Forum - View topicDouble standards
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Skylark
Posts: 827 Location: ORE NO TSHIRT |
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I've seen this for a little while now and I've shut up about it, but sometimes the moderating on these boards really _really_ annoys me. In this thread Zopelthe543 wrote a post that started admittedly with some rather harsh comments towards Tony K but then continued on to write on topic material after he'd put his two cents in. I don't have a problem with the fact that the off-topic portion was removed; I don't have an exact quote but it was something along the lines of "Whoa there get off your high horse buddy, so we're 'allowed' to reply just because you give the go ahead blah blah".
Now this was edited out with this exact comment:
Whereby the "off topic" content was removed from his post and a direction to post here if he had a problem (which he hasn't done). Anyways basically my problem with this is that the post he had responded to went like this:
In his own post the moderator has said "No listing, please. And yes, give a good opinion." I haven't chopped any post, that 3 sentence paragraph is it. We all know the forum rules; if someone broke them (say by posting a list post or a single-line-not-very-productive comment) I could understand someone stepping in; but ...? You mentioned that the first post wasn't grammatically happy, sure, but it's the guy's first and only post, and was followed by a well structured response before you put your two cents in. And your two cents had _nothing_ to do with the original topic of discussion, nothing to add to it whatsoever. This isn't the first time I've seen an "I will allow it for I have a big shiny moderator badge" type post and though I can't cite any specific examples, it just annoys me. Don't tell other people to stick to the topic in a post where you've broken that exact rule yourself. You can say to me "Well, we are volunteers" or whatever and I appreciate (for the most part) the work you guys do to keep this fora one of the most intellectually engaging and worthwhile sites to visit on the net for me; but honestly sometimes I see posts that border (or jump the border to) elitism and I just don't think it's fair that what applies to the regular user doesn't also apply to the keepers of the keys. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber
Moderator Posts: 11452 Location: Frisco, TX |
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The thread was reported for bad grammar and a weak opener by another user. I put my "two cents" in to let that and other users know that I wouldn't lock the thread, despite a complaint or two. But if you don't want double standards, even on newbs, then to hell with everyone for all I care.
I can't make everyone happy, and yet people still bitch and whine when I try to show lenience. Voluntary work isn't an excuse, that's just the way it is, and if my mood happens to be better or worse that day, live with it. I'm not a [expletive] machine. |
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sk1199
Posts: 162 |
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I would have had no problem with you locking the thread with your first post. However to allow the discussion to continue and the posters abide by your rules (and the boards rules) and then close the thread based on the opening post later seems a bit much. Unless you are saying that all of the threads are open purely at the whim of the moderators it seems to me that you are being too arbitrary in your use of your power.
You stated in your first post that the grammar was bad but you were giving it a pass. Then after a number of posts you decide that the grammar became so bad that the thread couldn't go on. This happened even though the opening post was not changed between your posts. What changed so much that the opening post, once deemed by you as passable, that it became unacceptable? |
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dtm42
Posts: 14084 Location: currently stalking my waifu |
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I too thought that was odd. I mean, I would have had absolutely no problem with the thread being locked on the basis of the first post alone. But then to allow it to stay open only to come back and lock it later is confusing.
I realise that Moderators are allowed to change their minds, and they should be encouraged to do so if they think they've made a mistake. But given the length of time between both of Tony K.'s posts (i.e. thirty-eight hours give or take), he comes across as looking indecisive or bowing to pressure. I say indecisive because if it was a decision done when he was drunk or something (not insinuating anything) then it wouldn't take that long to fix it. Now, if it is bowing to pressure from Admin then that's fine, although without an explanation it still confuses us. But if it is bowing to pressure from some random user, or it is a case of indecisiveness, then I would be surprised. I would have thought a Moderator who is as experienced as Tony K. would not be so indecisive or let people second-guessing him affect his judgement. |
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Skylark
Posts: 827 Location: ORE NO TSHIRT |
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I only used that thread as a recent example but if you want to see it as a personal attack on you then go ahead; I certainly didn't intend for you to lock the thread (considering that I even pointed out that the topic had moved onto an interesting discussion on the topic) - and I really hope you didn't go and lock it out of spite just because I brought this up. I wasn't attacking your leniency, just your extraneous post (I have no idea whether or not someone had reported a post or not).. I didn't think the original post was so bad (for a complete newb, in any case) to warrant any kind of action other than maybe a pm directing him to posting rules. Bah, basically this thread, though citing that particular topic directly, is aimed at this kind of thing in general, not specifically targeted at you. And machine or not, you're given access privileges on the basis that you won't abuse them. The way you turned literally 5 mins after replying to this thread and locked the other one .. well I'm allowed to not like it. It's not like I'm asking you guys to change the system, since it's the very same system that makes this forum a cut above the rest; I just get sick of seeing the elitism. Congratulations though, having closed the thread you've made me well regret posting this whole thing at all, and sticking my neck out. I think I need another break from people. |
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abunai
Old Regular
Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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As I see it, Tony locked it because you had kvetched about a double standard. Since the "double standard" consisted of leniency on Tony's part in letting the thread stay open in the first place, I should think you'd be happy to see Tony apply normal, non-lenient standards. Or is it only a "double standard" when it displeases you?
