How to address others on this site

This will probably get me in trouble but since you did ask- some members are allowed much more leeway than others simply because they support a moderator's view on politics, government, etc. There are some absolutely vile things said about people in power in the government and the most harsh is in regard to the political party that is not in the moderator's favor. They name call people that don't have the same views and it's actually encouraged.

I suppose that a certain amount of favoritism is to be expected after all no one is perfect.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

Not sure I agree with you much, but yes I asked. It is difficult to read everything and catch everything, let alone agree with everything. No we're not perfect.

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Do not meddle in the affairs of Dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup........

Well, I stay out of the Political forum 99% of the time and visit GC now and then, so I have no idea if that goes on. I also stay away from religious discussions. I believe in what I believe and let others do the same...

What I love about the discussions is that it allows me to work through what I think myself about lots of issues.
I find that a lot of the time I read a post and say to myself that it doesn't sit right. So then, before I respond, I have to think through why I had that reaction. Sometimes this makes me change my mind about things I thought I was pretty sure about. Sometimes it firms up my thinking because I have forced myself to think it through.
But I do not think that being kind about someone who is relying on the good will of strangers for their happiness is a good thing for that someone. It never ends well to keep on doing the same stupid thing and asking for sympathy, getting it and repeating.
Two phrases- "don't judge" and "you don't know what they are going through"- are never a solution to anyone's problems. Of course, many are not looking for solutions, they are looking for emotional support to keep not finding solutions.
The people who say this are themselves judging.

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For we used to ask when we were little, thinking that the old men knew all things which are on earth: yet forsooth they did not know; but we do not contradict them, for neither do we know.

Because I have met and personally interacted with some posters here, I know that 'tone' is difficult to convey. Some people are no-nonsense about nearly everything and that appears to some as being mean, when they are anything but mean. Others use the forums for a replacement for expert advice, because they see HT people as experts on things they aren't - often dangerous to assume. Then there are others that use it as their personal agenda push mechanism. And many other types of users, like the general world around us.

It's a great place, filled with great people and a few ijits, like the rest of the world.

I try, but don't always succeed, to read a post and think a bit before I comment, if I comment at all. Sometimes when I am hasty, I haven't properly read the post or understood the gist of what the OP meant, and get sidetracked by others input and my response can be less than profitable. Most times I read and don't say much, as I am ignorant on the topic, so I'm there to learn.

Summary: Take the lumps, they probably weren't meant personally. Take or leave certain topics or posters, it's always a choice to read. And then live your life the way you intended before any of us old strangers popped up in response to your question, because that's most likely what will happen anyway, lol! Have fun, learn and contribute as you learn.

I appreciate most all here, even those whose viewpoints differ from mine, because I like to know more about the whole story.

Enjoy!

~ST

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"Don’t let anyone put you in a little box – that is what coffins are for."
IW @ idiotwriting.wordpress.com
http://sunflowersolacefarm.wordpress.com/

So should things be moderated more to make the place nicer, pour on the sugar?
Heavens no, we're all grownups. Move along if you don't like the topic, use ignore if you don't like the poster. We don't need babysitting

Or left more alone, pass the salt and pepper?
More in line with my view...

Thanks for all of the work that you and other mods do. Used to mod forums, it's a tough job.

~ST

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"Don’t let anyone put you in a little box – that is what coffins are for."
IW @ idiotwriting.wordpress.com
http://sunflowersolacefarm.wordpress.com/

"Don't go changing, to try to please me.
You never let me down before."--Billy Joel

And when my HT get out of jail cards run out,
will you please just forgive me, and send me some more.--Bret

Still working the rhythm out.

I agree with you and many others do as well. They are afraid of retaliation (which is also blatant) so PM instead of expressing their opinion in public.


I would like to see the moderators rotate forums. Not only would this add some variety and spice to discussions but it would curb those moderators who have one sided and set opinions.

Sad but true. I thought I'd get dinged for posting what I did. I still might.

I've used PMs to try to get the problem addressed but have received no response whatsoever.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

Yes, you (we) probably will. If not now, later. And if the discussion and complaints becomes too specific the thread is just locked or removed. I too have tried to have the problem addressed but no response. Many other posters have sent me PMs saying the same thing. Too bad because many have left.

