# Moderator Intellectual Honesty **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 24, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752 "2009-01-24T02:58:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/1 "2009-01-24T02:58:18Z")
This is my first pit thread. Make of that what you will. 🙂 The moderators on this board do plenty of things the SDMB members find reason to complain about. The complaints about mod actions are quite vehement and colorful. I don’t dip into the pit very often, because I usually don’t have the intestinal fortitude, but when I feel up to it, it can be quite entertaining in here. I’m not here to flame the SDMB moderators, nor the members who complain about them. No matter how poor you think the moderators here are, they are SAINTS who have the WISDOM OF SOLOMON compared to the moderators on another board I’m a member of. On that other board, I’ve made mistakes. I’ve said things that were probably worth moderator action. However… I’ll never know for sure what the mistakes were. If a mod doesn’t like your post, they’ll delete or edit it. AND THEN NOT TELL YOU. They have all the valid contact info they need, but they won’t use it to tell the poster what they did wrong, or why. If they edited the post, they don’t add a reason, nor any indication of what they removed. Complain to the administration? The complaints go into a black hole, no response to that either. I know they’re reading their feedback, because they will respond with appropriate action for other issues. But NEVER when it’s about their own. Make a public complaint about the lack of response on the board? That post goes poof too, and no word about it from the mod responsible. Here’s the most recent post they disappeared on me. I’m glad I kept a copy: > [@](#): > > I see a mod edited my one of [my] forum posts again… Reason? > > Seriously, it’s bad form to edit another user’s post and not tell them what you did or why. This isn’t the first time something like this has happened, and I’m not just referring to that absolutely moronic “debate” move Joe pulled a few hours ago. It points to a more systemic issue. > > Please stop doing this. If someone posts something that violates the board rules, it’s certainly within your rights to edit or delete it, but TELL THEM. I’m losing confidence that the post I make today won’t get edited tomorrow to reflect something very different than what I intended to say, and I’ll never know about it because I wasn’t paranoid enough to go back and check. This undermines confidence in the site and board moderation team as a whole. I’m glad I kept a copy after it went poof. I sent a broadcast PM to all the mods. It started out with the above message, and continued with: > [@](#): > > The mod who edits a member’s post also needs to state right in their edit what they changed and why, so all the readers can see that whatever words remain AREN’T WHATEVER THE ORIGINAL POSTER WROTE. Sheesh. I am willing to stand by whatever it is I post, but I can’t do so when a mod uses their power to go behind my back and CHANGE IT to whatever they want and make it appear that I said it. If the mod doesn’t state what they changed so that the world can see what they did, THIS IS INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY. > > The last time this happened, I attempted to resolve the issue in private. NOTHING CHANGED; this behavior continues. So I made my next complaint in public. And that complaint disappeared, and again, no notice of any kind of violation. At this point, I’m not really surprised. Someone is not willing to own up to the fact that this behavior amounts to JERKING THEIR MEMBERS AROUND. Sent around noon EST today, no response yet. I’m not holding my breath. Oh and the “debate” move Joe pulled on me? He edited my post and removed an idea he didn’t like. It was made clear in followup posts that what I said wasn’t any kind of rules violation; he just didn’t like it. Later on in the thread, another mod made another mystery edit to my post (and unfortunately I didn’t keep a copy of that one so I’m not entirely sure what she changed) and that was the metaphorical straw that broke the camel’s back and got me to really start venting about what happened. I can’t do it there, so I’ll do it here. Joe actually had the temerity to start mocking my slightly more subtle attempts to point out his and Malana’s lack of intellectual honesty. I’m afraid to push it anymore than I have, because those posts are likely to go bye-bye too. I used to donate money to help keep that site afloat. But after this, no more. It isn’t just the mods participating in the thread; the entire moderation team and administration are ethically and intellectually bankrupt if they just let complaints about them fall into a black hole with no response whatsoever. Doper-Flamers, rejoice in your moderation team here. You might disagree with what they do, but at least minimum standards of intellectual honesty are upheld as they perform their duties. I love this board! \<3 Is it within the pit’s rules for me to post a link to the thread on the other board where all this went down? I’m definitely not advocating anyone here join in over there. \*\*\* Ponder ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/2 "2009-01-24T03:03:02Z")
I would’ve been long gone. Though some have problems with the mods at times, at least it’s all out in the open. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2009, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/3 "2009-01-24T03:33:26Z")
Soooo… You’re posting here to complain about moderator actions on another board? Dude, pretty lame, y’know? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/4 "2009-01-24T03:35:59Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Soooo… You’re posting here to complain about moderator actions on another board? Dude, pretty lame, y’know? I know it’s a lot of words in a row, but you might try reading the _whole_ OP. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/5 "2009-01-24T03:39:44Z")
Yeah… I’ve occasionally had an issue with moderator decisions here, but I’ll agree that this is one of the best-moderated boards on the 'web. Well done, mods! ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/6 "2009-01-24T04:07:03Z")
