The Newly Departed thread: announcements (departures)

[Cyberman]

Retaliation is a strong charge. The most I think I've ever done is to thank the person for their opinion but then point out that it has no effect on the decision.

[Losty]

If you feel some rules are unfair or have been used to treat some people unfairly, please let us know. We'll discuss an improvement of the rule in question and Tib, should he agree (it's his site, after all), will then make the appropriate change.

This sounds good in theory, but I've noticed when somebody does criticize application of the rules, often they are threatened with retaliation for voicing their opinion.

Sounds like crazy talk to me. I criticized the application of the rules, I was met with not-so-happy responses of disagreement. I have never seen or heard of anyone being threatened by the staff for voicing an opinion. 

[Angrboda]

I'm thinking specifically of comments like the following:

I'm going to remember this the next time you make a report, or show up in one.

[SteelCurtain]

Yeah, Jorm, you're going to have to back that one up. Not saying it never happened, but I have never seen it.

[Angrboda]

Btw, I don't mean to single Stimbo out, simply to point out that heated comments seem to follow any criticism of mod behavior. It's understandable, but it tends to close down dialogue, whether the complaints are legitimate or not, rather than encourage diplomatic resolution.

[Thumpalumpacus]

IMO it’s no longer a place for theists to have healthy dialog and discussions.

Coming from you, this complaint is rich.

[Cyberman]

What about the rest of it - the 'that' to which I was referring?

If only you knew how deeply injust and ignorant your whole post was, you would be really sorry, not throwing false accusations based on ignorance and saying you are sorry on the same fucking post.

You are right of course. Some users have more benefits than others. It is only logical to have more leniancy towards older members, that is why Drich was given a vacation of just 2 weeks.

As to more liked members, how much are you willing to sacrifice in your quest for perfect justice?

That kind of reaction to criticism says more about the moderation of this forum than you could ever imagine. It's really no great surprise that someone like you can become an admin here.

The Staff have bent over backwards to be as equitable as possible in the necessary application of the Rules, so to have an attack like that on our character simply because we happened to have been chosen - for our fairness! - is quite simply pissing in our faces. You're ex-Staff; what is the worst thing one Mod or Admin can do acting unilaterally?

Decide not to act on a report.

That's it. Anything more dramatic can and will be overturned by the Staff body and the individual concerned retired.

[SteelCurtain]

I agree that heated comments tend to come from questioning mods, but only when a person accuses mods of something.

A good example of how it goes when approached civilly is your comment in the Peanut Gallery, asking why the "Announcement" thread got closed, and it resulted in a conversation, and re-opening the thread.

If a member accuses a mod of impropriety rather than asking a question, I would think it should be acceptable for the Admin/Mod to defend his/herself.

[Angrboda]

What about the rest of it - the 'that' to which I was referring?

[example omitted]

The Staff have bent over backwards to be as equitable as possible in the necessary application of the Rules, so to have an attack like that on our character simply because we happened to have been chosen - for our fairness! - is quite simply pissing in our faces. You're ex-Staff; what is the worst thing one Mod or Admin can do acting unilaterally?

Decide not to act on a report.

That's it. Anything more dramatic can and will be overturned by the Staff body and the individual concerned retired.

I'm not arguing whether the criticisms are fair or not. That's not the point. The question is how mods should respond to such criticisms and complaints. You and I know that mods don't have that much freedom. But such responses are clearly meant to intimidate, regardless of that. Your response to the above seems to suggest that you think it's okay policy for mods to respond to criticism in such way. Are you suggesting this?

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If a member accuses a mod of impropriety rather than asking a question, I would think it should be acceptable for the Admin/Mod to defend his/herself.

Such defenses inevitably tangle with the question of mod power when they occur, so I think it is poorly reflective of the forum as a whole when mods choose to get their hands in the dirt this way. I had always admired Stimbo for the cool and dispassionate way that he responds to asinine comments. I personally would think that is a better way to respond than an angry defense. If the mod were defending themselves as a person and not a mod, the question of its reflection on the forum wouldn't come up.

Anyway, I suppose this is just a difference of opinion as to how a mod 'should' respond to criticisms. I didn't mean to open a big furball.

[Cyberman]

In the example given, my response - which in hindsight could have been better worded - reflected the accusations of lousy forum moderation. It's like two children, one of whom has a bag of sweets which he refuses to share; to which the other replies, "I'll remember that when I've got sweets."

No, I'm not suggesting it as policy; any changes on that level would warrant a forumwide announcement anyway. So aside from one regrettable incident, which I admit was worded poorly, are there any examples of Staff intimidation?