Well, I suspect reactions to that sort of rhetoric are going to be pretty subjective. Some people will react better to it, others worse. But I think that goes back to what I was saying about the venue: I’d expect people posting to the Pit to not be fazed by some blunt language.
No doubt moderators “zinging” those they reprimand plays well to the rabble. When those reprimanded can freely respond in kind, and only then, it will stop being a petty chickenshit move.
Cool.
Stern moderation is one my favorite aspects on this board. I’ll note that in 2001, moderation was substantially harsher. But the teeming millions were less thin-skinned back then (except for newbies and a couple of ding-dongs) so it all balanced out.
For example manhattan’s mod notes were more cutting than samclem’s and DavidB was harsher than Miller. The moderator Alphagene would declare, “…you post gibberish along with an egotistical, condescending persona…” We need more of that. Good times.
Proposal: Pit rules apply to all moderators in all forums. Don’t like it? Tough luck. Check out the masthead: we’re here to fight ignorance and sometimes you have to break a few posters to make an omelet. I’ve had enough of this Soylent Red garbage.
manhattan was fucking legendary.
It’s worth noting that he now spends more time at The Place That Shall Not Be Named.
Hogwarts?
In your opinion.
I strongly disagree.
[ed. note–“he” refers to Manhattan.
I doubt that “he” resides at the Giraffe Board because he thinks the current moderators are too rude in their responses. I would think he is of the opinion that the current moderation is too mild when replying to trolls and fuckwits.
Of course you do. If all moderators did was impartially and politely enforce clear rules, why, what would you get out that?
First let me say that the warning I got was justified. However, I did not mean in a direct way to criticize the mods, it was more of ‘look at this situation’. If I had thought about it for more than a second I would have realized this was exactly what was warned against here recently. It is a quirky situation though. It’s hard to talk about some posters actions without bringing the mods into it. That catch 22 thing.
That being said, I do think the modding of my post was unnecessarily rude. I doubt I’m liked around here but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a warning before an only once gotten told to back off for jr modding (which I still don’t believe I did).
This is only half the issue, IMO. It’s not that posters had thicker skins back then, the difference, of course, is those mods weren’t afraid of mixing it up in the Pit (although many did) when they made those comments. Alphagene, DavidB, Gaudere, Coldfire, Manhattan, UncleBeer are remembered fondly not only because of their harsh/funny attitude, but because they could take it and fight back as well as dish it out.
Nowdays, moderation seems humorless and semi-harsh, and posters can’t respond back in kind except by toe-right-on-the-line snark.
I understand that those old days/rules are not coming back. I’m not suggesting they do because it’s pointless to. It’s been made abundantly clear and I don’t want to hijack this thread recommending it. All I’m saying is that while many of the posters were thicker-skinned back then, it’s that moderators were also members who participated in the give-and-take without claiming protected status.
PS–Samclem, that’s an interesting question. As far as I know, he’s still a member here, I’ll ask him to share his opinion. I honestly don’t know what it is and I’d be interested.
What’s the benefit of responding back in kind if the outcome and punishment is the same?
On another message board I post on, responding back in kind is allowed in theory, but there’s no benefit that I can see since the outcome is the same and the punishment is probably worse for having done it. Of course, as you say, it depends on the mods you’re responding to. Some of the mods at that message board lack a sense of irony.
ETA: That’s not commentary on the mods at this message board. It’s just an anecdote for a reference point.
I spend 9 months out of the year enforcing rules on kids grades 7 - 12. When I, or any of my more professional colleagues, reprimand them, it is done without rancor, sarcasm, snark or general jerk-assedness. The reprimand states which rule was broken and what the penalty is. No “zingers.” If the reprimanded kid gives an ugly reply, then the kid is wrong. Some of our moderators appear to believe that members here aren’t entitled to as much respect as a school kid.
Moderating, as in enforcing rules, is a necessary part of the board. Using the position of a mod to insult members who are forbidden from replying in kind is petty chickenshit.
I can understand how this perception may have arose, but after devoting some study to 2 samples of posts from 2 eras, I disagree. There was a reluctance to pit the mods for moderating among mature members in 2001 that did not exist in 2008. Thinking it over, I once posted a lampoon of this deferential attitude in the Pit way back when.
Most excellent: ridicule is a terrible thing for adult authority figures to impose upon children.
I am not a child.
I can understand how this perception may have arose, but after devoting some study to 2 samples of posts from 2 eras, I disagree. There was a reluctance to pit the mods for moderating among mature members in 2001 that [del]did not exist in[/del] had tapered off by 2008. Thinking it over, I once posted a lampoon of this deferential attitude in the Pit way back when.
Speaking for myself: I only rarely visit the Pit, and that’s been true since the inception of the Pit. I don’t like the casual use of harsh language. I’m not a prude, I use and admire the use of harsh language for emphasis, but it bothers me when it’s casual, everyday, or even offhanded (as Captain Hook remarked, disarmingly.) Y’know how sometimes you walk into some environment and feel uncomfortable? Well, that’s me with the Pit. It’s just not my cuppa.
On the OP: I personally do my best NOT to be insulting or snarky when issuing reminders or warnings or doing other moderator activities… except when I think it’s really deserved. When I find a poster who really should know better, sticking a toe across a pretty clear line, I do indeed tend to react with snark (or even harsh language) for emphasis. I’d never do that to a newbie, for instance.
In case you hadn’t noticed there is a difference between how you treat/instruct/correct/discipline a 7 year old and an adult.
Yeah, the adults are the ones acting childish.
Your “study” proved nothing. In the early days of the Pit, Lynn routinely deleted posts/threads that she found personally offensive.
And I don’t know what the hell you mean by “mature members.” People over sixty?