Bullies, Nazis and The Ban Card

[Sierra]

A couple of really excellent posts by Stern and FuckingRotter got me to thinking - always a dangerous thing.

There has been much discussion here lately about the actions and inactions of the moderators. I myself have disagreed with some actions taken, and fumed at inaction so I do understand. As an admin on four boards I also understand how frustrating and isolating it can be to try to keep some kind of order. It is particularly frustrating on RB because these six people are given the responsibility of running a large board without any authority or tools. Let me give you a couple of examples. I am an admin on KO. If we get a spammer, every mod on the board has the ability to not only delete the posts but to ban the IP of the spammer. For the slimedog to keep posting, it has to obtain a different IP and email address, all of which takes time. On RB, the spammer just has to make another username and keep spamming, which takes mere minutes. A more positive example is user requests. If a member or group of members wants to start a project (recent examples include an "extreme" story section, member albums, and a few other fun things), I can make that happen. If it works that's great. It not, we take it down and move on. None of this is possible on RB.

Can you imagine how frustrating it is to try to keep order and make things fun with no tools? It's like trying to dig a hole in loose sand. With a spoon.

Anyone with an RB membership can see that RB is going through a contentious period right now. This has happened before and will happen again, but there seems to be a rather disturbing trend here - the seeming kneejerk reaction to claim bullying, Nazi tactics, and to challenge the mods to ban the poster him/herself. I did a search on the word "bully" and got 184 hits. Even if you discount a third of these as jokes, repeats and other irrelevancies to this discussion, you get almost a hundred instances where a mod was called a bully. Similarly, a review of the past few months (since the moderator discretion rule was added) revealed 27 calls by a poster for the mods to "go ahead and ban me."

Are we all children?

Godwin's Law states "As an online discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches [certainty] .”
The Rapeboard Corollary to Godwin's Law states "Any public argument involving a moderator will eventually include a charge of bullying."
And, of course, the ever-popular Whiner's Addendum: "If you know you are wrong but don't have the guts to admit it, call on the mod(s) to ban you."

The members of RB should take equal responsibility for reversing this trend. Most of the above tactics are just drama anyway. So I propose the following:

1. Anyone who accuses the mods of Nazi tactics, fascism or invokes "freedom of speech" loses the argument by default. We should simply post "You lose!" after each incident. You'd be surprised how quickly it stops.

2. Anyone who accuses a mod publicly of bullying should be slapped by the members. While geography (not to mention local law) dictates that we can't physically slap them, a snarky post will suffice. (As an aside, I realize that real internet bullying does take place and is NOT a joke. If you really do consider a moderator or member's actions to be bullying, a PM to another mod is the correct vehicle for complaint.)

3. Anyone who calls on the mods to "go ahead and ban me" should get their wish. I propose a week's automatic ban.

Comment?

[FuckingRotter]

Yeah, when's the jello filled pool arriving?

[Sierra]

Originally Posted by FuckingRotter

Yeah, when's the jello filled pool arriving?

LOL - Right. Nice to know I'm taken seriously.

[Crotch_Ripper]

Originally Posted by Sierra

LOL - Right. Nice to know I'm taken seriously.

Im still picturing the black fishnets you mentioned months ago

[z0di4c]

Well I want to quote myself here (mainly because you'll be considered an intelligent man if you quote intelligent posts )

Basically I think there is too much freedom for negativity on this board to start with. Plus it would help if we stop taking things so damn serious on a board like this. Anyway my thoughts:

Originally Posted by z0di4c

Anyway what strikes me the most of my month of absence is the fighting, bitching and whining around the board. Isn't it easier to uphold a few simple rules. I know people need to cry out there frustrations every now and then, and the Rowdy room is perfect for it. But even the Rowdy room has turned into a kindergarten.

Now my suggestion.

1- Complaints, whining and bitching in the rowdy room only. When found anywhere else on the board that specific post/thread will be deleted (not moved)

2- Only reply to a post in Rowdy room if it's adressed to you. To prevent all the teaming up against each other and other bull crap that is happening now and finds it's way all over other threads that has nothing to do with it

3- After a week just close the thread and let it die (unless there is still a heated debate between the members in there (if you keep all other members out you'll see a rowdy thread dies much sooner)

Anyway this would be my suggestion. Rule 1 keeps the board free from unwanted posts as much as possible, Rule 2 keeps it short and others are not able to put more oil on a heated discussion and the third rule helps us forget the fights much sooner and easier.


Oh and most important... This is a fun board intended to have fun amongst internet friends. So people, just be a little nicer to one and other. Less stress and more fun increase your lifeline

I have to say that it's been hard for me to post, since I got back, without getting caught up in a fight or being misunderstood or considered starting one. That says something about the current priorities and feelings around this board. A bloody shame if I may say so.

[trina-crys]

There is just way too much fighting here. Me being a newer member(outside the vid section anyways) most of it I don't understand. I end up thinking what are they on about now?

I really don't understand how discussions about how to make the board better end up in all out fights.

I mod a few boards myself so I know how that goes. People will always think they can do a better job modding then the existing mods. When you actually mod you realize you will never ever please everyone so you will always make enemies.

Why don't the mods have any tools here? Is it the board type? Does it not let you ban by IP?

[RapeU]

Good idea, I especially liked the "you lose" idea. I'll help implement that one

[MARADONA]

Originally Posted by trina-crys

There is just way too much fighting here. Me being a newer member(outside the vid section anyways) most of it I don't understand. I end up thinking what are they on about now?

I really don't understand how discussions about how to make the board better end up in all out fights.

I mod a few boards myself so I know how that goes. People will always think they can do a better job modding then the existing mods. When you actually mod you realize you will never ever please everyone so you will always make enemies.