When a mod posts in a thread, citing his reasons for leaving it open instead of applying standards and locking it, it is by definition not an "extraneous post".
Yup. You may go sulk in the corner all you want. It's a free world.
Ahahah... you want it to be a "cut above the rest" but dislike "elitism"... tell me, did you even look at what you had written before pressing "submit"?
Oh now, don't be like that. Come and give us all a nice big group hug and tell us all about your horrible childhood years. We can be best friends forever, and you can call me Sir. - abunai |
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Tony K.
Subscriber
Moderator Posts: 11452 Location: Frisco, TX |
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To those questioning my judgment:
I was in a good mood at the time of reading that thread, initially. I did leave it open on a whim because the concept of the thread seemed like something people here could and did discuss often. I also didn't wanna' seem like a complete newbie-buster, so I tried cutting the kid some slack. People used to say I was a nice, good-spirited mod that gave lots of fair chances, even to the least-deserving of users. I'm not sure what happened, but I eventually got tired of it and started being more jerkish as the years passed, so I'm a little between "good cop" and "bad cop" (though, I think I'm personally leaning towards the latter right now). I locked that thread because I took this topic as a wake up call. I really don't need to be nice to any of you for any reason at all, do I? Rules are rules, right? fudge establishing any kind of comradery and closing the gap between my elitism and the rest of you. If you one-line or list, I'll delete your post. If you troll and start a fire, I'll delete everyone's posts involved, and make you all feel like you just wasted your efforts. It's all for the preservation of Teh Rules.. isn't it? Also, I didn't "contribute" to the thread because I've been around long enough to realize this is just another variation of the other dozens of topics implying "what anime do you wish would continue/get a remake/had a bad ending?" It's just wishful thinking. I see no point in repeating myself and continually piling on the high hopes of more Berserk or a remake of Rurouni Kenshin's Jinchuu arc that I clearly stated 20+ times in the 6 years I've been here. Again, I was trying to be nice, not just for the sake of new guy, but anyone else that actually gets a kick from voicing their opinion about this particular topic. A lotta' good that did... |
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Cloe
Moderator
Posts: 2728 Location: Los Angeles, CA |
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I do want to hear what you guys have to say, so please don't regret starting this topic. Please understand that most moderation is a result of reports submitted by users, so when moderators do their job, what appear to be one-liner posts (such the post you cited by Tony) are actually responses to user-submitted reports, with that mod's reasons for keeping a thread open or closed. Enforcing the forum rules doesn't always fall in line with staying on the thread topic, unfortunately, so it sometimes seems like a double standard. And you'd be surprised by the sheer number of people who blatantly *don't* know the forum rules, so getting reports about the same type of lazy posting again and again can make some of us testy. Mods enforcing the rules are not trying to show off their shiny badges; 90% of the time we are responding to a complaint. The "I will allow it" posts are something that is not going to change, whether you like them or not. The response to this thread, on the other hand... I do think it's been a bit on the rude side, personally. Sorry about that. |
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Skylark
Posts: 827 Location: ORE NO TSHIRT |
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Hence my regret at saying anything - I should have known my words would be twisted to mean that. I didn't have the problem with the double standards in order to let a guy with one post say his piece (even if it is a perhaps over-done topic, and even if he hasn't bothered to read the forum rules). That's right, I just said that I didn't mind leniency in the case of someone who doesn't know the rules yet. Go on, smash me for it, because I am contradicting myself. You're telling me that experienced moderators should be allowed to break rules because complete newbs are _sometimes_ allowed to get let off with a warning? Also, maybe you could try reading the part of my post where I stated that I was only citing a recent example of something I've seen a lot more often than once.
