Moderating a Forum

[pmb]

In the other thread on the reputation system there are repeated coments by moderators who are saying that certain comments about moderation is off topic. The purpose of this thread is to breath life into that subject and as such to discuss everything about being a moderator such as whether the forum rules should be construed as applying to them.

 

My opening question is therefore: Is it against the forum rules for a moderator to be rude to a member when they are operating in moderator mode? Are we allowed to disscuss moderation and moderator actions in threads?

[Aethelwulf]

The off-topic comments are nonsense. I don't know these moderators personally, but obviously the talk about it being off-topic is rubbish.

 

in my experience, someone proclaims off-topic posts even when it isn't, is topics they don't want to discuss.

[pmb]

The off-topic comments are nonsense. I don't know these moderators personally, but obviously the talk about it being off-topic is rubbish.

 

in my experience, someone proclaims off-topic posts even when it isn't, is topics they don't want to discuss.

Yeah, I know. The purpose of this thread is to not leave that as a possible excuse.

[Aethelwulf]

Yeah, I know. The purpose of this thread is to not leave that as a possible excuse.

 

I know

 

As I said before in my last thread, these are the ''Legal Strawmen''

 

my thread has been closed pending review... very interesting. Leaving it open would have said far less.

[pmb]

I know

 

As I said before in my last thread, these are the ''Legal Strawmen''

 

my thread has been closed pending review... very interesting. Leaving it open would have said far less.

When anyone is under the spotight they may just remain quite so I wouldn't expect a response from the moderator. What the moderator doesn't acknowledge is that we too don't like being under the spotlight. They seem to ignore that fact.

[Aethelwulf]

When anyone is under the spotight they may just remain quite so I wouldn't expect a response from the moderator. What the moderator doesn't acknowledge is that we too don't like being under the spotlight. They seem to ignore that fact.

 

One rule of us... and one for them.

[zapatos]

All of this mutual admiration and complaining is starting to make me ill. Starting your own forum would allow you to set up the rules you like.

 

Considering this forum is free to you, the moderators work for free, the rules were set up in good faith in order to make the use of this forum enjoyable and educational for the majority, you might want to consider backing off a wee bit.

 

Alternatively there is one action you can take which will guarantee you do not have to deal with the people here. I'm sure no one would object.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

Moderators are bound by the same forum rules as anyone else. Discussing moderation actions in the midst of a thread about walruses is off-topic; the best approach is to PM the moderator in question or report posts as needed.

[iNow]

Indeed. I was about to post exactly that until I read your post, zapatos.

[Aethelwulf]

All of this mutual admiration and complaining is starting to make me ill.

 

Oh diddums.. If only life was seen through your rose-tinted spectacles... no one would have a problem, right?

[zapatos]

Oh diddums.. If only life was seen through your rose-tinted spectacles... no one would have a problem, right?

Is what you said supposed to have anything at all to do with my comment?

 

You've been doing nothing but bitching, complaining, insulting, and whining since you've arrived at this site. It's getting old. Please move on to debate and discussion. It could turn out to be more pleasurable for you and will certainly be more pleasurable for those around you.

 

The world does not revolve around you, and is not about to change because some tiny, insignificant aspect of it is not to your liking.

 

Surely you can find something more meaningful to discuss than whether or not someone put a gold star on one of your posts. You complained earlier that people may not listen to what you say based on a reputation point. I can assure you that your behavior is having a much bigger impact on your reputation than mere 'reputation points'.

[Aethelwulf]

Is what you said supposed to have anything at all to do with my comment?

 

You've been doing nothing but bitching,

 

You really are an idiot. Neg rep me folks, ''I have an opinion''!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hiding behind your bugs bunny avatar, I bet you don't even have much knowledge in physics. Ironically, I have not seen you bitching about anything, or even a scientific comment outside of my God thread... makes me think you are incapable of even discussing science.

[pmb]

All of this mutual admiration and complaining is starting to make me ill. Starting your own forum would allow you to set up the rules you like.

