An OP titled ‘A Corny Question’ was recently posted asking about some specific details in regard to retail availability of corn bread. I was noted for requesting that the OP use more descriptive thread titles. I’d have never clicked that thread if the title was, more accurately, the first line of the OP, acknowledging the true nature of the question:
Why no corn bread, in stores. [sic]
I didn’t accuse anyone of breaking any rules or insist this, that, or the other be done, seemingly the bar above which Junior Moderating accusations must rise. It was a personal request to another member to not use coy, indistinct, intentionally misleading, or click-baitish language in a thread title in (what was at the time) General Questions. It’s not unlike ‘Cite, please?’ or a request like ‘Which part of the article supports your position?’
Are these types of thread titles appropriate for General Questions?
Or Cafe Society?
Note that the thread title, having been brought to the attention of at least two moderators, remains indistinct and, frankly, wrong and dumb.
What other types of personal requests among members are not allowed?
At least 4 of us Mods seem to think this thread title was not a problem. It wasn’t click bait and had just a little whimsy to it. Nothing bad. The mouseover shows what the thread is about in this case.
While I don’t think I would have noted your post, it was just a note. Not a warning. We don’t have hard rules for everything and don’t all mod the same way.
In your defense, we do have a specific rules in the FAQ:
The thread title is vague. I would really not go as far as dumb though.
FWIW, when I was mod I don’t think I would have noted you either, but I do think your comment is different than “cite, please”.
“Cite, please” is asking for something to enhance the conversation and further the discussion. It’s relevant to you engaging in the current thread.
“Use descriptive titles” isn’t asking for clarification- you clearly understood what the OP was going for, even if you didn’t at first. It’s a request to do better in the future. If you were confused and the request for a descriptive title was to help you engage in the thread, that’d be more analogous.
It probably was jr modding at some very low level, really small potatoes.
I recommend sending a personal message. If you’re at a social and your friend has a wardrobe malfunction or something, you whisper off to the side. Don’t distract from the conversation to announce your displeasure in public.
Personally, I’d rather see more Jr-modding than less. A healthy board will pretty much moderate itself, if the wishes of the fellow members are freely known.
You were sucking the fun right out of the room. You get that right?
Also, there’s nothing wrong with being creative with thread titles as long as they are not deceptive. You are after all competing with a bunch of other threads.
You just admonished someone in public to send a PM in order to admonish other people. You made a substantially similar comment in another thread I was just in. In addition to not following your own advice, this also smells like junior modding, and I much doubt anybody appreciates it.
I view these sort of ATMB threads as public solicitation for opinions and constructive criticism on board rules and etiquette. You are, as always, free to disagree.
I did all I could to specifically avoid that. I didn’t cite any rules or use language like “We prefer thread titles be…” or suggest it was anything other than me asking for less deception and more accuracy when writing OPs. It happens all the time. “Wow, it was hard to get through that wall of text but what I think you’re trying to say…” or 'You dropped this: ,;…" for a poorly punctuated OP.
I also asked some specific questions, again listed here:
Are these types of thread titles appropriate for General Questions?
Or Cafe Society?
…
What other types of personal requests among members are not allowed?
Your ‘request’ looked exactly like an instruction from a mod so you didn’t do all you could to avoid that, you could have done nothing or contacted a mod or brought it up here in ATMB. I don’t really care, you got a note about it and brought it up here, but it’s very clear why you got the note. And that note was no big deal either.
Other than that, I didn’t see a problem with the thread title, you can try to make your case about that but it doesn;t look like you’re getting any traction on this.
"You know, you might get more responses if you asked a mod to make the thread title a bit more descriptive. Just one human’s observation.
Anyway, last time I was in Bumdiddle Arknasas I actually saw cornbread loaves for sale, but I think it was a regional thing since the product was called Madame Bumbdiddle’s Authentic Corn Loaves."
Phrasing it as an opinion makes it sound less officious. Suggesting mod intervention makes explicit that you have no power here. Posting an anecdote means you’re participating in the thread rather than just being a self-appointed hall monitor.
It was a personal request to another member to change their behavior. It happened to be a change that corresponds to a rule. If you were aware of that rule, the correct action is to report the original post as having a non-descript title.
“Cite please” is different, because it’s a part of the conversation in a way “Please make a minimal attempt at descriptive thread titles.” is not.
Wait, what? I missed that! Is that for all time, or that you can’t duplicate a thread title within a window of time? And is it forum specific, or across the entire board?
Totally surprised to hear this news! Y’all can get back to your corny thread now.
Well, it is across all the site – I just tried to start another “Suggestion of Junior Moderating vs Request to Members” in MPSIMS and it wouldn’t let me. Now I’m going to look for a really old thread and try to reuse that title.
Oh, now you’re making me feel bad that you’re doing obvious tests that I could have / should have done to satisfy my curiosity. Sorry, and also thanks!