LOL, Steve! haha - Mona Nomura

Really though - I did an Obama post and got a nice discussion thread, then found that I had some unsubscribing to do ;) - Steve Isaacs

Really? Lemme go look, brb - Mona Nomura

Do you really want to hear from ONLY people that share your opinion? - David Knight

David: No, not at all, but the view expressed in the evolution of the thread told me all I needed to know - no more from THAT person. Also - if the last 8 FUCKING YEARS weren't any indication that the country needs to change, then people who think otherwise I might greatly differ from fundamentally. - Steve Isaacs

There is a difference between people who engage in thoughtful and respectful debate and those who are simply rabid fanboys who will not even consider alernative arguments or points of view. They are pol-trolls... If someone supports something, yet can not defend or explain the reasons in a clear and logical manner except for name calling or personal attacks, than that is a person not worthy of my mindwidth at this serious and important time... - Johnny Worthington

Supporting McCain is like saying "Fuck You, America" IMO - Outsanity

Well fyi I'll probably be voting for McCain, I won't get into why since Outsanity's comment shows this isn't the place for any kind of rational discourse. - David Knight

Actually, I'd like to hear your reasons for voting for McCain, as opposed for voting against Obama. - dkb from Alert Thingy

If you want to vote for the bad guy, go ahead. I'm not stopping ya - Outsanity

I think that this is a bit rash of a reason to follow someone or not. I'm a Democrat, but I know plenty of Republicans who are far more interesting than many of the Democrats I know. Politics is but one of the smallest slices of life. My friend Andertho is a pretty entrenched Republican but he takes fantastic photographs and has insightful things to say alot. I'd hate to think I'd miss that simply over political affiliation. - Thomas Hawk

I had good friends in the opposite party to the one I was supporting when I helped the current French President and I still have them after he won, I think friendship should be independent from politics you're probably making a mistake and actually not advertising well your camp. My two cents. - Loic Le Meur

btw I would vote Obama if I voted in the US so my comment was independent from my political views. - Loic Le Meur

2 Parties have spent much too much time either shout at or not talking to each other. Pretty sad move, Steve, if you ask me. - shelisrael1

Not American but if i were, I would go for Obama. Reasons are numerous and incontrovertible, to consider history, politics or simple economics. However, I have few really good friends who are Republican but who are really smart. I would however agree that to judge a person only according to his or her political views is rather not very encompassing. - Hayk H.

You're a bonehead. Social media isn't about hearing an echo chamber, it is about learning from all kinds of people. - David Risley

Yeah don't you just hate people who have differing opinions. People that agree with you are so much more fun. And you don't have to worry about learning anything new. - Michael Tefft

It depends, but often, even when asked to respond, bring reason and logic, they fail to do so. Debate is great, but many simply talk at you instead of with you. - AJ Kohn

AJ, your saying McCain supporters often fail to bring reason and logic to a debate? I could say the same thing for Obama supporters. But how would you know if you refused to even listen. FAIL. - Michael Tefft

No Michael that's not what I'm saying. I said it depends. That means some debate and some instead simply like to shout. There are good and bad in every lot. - AJ Kohn

hahaha! - Anna Haro

Sometimes one's logic and reason is not that for another. Sometimes if someone says what you don't want to hear then it is just shouting and not based on reason and logic. Sometimes you would be right and sometimes you would be wrong. But I agree that there are good and bad in every lot. But how do you weed out the bad without blocking the good? Not by doing what Steve Isaacs did. - Michael Tefft

I haven't looked at who Steve is unsubscribing from so I can't pass judgment. It should be noted he's not blocking. As to weeding them out, it usually becomes clear somewhat quickly, though I give folks a long rope and I don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. - AJ Kohn

Nice. - Alexander Carlill

Steve is subscribed to over 700 people, so I totally understand wanting to trim his feed to have people that are on a similar wavelength. - Vincent X

@Vincent: Good point. 700 people is a lot so you're still going to get a lot of different view points even if you take a few out of the mix. - AJ Kohn

i hear ya. - Robot Devil

Can't hate on ya, Steve. And I have to chuckle at those who are giving you shit for it and typing up their own political-style speeches as to why you're wrong. If they don't like it, they know where the door is. - ::Kristen::

I subscribed to you Steve, based on this thread. - Alex Scoble

Steve, unsubscribing, unfollowing people that are not like-minded, I completely agree with you. I love the debate, and it must happen, but there's no need to flood up your feed with posts from people with which you fundamentally disagree. - Pete D

How much debate can there be with people who agree with you on everything? You might as well have a conversation with yourself in the mirror. - Michael Tefft

Anyone who is not willing to hear the other side of an issue is not worth subscribing to in the first place. - Michael Tefft

That's cool. I'll hide this post so I don't have to see it. <inserting head in sand> - Craig Eddy

Social media is what you make it. Make it what you want, Steve. Anyone who wants to rage against my right to follow/subscribe to whom I want? That is what you are doing here. - Michael W. May

Steve, you aren't even following your own parties policy. Obama is about reaching out to the other side, forming a consensus. Kind of hard to do if you ignore the other side completely. - Michael Tefft

Michael T: The people he unsubscribed from can still participate and debate inside his threads, the only thing that changes is that the stuff they post on Friendfeed won't show up in his stream anymore. (except maybe in a friend-of-friend post, if he has that feature turned on) - Vincent X

Interesting points of view all, I feel the need to clarify a bit. My initial post was a reaction to another thread where some of the commenters were actively anti-Obama. I only ended up un-following/friending 2 people, NOT exhaustively wiping anyone who mentioned McCain support from my entire digital life. I agree with all the comments here regarding the richness and vitality of discussion with those of differing viewpoints. That said, I feel that the US has been on deeply wrong track for too many years... - Steve Isaacs

...and I am passionate about a positive change in our government. I think that that is is a fair basis on which to do some noise-pruning on FF and Twitter. - Steve Isaacs

your right we need positive change... but your going the wrong direction but to each there own. - Cecil Sandus

David Risley: Hey - thanks for the insult! You're making a great case for the "learning from all kinds of people" argument. Speaking of echo chambers, you're running a pretty boring feed there, friend. - Steve Isaacs

Brian: I have a great respect for Obama's intelligence and character. I am with him on universal health care, abortion, gay rights, and a swift exit from Iraq. His statements regarding his stance on faith and race I feel are some of the most powerful and intelligent of any public official ever. What do I think he is going to do for this country? In a best case, turn it around in a positive direction, in a worst case - I think he'll at least try. - Steve Isaacs

I really don't believe much of what any of them say, as for one reason or another they really don't do what they say they will do, and I'm very mindful that at the end of the day, they want you to elect them to give them a job that they want for at least four years. Too Cynical? Probably. Both of the current major candidates are also both going to continue (in their own ways) big wasteful bureaucratic inefficient nanny-state policies. - Ian May