That made me lol. Hilarious.
It’s something a mod shouldn’t say in the first place. That’s why she apologized. I think it goes without saying that if she’s realized that first, she just wouldn’t have posted it. As it was, I guess there weren’t any thread reports or complaints sent her way, so it didn’t occur to her until a few days later that the comment was out of line.
Despite the wordiness I’m not taking myself seriously. I’m trying to respond seriously to the questions people are asking (the ones that are asked with any kind of seriousness, anyway) because if you’ve moderated here for more than 10 minutes, you find out that people get really pissed off if they think you’re not taking their questions or complaints seriously.
Thank you for your response. I’m not one calling for a public dressing down but the frustration I feel is that she does this kind of thing too much and she always just hand waves it away.
Oh well, the privileges of a mod I guess. Thanks again.
Sometimes mods have trouble distinguishing between insults and criticism. The poster can state something as a reasonable criticism, but it is the mods who, when criticised, sometimes feel insulted. We can’t always know how they will see it. Sometimes things are a little obvious, however – like calling someone a f-wad or an a-hole. Any mod would surely take those as insults.
So you yourself are pretty familiar with other discussion boards?
If any poster calls someone else an asshole, would you believe that it didn’t occur to us until a few days later that the comment was out of line? Would that serve as an acceptable excuse to keep us from getting a warning – or, more likely, to have the warning we were quickly given removed?
I’m hoping that you or another administrator will caution Twickster about not repeating the original insult (offensive word included) in future apologies. I’ve seen that game played by a few high school students from time to time and they are usually the habitually malicious ones. Don’t be blind to it. It is considered an insulting apology by high schoolers and has been for as long as I can remember.
I agree that repeating it again and again is a way of thinly veiling one’s contempt. As a former high school teacher I saw this behavior myself and told them to cut it out.
Here’s another occasion she’s given a half arsed “apology” for insulting posters outside the pit.
Do you think that someone who is so tone deaf that they don’t realise that :
- asking other posters ‘what the fuck is wrong with you’
- calling other posters ‘twats’
- calling other posters ‘assholes’
outside the pit is not allowed, is an appropriate person to moderate a message board?
If she genuinely doesn’t understand that calling someone an asshole is an insult, then she shouldn’t be responsible for enforcing moderation of that rule on other people.
If she does understand that it’s an insult, then she lied in her response. Either way, she is not covering herself in glory here.
It’s time twickster is given a warning. She’s a moderator, and yet she keeps on breaking the same MPSIMS rules over and over again. She apologizes, only to repeat the mistake again. Before she’s calling other people “twats”, and asking “what the fuck is wrong with you”. A good person would not make the same mistake again, but yet she does. So it’s time she faces some consequences and gets some points on her license (get a warning). She’s a moderator. Maybe you could justify a regular old poster like me doing it, but for a moderator, that’s inexcusable!
Law firm name!
No, this is behaviour that twickster herself has warned posters for - although for less egregious breaches of the rules.
My opinion is that Twickster broke no rules in this case, didn’t actually call anyone an asshole. She said it’s not okay to act that way. Really though, if someone says, “it’s not okay to act like a jerk”, do you think that is the same as calling them a jerk?
This is yet another ridiculous pile-on thread, an excuse for trouble makers (and a busy-body or two) to lunge forward with below-the-belt pot shots.
My real disappointment in this thread is that Twickster, who has done nothing wrong in this case, is apologizing - perhaps as an attempt to compromise. I think her apology is sincere. It sure reads that way to me.
Predictably though, instead of accepting her apology, one that she did not owe in the first place - her apology has only served to provide opportunity for trouble makers (and a busy-body or two) to use as fuel for their Salem bonfires.
Just look at the pattern here in this thread! Of all the people apparently dissatisfied with this particular moderation, look at how many of those complainers are shamelessly taking the opportunity to not simply voice dissatisfaction - but break board rules with over-the-top barbeque style posts. Like a pack of hyenas seeking any chance to create a pile-on and sling their manure - blatantly breaking the “don’t be a jerk” rule with their mean spirited tripe.
Hypocrisy at its finest.
“I’m sorry… that you two are such assholes.”
ATMB is not the place for posting cretinous stupidity in witless defence of the indefensible.
I agree. So why did you post this?
There are those who would say it was a clear and sincere endorsement of your viewpoint.
Nm.
I would like to read some more eloquent descriptions of these majestic, gold-plated Conestoga wagons.
Are you honestly taking the position that she was unaware that calling someone an asshole is against the rules? That’s assuming some serious ignorance and lack of moderator ability there. I don’t think she’s that clueless about the rules.
What about when a member continues to make the same “mistake” repeatedly? Isn’t that the point of a Warning? To give them an actual consequence so they will reconsider their actions?
The same thing it accomplishes when a regular poster gets a Warning.
But what happens when a moderator fails to follow the rules? Repeatedly.
Funny, because you posted that right after saying
So which is it? Are staff issues always going to happen only in private, or is there nothing wrong with a moderator giving another moderator a reprimand in public? You seem to be contradicting yourself. Apparently it’s the end of the world if one of you gives twickster a Warning for violating the rules in MPSIMS, but it’s totally okay for her to give samclem a Warning.
Look, I’m not someone who’s been after twickster’s head. I’m even willing to grant sincerity on the apology. But it is strikingly bad form for a moderator to violate the very rules she is supposed to be enforcing and do so during the act of moderating itself. The appearance that the board administration does not care has a much worse affect on your ability to do your job moderating, because it says that moderators can break rules with impugnity. That is much more souring to the board morale than having moderators reprimand each other.
twickster should just give herself a warning. Not only will that be hilarious, but she’ll get what she deserves.