Acually that's the intention, someday at least.

 

Considering this forum is free to you, the moderators work for free, the rules were set up in good faith in order to make the use of this forum enjoyable and educational for the majority, you might want to consider backing off a wee bit.

You misunderstand the purpose of this thread. It's not about dumping on the moderators if that's whay you thought. Its about talking to the moderators about what goes on with moderators, i.e. what do they do. Do they hold thmselves up to the same standard as they hold us up to? etc. But please don't get me wrong. I love the moderators here. I really do. They do a wonderful job and I am now taking the opportunity to express that sentiment. Forums at other moderators can be real $##%@#@. Those moderators do what they please. I've gotten PMs from moderators where they were swearing at me, all over a misunderstanding too. Moderators here wouldn't swear at me in PMs. However they're not perfct either and its not a bad thing to talk to them about concerns that we have and questions we want to ask them. So there's no need to worry about it.

 

Alternatively there is one action you can take which will guarantee you do not have to deal with the people here. I'm sure no one would object.

I don't understand what you're talking about. I wouldn't leave just because the moderators are imperfect. That would be a wildley irrational thing to do.

[Sergeant Bilko]

You really are an idiot. Neg rep me folks, ''I have an opinion''!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hiding behind your bugs bunny avatar, I bet you don't even have much knowledge in physics. Ironically, I have not seen you bitching about anything, or even a scientific comment outside of my God thread... makes me think you are incapable of even discussing science.

 

 

You really are such a nice man, we bow down to your great knowledge of science o great one

[Aethelwulf]

. I love the moderators here. I really do. They do a wonderful job and I am now taking the opportunity to express that sentiment.

 

I agree, I think the mods here are good. There are however some nip and tucks required.

 

You really are such a nice man, we bow down to your great knowledge of science o great one

 

In what way? I only take my place as participating in science threads I think I can participate in... what's the other poster done that is noteworthy? I haven't seen him place great amounts of time into the science forums. Rather it seems, he like to ''bitch'' about those ''bitching''...

[pmb]

Moderators are bound by the same forum rules as anyone else. Discussing moderation actions in the midst of a thread about walruses is off-topic; the best approach is to PM the moderator in question or report posts as needed.

Thank you. That's all I was really asking anyway. Sometimes it seems that moderators don't always follow the rules. Sometimes they can say mean and hurtful things and then tell us we're childish for letting it effect our emotions. I find that quite irritating. Also it appears that the moderators frustrations come out in their moderation comments. I find that irriating. Normally that would't bother me. However life has really beaten me up. I've had one phsical maladay after another over the last 12 years. That's left me like an exposed nerve. I'm polite as possible nowadays so as to keep irritation down in my life because any of it can result in chest pains. I now feel better now that you've told us that moderators must also follow the rules. Thanks!!

[iNow]

I wonder if it would be appropriate for non-staff members like me to openly call for a ban of these asshats to give the mods some cover when they ultimately have to make that decision and terminate their accounts.

[Aethelwulf]

I wonder if it would be appropriate for non-staff members like me to openly call for a ban of these asshats to give the mods some cover when they ultimately have to make that decision and terminate their accounts.

 

Quite a strong proposal from someone who likes to verbally defile peoples parents.. perhaps you should be banned also?

[Sergeant Bilko]

I agree, I think the mods here are good. There are however some nip and tucks required.

 

 

 

In what way? I only take my place as participating in science threads I think I can participate in... what's the other poster done that is noteworthy? I haven't seen him place great amounts of time into the science forums. Rather it seems, he like to ''bitch'' about those ''bitching''...

 

Well that all depends who is defining "noteworthy" surely a man of your self assumed intelligence can see that. I am sure that you understand that greatness all depends upon your frame of reference, your starting point, and what you have to overcome to achieve it.

I am sorry that I do not posess the great depth of scientific knowledge that you do, and I really hope that you would recognise that and make some allowances while I spend time reading the forums and hoovering up as much information as my limited intellect can absorb. You see I am a trained psychologist, but I have a great interest in science, and I really enjoy learning and understanding diferent points of view.

