# Dex, a request **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 5, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458 "2009-11-05T19:26:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/41 "2009-11-10T18:16:55Z")
> [@CandidGamera](#): > > Criticizing the mods is destructive to the community? Really? That’s the tack you’re going to take? If people are visiting this board with that sole purpose (“to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority”) then yes, of course it’s destructive. They’re stirring shit because they enjoy the reaction. Do you honestly think such people have the best interests of this board at heart? ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/42 "2009-11-10T18:22:26Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > If people are visiting this board with that sole purpose (“to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority”) then yes, of course it’s destructive. They’re stirring shit because they enjoy the reaction. Do you honestly think such people have the best interests of this board at heart? You should. I had nearly a decades worth of productive posting ignored. My few posts since March have not been abusive in nature, have merely been reiterating “this is what I found disturbing enough to cease posting here” nature. And for that, I’m now labeled a troublemaker. Disagreement does not equal destructive. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/43 "2009-11-10T18:22:42Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > If people are visiting this board with that sole purpose (“to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority”) then yes, of course it’s destructive. They’re stirring shit because they enjoy the reaction. Do you honestly think such people have the best interests of this board at heart? If that really is their sole purpose and motivation, then of course they aren’t being helpful. Most of us who have been unhappy with certain aspects of the recent rule changes are not in that category. We post elsewhere and get what enjoyment and knowledge that we can out of the place while advocating for change that we believe will make it better. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/44 "2009-11-10T18:23:36Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > If people are visiting this board with that sole purpose (“to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority”) then yes, of course it’s destructive. They’re stirring shit because they enjoy the reaction. Do you honestly think such people have the best interests of this board at heart? If you honestly don’t, then all I can think is you didn’t read the above heartfelt posts in this thread. But then, everyone needs to feel superior to someone, even if it involves ignoring facts… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/45 "2009-11-10T18:33:57Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > If people are visiting this board with that sole purpose (“to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority”) then yes, of course it’s destructive. Not doing that. > [@](#): > > They’re stirring shit because they enjoy the reaction. Not doing that. > [@](#): > > Do you honestly think such people have the best interests of this board at heart? Yup. The people who don’t care about this board just **left**. They aren’t posting about anything, ever again. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/46 "2009-11-10T18:46:19Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > No, you’re not a troll. But you are acting in a way that is destructive to the community and that is troubling. > > Is that really what you want to do here? If so, that’s about the saddest thing I can think of, that you would go from being someone who thought this place was a pretty good idea to being someone who just throws rocks. > > If you’re not willing to be part of the solution then you’re part of the problem. > > The board is what the community makes of it. If you only come here to complain then you add nothing of meaning or substance except for complaint. You don’t build a better community, you don’t make things more interesting, you don’t fight ignorance. You only add to the noise. > > Acting out is never useful and theatrics – as popular as they are here – rarely does anything but titillate the lawn chair crowd. > > If all you do is poke and jibe and bitch and moan and never do anything else you’re not helping anything except to build a negative vibe. That kind of behavior never makes anything better in any situation. > > If all people did was yell at you all day long would that make you feel good about what you do? No, it would make you defensive. When anyone acts from the defensive place they’re not at their best. This is as true of moderators as anyone else. > > There are people that feel that beating the staff on a regular basis for any perceived fault – or just for sport – is one of the privileges of being here. Forgive us if we object. > > I’d much rather you come on back and participate in the goodness this place offers. You were a part of that goodness once and could be again. You were an asset to the community for a long time. But if all you want to do is throw rocks, well, that is your choice. It’s disrespectful and ugly to all the people who do appreciate this place and want to participate and contribute but it’s always your choice. You know, I haven’t given up the SDMB, I still post here from