How do people go about becoming moderators anyway? Are they paid by Chicago Reader, have they payed off Cecil, Can anybody become a moderator?
By being smarter than everyone else. Next question.
Well, du-uh.
Do you mean that all the shameless sucking up and self promotion I’ve done is for naught? :eek: :mad:
Not at all, wring. All that sucking up shows just how astute you really are. Next question, please.
And now that I’ve posted two smart-ass answers and provided no pertinent information, I’m sure someone will be along to give me some crap about it. But if I do provide an answer, I’m sure someone, probably the same someone(s) even, will still give me crap. I don’t think I can win this game, even though it’s probably of my own making. I’m gonna leave this answer to the lovely and gracious TubaDiva, or one of the other Admins.
Everybody wants to be a wiseass as well as a moderator, apparently. 
What do we look for in moderators? Well, let me give you Cecil’s laundry list:
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
-Must be at least 21 years of age.
-We must be able to verify essential information about you, including asking for references. This may include requesting information about you from your ISP (as in AOL’s Terms of Service; have you had warnings on your account, have you lost your account in the past, etc.). We keep all such information gathered in vetting volunteer candidates in the strictest confidence.
-Ability to commit the time and effort needed to maintain the message boards.
THINGS IT’D BE REAL NICE IF YOU HAD
-Witty, engaging screen personality.
-Fast computer and modem (266 Pentium equivalent or better, 56k modem strongly preferred)
-Prior experience working on a message board.
-Familiarity with the Straight Dope column or Straight Dope books.
-Broad acquaintance with the totality of human knowledge–current events, popular culture, history, literature, science, basic lawnmower repair.
-Skeptical attitude.
-Expertise in subjects of general interest.
-Native genius.
We also look at what you’ve had to say on the boards. “By their posts shall ye know them.” Gotta tell ya, folks, content is important. So is grammar and spelling. Our moderators are representative of Cecil and the Straight Dope here on the board and so appearance counts.
If you want an application, please drop me an email and ask for one. (That’s TubaDiva@aol.com.)
Please remember that manny are called and few are chosen and sometimes it takes us a while to get back to you.
Hope this answers all your questions.
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
Thanks, TubaD. You prolly just raked my coconuts out of the coals. Again.
shouldn’t that be “Manny are called and Euty are chosen”?
or would it be “Manny **is ** called and Euth ** is ** chosen?”
Ohhhh my head hurts. Guess I flubbed up the grammer part, eh?
Oh, and one other thing. It’s not a paying position,lotsa glory but no bux. You do get the occasional bauble from the Reader and the satisfaction of doing good in the world, which no amount of money could ever begin to match.
Though just once I’d like to test that last part out, just to be sure . . .
your humble TubaDiva
Administrator
Your list (which should thin the herd considerably already) is missing a couple of criteria:
(I do a lot of volunteer website work for a local science museum’s Q&A column, so I know some of the problems.)
-You have to put in a lot of time for no pay.
-You suddenly realize the job is less about posting and a lot about reacting to other people’s posts.
You’re dealing a lot with what interests other people and seldom what interests you personally. It looks like you are the master, but feels like you are the slave.
It’s also a sure cure for the Empty Inbox Syndrome, as I recently discovered. Not that I suffered from that syndrome in the first place, mind
No, not complaining, just surprised.
Well, yeah, but on the plus side is that every so often, people get to yell and vent at you.
Which serves to fuel my misanthropy. It’s a win-win situation.
Ooh baby, I love it when they talk that way! That’s the main reason I joined.
(whipping out my old 80’s Depeche Mode album, and playing “master and servant” at full blast. Devo’s “whip it” is next.)
But look on the bright side, at least you aren’t no-respect, completely-behind-the-scenes, doing-it-for-no-pay-AND-no-recognition interns! That must suck!
Toiling in obscurity, Beth? I hardly think so. Hell, this quote is from Cecil’s current column, “My intern Beth (Cecil has squads of interns) even turned up a Web site entitled ‘Babies Ate My Dingoes.’” Whole tens of people across the entire United States must now know your name.
I would certainly hope no one who would be chosen to take on the job of moderator would feel any perception of “power” as a result. That would be really sad, and completely defeat the purpose of working hard to try and make a better community, wouldn’t it? It certainly seems like it to me.
Of course these things are hard work and low in benefit. But that’s not the point either, is it?
If you take away power and there’s no money in the gig, and they say there’s little respect, what’s left as an incentive? To see your unrecognizable nickname up on the small screen?
It’s not even much power, compared to, say, a nightwatchman, who can make you show your badge to get into the parking lot.
So, let them have a little power. Where’s the harm?
Uhh…that wasn’t what my post said. It said:
What this means is that if people are chosen to be moderators who let it go to their heads, then obviously this is terrible for the board. And it calls into question a great many things, does it not?