As part of the forum revitalization plans, I would like to throw another card on the table: Community Debates and Discussions. This is a beta and a work in progress. I would like the CapturedWings administration, as well as members of the board, to review these plans and provide input.
Over history, man has fought in many a war. Some of these wars are physical. Others are technological. But many of the most influential wars are mental. They are conflicts of comprehension, skirmishes of skill, arguments of audacity, rebuttals of reason. We see them every day; from student discussions in a high school classroom, to overstated threads on the GameFAQ's message boards, to supreme court rulings with a jury and judge, to full-blown debates between presidential candidates. They are heated conflicts where the most hardened of minds are brought to bear the full weight of their intellect, where a person's mental acumen is truly put to the test. And that is what I bring you today.
"It will test your head. And your mind. And your brain, too." - Dewey Finn (as portrayed by Jack Black), School of Rock, 2003
Community Debates and Discussions are true to their namesake: they are civilized, intelligent discussions between forum members, officially endorsed by the CapturedWings administration, that promote intellectual growth and interpersonal relationships. They will be sprinkled all over the board and will appear in the form of threads with the "Debate" tag at the suffix of the thread name. These debates will cover a wide variety of subjects relevant to the topic of the board, and all members will be free to participate. You are more than encouraged to agree, oppose, or remain indifferent, and go into elaborate detail defending your position and your opinions. These threads serve to open the minds of our members and promote free-thinking, as well as to drive intellectual growth and help grow tighter bonds between our members.
Following is an example thread revived solely for the purpose of being a prime example of this feature. While it was posted years ago, it evolved into a deep and logical discussion, which is how these threads should become.
http://www.capturedwings.org/forums/index.php/topic,2955.0.html
There is no wait. The fun has already begun! Following is a newly born discussion in the Lyrical Nanoha discussion boards that has already been started as the very first thread in this series. (If the Community Debates and Discussions feature is approved, this section will be turned into an index listing all the threads in this series.)
- Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha: Justify the StrikerS Story Arc - http://www.capturedwings.org/forums/index.php/topic,4457.0.html
StrikerS. It was drastically different and marked a radical departure from the familiar storytelling structure of seasons past. Did it continue an already seemingly complete series past a point that it should not have superseded, or did it genuinely expand upon the Lyrical Nanoha canon? Was it of high quality, or does it suffer from Dragonball Syndrome? Did it seem like an attempt to milk the franchise's concepts, or was the change of pace a welcoming breath of fresh air? Is it fine as is, or should it have been done differently?
I'm sure we're all familiar with the Debate's chaotic sister, Fight. Please keep in mind that these debates, while arguments, are not fights, as fights promote hostility and bias between members. Debates are a social activity, involving participation with very real people who have very real feelings. Participants are encouraged to be civil, be polite, be considerate of their statements and actions, and above all respect their fellow members. These threads in particular will be closely policed. As usual, all forum rules are to be enforced, and failure to cooperate will result in the necessary countermeasures being taken by our administrative and moderation team.
Be civil, be polite, and above all, have fun!