splitting threads too early

[atheist_angel]

this post was relevant in the context of the thread it was posted in: because one could argue that there are indeed delusions that could be classified and hallmarks of specific untreated neurological disorders.

If we were to split that thread; and make this same post the opening post of the new thread; and slap a title on it that said: 'Schizophrenia and Logic' -Would that appropriate? Would it be fair to the other atheists that suffer from schizophrenia and have had to put up with one ad hominem after another? More importantly, would the post support the title and would the title support the post?

I was really, really, really afraid to say anything because, I didn't want to feel like I was butting heads, but.. Is there any chance we could just delete the offshoot autism thread? I'm very embarrassed by it.

The split didn't make any sense to me and the new thread topic still doesn't make any sense to me. It's like if I offhandedly said, I suspected a gluten allergy could be responsible for some heart problems and then my comment was split off into a new thread titled: 'Gluten and Its affects on the Heart'... That would not be the same as writing an opening post about gluten with links to articles of recorded cases and research. It would also be better to include the name the of the particular autoimmune disease in the title of the thread.

...call me picky when it comes to science, I guess.

Otherwise I don't care about title match. I also think the thread was split too early because there were just 4 semi-off topic posts and then it went right back on topic so it just resulted in a chunk of the on topic conversation getting cut out along with the semi-off topic posts. It's a big mess now.

Sorry for long post, I know there's a point in there somewhere.

[atheist_angel]

Or change the title or something?

Or re-merge even? (although I do think the original OP should be asked if that is what they would prefer, before hand.)

Anyway, I think I'm asking for opinions. (or about options)

[Praxis]

I still don't entirely understand why you're embarrassed about it AA but the thread title is easily changed if you would like.

As I said in PM, I believe the topic has its own merits (having an Asperger's son myself, it's something I have an interest in) and warranted its own thread.

The fact it was split at one of your posts was entirely random (as already mentioned in PM) - I could easily have split it anywhere but felt, on reading, that was a good place to split and to have the discussion continue elsewhere.

So how about if we change the thread title and I'll see if we can even insert a post above yours so it looks like it was started by someone else and the discussion can continue?

I wouldn't mind hearing from gruber about this either.

Plenty of threads get split when they start to head off in another directly, particularly welcome threads and coming out stories, once the initial welcomes and comments have passed.

Cheers.

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

And this Aspergian would be OK with the title as such since it does reflect on the relevance of the content. I don't think it is really much of a big deal to be honest.

I have done thread splitting early on in another privately owned forum which I co-administer too. If one can see that it is going to go completely out into a different topic I do not see much trouble splitting it. I think it wasn't a bad idea to be honest.

[zebba]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

Interesting thing: there are many of us here, I think.

Is that an atheist thing, an internet forum thing, or a "specific interest" thing do ya reckon?

(not an aspie myself, but being in IT I'm certainly not a stranger)

[zebba]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

@zebba: AS people have low thresholds for bullshit and social lubricant. We are not the only people with that trait, but I can see how AS and atheism would tend to coincide.

I reckon that's a factor for sure. But I was curious whether the "specific interests" is a bigger factor? What I mean is, I imagine that AS people ARE likely to tend towards atheism (for the reasons you stated), but at the same time I imagine that they are more likely to be represented in online forums in general due to the tendancy to be a bit more passionate about their interests then non-AS people?

And is the term "aspies" OK to use or not? I dropped it before without thinking... Apologies if it isn't...

[Praxis]

I use the term "Aspie" when talking with another friend of mine who has an AS son (ie. "with Aspie kids blah blah") and I have no problem with the term.

Then again, I don't have AS, I just gave birth to one who does (he has no problem with the term either BTW).

[wearestardust]

Originally Posted by The Irreverent Mr Black

@zebba: AS people have low thresholds for bullshit and social lubricant. We are not the only people with that trait, but I can see how AS and atheism would tend to coincide.

You earlier comments started me also to thinking about whether certain traits might relate to a disposition to atheism - or the reverse. Your comment makes sense to me.

Sociopathy (yes I know there's no such thing and the nearest thing in the DSM IV is antisocial personality disorder) seems to be useful in religious groups, in exactly the same way as it is useful in corporate structures - it's easy to bully people when you don't understand that they have value in themselves.

My own series of major depressive episodes certainly helped me out of faith in large part, I think, to the therapeutic process which made me much more analytical about what was what in my life and what was good and what wasn't. Guess where that led (being told that "men of god don't get depressed" helped me on the way too). That said, there are a lot of people with depression in churches, it seems to me. Or maybe just the same proportion as in the general community, but being religious brings on the episodes (it did it for me until I snapped and walked out) and so it just looks to be more common ...

Continuing with the free assocation, before Mrs WAS did her social work qualifications mid-career, she did some counselling qualifications. From what I could gather a narrow majority of people doing the counselling training were do-gooder busybodies sent by this or that parish to be the official parish counsellors, or who undertook the training with some general idea of being useful to their church community. Scary scary stuff.

Edit: we need another thread split!

[atheist_angel]

Although, Aspergers\Autism is a syndrome in its own right, and has its own collection of symptoms.. It can also be a 'symptom' itself, so to speak, in regards of having been cause by another medical issue. (different for everybody) Therefore, the topic of 'autism and health' is a more complex topic (than one might first think). It would need to be treated with respect from the scientific POV. But, none of that necessarily affects things at the moment ... because, that point can be viewed as moot ... Because the new thread is way more off topic, than the original thread would have been: because more 'on topic' was cut than 'off topic'.

I think the posts were all relevant because they were regarding issues that were raised in the opening post and it didn't continue long enough to become a separate discussion of it's own ... it went back full circle to topic straightaway. I also wasn't initially certain if I wanted to keep the two posts in question or delete them ... but I figured that since it had already become part of the discussion and would also be relevant to another 'on topic' question I wanted to ask ... I thought best to leave it in. - Yet, if I had known it was going to result in a split, I would have deleted it... partly because I think an 'autism and health' topic should be approached in a different way.

-(Am I wording these things right? - Probably not... but I'm trying.)

@Praxis: I think we both might be sticklers for order in the universe , each in our own way. (I love order!)

Edit: we need another thread split!

@WASD: NOOOOOOOOOO! (I can't take change!)

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Might be going a little off the original subject here bit:

Originally Posted by Praxis

I use the term "Aspie" when talking with another friend of mine who has an AS son (ie. "with Aspie kids blah blah") and I have no problem with the term.

Then again, I don't have AS, I just gave birth to one who does (he has no problem with the term either BTW).

I've seen a lot of people use that term too. Even though personally I do not like that term (might as well give every other disorder stupid nicknames as well!) very much I have heard it several times. I do tend to use Aspergian from time to time though. I guess I should stop trying to use that one too. I might start saying "person with Asperger's syndrome" or "fella with Asperger's syndrome" or something. I mean to be honest how many times have you heard someone with down syndrome being known as a "downie" now a days?