Sick of the BS here? Willing to do something about it?

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A common complaint lately, that everyone here can actually DO something about.

Drama. Lot's of it. Oddly, though I've seen and been a small part of a bit of it myself, but I don't seem to see anywhere near as much as it seems some do here. I suppose that has something to do with learning to ignore the BS.


The problem is, the BS is getting harder and harder to ignore, because it is getting worse. I'm as sick of seeing it as anyone here. I'm getting equally sick of the moderators being blamed for it, and that's just MORE of the same BS. They aren't creating the problem.

Now, I'm NOT a moderator, and have no authority here, but I do have freedom of speech, and I'm damned well going to exercise it for a minute in the hopes that at least some of you all will sit up and listen.

I've got a hint or two for those of you who can't seem to avoid the BS. I know advice not asked for is usually not welcome. So if you DON'T want it, quit reading this thread right now.

Okay, so I can safely assume now that no one is reading this who does not want advice.

Quite a few users here are using the Moderator Attention thread in a self defeating manner. That thread is for posting a replies with complaints about important issues. Ever notice that when you post to any thread here, you start getting emails whenever a reply to that thread is posted, up until everyone stops posting to it, or you click the unsubscribe link?

Well, guess what? The moderators get one every time someone posts to the Moderator Attention thread. Take a look at that thread and count how many of the replies there are actually addressed to the moderators. They are getting emails every time that happens, and a ridiculously large number of them should qualify as "crying wolf." Some of them are attacks of other members (yeah! Now THAT'S intelligent! ) Some are arguing issues (guilty! I've done it myself, but had it moved ~ still it clogs up the thread with NON-issues).

Everyone needs to start realizing that if you post in that thread anything other than a valid complaint for the moderators to handle, you are ADDING to the burden they must handle. Some that are doing this are the same ones that are complaining the mods aren't doing enough. Well that's about as smart as complaining your kitchen floors aren't being cleaned as you throw buckets of mud on them.

THINK about it.

The way the Moderator Attention thread should work is:

1) If you see something that should be reported, report it, and post a link to it. PERIOD.

2) Let the moderators do there job.


That's IT!

There is no more to it than that.

DON'TS:

1) DON'T expect an immediate response. The mods are not paid for their time here. They have lives with other important things to do!

2) DON'T reply to, or keep replying to the post in question. All that does is fuel the fire if there is one, and/or heighten your own sense of urgency if the thread bothers you enough.

3) DON'T repeatedly post the same complaint to the moderator attention thread. Forcing the system to keep sending them emails does nothing more than increase the stress they are already under, as well as send an alert to everyone else that has posted to the thread, exponentially increasing the chance that others who don't agree with your complaint will also start responding, causing a vicious and non productive cycle leading to the mods understandably caring less and less about what goes on there.

4) DON'T start PM'ing any of the users involved in the dispute, especially if you are feeling cranked up about the situation. Doing so increases your own stress, and the chances of the whole matter becoming even worse.



If we ALL treat the Moderator Attention thread with respect and use it as it was intended, it should work like this:

1) You post a complaint reply and leave it and don't reply to the thread in your complaint anymore.

2) The mods get an email alert, read it when they get to it, read the post, check the thread in question, and either deal with it, or not, depending on whether any rules are actually being violated.

3) We all live with it, and move on!

It's really that simple.

We all have a wonderful contraption attached to our computers called a MOUSE. If we run into a thread that offends us, or see a reply we consider to be a personal attack against ourselves, or anyone else, there is a BUTTON on that mouse, that if clicked just ONCE, will make that post DISAPPEAR from our screens.

Once you use that button, all you have to do is NOT click the link that opens that post again.

You have the power! Use it! It's only when YOU don't use that power that the mod's jobs become more difficult!

If you think there's not enough moderation here, THINK about whether you might be part of the problem! Don't add to their work flow!