I don't follow moderate's comments and disciplines close enough to know what their individual biases are, but surely they have biases just like everyone else. If you want to have political discussions, they are either going to get rough and tumble from time to time or be so watered down as to be irrelevant. If you don't like seeing what is said about your fave pol, don't visit the sections were it is allowed.

I have seen warnings given for something too political for the Families section but it would have been fine in GC. That is a pretty good compromise for everyone, IMO. Easy to avoid stuff you don't like and easy to find a political scrap when you're looking for one.

Exactly. This is why I enjoy HT and have been active here for years ... unlike being 'trapped' in a group meeting somewhere, if things get confrontational, you can simply choose not to read/contribute further. It gets a little more difficult when you're sitting at a table with a group of people, although I've been known to get up and leave even then.

Of course moderators have their own opinions and are free to express them but when you are a moderator you cannot allow your biases to steer the conversation by deleting posts that disagree with your held opinions under the guise that they have broken board rules - and yet real infractions by those who agree with you are just ignroed. And of course you shouldn't turn a blind eye - allowing those who agree with you to be abusive to posters who disagree with you. But this happens all the time.

Tightly held opinions and biases are one reason why a moderator should be changed occasionally so they do not become the king or queen of a section - chasing off those who would like to legitimally post - and the section does not become stale.

While I agree in theory, the bolded part isn't what I have experienced here. Maybe I'm just clueless, but I have not seen that at all. I sure hope it is not the case.

..............Very interesting thread , clarification of moderator attitudes and what is acceptable and Not acceptable is all positive discussion from my POV ! Subjectivity , and moderator involvement is going to be constantly changing from one thread to the next . Trying to draw explicit lines for all threads is simply impossible and so mods can't be expected to mediate between 'Waring factions' with totally dispassionate decisions in choosing what parts if any should be expunged from an otherwise informative discussion . , fordy

I would rather have people tell me what they think, than either say nothing or give me a fake smile.

I don't go on GC and don't like political arguments so maybe I'm missing something , but I have never gotten a mean pm or found the moderators to be unfair. I wounder what happened sometimes when a thread is locked or replies deleted, but it's nothing important really.

I do get annoyed sometimes when people post asking a question and all they really want is to be told they are right, no matter how wrong they are. In some cases will waste a lot of time doing what they think is right or maybe what they want to do isn't safe. It would be much easier for everyone if they just stated that they only wanted to be told they were right.

Thanks for mentioning this. I've been following this topic with interest and was wondering how long it would take for someone to finally be brave enough to speak about the runaway bully elephant in the room. What you say about said sections becoming stale because of it hits the nail on the head.

Unfortunately it's very true and maybe you've never noticed because you haven't been here for very long or maybe you've just never been on the receiving end of the bullying and abuse. Em has described the discrimination perfectly and while it does happen often at least there's only a couple of forums and one moderator with whom it happens the most. A lot of highly regarded people who used to contribute regularly have either been banned from posting in those forums because of differing opinions or else have just stopped posting there because of the discrimination they see happening to themselves and others.

I really don't expect anything will occur to make it stop though.

I'm actually a registered member of the "favored" party although I don't walk in lockstep agreement with the party platform. I just loathe favoritism and bias. I have never posted (I will read if my blood pressure allows, and I'll "like" posts) in any of the "specialty forums" because that would be waving a huge flag that's emblazoned with "Ban Me Now" because of past kerfuffles. Prejudice- racial, gender, religion, sexual orientation is actually encouraged and if aimed at people in the higher levels of government it is applauded in many cases. Hate speech ticks me off.

So your solution is just not to read these areas, correct? Isn't that just a bit unfair? I'm interested in the subject but because I have a differing view than the power that be I can't post a dissenting opinion without the chance of being banned- not just from the specialty forums but the entire site.

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People say I can't multi-task. Well, I can tick you off and amuse myself at the same time.

I'll address the subject of Mod favoritism.

I've seen it on occasion. I've seen Mods get "too big for their britches". It comes and goes. They are supposed to be impartial to both the subject and the poster BUT they're also human.

Let's face it, human beings are seriously flawed and again, this is just the Internet and no real harm is done.