Warning Concerning Disruptive Behavior

[dustinzgirl]

Originally Posted by gary compton

Gulp!

Dude, I said it as nicely as I could!!

I suck at polite etiquette.

[The Ace]

She's right, Sparrow, only people who're butting heads on the lines of acceptable behaviour have anything to fear from the mods.

A mod has spoken to me once in over three years and that was a minor matter, easily resolved.

They're tolerant but brook no nonsense, I'm happy with that and so are most members. To those who don't like the idea, there are plenty of other fora, and no law against founding your own.

[dustinzgirl]

In the spirit of not creating a huge argument, I was not directing that entire post directly at Sparrow or any other specific individual.

Thank you Ace.

[Gary Compton]

So 30 mins to new Years Eve in the United Kingdom.

Let's put all the trouble behind us and have a group hug. Yes that's right Teresa and Dustinzgirl. Come a bit closer, yes just put your arm around the person next to you, that's it.

Stop feeling by backside Teresa and get your hands out of me pocket Ace. That's it Dustinzgirl, ooh you look lovely close up. Here comes Sparrow, watch his feathers he's just had them done at the featherdressers. Here comes Crispy, Harebrain and TEIN.

Now repeat after me - I love Chron's and Gary is a great writer

[Ursa major]

Happy New Year to You All.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Does anybody see the the danger in over moderation, trading vibrance for dullness, giving the easily offended so much sway?

My goodness.

Take a jaunt to the Asimov's Forums and you see what happens when the personalities are retired one by one; you're left with a rather lifeless approximation of debate conducted under the watchful eye of a moderator whose preference for dull greys and friendly chit-chat has destroyed what was once a wonderfully crazy forum. The writers are gone, the insanely funny nowhere to be seen, the spectacular train wrecks all a thing of the past.

Aren't we getting a little carried away here... a moderation lovefest?

I just wonder sometimes, what does it feel like to be so offended.

Today's reading assignment, Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451?

Sparrow, can I just ask you to do something quickly? Take a peek at your join date. It's right there, underneath your username and avatar. Reads 'August 2009' to me. Now go and check out the join dates of the other members posting in this thread, and regularly posting across the boards.

My point is that this forum is run a certain way, and has been for a long time - indeed, for years before you washed up on our shores. And yet here we have a forum that constantly hosts thousands of intelligent, engaging, and civil discussions, and supports a vibrant community of both long-time and newer members who value the place for what it is.

It's no secret. This is Brian's house, and he runs it in the way he sees fit. He gives the moderating team leave to make sure that Chronicles continues to operate in the spirit in which it always has. If you feel you are being unfairly censored, well, that's your prerogative. You would appear to be in the singular minority. But as Dusty has pointed out succinctly, no one is being forced to stay. The Internet is a big place.

[chrispenycate]

Originally Posted by gary compton

So 30 mins to new Years Eve in the United Kingdom.

Let's put all the trouble behind us and have a group hug. Yes that's right Teresa and Dustinzgirl. Come a bit closer, yes just put your arm around the person next to you, that's it.

Stop feeling by backside Teresa and get your hands out of me pocket Ace. That's it Dustinzgirl, ooh you look lovely close up. Here comes Sparrow, watch his feathers he's just had them done at the featherdressers. Here comes Crispy, Harebrain and TEIN.

Now repeat after me - I love Chron's and Gary is a great writer

Rushes in, late for the group hug, and hugs anyone left.

Now what was that 'repeat after'? What, even if he hasn't learnt grammar yet? -- oh, WTH, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by Sparrow

Does anybody see the the danger in over moderation, trading vibrance for dullness, giving the easily offended so much sway ...

Take a jaunt to the Asimov's Forums and you see what happens when the personalities are retired one by one; you're left with a rather lifeless approximation of debate conducted under the watchful eye of a moderator whose preference for dull greys and friendly chit-chat has destroyed what was once a wonderfully crazy forum.

But we aren't trying to change the nature of these forums, because civility and a sense of community have always been an important part of our culture. (It's even in the rules people agree to when they join.) We are trying to maintain what we have, what our long-time members value, what many new members are pleased and surprised to find here. There are plenty of forums where people can just rip each other to pieces in an argument, where they can say anything and everything, and such forums are still there for those who want them. But the Chronicles is meant to provide a different sort of atmosphere, for those who want it, and we mean to keep it that way.

It can be very hard sometimes to craft a (reasonably) polite response when you are boiling with indignation -- when you feel you are surrounded by fools, and not suffering them gladly -- when you are outraged by politics, the economy, and society in general, and you want to shake some sense into everyone you meet who by their willful stupidity refuses to see the best solutions, or is so caught up in their (check any that apply) selfish__, politically correct__, sexist__, racist__, reactionary__, religious__, bleeding-heart-liberal__, agenda that they are contributing to the problem, everyone who is just making stupid noise when they could be listening to your well-reasoned arguments.

Believe me, I know.

But it makes an interesting intellectual exercise to explain your viewpoint under those circumstances without insults, sarcasm, or other offensive language, so that you really communicate something that might, somehow, get past somebody's guard and make an impression (because people don't really listen very well when you are shouting imprecations at them). It is also an excellent exercise in self-restraint.

Mine gets plenty of exercise here, and should, by all rights, be of superhuman strength by now, and somehow isn't. Still, I believe I gain something by the effort, even when it fails.

For those who find the challenge too hard -- or simply not worth their time -- there are other sites. If they go, we will miss some of their insights and contributions, but not as much as we would miss what we stand to lose by allowing them free rein here.