time to time. I haven’t been around nearly as long as wring has, but I think I have also proven myself to be a fair-minded person and not one to start fights or stir up trouble just for snicks, so please try to bear this in mind when I say the following. At times in the past year I have gone from really annoyed/fed up to feeling more indifferent, and back again, depending on what I’ve seen. But this that you wrote here, **Tuba** , is probably the worst, most unfair thing I’ve seen a mod say to a poster in regards to the issues this board has been having for the past year or so. **wring** is NOT the problem. Other posters like her are NOT the problem. Having someone try to explain to you what the problems are is NOT the problem. TPTB not being willing to listen to posters who are feeling like they aren’t enjoying this community anymore? I don’t think that’s exactly the problem, but it sure is contributing to it. And to be quite frank, it’s when I read stuff like that that I go from feeling annoyed to feeling indifferent. **wring** expressing an opinion isn’t destructive, but an administration that doesn’t care about the posters and thereby making the posters not care about the board is about the most destructive thing I can think of for a message board. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/47 "2009-11-10T18:59:20Z")
> [@Syntropy](#): > > If you honestly don’t, then all I can think is you didn’t read the above heartfelt posts in this thread. > > But then, everyone needs to feel superior to someone, even if it involves ignoring facts… Way to completely misread my post, which addressed those like **Scissorjack** whose confessed sole purpose in visiting was to slam the mods. I have no problem at all with other complainants, God knows I’ve done my share of bitching. But you can’t really defend someone who comes here just for the fun of making waves. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/48 "2009-11-10T19:16:33Z")
Again: you are the one who is misreading. > [@scissorjack](#): > > And **if** we do still visit to poke fun and tweak the nose of authority, **please remember that we tried as hard as we could to make our voices heard when we felt it counted** , and if we’re still here to hold a mirror to the Dope and its faults, perhaps that’s **because there’s a lingering feeling that where passion and reason once failed, maybe in jest we can find the way to rekindle that faintest of sparks, the life of the Dope**. If you see that as anything but nostalgia and mourning, then you’re reading into it something that isn’t there. If you’d like to show where in that post he said ‘I’m just here to slam the mods,’ I’d be interested in seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/49 "2009-11-10T19:26:44Z")
Then we must agree to differ because that’s exactly how I read his post, ie he comes here to hold the mirror up to our faults. ---
**Author:** ![Syntropy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/65b543/32.png) [@Syntropy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Syntropy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/50 "2009-11-10T19:32:56Z")
If you’re insistent on discounting the reasoning why, then I agree, we’ll let it go at that. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/51 "2009-11-10T19:58:25Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > Then we must agree to differ because that’s exactly how I read his post, ie he comes here to hold the mirror up to our faults. You fit in perfectly around here, never change. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/52 "2009-11-10T21:28:19Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > In other words, you’re here to make trouble. Got it. You wouldn’t be happy doing this somewhere else, you’re doing this here because you intend to cause grief. There’s a word for that. Doing this sort of shit doesn’t improve the boards at all. It might make a few disenchanted posters feel better for a while, but it certainly doesn’t enhance the boards for the majority of posters. Disappointed. Not surprised, but disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/53 "2009-11-10T22:51:15Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > You fit in perfectly around here, never change. I promise to stay as sweet as I am, just for you. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/54 "2009-11-10T22:55:19Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > I promise to stay as sweet as I am, just for you. Oh no, not for me, for the _community!_ ---
**Author:** ![Clark\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c77e96/32.png) [@Clark\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clark_K)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/55 "2009-11-11T03:45:38Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > In other words, you’re here to make trouble. Got it. You wouldn’t be happy doing this somewhere else, you’re doing this here because you intend to cause grief. There’s a word for that. Doing this sort of shit doesn’t improve the boards at all. It might make a few disenchanted posters feel better for a while, but it certainly doesn’t enhance the boards for the majority of posters. This makes me sad. It would be nice if the administrator would listen to what people are saying instead of making false accusations and seeing malice where there is none. ---
