# Telling someone to "Dial it back" is against the rules? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [August 6, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945 "2016-08-06T15:12:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/1 "2016-08-06T15:12:03Z")
In [this thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=19534487#post19534487), Jonathan Chance tells JohnT that [he doesn’t have the right to tell a poster to “dial it back.”](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19534487&postcount=426) Really? How is this different from saying “You’re wrong” or “Settle down,” which I don’t think is against the rules. FYI, this was the exchange that warranted the comment from JC: > [@ahasi](#): > > He doesn’t have to be reasonable; he just has to convince enough people that he can be. People (almost exclusively white) want to believe in the myth that is Trumpism. They will keep believing in it until they are confronted with something that makes them question or doubt it – but questions and doubts can be reversed if people want to believe in the myth so badly. And there is pretty clear evidence that they do. > > Hillary Clinton is the ‘real’ candidate. People know how she will govern. Even the more optimistic among us probably doubt she will have a noticeably positive impact on our state of politics in the next four years. > > Trump, on the other hand, represents our imagination. He represents what we want to believe, that a superman can come out of nowhere and fix our broken system. He is the adult Santa Claus but with a bit of an attitude problem. They want to believe that those factories, steel mills, and textile factories are gonna come back and magically create opportunity for lower-income whites currently strung out on meth or stuck in some dead end job at 7-11. People want to believe that Trump is gonna once and for all stop Indians, Chinese, and Russians from taking IT jobs from guys who graduated with mediocre grades at Online State U. > > Trump is not going away because people want to keep believing. It’s just that he occasionally says shit that is so utterly offensive and outrageous that the truth occasionally – only occasionally – slaps them in the face and makes them ask “Is this just a dream?” But he’ll calm down and they’ll go back to sleep and keep dreaming. > [@JohnT](#): > > Sorry that you tend to look at the negative side of things, but I gotta tell you: your lumping of “white people” as one monolithic Trump voting block who want to “believe in Trumpism” is offensive. Dial it back. > [@ahasi](#): > > I’m sorry you find it offensive, but it pretty much squares with the facts. Trump is the product of white nationalism – this has been well-documented. But you’re offended? _You’re_ offended?! by the existence of Trump’s campaign. LOL. > > I’m not saying that all whites want to vote for Trump, but I’m surprised that this even needs to be said. > > I say this as someone who’s pretty pasty white if it makes any difference. > [@JohnT](#): > > I’m not arguing that Trump’s supporters arent largely white people. I’m merely pointing out that, even among white people, his support is a mere fraction of the populace. > > [x.com](https://twitter.com/KeithOlbermann/s...64920884531205) > > Check out the chart linked by KO above. Trump is NOT getting 63% of the white vote in PA, a swing state and one that is (to me, at least) bizarrely racist… yet it is white support that is going to put him over the edge? > > The data does not prove your assertion that white people are going to vote for DJT in droves because we want to believe in some “myth”. So, again, dial it back. 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? ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/2 "2016-08-06T15:18:05Z")
Actually, saying “dial it back” does come off as junior modding. It’s telling someone what they can or can’t post. I’ve used the phrase “dial it back” fairly often in mod notes. ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/3 "2016-08-06T15:19:31Z")
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**. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/4 "2016-08-06T15:20:46Z")
So would saying “Quit painting with such a broad brush” be okay? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/5 "2016-08-06T15:41:56Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > So would saying “Quit painting with such a broad brush” be okay? I’d dial that back a bit. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/6 "2016-08-06T16:00:26Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/7 "2016-08-06T16:01:40Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’d dial that back a bit. 😉 When I dial it back, I take it down to 10. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/8 "2016-08-06T16:29:35Z")
My 2 cents: It crosses the line into Jr. Modding when one tells someone else what to do. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/9 "2016-08-06T16:47:32Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > 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**. 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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/10 "2016-08-06T18:13:03Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Here’s the thing: The exchange wasn’t getting out of hand… 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. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/11 "2016-08-06T18:21:31Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > “Cops just want to kill black people.” > > “Not even close to being true. Dial it back.” 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. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/12 "2016-08-06T18:26:11Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/13 "2016-08-06T18:30:58Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > 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. _Your post is offensive. Dial it back._ How can that not be Jr Mod’ing??? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/14 "2016-08-06T18:33:12Z")
It looks just like junior modding to me ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/15 "2016-08-06T18:41:26Z")
That was my take on it. He provided guidance that asahi’s post was unacceptable in the forum. That’s junior modding in a nutshell. Still, I didn’t think it was that worrisome so a note seemed due but nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/16 "2016-08-06T18:41:39Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > 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. I don’t think you’re a good judge of what qualifies as junior modding. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/17 "2016-08-06T18:57:35Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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…” :smack: I take back the [sic]. “Your” is correct. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/18 "2016-08-06T19:16:44Z")
It looks like there can be a grey area here. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/19 "2016-08-06T20:00:29Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2016, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945/20 "2016-08-06T20:21:24Z")
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? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/telling-someone-to-dial-it-back-is-against-the-rules/761945.md?page=2)