Why can't staff members be put on ignore?

[flacaltenn]

you can ignore posts from anyone you want without the ignore list

It's pretty hard to do sometimes, if we are to be honest, especially if the person follows you around the board, posts in your thread, addresses your posts, says nasty things about you, tries to sway other people's opinions of you (or ruin your reputation with others), etc. There are sickos out there, you know!

There are also posters who deserve nothing more than the ignore function because they contribute little or nothing to making the forum a good place to post.

Yeah, but they might add a little color

No they don't. Maybe the color black or gray.

On Topic: All you have to do to ignore a moderator is hold down ALT and spam the F4 button.

Or -- Control-Alt-Delete is another alternative.

 

[flacaltenn]

Dunno -- most of the folks I send warnings to manage to ignore me just fine.. The OTHERS just teach me new wirty dords.

 

[Marion Morrison]

you can ignore posts from anyone you want without the ignore list

It's pretty hard to do sometimes, if we are to be honest, especially if the person follows you around the board, posts in your thread, addresses your posts, says nasty things about you, tries to sway other people's opinions of you (or ruin your reputation with others), etc. There are sickos out there, you know!

There are also posters who deserve nothing more than the ignore function because they contribute little or nothing to making the forum a good place to post.

Yeah, but they might add a little color

No they don't. Maybe the color black or gray.

On Topic: All you have to do to ignore a moderator is hold down ALT and spam the F4 button.

Or -- Control-Alt-Delete is another alternative.

I stick with the tried-and-true method. ALT + F4

 

[Coyote]

It doesn't matter. You are victim blaming. The victim of bullying online or in real life shouldn't be the one who has to leave to avoid the bullying. Unfortunately, some people can NOT behave without rules.

Apparently it does matter to you and, no, I'm not victim blaming. Bullies, trolls and other assholes deserve what they get, but someone who takes their own life is not the same as someone who is kidnapped and gang-raped walking out of the grocery store.

In 1986 I was living in base housing at NAS Jacksonville. It was summer and I paid a 12-13 year old kid to mow my lawn. He messed it up and I called him back to fix it. I was more of an asshole then and, being childless, more used to dealing with men than boys so maybe I was harsher on him then the situation required. He fixed the problem, I thanked him and he went home. That night he blew his head off with his father's .45. Was that my fault? I wonder, but also think that there were more things going on in that poor kid's brain than mowing my lawn. The SP's never came to visit me about it even though it was the talk of the neighborhood.

The bottomline here is that words don't do physical harm and adults should know better. Kids are a different matter. While verbal abuse is a real thing, there's a difference between being abused in person or by people you know and being trolled on an anonymous political forum. In case you haven't noticed, people lie here all the time. Typically the extremists.

It's really difficult, on a forum that is pretty free speech oriented - to moderate in such a way that allows for all sides to have a voice, but not be overun by bully tactics and dog piles. It's the hardest thing I've encountered. I would rather work with a fear biting dog sometimes. There genuinely are people who's life seems to be centered in messageboard persona's and it brings out the worst in some. It's like re-runs of Jr. High.

 

[Coyote]

Just wondering

You'd hope that moderators would be above the petty nonsense of others. But there is one who stands out as being a complete and utter **** and who I think many people would love to see not on this site.

We are all just human beings in the end - and sometimes, shit gets to us also.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Just wondering

you don't know how to do that?

 

[JakeStarkey]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

 

[Lewdog]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

 

[Coyote]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

I suspect a lot of those sites have different accounts for mods - so staff can post as members under one, and as staff under another.

 

[ZZ PUPPS]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

Mods should be like judges. Know the law (rules) and apply them equally. The problem comes when such application is in a subjective area. Then personal bias comes into play. Also, they have to interpret each incident relative to the rules and the good of the board. This is an economic enterprise and its survival must also be taken into consideration. Moderating here is not as easy as it seems on the surface.

 

[frigidweirdo]

Just wondering

You'd hope that moderators would be above the petty nonsense of others. But there is one who stands out as being a complete and utter **** and who I think many people would love to see not on this site.

We are all just human beings in the end - and sometimes, shit gets to us also.

Yes, but some people just shouldn't have power if they're "just human" like that. Trump springs to mind too.

 

[Marion Morrison]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

I suspect a lot of those sites have different accounts for mods - so staff can post as members under one, and as staff under another.

I sho-nuff know one like that. I could screw with them tonight but I'm not.
I know their alt-accounts, too.

 

[Gracie]

When the halls start to echo and/or the same topics are started over and over again by the same ones because everyone else has left...thats a pretty good sign things are not going well.

 

[Coyote]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

I suspect a lot of those sites have different accounts for mods - so staff can post as members under one, and as staff under another.

I sho-nuff know one like that. I could screw with them tonight but I'm not.
I know their alt-accounts, too.

Oh you naughty boy you!

 

[flacaltenn]

NO site has a perfect set of mods.

But this site gets an A- minus for trying, imo.

What seems to cause a problem is, on some forums mods and Admins won't really post other than to warn people about stuff, and don't actually show their positions and opinions. Here you have staff that are active in conversations but also have power. It can be a difficult balance, think about it like this. Think of a boss who likes to fraternize with their workers. They go to the bars and stuff with them, well then a worker calls off the next day because they are sick from drinking too much the night before, and then the boss doesn't accept their excuses and punishes them for it. It then causes conflict at work, and that same principle happens here.

Mods should be like judges. Know the law (rules) and apply them equally. The problem comes when such application is in a subjective area. Then personal bias comes into play. Also, they have to interpret each incident relative to the rules and the good of the board. This is an economic enterprise and its survival must also be taken into consideration. Moderating here is not as easy as it seems on the surface.

What impressed me when I found this place were how SIMPLE the rules were compared to others. Mods have a LOT less "discretion" here. Because your legitimate discussion content (for the most part) is not moderated. The rules are designed for thread control.. NEVER gonna stop folks from fighting and flaming. Futile to try and make moderators judges of flames. But you CAN control threads and topics so they are all DIFFERENT and readable.

As far as us being participants in threads -- it's mostly on our OWN discretion for our own recreation. But sometimes it's a method to get things back on topic or calm it down. We're allowed to flame and fight as well. As long as it's by the rules. So there's the same tensions as any member has. But it ENDS at carrying those grudges into handling moderation. PERSONALLY -- I love everyone here. SOME of you are slackers and pranksters. But it's like High School really. Where a good after-school showdown usually led to a new "best friend"

If we couldn't "get out there" and mix it up -- none of us would last a year. We need to pummel people on the boards as badly as anyone else. Just can't do it from Mod Room..

 

[flacaltenn]

When the halls start to echo and/or the same topics are started over and over again by the same ones because everyone else has left...thats a pretty good sign things are not going well.

You're right Gracie. Should disturb everyone that the news cycles that FEED this place are so volatile and polarizing. But we have no control what weird and useless stuff consumes the nation recently. And folks talk PAST each other too much. Which causes the "repetition". Not totally a measure of the health of USMB. Garbage IN -- Garbage Out --- right?

 

[ChrisL]

I found out what Alt F4 does! Jerk wad!

 

[Lewdog]

If you hit Control+Alt+Delete twice real fast it turns your arrow cursor into a heart.

 

[saveliberty]

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap...@saveliberty

No poster too connected, some threads too stupid.

 

[Divine Wind]

I found out what Alt F4 does! Jerk wad!

Did it fix the problem?