Those of us who have been here for a long time do not find the Chronicles dull and lifeless. We like it the way it is. As Culhwch says, look at some of our join dates. We haven't stayed here all these years because we find the place boring. And while there is a certain kind of freedom in being able to say anything you please no matter how unpleasant and hurtful, it generally results in freedom of expression only for those who are the loudest and most abusive in shouting other people down. We like to think that here everyone can speak, the quieter voices and the more diffident ones, too, because they know they are not going to be pulled to pieces if they voice an opinion. It allows for a broader range of ideas, and there can be vibrancy in that, too.

Or ... it can be boring sometimes. But abusive shouting matches get boring, too.

I just wonder sometimes, what does it feel like to be so offended.

Now this is something that has always interested me. Because in my experience the people who are the most careless about other people's sensitivities, who mock them for taking offense, are usually extremely sensitive to criticism themselves, and very easily offended -- or at least, they get angry, they get defensive, they strike out, just like people do when they are offended, but they call it something else.

You may not fall into that category, of course, but you haven't struck me as the kind of person who is impervious to offense. Perhaps I am misreading you.

[Gary Compton]

Originally Posted by chrispenycate

Now what was that 'repeat after'? What, even if he hasn't learnt grammar yet? -- oh, WTH, HAPPY NEW YEAR!

OUCH!! But I have a cunning plan to sort that Crispy (See my Blog)

All the best to you though - Your'e my Hero I love your storytelling, I enjoy your wit and I benefit from your wisdom.

Tom Jones is singing the Green Green Grass of Home as I write this - perfik

[dustinzgirl]

Gary..you shouldn't drink and post. LOL Happy New Years!

I've never found Chrons to be boring. If there's no new posts, there are hundreds of old posts that I never read that have excellent stories and or SFF article type thoughts and ideas.

Sadly, I would say that I have been spending way too much time in the Affairs section, as have others, and not been contributing to the true soul of Chrons which is in the SFF entertainment and SFF entertainment related discussion sections.

[Gary Compton]

Originally Posted by dustinzgirl

Gary..you shouldn't drink and post. LOL Happy New Years!

I've never found Chrons to be boring. If there's no new posts, there are hundreds of old posts that I never read that have excellent stories and or SFF article type thoughts and ideas.

Sadly, I would say that I have been spending way too much time in the Affairs section, as have others, and not been contributing to the true soul of Chrons which is in the SFF entertainment and SFF entertainment related discussion sections.

It is New Years Eve Mother Anyway I didn't know we had an Affairs section. I'm going to rush over there now and have one before the wife finds out.

Have you planted a web cam in my PC by the way, I'm drinking orange juice

[GOLLUM]

I would just like to add my encouragement and congratulations to my fellow Moderators.....

I think that collectively this is the best run/managed SFF forum I've ever been on and I've been a member of quite a few over the years. This may seem biased but I do genuinely belive that from my experience.

All the very best to ALL Chronicle members and a safe and prosperous New Year.

[Gary Compton]

Can I ask a question of the Mods if I may.

How do you get appointed as a Moderator, not that I would ever want to be one! It seems like hard work if you want my opinion.

But I was wondering do you suddenly get beamed up by Bryan, who runs one of his software programs on your brain and then sends you back.

Or do you go to a training camp where you capture spiders, skin them and have them for lunch?

Just interested in the nuts and bolts of it, and also, while I'm on a roll. (Please dont ban me) Is there a hierachy to it where the Mod at the top sends his men and women over the top while he strokes his pure white Persian Cat while they get shot at?

[Teresa Edgerton]

Originally Posted by Gary

How do you get appointed as a Moderator ...

Is there a hierachy to it where the Mod at the top sends his men and women over the top while he strokes his pure white Persian Cat while they get shot at?

I am glad you asked, because later on in this explanation I have an important point to make (you will know it because it will be written in Bold).

Brian makes the decision in his own inscrutable way, although usually after he consults with the existing team of moderators (how he chose the first moderators is lost in the mists of unrecorded history). There is no training program, but we do have a testing area where we can move threads around, and split them, and things like that so that we know what we are doing with the thread tools when it comes time to use them, and we don't accidentally cut ourselves. (Thread tools are sharp!)

Brian is the highest authority, of course. Dave comes next, since he has recently been elevated to admin. This basically means more work; he can create and merge forums -- advanced housekeeping. Supermoderators do less housekeeping but they can do what they do in all forums; other moderators are limited to one area. Supermods can also zap you at will, but we never do that except after consultation. We have the ability, but not the mandate. Most decisions are made by consensus. No moderator tells any other moderator what to do; we discuss, we ask for and give advice. Brian never tells anyone what to do (although on rare occasions he tells us what not to do). Sometimes he takes action himself, and when he does his is the final word.

If the moderator of the tiniest most inactive forum gives a nudge, a hint, or a warning, it is best to listen, even if it isn't their area, because they do have the authority to speak for the entire moderating team if a situation comes up. If you don't know who the moderators are, look at the list of Forum Leaders near the bottom of the page. Supermods and admins sometimes have specific forums they oversee as well (usually the forums they were in charge of before they were supermodified), so their names may appear in more than one section of the list. Regardless, see what I said above about all moderators speaking for the team.

[Sparrow]

Teresa~Now this is something that has always interested me. Because in my experience the people who are the most careless about other people's sensitivities, who mock them for taking offense, are usually extremely sensitive to criticism themselves, and very easily offended -- or at least, they get angry, they get defensive, they strike out, just like people do when they are offended, but they call it something else.

You may not fall into that category, of course, but you haven't struck me as the kind of person who is impervious to offense. Perhaps I am misreading you.

I have yet to come across a post here that is all that horrible or in my opinion ban worthy, but it seems others feel remarkably different. I think the real problem is most people don't like to feel uncomfortable, not in their day to day lives and not even in the virtual world.