My post, which received a warning (I’m still not sure why):
I read the original post, voted in the poll, and replied immediately with my opinion. I didn’t see a moderator warning because I didn’t read the entire multi-page thread first. It’s a poll. My MO on poll threads is to vote, reply with a reason explaining my vote, and move on to the next thread. I almost NEVER read poll threads. If this makes me a fucking moron, then I guess I’ll just have to stop posting in poll threads. Wouldn’t want to risk being warned for breaking instructions I didn’t read, now would I?
And guess fucking what? When I’m in an opinion forum, I’m going to provide my opinion! In fact, that’s why I’m there! Mods who don’t want people providing any more opinions in an opinion thread have an **obligation **to lock it! It’d be like issuing a mod instruction in a pit post, “Please stop with the name-calling,” when the whole point of the pit is to call people names. herp… de derp.
So, a few questions:
Are we to be held accountable for mod notes that we haven’t read? 2) If the mods didn’t want people expressing fucking opinions in a fucking IMHO poll post, why the fucking hell didn’t someone fucking lock it? 3) The multiple warnings piling up at the end of that thread are fucking ridiculous. Who knows how many people are simply doing the same thing that I do, voting and explaining it without reading the preceding 60+ posts because IT’S A POLL. This is how I have always approached poll threads. I don’t think it’s uncommon. I wasn’t debating, what the hell does that even mean? Who was I debating with? Did I quote someone? Was I argumentative? I expressed my opinion that the SDMB should have avatars and explained why. THAT’S IT.
I fully expect this bullshit mod action will be reversed. And I fully understand that I’m being bitchy and abrasive. I’m pissed off.
Whether the mod note was issued rightly or wrongly, it should have been heeded, and the thread opened here before, not after, people posted ignoring the mod instruction.
I think the thread in IMHO should have been closed, and people instructed to take the discussion to the thread in ATMB where the discussion belongs.
The moderation was perhaps unusually harsh, but certainly justifiable. I don’t see any reason for it to be reversed.
So they instructed people to stop posting opinions in an opinion thread on the opinion forum instead of just closing it? And you don’t think that’s horseshit?
I didn’t see the note, or else I just would not have posted. But I don’t read poll threads before posting in them (because although the OP might be interested to know why people are voting which way, I’m not). I read the OP, cast my vote, post my reason for voting, and move on. I would surmise that all the warnings piling up are other people who handle poll threads the same way. I hardly think it’s uncommon, and it could have easily been avoided. Instead, people who drive-by “vote&post” are being punished because a mod didn’t just lock the thread.
IOW, if there was no way to post an opinion in that thread without breaking moderator instructions, then they should have removed our ability to post in it. They didn’t, people continued to post, that’s the mod’s mistake. Don’t throw out warnings to cover it up.
Closing it was certainly one of the options, but since the OP posted, almost at the start of the thread:
I thought it would be a bit unfair to him, since he actual gave a link to the ATMB thread for people to debate in and all. Said link was mentioned again before the hammer came down, so it’s not like people didn’t have a place to make their point and argue with others.
The OP didn’t ask for the your help, and agreed your first (bullshit) warning was “extremely harsh.”
I’m disappointed that you still can’t see I didn’t actually violate the rule (as another poster pointed out) that you arbitrary decided to enforce. You’ve made it abundantly clear that you should not be allowed to moderate threads regarding topics in which you are HEAVILY invested.
I’m confused. Are we supposed to email you personally when a general warning goes up in an IMHO thread? Do you feel restricted because you weren’t given two different venues to say almost the exact same thing?
That was some time before I realized the thread was turning into a carbon copy of the ATMB thread on the same subject and then told everyone to take it elsewhere.
But still well after the OP established the rules. Why is it okay for you to flaunt them before, before *lambasting * others soon after for the very same thing? And I hope you realize part of that “turning into a carbon process” was of your very own doing. Truly stellar work.
I don’t think it was the best choice, I think the thread should have been closed. I don’t think it was horseshit, I think it was an attempt to keep the thread on track - that is a poll, not a discussion.
I don’t do that, if I post in a thread it’s because I’ve read it and wish to contribute something, and read any responses to it. I’ve assumed that’s what most people do, but if other people say they don’t I’ll have learned something. As to whether that’s an acceptable reason for missing the mod note, that’s up to the mods, although I doubt your needlessly aggressive OP will have helped your cause.
Not that Czarcasm’s style is doing him any favours here either…
So his commentary is allowed. He then issued 3 warnings to people who’s posts were no closer to ‘debate’ than his own remarks.
That’s some piss poor moderation, no matter how you slice and dice it.
It was a hotly discussed topic, every time it was raised. To think the poll would not have any commentary was remarkably unrealistic. The OP should have just said, NO REMARKS - VOTES ONLY, instead of all the frothy rhetoric about, no debate and getting his panties all in a twist. In addition to leaving room for some truly heinous moderating.
What’s commentary and what’s debate?
What’s the difference between what the poster’s, who drew warnings did, and what the Mod did?
If I’ve learned anything, in my years here, it’s that the mods are freaking Teflon, nothing sticks! They pretty much have free reign to do anything they wish, regardless. Which is exactly why crappy moderation, like this, is on the rise, in my opinion.
Doesn’t change that this was some really bad moderating. Suddenly I’m beginning to understand why people especially dislike this particular mod.
They could vote, and they could, if they wished, tell how they voted.
It was a poll, after all, and there was a thread already established for any further discussion to ensue.
I just looked at the thread in question and the moderation did seem over the top. There should have been a mod note in the title or added to the the OP saying that commentary was forbidden.
Yeah there was a member comment near the top advising posters to not debate, but that’s not the same as a mod reminder.
Ms. Rachelellogram’s point that people don’t often read all the way through poll threads is valid.
It’s kind of silly to expect people to jus respond “I voted yes/no” in a poll thread. It’s a thread about opinions. People are going to want to express them. So what if the debate is identical to the ATMB discussion. Why is that a problem? We usually have seven identical threads about Israel going on in multiple forums. No one gets a note for posting in those. Why cant we have a second avatar debate in IMHO? Preventing people from giving substantive responses in a poll thread is just a way to ensure the poll drops off the page. I hope those warnings aren’t going on people’s records. They are heavy handed and absurd…