1Eyed 2017 Message & Update

At various points throughout the year, I get messages from users who have been offended by a blog or post, and I have an answer I usually give people when they question the way the site is run.

The most common comment I get is "I thought this was a football site". 1Eyed obviously started its existence as a pure footy site, but it has grown to be more than that and is now a very significant community that continues to grow every year. Last year, our site traffic was up 15 per cent again (below are our 2016 stats) and to be honest, it's gotten bigger than I ever imagined it could be when I decided to start blogging about my Eels.

I believe that part of that growth has been because 1Eyed serves a purpose that is bigger than just being about Parramatta. We have a demographic that isn't well-served by sites like Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, etc. and so for many of our users we have become their primary social media site. The fact that non-football blogs tend to generate more discussion than most football blogs is testimony to that. So particularly during the off-season we allow for more general discussion about current affairs.

And it's generally from these blogs, that someone will take offence. 

However a core foundation principle of this site has been freedom of speech. That obviously is a by-product of my background as a journalist and publisher, but I strongly believe that society must openly debate and discuss its issues for it to arrive at the best possible solutions. As most of you know I lean heavily to progressive social agendas, but equally I understand that opinions that are different to mine, are a by-product of every individuals up-bringing and life experiences, and that must be respected and those experiences do bring different insights and value.

As long as a discussion or debate is conducted with respect and in the right spirit, I'll generally let it run a course. You don't change people's views and opinions, by repressing their views as "wrong", "stupid" or "immoral" or whatever the case may be. The foundation of all models of modern debate is to have back and forth, questions and answers, and I believe that to move forward, our society must continue to encourage open dialogues. Somewhere along the way, someone on this site, has read something and taken cause to pause and perhaps think deeper about their views. That's a purpose worth pursuing.

So much of our lives have become echo-chambers. Mainstream media tends to have either a heavy left or right slant and/or you follow people on social networks that you agree with or are like you. On this site, we are connected by one thing - our love for the Eels - and so we tend to get a much greater diversity of opinion around non-football issues, which is why those discussions can be so rich.

Come February, I'll declare off-season over and we'll go back to our football focus, but in the meantime, be nice to each other and your fellow humanity. Exchange views with respect and understanding. And as I didn't have a chance to post a New Year's Message, I wish each and everyone one of you a wonderful 2017. (And just quietly I think this is going to be a cracker year for our Eels too).

Moderators

This time of year always coincides with my peak busy period, and a couple of our mods have also had other responsibilities give them less time on the site, or cause to step back. So I could really do with adding another couple of moderators. If you get what I'm saying with the above, and you feel you understand the balance the site aims to reach with regards to freedom of expression vs respect of others and opinions, and you're a regular on the site and would be interested in being a moderator please send me a message.

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Votes: 0

Replies

  • Couldnt agree more, part of the reason this place is thriving when other forums are suffering for numbers because of social media is because we are a community that caters for everybody, a community thats not just about footy, thats what draws many of us regulars to post all year and keep the site active even in the off season when other forums are dead.

    So to those who turn up in the off season and complain about non footy talk, you guys have to understand that its the non footy talk thats kept the forum alive and interesting during the off season.

    The best discussions and blogs this sites ever seen have been non footy related and alot of those topics are what gives a site part of its soul, i for one loved monto's latest transgender bathrooms blog lol, it was a cracker and a lot of fun.

    I think i can confidently say most old timers really look forward to the footy only curtains being lifted at the end of the footy season, and we very often get away with a few general topic discussions in the season proper too.

  • I take all your points. However, I would be very careful allowing comments like the ones I read the other day making light hearted reference to Nazi concentration camps..some topics transcend freedom of speech. 

    • Congratulations Phil - it only took 5 replies to breach Godwin's Law.

      Walpy old mate an opinion is an opinion - nothing more and nothing less.

      Now I go back to something I wrote extensively about some 3 or 4 years ago - the written word and people's perception thereof, as opposed to holding a face to face conversation.

      You (and everyone else) will perceive the written word according to your beliefs and personal upbringing - the writer in fact may simply be trying to be sarcastic, attempting humour or completely trying to intimidate - but YOU will take the written word in relation to your own mood or belief at that given time.

      HOWEVER if you were holding a face to face conversation with that same person and they said the exact same comment that offended you (in written form) you have the advantage of watching body language, the sly smirk or laughter and then may take that same comment in a completely different context - you may even find it amusing.

      Therein lies the conundrum of social media.

      MY perception v's YOUR meaning.

      Phil has done a fantastic job by allowing open discussion to flow with minimal interference on here and letting a lot of perceived offensive remarks to go unchallenged.

      I have, over the years, had this experience with several members on here where they saw my attempted sarcasm or humour to be offensive and perhaps a personal attack on them  - we invariably engaged in a conversation behind the scenes via PM and eventually resolved the issue amicably once I was able to explain the intent of my comments.

      Being over sensitive on a social media site means you should perhaps rethink yout engagement on that site

      "Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape"

      [Edit] Great blog Phil but please do not put up a blog on how well you see the Eels doing in 2017 - your track record is not good for us in this area.

      All the best for the New Years for you and your family.

    • 3320831865?profile=originalWalpy

    • Nup sorry Walpy... free speech applies to all, even topics you're uncomfortable with hence why it's called free speech. It's not as though people are building a nazi rebellion here
    • Who's this Wally guy ? Talk about a killjoy
  • Is it technically possible to tag each blog into two categories - "football" or "non football"? Then could we set up the site so users could filter on football blogs only if they want to see those? Might be a bit of work, but that would keep both camps happy.
    • some footy blogs end up turning into non footy blogs anyway by the usual suspects 

    • Why does Phil need to go to that length.

      If you only want footy talk then open blogs with footy titles and don't go into the others.

      The thing that puzzles me are those who have clearly read posts in non footy blogs and then complain about being offended.

      You don't walk into a strip joint then complain about semi naked women.

      The titles will tell you if it's about footy 99% of the time.
    • This is the only social media that I have ever done, couldn't be bothered with the rest, I enjoy the diversity of subjects & different options, especially in the off season
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