Try being banned from a board because a known troll told the moderators that you were something you aren’t. I still haven’t quite figured that one out. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/7 "2009-01-24T04:24:21Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Soooo… You’re posting here to complain about moderator actions on another board? Dude, pretty lame, y’know? How is that different from any of the other pit threads about stuff that isn’t happening here? Or all they all lame too? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/8 "2009-01-24T04:41:51Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I know it’s a lot of words in a row, but you might try reading the _whole_ OP. But it’s so borrrrrrrrrrrrring. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/9 "2009-01-24T05:21:29Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > On that other board, I’ve made mistakes. But then again, too few to mention. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/10 "2009-01-24T05:27:39Z")
> [@Jeff](#): > > But it’s so borrrrrrrrrrrrring. And long… at first I just kinda skimmed it and was thinking “wow, would a mod here really do that? Who was this?” and then I got to the first couple of replies and realized he was talking about another board. Brevity is your friend. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2009, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/11 "2009-01-24T05:44:30Z")
I don’t think they like board wars here, but I have posted a link to another board and didn’t get told not to do that. I say post the link. I’d like to go see a terrible board. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/12 "2009-01-24T05:50:22Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > Is it within the pit’s rules for me to post a link to the thread on the other board where all this went down? I’m definitely not advocating anyone here join in over there. > > \*\*\* Ponder I am not a mod, not even a junior one; nor do I play one on TV. It’s not explicitly against the rules to link to the thread (as far as I know), but (IMHO) it’s not really advisable. I would add that it shows excellent judgement on your part to ask about that rather than simply do it. If you’d like to acccommodate anyone who is interested in checking it out, you could offer to provide a link to anyone who requests it via PM or email. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2009, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/13 "2009-01-24T05:57:26Z")
Oh yeah, if you decide not to post it, please send it to me by email. ---
**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:** [January 24, 2009, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/14 "2009-01-24T07:05:15Z")
> [@Q.E.D](#): > > I know it’s a lot of words in a row, but you might try reading the _whole_ OP. Yeah, I did–it’s a long boring blah-blah about mods on another board that delete/change posts. Complete with the first names of these mods who do something the OP doesn’t like on another board that isn’t named, like anyone’s supposed to know/care about them. Lame pitting. If the intent is that we should all have a SDMB mod love fest on account of they don’t change/delete posts then it’s a cheesy MPSIMS-style ass kissing OP disguised as a totally lame pitting. Does anything germane remain outside the nutshell or is the stultifying dullness of the OP causing temporary fugue states whenever I try to read the thing, resulting in my missing something titanically amazing and fabulously interesting in the middle? ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2009, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/15 "2009-01-24T07:08:31Z")
Here’s the condensed version: Those of you complaining about mods here; it’s lots worse elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/16 "2009-01-25T07:21:16Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > Does anything germane remain outside the nutshell or is the stultifying dullness of the OP causing temporary fugue states whenever I try to read the thing, resulting in my missing something titanically amazing and fabulously interesting in the middle? Not really, but how is this OP any lamer than anybody complaining about anything else in their lives on this board? When it comes right down to it, who seriously cares if somebody’s cat pees on the rug or somebody’s boss is a twat, but those types of threads aren’t regularly singled out as lame. Might as well shut the pit down for the lack of cosmically important posts. ---
**Author:** ![Jenaroph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Jenaroph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jenaroph)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/17 "2009-01-25T07:26:31Z")
Meant to respond to the OP: I’d leave that board toot sweet, yes. Given the fact that the things you write online tend to stick around far longer than most people realized when they wrote them, I’d not want the extra risk of something that was anonymously edited to change the meaning popping up under my name 10 years down the line. Depending on the topic and seriousness of course. ---
**Author:** ![Cuckoorex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ad7895/32.png) [@Cuckoorex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cuckoorex)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/18 "2009-01-25T07:30:18Z")
> [@Jenaroph](#): > > Might as well shut the pit down for the lack of cosmically important posts. Same for message boards in general, really. We have them because we’re social animals, eh? ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/19 "2009-01-25T13:27:50Z")
**I am not an animal!!!** Don’t look at me! I’m hideous! ---
**Author:** ![rayh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@rayh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayh)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752/20 "2009-01-25T16:38:51Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > **I am not an animal!!!** Cite? > [@](#): > > Don’t look at me! I’m hideous! On second thoughts, forget the cite. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/moderator-intellectual-honesty/482752.md?page=2)