**Author:** ![Library\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cab0a1/32.png) [@Library\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Library_Boy)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/56 "2009-11-11T05:44:54Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > In other words, you’re here to make trouble. Got it. You wouldn’t be happy doing this somewhere else, you’re doing this here because you intend to cause grief. There’s a word for that. Doing this sort of shit doesn’t improve the boards at all. It might make a few disenchanted posters feel better for a while, but it certainly doesn’t enhance the boards for the majority of posters. If you want to see the trouble with the boards, look in the mirror. (Tuba Diva should be standing behind you when you do) ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/57 "2009-11-11T06:18:41Z")
Why, is it some sort of summoning ritual? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/58 "2009-11-11T13:52:10Z")
> [@wring](#): > > Impressive. > Let’s review: I thought there were problems > I took these problems to you directly and respectively > I was ignored and, so, decided that my contribution was not valued here. > Have made exactly two posts in 8 months, again sadly stating problems are reoccuring, I am now > > > [@](#): > > > > someone who just throws rocks. > > My two posts in 8 months that respectuflly disagree w/you constitutes that? It’s like the guy who joins the monastery and is only allowed to speak once every ten years, and only to the head abbot. He joins. Ten years go by. He says to the abbot, “The beds are kind of hard here.” Ten more years. He says, “The coffee is too weak.” Ten more years. He says to the abbot, “I’m quitting.” The head abbot says, “I’m not surprised. Every since you got here, it’s been bitch, bitch, bitch.” Regards. Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/59 "2009-11-11T14:59:43Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > This is an antinomy that, were they to be honest in admitting it, is affecting every mod and admin on this board to one degree or another, and rather than take the forthright approach that **Giraffe** used and simply resign > > (snip) > > Posters, including **Giraffe,** are not the enemy, the enemy is the ones who hand out unenforceable edicts and then wander off elsewhere to brush up their resumes, leaving the unpaid volunteer mods to shovel the resulting shitpile. Why in hell don’t you guys just go on strike? I was going to stay out of this, but I just can’t let that go by. You cannot paint the mods on this board with a single brush, just as you can’t do so with the posters. I don’t feel that I spend my time on the SDMB cleaning up massive messes, and I don’t feel frustrated or resentful. That’s because–at least from my point of view–the huge, massive issues that have rent these boards asunder are tempests in a teapot. Of _course_ I don’t agree with every single decision made by Ed and the admins. Have you ever worked a job (volunteer or otherwise) where you were 100% in agreement with your bosses 100% of the time? But a rule that you can’t call someone a cunt in the Pit? A rule that moderation is to be discussed in ATMB? These have never affected me personally. On those rare occasions when I really feel the need to insult someone, I know enough other words. I’m perfectly happy to discuss moderation whereever Ed wants us to. Generally speaking, I stay out of the Pit anyway–not my turf. The moderators of this board have quite a breadth of personalities and skills. I’ll never be half as good at spammer-hunting as Marley, and couldn’t possibly hope to work the Pit like GFactor. Speaking only for me, I like the boards, and enjoy working quietly off to the side for the most point. I move some threads, ban some spammers, break some links, fix some thread titles, remind people of the rules now and then, have a few quiet discussions behind the scenes, and hand out a couple of warnings a week. I’m happy doing that, and don’t see why I would even consider “going on strike” over what I perceive to be little things. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2009, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458/60 "2009-11-11T15:48:09Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > You cannot paint the mods on this board with a single brush, just as you can’t do so with the posters. I don’t feel that I spend my time on the SDMB cleaning up massive messes, and I don’t feel frustrated or resentful. > > That’s because–at least from my point of view–the huge, massive issues that have rent these boards asunder are tempests in a teapot. Of _course_ I don’t agree with every single decision made by Ed and the admins. Have you ever worked a job (volunteer or otherwise) where you were 100% in agreement with your bosses 100% of the time? Indeed. **SmartAleq** greatly underestimates some of the mods love of the job. I remember [when samclem said](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=7091520&postcount=14) that despite being “more liberal than perhaps 80% of this board.” and that “Censorship is NOT [his] bag” he would happily shut down all discussion of homosexuality if the owners even “intimated” that was their wish. Can’t blame the guy - he’s got to put food on the table. Well, actually, given that it’s an unpaid volunteer position, it doesn’t really put food on the table but you know what I mean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dex-a-request/516458.md?page=4)