Interesting Assumptions and EHell

[DottyG]

I just read this in a thread, and it got me curious as to when this became a rule here.
 

we try to avoid using the "interesting assumption" line on other board members.

I'm not sure I agree with that.  We've had threads about how the phrase can become overused and trite.  But there is still a time when the phrase is still valid.  And I'm not sure that EHell members are exempt from that.  Sometimes we all have assumptions that really are not correct and are "interesting" ones.  Why would we be some special group that isn't like the rest of the world?
 
Is this a new rule that I'm not aware of?  Or just something that one of our members has accidentally twisted in their own minds (perhaps an "interesting assumption" about the EHell rules? )
 
 

[AngelicGamer]

I vaguely - very vaguely - remember a thread where the phrase was being thrown around a lot.  I'm not sure if it was one of the mods or one of the older members (a Pillar of the Forum member) who asked for us to tone it down as it wasn't polite to use a loaded phrase on fellow etiquette members.  It was before we changed over to the new boards, but I honestly couldn't tell you where to find it.

[DottyG]

I vaguely - very vaguely - remember a thread where the phrase was being thrown around a lot.  I'm not sure if it was one of the mods or one of the older members (a Pillar of the Forum member) who asked for us to tone it down as it wasn't polite to use a loaded phrase on fellow etiquette members.  It was before we changed over to the new boards, but I honestly couldn't tell you where to find it.

Throwing it around without cause (or overuse to the point of becoming trite) is, as I said, not appropriate.  But then again, it's not appropriate to do that out of the forum, either.  The phrase can be (and is) used incorrectly many times.  That's not what I'm talking about.

But to say that it's never to be used on an EHellion isn't correct, I don't think.

[Wavicle]

I believe I read a mod stating that at some point.

I can see why it is frowned upon. It is phrase recommended to deflect people with unwanted and inappropriate comments. When posting here, comments are appropriate. I do not think it is wise to be dismissive of your fellow board members, particularly if you are the OP coming for advice.

Also, I often see people pulling it out on other poster when someone make an assumption based on the person's post because the OP worded things clumsily or did not provide enough information. If there is something wrong with the original message, I don't think its right to blame the readers.

If someone is really making huge and inappropriate leaps, I would report it to a mod or ignore it. "What an interesting assumption" is a bit combative for this environment IMHO.

[AngelicGamer]

I vaguely - very vaguely - remember a thread where the phrase was being thrown around a lot.  I'm not sure if it was one of the mods or one of the older members (a Pillar of the Forum member) who asked for us to tone it down as it wasn't polite to use a loaded phrase on fellow etiquette members.  It was before we changed over to the new boards, but I honestly couldn't tell you where to find it.

Throwing it around without cause (or overuse to the point of becoming trite) is, as I said, not appropriate.  But then again, it's not appropriate to do that out of the forum, either.  The phrase can be (and is) used incorrectly many times.  That's not what I'm talking about.

But to say that it's never to be used on an EHellion isn't correct, I don't think.

Sorry Dotty - I should have added that's where I think the poster was coming from with what I remember.  I do agree with you though - I think in some cases it should be used, but only as a last resort or if nothing else is working.  To never use it on the board it comes from seems odd.

[Two Ravens]

Personally, I think it sounds really snotty.  I mean, it is effective in real life when we want a person to stop commenting on our own personal situations, but on this board, where everyone knows that it is normally used when replying to a rude, overstepping person, I think it is beyond insulting.

If you post something on this board, it is fair game for people to comment on it.  And if people are mistaken, it is up to the OP to correct that information.

[Fluffy Cat]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

[Peggy Gus]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

I couldn't agree more, there seems to be a lot of people trying to dictate how others post.

[penelope2017]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

I have to agree here as well. I don't get the 'we' thing, unless you're a Mod. And it happens a lot.

[DottyG]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

I'm sorry.   I didn't mean to overstep in posting this.  I just wondered if it was something that we should discuss.

My "we"s weren't intended to be offensive in my question.

[Fluffy Cat]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

I'm sorry.   I didn't mean to overstep in posting this.  I just wondered if it was something that we should discuss.

My "we"s weren't intended to be offensive in my question.

I wasn't talking about your OP in this thread Dotty

[DottyG]

I don't know Dotty, but I have noticed a few people throwing around "we" a lot in regards to how other people should be posting and I haven't noticed any visible mod stars under their name or actual rule violations in regards to such directives.

I'm sorry.   I didn't mean to overstep in posting this.  I just wondered if it was something that we should discuss.

My "we"s weren't intended to be offensive in my question.

I wasn't talking about your OP in this thread Dotty

Oh.  Ok.

[Hushabye]

If you notice, the person you quoted said "we try not to use" the interesting assumption phrase.  Not "it's a rule not to use" what an interesting assumption.  As far as I know, it is not and has not been a rule not to use it among ourselves, but as Two Ravens pointed out, its use on the board can be hostile (and it was in that thread for certain).

[jimithing]

If you notice, the person you quoted said "we try not to use" the interesting assumption phrase.  Not "it's a rule not to use" what an interesting assumption.  As far as I know, it is not and has not been a rule not to use it among ourselves, but as Two Ravens pointed out, its use on the board can be hostile (and it was in that thread for certain).

You beat me to it. I don't think anyone has said it is never to be used on the board. There are times when someone has made very uncharitable assumptions about a poster, and I think it's probably appropriate to be used then.

But I do think that the phrase can be snarky in and of itself, and there are times when it's thrown around very casually on the board. I think it should only be used when someone makes a really offensive assumption, not just any old assumption in general, and I have seen it used that way here.

[PrincessInPink]

If you notice, the person you quoted said "we try not to use" the interesting assumption phrase.  Not "it's a rule not to use" what an interesting assumption.  As far as I know, it is not and has not been a rule not to use it among ourselves, but as Two Ravens pointed out, its use on the board can be hostile (and it was in that thread for certain).

That, to me, is a key point. While there are times when the phrase can be used appropriately, people are also free not to use it, and there may be a better approach. I don't think that the person quoted in the OP was trying to enforce a total ban on the phrase, but suggesting that it might not be the best thing to say. People can try to avoid something that is technically polite or allowed.

The fact that in this thread there have been several objections to the phrase leads me to think that maybe it is a good idea to try to avoid it. Even if someone is using it correctly, it will probably rub a lot of people here the wrong way and lose its effectiveness.