Why don't the mods have any tools here? Is it the board type? Does it not let you ban by IP?

You don't understand because you are still sorta new...
trust me if you take you times you will get by yourself why we fight so frequently...

Btw...i do not think that is right to generalize...saying that "anyone" who do this will get banned or else...
mods are here for good...but they must understand that if they wants to do this work they must take some critics too...
otherwise it will be like the third reich...sorry but it's the truth...we are all humans here...no one is perfect...
so to me even a mod could made a mistake and been criticated for good...even by me or you! I'm talking to you Sierra!
For me every situation is different...but yeah in general we should applicate some new rules...
specially when a noob or a troll starts with the bad foot...we should be very harder...so the next ones will not act cheap again.
If i was a mod...i will ban a lot of people...i'm honest...this is what i would do...but this is not because i'm crazy...
it's just that i'm tired to see the same crap everyday...and i will like to make a strong changement.
With this i'm not saying that the mods doens't deserve to be protected...i just think that we should protect our users before...
too many people here is exposed to bad posts...with spam and malawares of everykind...and that's not good...
if you think to the old times...when almost everyone posted his previews on Fapomatic...and look now...beh it's sad...

[BTN]

I've always subscribed to the slightly polictically incorrect but highly accruate peice of advice I read once.

"arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still a retard"

Lifes too short to even react to the spammers and flamers of the world. All they want is a reaction just like the school yard bullies they accuse the mods of being. If they don't get a reaction they lose.

Its all a bit passive I know but I've made it work in real life

[RapeU]

Originally Posted by BTN

"arguing on the internet is like running in the special olympics. Even if you win, you're still a retard"

Impressive, that quote has spread around quite a bit these past few years.

I'm not the one who started it, but I *think* I know the person who started it. If not then he was closer to the beginning.

[MARADONA]

Originally Posted by RapeU

Impressive, that quote has spread around quite a bit these past few years.

I'm not the one who started it, but I *think* I know the person who started it. If not then he was closer to the beginning.

Can you tell me who is him/she?

[FuckingRotter]

Of course I take you seriously. Will it be rasberry flavoured?

Seriously though, I've said enough on the subject for now and will just observe for a while.

Originally Posted by Sierra

LOL - Right. Nice to know I'm taken seriously.

[Sierra]

Originally Posted by FuckingRotter

Of course I take you seriously. Will it be rasberry flavoured?

No. I look better in green. Lime flavored.

In all seriousness, I know. We're all a little tired of it.

[Lucy.]

Originally Posted by Sierra

Similarly, a review of the past few months (since the moderator discretion rule was added) revealed 27 calls by a poster for the mods to "go ahead and ban me."

Anyone who calls on the mods to "go ahead and ban me" should get their wish. I propose a week's automatic ban.

Comment?

I may have appeared on this search. I said they should delete my account. However, I did this because I had been awake for almost 40 hours without sleep and was online when I knew I shouldn't be and had previously told everyone I was taking a break. I certainly do not dislike any moderator.

Searching for posts and comments where people say things doesn't always give an accurate reflection. Most of the fighting here is silly and juvenile. But some arguments do have a purpose. I can understand why some people get angry at some others for certain comments and things. Those are overshadowed by all the pointless bickering though.

[HRH1948]

Once upon a time...

After untold hours of work on my movie thread and having a lot of pride in my work, an individual named “Dikwad” made a negative comment. I responded by saying, “Another, Dikwad”.

Sanitarium gave me a good sound kick and warned me of the dangers of posting.

I see the dangers of getting too close to things. After you spend a day putting a post together and then spend more days putting many posts together, you start thinking that this board, in some weird way, owes you an indefinable something. Maybe it’s respect, admiration or praise; again, it’s indefinable.

At some point, you hopefully reach an epiphany and realize that this board owes you nothing. You begin to understand that you come here to enjoy yourself and maybe return that enjoyment to others so that you can enjoy yourself some more.

The board was here when we arrived and it will be here when they pry our stiff fingers off our keyboards. This board owes us nothing and it is our duty to “pay” for the entertainment.

There are several distinct styles of moderating boards. The styles vary from a silent strong hand in the background that is rarely seen, to a more active combination Member Mod mode. Both are effective, but being a former officer in the military, there are inherent dangers from fraternization with the troops.

Being a Moderator is a largely thankless job of immense proportion. Without the proper tools, it would be even more frustrating. Again, I see the danger of getting too close. Like the military, you lose people. Closeness causes pain. Closeness causes second guessing and open criticism and loss of respect. Without closeness, there isn’t any fun, but with it, there is pain in direct proportion to the amount of closeness.

My hat is off to all the Moderators of this board. I thank them and suggest, for their own well being, to remember to not get too close.

However, the jello thing does make the perverse segments of my mind go into overdrive!

[Sierra]

Originally Posted by trina-crys

Why don't the mods have any tools here? Is it the board type? Does it not let you ban by IP?

No, it's a choice made by the admin/owner.

[Flesh4Fantasy]

Originally Posted by HRH1948

[COLOR="Yellow"][B]
However, the jello thing does make the perverse segments of my mind go into overdrive!

so that you can enjoy yourself some more.

A synopsis of the salient points from HRH's noble speech.

[RapeU]

Originally Posted by MARADONA

Can you tell me who is him/she?

Probably not. Someone told it to me long ago when I was trolling another board. So long that I can't remember the email address of the person. No way to get it either because the msn I had at the time is now non-existent. Hence why I said "think" like this: *think*

[Conrad]

Jesus titty fucking christ, did Maradona get hit with ten ban hammer?? what'd he do?

[trina-crys]

Originally Posted by Sierra

No, it's a choice made by the admin/owner.

Why would someone choose that? Not trying to be a smart ass but that sounds like cutting off one leg then trying to run a race.