You got me there. Of course we should wait for permission before sending our opinions out over the internet, especially when the initial post has unforgivably er.. forgotten a full stop. Your attitude of "a mod can do what he wants to do when he wants to do it because he's a mod and you're not" is exactly the kind of thing I detest.. It's not a problem most of the time because you make the decisions based on rules that we've accepted, but other times... Well, your whole post is a testament to what I'm talking about. Crap on the little guy, make anyone who speaks out about the methods sound like an idiot. You live in a democratic society, yeah? I've seen you do this to other people too, undermine their intelligence; find the most insulting way to treat them without specifically breaking the rules. Alienate them and they leave. You could have tried to be less of a jerk when you were replying, but you didn't, because you don't have to, because you're a mod.
See above
After all this time I guess you know how to push all the right buttons to provoke a response out of someone. Having the community as a whole being better behaved, and having more intelligent and meaningful conversation makes this forum more appealing to me than to other forums. It's pretty obvious that that is what I meant by my "cut above the rest" statement, no doubt you'll find a way to twist that meaning to your own ends. Sure, I guess you could say it's elitist of me to come to this site and not the thousands of other anime-devoted sites out there. Did you even look at what _you'd_ written before you press submit? Could you come up with something more snobbish to say?
.. Apparently you can. You know I respected you, with your handle of the Japanese language, knowledge of their history etc. But in the end you're just a jerk. My first post wasn't aggressive and it didn't warrant the bashing I'm now receiving. EDIT
Yeah, I didn't realise upon originally posting that it was a reaction to a report. Thanks at least for an honest, unemotional response. My problem perhaps wasn't so much with the post itself, but the way in which that thread was handled and I guess the attitude of some moderators. I perhaps did overreact though - Tony K, if you look at that post for face value imagining that no one had reported the first post, maybe you can see what I'm saying? (And why the other user who's post was edited, reacted the way he did). |
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abunai
Old Regular
Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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Unfortunately, the forum software is set up to censor the kind of words that I'd like to use here, so I'll just say that that is unmitigated claptrap. Nowhere in what I posted did I suggest or even hint that "a mod can do whatever he wants". What I said was that a moderator making a post dealing with the content of a thread is never posting extraneously. You will not twist my words to say whatever you want them to say. I will not allow you to. As for the rest of your poor-me-I'm-the-little-guy-so-dreadfully-wronged schtick, you can take it and put it somewhere indelicate.
Amazing how that is often the preamble to a nasty little gush of vituperation.... - abunai |
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Skylark
Posts: 827 Location: ORE NO TSHIRT |
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Virtually your entire last post was vituperation.. When you "volunteer" for moderation, you're also accepted for it. Not everyone gets to be a moderator, and you accepted the good with the bad when you accepted to take on the moderator status. Sure, tell me to stick it. It reflects really well on your character. You didn't "say" that a moderator can do whatever they want, it was your _attitude_ I referred to. Look at the way you're treating me, all because I pointed out something I disliked with reference to moderating here. I'm sure you'd like to sling more insults my way, so how about you do it via pm since Cloe has given me a mature response to the issue. If you're going to throw mud at me, might as well do it somewhere where your peers don't have to be ashamed of your behaviour. From your initial post all you've done is insult me, and if anything YOU pushed me into the little guy archetype, because you're the big guy with all the power. I can assure you that if I said some of the things you said to me to another user, or treated them that way, I would have had my ass kicked for it. |
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Tony K.
Subscriber
Moderator Posts: 11452 Location: Frisco, TX |
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I understand. No hard feelings. My (second) reaction was more of a playful rant than declaration of assholery. But I do see your point for the double standard dilemma, and hence have been subtly reminded to use better judgment on such posts in the future. Thanks. |
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abunai
Old Regular
Posts: 5463 Location: 露命 |
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Accepting moderator status doesn't mean we have to put up with anything you care to throw at us. And that includes your snide insinuations that any use of our powers constitutes a de facto abuse. This offended tone comes easy to you, but it boils down to you not wanting to debate fairly. Whenever it is pointed out that you are wrong, you start whining about how we should pity you because you're facing the oh-so-powerful moderators... while at the same time neatly sidestepping any effort to address the actual subject.
No, it doesn't. It reflects extremely poorly on your character, since (despite your insinuations) it is rare for me to use such blunt language.
Sidestep, sidestep. When I call you out on something you said, you claim to be misunderstood.
I'm treating you far better than you deserve. You haven't "pointed out something I dislike", you have indulged in continuous insinuations about the character of myself, Tony, and the entire moderation staff.
No. You want to debate me, you do it in the open, where everybody can see.
You are an expert on my peers' attitude towards me? If they have any problems with my behaviour, they will tell me. They don't need the likes of you to speak for them -- and you do not get to invoke them as yet another attempt to sidestep actual debate.
