FYI, this was the exchange that warranted the comment from JC:
Seems like a normal exchange that doesn’t violate any rules. It’s not like JohnT was junior modding or telling asahi he’s forbidden from posting something. It was a mildly snarky way of addressing the fact that he disagrees with asahi’s claim. Since when is mild snark verboten?
Ahasi’s response to JohnT was that he (JohnT) was trying to control what he (ahasi) could or couldn’t say (which I don’t necessarily see as being the case), and the next thing you know JC’s dropping a mod note. Not sure I see this as mod-note-worthy. What am I missing?
It’s junior modding. You’re acting just like a mod when you tell someone to dial it back. Best thing to do is report a post if you think things are getting out of hand. Let the mods sort it out, that’s their job.
ETA pipped by the authoritative voice of engineer_comp_geek.
Just because the mods use it doesn’t make it junior modding. “Dial it back” is also a casually used expression.
JohnT did not use it tell the guy what to post. That would not even make sense in context. He used it to tell the guy that his statements were over the top.
I do not understand the moderator desire to micromanage, focusing on one or two words instead of the entire context. It seems the mods want to create conflict.
Here’s the thing: The exchange wasn’t getting out of hand, so there would be nothing to report. Saying “Dial it back” in regard to potentially violating rules of the board I can see as junior modding. Saying “Dial it back” in regard to rhetoric, assumption-making, etc. is just part of the discussion as far as I’m concerned.
“Cops just want to kill black people.”
“Not even close to being true. Dial it back.”
vs.
“You’re a liar.”
“You can’t call someone a liar in here. Dial it back.”
One is in the context of the argument, the other is attempting to enforce the rules.
Then why did John T also say: “…your [sic] lumping of “white people” as one monolithic Trump voting block who want to “believe in Trumpism” is offensive…”
Emphasis added. Hence, Jonathan T’s urging that if he was offended he should have reported the post.
Looks close enough to Jr Mod’ing to me. And no warning issued, so nothing to get all worked up about.
That still comes off as junior modding to me. The first sentence voices disagreement with what was said, which is fine, but the second sentence is an instruction telling the first poster how to post. While it may not be quite as blatant as your second example, it’s still telling someone what to do.
Ah, my up’s not worked. It just seems like a mod micromanaging a debate. To me, junior modding is attempting to enforce the board’s or forum’s rules. JohnT was doing no such thing.
Mostly, I was just surprised to see a mod note for something that didn’t appear to violate or even tickle any rules.
Happy’s point in post nine should be considered even if it wouldn’t reverse your decision in this instance.
There can be language that *appears *to be similar to junior modding in certain contexts, but the meaning is different in another context.
Saying someone should dial back their rhetoric because it’s problematic, but not a forum rulebreak, could be a valid statement which is not junior modding.
All I ask is that the context be considered, so that the judgment is based on the context of what was said, not the similar phrasing and using of the words “offensive” or asking someone to “dial it back”.
Trump’s statements are often offensive to me, and he should dial it back. That’s my view, if he were a poster here. At the same time, I’m not suggesting that a moderator issue an infraction. That’s just highlighting a difference in opinion.
The wording is similar, but the context makes it different.
Maybe not in this specific case, just plz keep it in mind in the future.
Because not every offensive thing someone says is a rule violation or in-need of policing. I’m sure I’ve seen posters ask other posters to stop saying something before without mod intervention
Instead of “dial it back,” if JohnT had said “You’re wrong and I find your assumption about white voters offensive. Please stop repeating it,” would that be considered junior modding? Or just a request from one poster to another? IMO, it’s a request, and in no need of mod intervention. “Dial it back” is just a snarkier way of saying it.
As askthepizzaguy said: Context. I just don’t know why we need mod intervention (in the form of a note) over a difference of opinion, even if one poster makes a request that another poster stop saying something or using certain language.
ETA: I know it’s a minor thing to bring up, but it seems like over-modding on something that seems inconsequential, relatively common and ultimately difficult to consistently enforce. And I don’t even have anything against Jonathan Chance. Great guy, salt of the earth, tremendous fellow! Just seemed like a strange thing to moderate.
There was no “please” included. It was written as a command not a request. You had to add “please” to your hypothetical to make it sound like a request.
Sure context is important biut note that Pizzaguy said the context here was questionable so why didn’t you note that part of his post as well?
