FanPost

I've got a nit to pick...

I was excited to open BSD this morning to see that there were some number of additional comments made on the absurd and sublime discussion over the use of "nits". And then disappointed to see that comments were closed, because the discussion was no longer "useful".

I think stopping debate on that topic was a bad decision. First of all, I have no dog -- or louse -- in this fight. For the record, I got crabs at Penn State (yea sluts!) and so actually had first-hand experience with nits while there. They are no fun. With that said, I don't actually care if people shorten Nitanny Lions to Nits and I think an extended discussion about the merits of doing so is ridiculous.

But, that's the point of BSD! In the innocent days of yesteryear, this blog's raison d'etre -- or at least it's best quality -- was the ability of the commentariat to thoroughly exhaust any topic, no matter how absurd. Comments were rarely -- if ever -- shut down. I understand how in the midst of IT there was a reason for being a little quick on the "kill the comments" trigger, but if it's really just an exercise in "airing the BSD community's laundry," my humble request is that you do not close comments. Closing comments does not foster this community or allow it thrive. Rather, it threatens to strangle the community and the wonderful diversions that threads sometimes take. In the words of Lt. Col. Frank Slade, "I say you are killing the very spirit this institution proclaims it instills!"

I bet that had debate remained open on that post, sometime in late morning today there would be a hilarious subthread about WorldBFat's body hair or Pete the Streak's sexual indiscretions or Ben Jones' media whoredom or something else equally absurd and sublime. But now we'll never know -- and I'm not quite sure why. No one was being particularly irrational or extreme. Folks had an honest difference of opinion; to me, that doesn't seem like something that should stop debate, but foster it.




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