then someone would say "nobody wants to hear your opinion, you puppy murderer."  And I'd say, "I'm not a puppy murderer, how dare you say such a thing" and everyone would go, omg, why is GMA always picking fights.  Then they'd make an opinion of GMA thread, and say, "HP, puppy murderer" and when I'd show up to say "show me any evidence that I'm a puppy murderer I dare you" they'd all say omg, can't you follow the rule, stop picking fights everywhere GMA.

Got a lot better after the primary ended.

Biden probably wasn't a popular Dem primary first choice on Atlas forum. Strong Biden supporters, I can imagine them being disliked for this stance.

[Conservatopia]

has anyone be "piled on" unfairly and then got sh**t on more (especially by people new to the thread) for defending themselves?  (obviously "unfairly" is subjective)

The only "pile on"s I can think of have all been very deserved.

This was basically my experience my first year or so on the forum.  I'd post, and then someone would say "nobody wants to hear your opinion, you puppy murderer."  And I'd say, "I'm not a puppy murderer, how dare you say such a thing" and everyone would go, omg, why is GMA always picking fights.  Then they'd make an opinion of GMA thread, and say, "HP, puppy murderer" and when I'd show up to say "show me any evidence that I'm a puppy murderer I dare you" they'd all say omg, can't you follow the rule, stop picking fights everywhere GMA.

Got a lot better after the primary ended.  But now the quarterly "opinion of GMA" thread is always, HP, always picking fights and arguing with people.  That just became baked in.

In fairness a lot of puppies started going missing in Seattle after you joined the forum.

[Bleach Blonde Bad Built Butch Bodies for Biden]

has anyone be "piled on" unfairly and then got sh**t on more (especially by people new to the thread) for defending themselves?  (obviously "unfairly" is subjective)

The only "pile on"s I can think of have all been very deserved.

This was basically my experience my first year or so on the forum.  I'd post, and then someone would say "nobody wants to hear your opinion, you puppy murderer."  And I'd say, "I'm not a puppy murderer, how dare you say such a thing" and everyone would go, omg, why is GMA always picking fights.  Then they'd make an opinion of GMA thread, and say, "HP, puppy murderer" and when I'd show up to say "show me any evidence that I'm a puppy murderer I dare you" they'd all say omg, can't you follow the rule, stop picking fights everywhere GMA.

Got a lot better after the primary ended.  But now the quarterly "opinion of GMA" thread is always, HP, always picking fights and arguing with people.  That just became baked in.

You have a reputation for being perpetually angry and that doesn't sit well with people. Even when good things happen for your side or sect of the Democratic Party, you have something negative to say about Twitter randos or something. It's not your politics, it's your attitude.

I'm not even gonna touch the sawx fights.

[dead0man]

I, for one, have never understood the GMAC hate.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I would be interested to hear what a #3 voter has to say in defense of their position.

1 is a no brainer. 

I teetered between 2 and 3 so I voted for both.  Either is fine, really.

I note, Dule, that YOU followed option 3 on the current Opinion of thread about you, by the way. 

[John Dule]

I would be interested to hear what a #3 voter has to say in defense of their position.

1 is a no brainer. 

I teetered between 2 and 3 so I voted for both.  Either is fine, really.

I note, Dule, that YOU followed option 3 on the current Opinion of thread about you, by the way. 

I rarely have anything to say in "Opinion of" threads about myself because the response is always so overwhelmingly positive.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

I would be interested to hear what a #3 voter has to say in defense of their position.

1 is a no brainer. 

I teetered between 2 and 3 so I voted for both.  Either is fine, really.

I note, Dule, that YOU followed option 3 on the current Opinion of thread about you, by the way. 

I rarely have anything to say in "Opinion of" threads about myself because the response is always so overwhelmingly positive.

That sounds like something opebo would have said.  Well done.

[Xing]

Just Option 1. Option 2, depending on how excessive it becomes, is annoying, but not part of The Rule. There's nothing wrong with Option 3.