I see... you're arguing that I forced you to insult Tony, before ever entering into this discussion? That I provoked you into adopting this whining barracks-room lawyer pose and that I made you behave like an insufferable twit? How terrible of me. I must really be a bad, bad person. And how brave of you to stand up to me. Why, with all this power that you say I have, I might... why, I might say something to you. And then where would be?
Possibly true, but we awful double-standard moderators would probably look at the other user's preceding posts to see how this had come about. And then we'd kick his arse instead, for being a nasty little troll. - abunai |
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Skylark
Posts: 827 Location: ORE NO TSHIRT |
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I wouldn't have a problem with that if there was any semblance of a debate here. You obviously have developed some kind of vendetta against me because I spoke out about something that I didn't see as being fair; I even admitted that I initially overreacted and that I didn't realise it was in response to a report - and Tony K has since looked at it from my perspective, as I've tried to see it from his (in that he was responding to a report, in which case his post makes a lot more sense). But despite this you can't help but have another crack at the egg, and throw another blind punch under the pretense of a "debate".
"Any" use of our powers? No, I was specifically stating that there are times when moderator posts contradict the very rules they are given their powers to uphold. Since I'm so boldly sidestepping the point at which you pointed out that I was wrong, maybe you'd like to give me a rehash; since rather than actually comment on the original content of my post, and that which it is targeted at (note: NOT a personal attack on Tony but a general statement on moderating in general on this forum, although you have managed to accuse me of the former as well) you'd much rather try to pick away at me until I snap, and stab me with your veiled and not-so-veiled insults.
Yet again desperately trying to get me to contradict myself; what is your problem? If you didn't agree with what I said initially and wanted to "debate", maybe you should have just said what you disagree with and left it; instead you've taken it upon yourself to go on this crusade. If you don't agree with me then don't agree with me. You won't be happy until you've (at least in your mind) made me bow down to you, and say you were right? Pfft, that just reinforces my original point. If not that, then what else is that you could _possibly_ be after by dragging this out?
It's called _criticism_. Something which you obviously don't take very well. You aren't doing your character any favours by entering this thread only to batter me.
Again, what debate? This has degenerated into a stupid flame war, because this is no longer related to the original issue but just some vendetta you've developed for me over the past 24 hours. I'm not going to speak for your peers, nor can I. But maybe you should read what the other moderators have said in this thread, go take a cold shower and drop it.
As I've said now several times, the first post was using that thread as a current example, and only an example; in no way was it a personal insult towards Tony, but a complaint about what has transpired to be just common practice in administration here. You have provoked me into defending my own credibility as a member of this community by continuing to insult my intelligence. Am I merely insufferable to you because I disagree with you?
...
So my initial query, though seriously responded to by other moderators, was just trolling? I'm sorry, but this came about because YOU chose to pipe up and lob insults at me. Who is the troll here? I didn't start this thread by telling another member sarcastically that we can all have a group hug and to tell me about his broken childhood. "Did you even look at what you had written before pressing 'submit'?" Now what is it I'm sidestepping? Enough of this. You raise an argument about the validity of my initial claim, and I will answer it. If you haven't got anything to add that hasn't already been given closure with Tony K's last reply, then don't bother writing it. I offered to take this to PM because in no way does any of this have anything to do with topic. You've done nothing but slander me since you first posted in this thread and I'm sick of it. |
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Tempest
I Run this place.
ANN Publisher Posts: 10468 Location: Do not message me for support. |
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I allow the mods to use their judgment when and how to enforce the rules. This isn't a courthouse where the letter of the law is important, this is a community where the spirit of the law is important.
If the mods feel that a post/thread that breaks the letter of "teh rules" is nonetheless a good post/thread, then they are (highly) encouraged not to apply drastic measures such as deleting or locking. And in order to address any concerns others may have, they are encouraged to make this decision transparent by leaving a short note, either as a post of its own, or an addendum to the original post. On the other hand, I am also perfectly fine with them deleting or locking discussions that don't explicitly break any of our written rules, but go contrary to the general spirit of those rules and are of no value, or perhaps negative value, to these forums. I do not consider this a double standard, and I feel it would be foolish to change the moderators behavior in order to enforce "teh rules" at the expense of the quality of this forum. When I have a few minutes I will update the preamble of "teh rules" to better reflect the importance of their intent as opposed to their... formality. Additionally, I would like to remind people that the moderators are volunteers who do what they do for the benefit of the community. They are not professional law enforcement officers, and as such, they should be treated with gratitude, not contempt. One should not be surprised when they react defensively when they are criticized for what is essentially an act of charity on their part. Show a little courtesy and gratitude while offering constructive criticism. -t |
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