 

It is a shame that you do not recognise that Zapatos' posts are not noteworthy in your opinion, but in my opinion thay often are, and it is insulting of you to dismiss my opinions is such a way. Can you see that? You are not just insulting Zapatos, but me, and many others like me.

 

 

You could do yourself a great service by just taking a short moment to re-read your posts before you add them and ask yourself the question "is this a reasonable polite post" before hitting the button. I'm not asking you not to disagree, correct or downright dismiss, but there is a polite way to do it and without that we just have a bitchfest.

[Aethelwulf]

Thank you. That's all I was really asking anyway. Sometimes it seems that moderators don't always follow the rules. Sometimes they can say mean and hurtful things and then tell us we're childish for letting it effect our emotions. I find that quite irritating. Also it appears that the moderators frustrations come out in their moderation comments. I find that irriating. Normally that would't bother me. However life has really beaten me up. I've had one phsical maladay after another over the last 12 years. That's left me like an exposed nerve. I'm polite as possible nowadays so as to keep irritation down in my life because any of it can result in chest pains. I now feel better now that you've told us that moderators must also follow the rules. Thanks!!

 

However some moderator actions are left open to discuss.

[pmb]

I wonder if it would be appropriate for non-staff members like me to openly call for a ban of these asshats to give the mods some cover when they ultimately have to make that decision and terminate their accounts.

Please don't exagerate the purpose of this thread. The moderators are grown adults. They can take care of themselves. You're making it appear as if this is a crap-on-moderator thread for some reason. It's not. The openting post stated its purpose, i.e.

to breath life into that subject and as such to discuss everything about being a moderator such as whether the forum rules should be construed as applying to them.

 

My opening question is therefore: Is it against the forum rules for a moderator to be rude to a member when they are operating in moderator mode? Are we allowed to disscuss moderation and moderator actions in threads?

For the most part the moderators are really wonderful and I admire them. This forum's moderators beat out other forum moderators. But the question did come up about what moderators do around here and I was curious as to whether they hold themselves to the same standards that they holdus against. Cap'n Refsmmat has explained all that to me so I'm now satisfied.

 

So please stop trying to drag this thread down and please cease your attempts at making it appear as if it was a moderator bashing thread. It's not and I object to that implication.

[zapatos]

You're making it appear as if this is a crap-on-moderator thread for some reason. It's not.

It may not have been your intention for it to be so but that is what it became in short order. Read again the first three posts in this thread by Aethelwulf and tell me whether or not he was crapping on the moderators.

[iNow]

Quite a strong proposal from someone who likes to verbally defile peoples parents.. perhaps you should be banned also?

Sorry, mate, but noting that your mother was once pregnant with you and using the term "knocked up" to say so is not equivalent to "verbally defiling peoples parents."

[Joatmon]

An old saying I happen to agree with:-

 

Never look a gift horse in the mouth

A gift horse is a horse that was a gift, quite simply. When given a horse, it would be bad manners to inspect the horse's mouth to see if it has bad teeth. This can be applied as an analogy to any gift: Don't inspect it to make sure it matches some standard you have, just be grateful!

http://english.stack...se-in-the-mouth

Edited July 8, 2012 by Joatmon

[pmb]

It may not have been your intention for it to be so but that is what it became in short order. Read again the first three posts in this thread by Aethelwulf and tell me whether or not he was crapping on the moderators.

Yeah. I'm well aware of that but there's nothing I can do about it. With accolations sometimes come objections. While iI'm interested in discussing moderator actions and responsinilities it doesn't mean I can force people from going off topic. But responding to negative emotions acts to keep those emotions alive. It's best to avoid acknowledging negative emotions.

 

But even then its sometimes getting people to open up about negative feelings that have been raised can sometimes be a good thing, kind of a carthartic thing. Just remember that when you respond to them you're doing the same thing, i.e. you've let it take you down a negative path when that happens. But that happens in all too many threads.