Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?
Oh My God, get outta my head! I’ve been reading all his posts in “Stewie voice.” 
I know…I’m back earlier than I said I’d be. I got time off for good behaviour.
Right then, I’ve a feeling I’m not gonna be very popular here, but guess what? That’s right, I forgot to bring pie.
Although saying that, according to a couple of you, my head could make a tasty snack, as it might be shaped like a fucking pasty! Cheers guys, you’ll be remembered for that!
Anyway, whatever your criticisms of my attitude in this particular thread, Silenus has confirmed that my instincts were correct when I made my OP. That’ll do for me. My Spidey-senses are still working! 
That’s it, banned from the boards, membership revoked, shame to your family.
We’re supposed to report insults to the Mods in charge here. If we didn’t, GD would shortly end up looking like the Pit. It’s part of civil discourse.
If you feel the warning was poorly justified, take up with the Mods.
I recognise the function that reporting posts to the mods provides, but I’d expect it to be used if I was posting kiddie porn, and not because I made a jerkish insult about non-specific posters, of whom Silenus had no need to feel associated. If you, or anyone else think that is fair and just use of the reporting function, I am not going to try and change your mind. I’m done here.
Oh, it’s Small British Shop Owner.
Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
When I said, “I’m done here!”, I meant in this thread. You won’t get rid of me that easily, Oy!
. . . two . . .
…one…
THe thing is, ivan, that you can’t come in here and expect the board to change its culture to accomodate to your expectations or desires. You either adapt to its culture (which may change slightly over time because you are here), or you leave, voluntarily or involuntarily. You certainly do not berate the culture while you are still a guest; that’s like a short-term houseguest criticizing the way a household is being run.
This is a moderated board, which means if one has a complaint with a post or a series of posts, one is supposed to report it to a moderator. So along comes ivan, posts for a couple of weeks and starts feeling comfortable and a bit full of himself. This is easy, he thinks. I’m ready for Great Debates. God, we’ve most of us done it, some of us more than once. We’ve started or joined a thread, and realized that while we held our opinions quite sincerely, the only real backing we had for it was to repeat, sometimes increasingly obnoxiously, the same thing over and over, sometimes resorting to rather adolescently denigrating remarks about those who disagree. This is what you did, and it happened to hit someone wrong and they reported it to a moderator who, after reviewing the situation in company with other mods, came down on you.
Then you actually sassed the mod. That’s not something most of us do. Around here, that’s considered jaw-dropping stupidity on the part of a guest. But you took it further. You then proceeded to open a Pit thread complaining about the person who “tattled” to the moderator in the first place. On this board, what the reporter did was exactly what he was supposed to do.
Ivan, maybe Albert Einstein might have struck the members of this board as so valuable during his guest period that he was worth changing our culture for. Thus far you have not. Most of us like the culture around here; we’ve paid good money to maintain it; many have contributed to keep other members who couldn’t afford to pay for themselves.
I’m not saying this to say “See how wonderful we are?” I’m saying this to say that if you leave or stay at this point is a matter of complete indifference to us at this point, but that your complaints are not a good way to win friends and influence people. This board is the way it is, and it’s not going to change because some new kid comes in and throws a tantrum.
One of the first and foremost rules of this board is “Don’t be a jerk.” No one wants to hang out with jerks. If you want to be a jerk, this isn’t the place for you. If you want to hang out somewhere on the internet where the rampant jerkiness of the rest of the internet is frowned-on and kept in check (and the way we do that is by reporting posts to the people with the power to deal with them, rather than squabbling amongst ourselves), then this might be someplace you grow to like and appreciate.
- proffers wrist for deserved smacking *
I must restrain my jerkiness at all times while here on SDMB.
I must restrain my jerkiness at all times while here on SDMB.
I must restrain my jerkiness at all times while here on SDMB.
I must restrain my jerkiness at all times while here on SDMB.
… I’ll continue my lines off-board, if that’s okay with the rest of you?
If I may suggest, this is the time when you have the greatest chance to influence how others see you. Serious debaters inspire respect, class clowns inspire laughs - at the moment, you’re not really either, and that inspires derision. Pick a side, please (or get good at alternating between the two, like me!) and run with it.
Personally, I don’t care for people who think they’re smarter than they actually are, or funnier than they actually are (classic example of both - Rush Limbaugh). They’re just painful to watch because their inevitable response to criticism isn’t to get smarter or funnier but insulting, and not even cleverly insulting because they don’t have the wit for it.
Anyway, it’s free advice. Take it for what it’s worth.
Bryan, I am neither a “serious debater”, or a “class clown”, I am merely a guy of above average intelligence, who wants to try and connect with similar, and better minds, without being compared to the great and good on some SDMB scale of worthiness.
Well, go for it, but complaining about “smacked arses” who don’t understand you doesn’t strike me as a strategy “a guy of above average intelligence” (or anyone, really) will get him a lot of friends. Nor does a disingenuous “Oh, you GOT me, wrist-slap!” It’s not funny or clever.
Anyway, what’s a political/legal/moral/whatever topic you’d like to discuss in a serious fashion, something you’ve analyzed and are willing to invite others with different opinions to comment on? Got a firm opinion on abortion? Gun ownership? Communism? The future of television? The future of the Internet? Child-rearing? Child discipline? Children tried as adults? Adults executed?
Can’t we do both?
It’s funny from where I’m sat, aged 46, and being spoken to like I’m a disruptive teenager.
IRL, I am more inclined to listening than towards speaking, only opening up when I am in company I really feel relaxed in. My personality is not going to change just because I am on a message-board, and as that’s not quite the situation here yet, I’m sure I’ll be far more voluble when it is. 
Did that strike you as completely unwarranted?
Not at all Bryan, but it was still funny, all the same.