# Disagree with a Moderator's Note **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [September 7, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220 "2013-09-07T01:35:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/1 "2013-09-07T01:35:53Z")
[In this thread and this post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=16641571&postcount=38), moderator **Idle Thoughts** clamped down on a particular post. I think the moderation was too broad. Instead of “Don’t post this way,” a better response would have been “Tone it down a notch.” The actual content of the objectionable post was valid and relevant, just a bit too strident. In my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/2 "2013-09-07T01:41:24Z")
Yeah. So what? ---
**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/3 "2013-09-07T02:02:54Z")
[Answering as mod]Usually I am like that and agree with you, pretty much, that that’s how it should be said most of the time. I was harder than usual with that note, though, because–being a new poster with only 3 posts–it seemed more like an over-the-top, exaggerated attempt in posting to get a reaction rather than an honest opinion being posted. I was making it clear that type of behavior wouldn’t go far here. YMMV in how you saw it.[/mod] ---
**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:** [September 7, 2013, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/4 "2013-09-07T02:20:35Z")
Granted, I’ve never been an IMHO mod, but I can tell you I would have mod-noted that post had it appeared in GQ. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/5 "2013-09-07T02:41:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah. So what? This is the forum for comments about moderators. I had a comment to make, and I made it. > [@Idle\_Thoughts](#): > > [Answering as mod]Usually I am like that and agree with you, pretty much, that that’s how it should be said most of the time. > I was harder than usual with that note, though, because–being a new poster with only 3 posts–it seemed more like an over-the-top, exaggerated attempt in posting to get a reaction rather than an honest opinion being posted. . . . Interesting point; I didn’t notice he was new. Anyway, not an earth-shattering dissent, just something that struck me as worthy of posting about. (Just typoed “posing about.” I promise not to do that!) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/6 "2013-09-07T03:01:30Z")
I don’t post much in IMHO, but that type of post is S.O.P in GD. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/7 "2013-09-07T03:12:25Z")
For what it’s worth I think it was a perfect piece of modding. I know, it’s not worth much. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/8 "2013-09-07T04:22:13Z")
**Loach** : actually, it’s worth quite a lot. Quite seriously; you made the effort to post an opinion, and it makes me reassess my own viewpoint. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/9 "2013-09-07T04:32:28Z")
I agree with **Loach**. It was an appropriate tone to take towards a new poster with an apparent agenda. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/10 "2013-09-07T04:46:06Z")
But, then, it’s an opinion forum. “My Humble Opinion.” It wasn’t expressed humbly, and for that deserved a rebuke. But having an agenda is part and parcel of having an opinion. The IMHO forum is more refined and genteel than the Great Debates forum. (And then there’s the Pit…) Moderating for gentility, yes. Moderating against being opinionated? Negates that point, doesn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/11 "2013-09-07T04:59:50Z")
Yes, the IMHO forum is for _humble_ opinions only. Anyone with a not-so-humble opinion needs to take it to the IMNSHO forum. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/12 "2013-09-07T05:29:53Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > But, then, it’s an opinion forum. “My Humble Opinion.” It wasn’t expressed humbly, and for that deserved a rebuke. But having an agenda is part and parcel of having an opinion. > > The IMHO forum is more refined and genteel than the Great Debates forum. (And then there’s the Pit…) Moderating for gentility, yes. Moderating against being opinionated? Negates that point, doesn’t it? Well, there are agendas, and then there are _agendas_. I meant, as **Idle Thoughts** put it, “an over-the-top, exaggerated attempt in posting to get a reaction rather than an honest opinion being posted.” There’s a word for that, but it can only be used in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/13 "2013-09-07T06:53:55Z")
**Idle Thoughts** was spot on with that mod note. As I was reading that post, my eyes were rolling so hard I gave myself a headache (and I actually agree with the point that poster was making; I’m no fan of republicans/conservatives in America). I am glad it got a note, and a harsh one at that. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/14 "2013-09-07T08:52:49Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Well, there are agendas, and then there are _agendas_. I meant, as **Idle Thoughts** put it, “an over-the-top, exaggerated attempt in posting to get a reaction rather than an honest opinion being posted.” There’s a word for that, but it can only be used in the Pit. I thought we could ascribe unkind motives in ATMB, particularly when discussing modded behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/15 "2013-09-07T12:37:43Z")
For the second time this morning, I have no problem with the moderation in that thread, either. Well done. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/disagree-with-a-moderators-note/668220/16 "2013-09-07T13:08:16Z")
From the OP, I was completely unprepared for how moderate the actual moderation was: > [@](#): > > don’t try to hijack this topic again with a post like this (emphasis mine) I count three places where the moderator’s note is very specific about the problem, where the OP here led me to expect a much more generalized smack-down. I would very much have characterized this as a “tone it down” type note than a “don’t post this way” type. The latter characterization had me expecting something like, “You’re new here, so you’ve got time to stop being a jerk. But not much.”