Debate:Essays

There has recently been some discussion regarding whether we should keep every essay that is posted on RationalWiki, including drive-by essays which some members may find offensive or disagreeable, or whether we have the right to delete the more obnoxious essays. Please post your thoughts about this below.  w easeLOId ~ 12:34, 9 November 2008 (EST)

Keep all essays

 * Post comments here

Delete offensive essays

 * I think if we get left with racist, grossly sexist, homophobic or obscene essays, we should be able to delete them, especially if they seem to be perpetrated to subvert what RW is about. We should always discuss first, but as long as there is general agreement, I think it's fine to delete.  It is a wiki after all, & people can't expect everything they post to stay standing.   w easeLOId [[Image: Weaselly.jpg|15px]]~ 12:40, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * Absolutely, I think we need to emphasize a little more that common sense is just as important as any of our guidelines. In fact, I think it is spelled out pretty clearly in community standards. We use it all the time to blank user pages that post obscene, offensive, hate speech or links. Same applies for essays. There should be some redeeming quality, something worth at least debating, some point that is being made, before we decide to host it on our site. tmtoulouse 12:53, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * What about blanking the page and leaving a template that explains why? That way the crap is still in the "history" for the curious and the future historians of RW.  As opposed to deletion, which only sysops can open and read... oh, wait, that's everyone...  ħ uman  14:47, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * Interesting idea. Something like this?   w easeLOId [[Image: Weaselly.jpg|15px]]~ 15:13, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * Has promise. Also the original author would still be able to try to defend on the talk page if necessary.  Or even re-work it to make it non-objectionable. In reality it's unlikely to happen, but it might be fair and liberal to leave them with the option.--Bobbing up 15:23, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * That sounds like a very good compromise to me. I like it.--DamoHi 15:43, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * I concur, for what it's worth. Researcher 21:12, 9 November 2008 (EST)
 * I suppose that Uncyclopedia's policy of DBAD applies on these topics. Just don't be a dick when writing and defending them, and the article stays, even if it is buried. For clearly hateful content (Such as, say "All blacks are inferior"), I would delete that without even discussing it. However, if the essay was "Social perception of Blacks" and it covered why we as a society view blacks as "poorer" I would discuss it, maybe bury it, depending on the essay. As long as the user is not being a dick, I believe essays should stay.