Why not just report DrDeth’s post?
No. But you *were *qualifying the ongoing discussions about the word “cunt” as “manufactured drama.” To me, “manufactured drama” means “I don’t have to take your complaints seriously, because I don’t think you actually care, but that you’re just finding reasons to complain.” Except that the only reasoning you seem to have is that you don’t agree with the people who take issue with the restrictions.
That’s my problem, Una. You’re taking a *legitimate discussion *and hand-waving it away as so much intentional shit-stirring instead of addressing it.
If there’s something else you meant by “manufactured drama,” I’d like to hear your explanation.
If you don’t think that every single person on this board has a vested interest in the people moderating it being aware of the actual rules, you’re wrong. Any time a mod takes an official action that is in conflict with an established rule, it is absolutely essential to establish exactly one of two mutually exclusive things, publicly and explicitly:
1.) The mod was mistaken, the rule stands, the mod retracts their action, and the mod states their new understanding of how things are supposed to work.
2.) The mod was correct, the rule has been modified, and the mod explains the new rule or modification to the old rule, and adjusts the stickied thread(s) accordingly.
That’s not what it means to me. It means it’s unnecessary, but not necessarily illegitimate. People can be upset over legitimate things, but it’s a shame that it can’t be prevented.
I said in my detailed explanation that everything, including removing the restrictions, ought to be looked at.
It’s not necessarily intentional, but it is unnecessary, unproductive, and just plain useless. Whatever the root cause. I’m saying that if there is a continued problem here, then we need to see if there is a better way to meet the goals of cleaning up the board while also reducing ambiguity and drama. So Moderators have less work and stress, and Members don’t worry so much about getting in trouble over the rule.
Una, (can I call you Una?), you want solutions and it just so happens that I am a “solutions” type person.
I know we’ve got some posters that are good with Greasemonkey, so maybe one of them could whip up something that replaces all TOMNDEBB posts in ATMB with:
“Sorry folks! My bad. It’s clear I need a refresher course on the SDMB rules and I sincerely apologize for any and all consternation created as a result of my actions. If you happen to run into me on the street, please please give me a swift kick in the ass and I will forever be in your debt. Thanks for listening!”
I think this would reduce the ATMB thread length without requiring Tomndebb to alter his/her posting style.
Intentional shit-stirring for the win!!!
I don’t. Every time I see a statement like this (and this poster is not the only one to make such statements), I think "boy, some people take posting on message boards far too seriously. Too many people watch too many court procedurals and want to be the next Matlock. IMNSHO, ‘Don’t be a jerk’ is enough of a rule, and if you have to ask is something is being jerkish, the answer is ‘yes, it is’.
Well, more men aspire to gain entry to it than to Heaven! 
I kinda perfer the ambiguity in the language rules. To those who seems to find it extremely important to their ability to communicate, the occasional mistaken warning dosen’t hold up. They get to express their righteous indignation, and I don’t have to wade through as much vulgarity. It’s a win-win.
Say the sacred word and win [del]a hundred dollars[/del] entry du choix.
You might have a point if you could demonstrate that vulgarity (as opposed to certain direct insults) has actually decreased. None of the words themselves are banned, only their use in certain, limited ways.
Nonsense and drivel. From the OP:
Oakminster said:
[Lightly truncated for relevant content.]
The rule presented by tomndebb is that it is not allowed to call anyone a cunt on this board. That is a very different interpretation than the OP understood. Ergo, he asked for clarification, “I thought we could call off-board people cunts, just not other board members?” That’s a pretty simple question.
Tomndebb’s answer didn’t address it at all.
tomndebb said:
Pit language? Since when is cunt limited to the Pit? Yes, there is a Pit rule about not calling other board members that word (I really don’t need to keep saying cunt), but that is because the Pit is where we reserve hostile behavior toward other board members. The Pit Rule is to eliminate the use of a particular set/class of hostile words against other board members, which is why it is a Pit rule - that’s the only forum where it is legal to be hostile to other board members. But there is no rule anywhere that says “cunt” is limited to the Pit, or that you can’t call someone off board that word anywhere else.
Look at the previous incident with twickster - she was moderating a Cafe Society thread and Ed upheld that she overstepped her bounds and the use was acceptable there. If it was acceptable in Cafe Society, then there’s nothing to limit it from GD.
If you’re unable to read a straighforward question, that seems like a personal failing.
Yes he did, which was appreciated, but he did so in a way to leave the situation less clear.
I won’t argue there are folks who want to mod-bait and stir up trouble, but there is a legitimate source of complaint here in that Tom is not answering the question asked, and his motivations listed do not agree with the rules as understood by the board members. Ergo, the continued request for clarification.
His response in post 97 was the clarification desired.
Shot From Guns, you have interpreted Una Persson’s comments as dismissing the issue, but I don’t think that was what she intended. Rather, she is tired of the board repeating the same complaints, and would like to see a resolution to the issue. Notice she included the option of getting rid of the rule.
I apologize - that’s a bit harsh. I should have said: “You seem to be the one who can’t understand a straightforward question.”
My entire objection here mainly hinges around the word “manufactured.” I don’t see any way it can be taken other than “made up,” i.e., illegitimate. Because I, too, am tired of this fucking debate. I am *also *tired of the moderators being *less *aware of the very simple rules of this board than the people they are supposed to be moderating.
So, if you’re annoyed about the whole “cunt” thing, too, does that mean that *you’re *engaging in “manufactured drama”?
There is no ambiguity. The rule is very clear: do not call anyone *who is a member of this board *a cunt, directly or indirectly. The *only *problem is with moderators who don’t know the rules they are supposed to enforce. The only “drama” happens when a moderator screws up on one of these clearly stated rules and then tries to weasel out of it when someone points it out, instead of saying, “Whoops, I screwed up, sorry, I’ll print myself off a copy of the rules and keep it by my desk to refer to so it won’t happen again.”
You know what’s being a jerk? Mocking people who’re trying to help ensure that the board’s rules are enforced consistently and fairly.
My objection was specifically to the phrase “**manufactured **drama,” emphasis added. Drama in and of itself has a negative enough connotation (“making a big deal out of nothing”), but there can be no purpose to “manufactured” other than to dismiss legitimacy and imply disingenuity.
A concern can be legitimate, but there can still be manufactured drama(note the italicized section). Someone has an issue they are concerned about, then others who were not originally involved smell blood and start their snark contest. Thus we have a real problem that has been polluted by manufactured drama.
The question remains: how do you determine what’s a legitimate concern and what’s “manufactured drama”? When two posters have identical complaints, how do you decide which one you’re going to give credibility to in that scenario? The one you like better personally?
I hope you took a few seconds out of over-analyzing public message board strictures to report the post then.
I’m sorry, did you have anything to contribute to the discussion? Or were you simply here to hurt snark at other members of the community?