Life without moderators

[Phil]

Some of my freinds recently showed me 4chan. It's a forum with little to no moderation. I now see the gift that they are. So, here's just a salute to the Bartenders.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[FedoraGent]

As said about a year ago, I stand by my original thought. The bartenders provide order in the background and that promotes good interaction for everyone.

FG.

 

[Diamondback]

Yeah, I've seen a board with "community ratings" instead of moderation's effects elsewhere--lots of people trying to rate other's posts offensive and hide them from view just over differences of opinion and petty juvenile antics...

I guess what I'm trying to say here is it's nice to have someone watching our backs. Thanks, ladies and gents!

 

[Gaige]

Ugh.

No Moderators = Chaos/Anarchy.

 

[Estevan]

I used to think the FL was silly for moderating it's members so much, but after being seeing how other forums are run, I'm very much in favor of moderation. The rules and regulations set up here on the FL may seem frivolous at first, but when you stay here for a little bit you realize just how important they really are. Hats off to the Lounge Lizards that make all this possible, you've got a tough job. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Twitch]

All forums' tones are set by the level of moderation. Some sites find it acceptable to allow 2 members to engage in several pages of arguement even if it is not too mean spirited where I would have said "enough already topic closed, use PMs." Some allow a certain levels of name calling. There's quite a difference in "look you Gore-loving goofball" to "you must be an idiot, you scumsucker, to believer that."

Political topics are usually the cause of strife on boards. Even if there are separate areas for all-things-allowed discussions feelings get hurt and insults get traded. To imagine this doesn't carry over to the other topics between certain individuals is wishful thinking. People hold grudges and lash out in other topic headings to argue for arguement's sake. Certainly the anonymity of the web is the cause for much of the blatantly mean-spirited bile that people sling. There is a complex power trip thingy that some people find invigorating when calling others a-holes. They've "won" in their minds when the other person quits responding mostly out of boredom of topic rant.

Some boards have long running 30 page topics that people delve into and drop comments on. I've found moderators around here like to shut down topics seemingly when they're bored even when folks are still neighborly chatting the theme up. Recently I saw a complaints about a certain type of topic theme that an individual thought there were too many of on the board and proceeded to skillfully manufacture a fight amongst other people which closed the topic. Nice holding of the coats while he amusedly watched the fisticuffs.

I don't care what serene topic or how many of similar ones abound here. Quite simply if it is not of interest to me I do not engage in any discussion. I wish other would do so instead of whining.

The things that bring most of us here and their peripheral topics are what matters. No one really cares how MollyLolly is politically inclined or whether HatDork believes in abortion or not. There are some themes even for the off-topic Observation Lounge that can be tedious at best.

Most folks here are benign in their approach to internet conversational topics. Courtesy and manners seem to be paramount here in association with times gone by which were, at least perceived as, gentler.

I've ditched more website forums than I can count pertaining to topics of interest to me simply because they became infiltrated by web trolls. Web trolls are nits that are simply contrary to anthing anyone says. They live to argue. They leave smartass terse comments and generally cause caos with seemingly innocent remarks. They are't interested in the website's content, only for a place to verbally abuse others blatantly or subtly depending on what moderators will allow.

You need to moderate yourself in what you write by thinking before you write it. Could this be hurtful to others? Is this raunchily worded? Perhaps the person you're responding to isn't a web troll but really is light in knowledge on the topic. Am I assuming someone else is prejudiced without weighing everything he said?

Moderate yourself first and make it easy for everyone involved including moderators.

 

[Paisley]

I'm glad that grownups are in charge here.

 

[bolthead]

I agree....

Very well put Twitch........:eusa_clap

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Oh jeez, you guys. What a love-fest. You all get :arated: and gold stars from the mods.

 

[MrPumpernickel]

I don't entirely agree that a forum's tone is set by how it's moderated though. I moderate another forum and over the three years in operation we've banned less than half a dozen people, most of the work is to remove double posts, move posts and edit messages with broken code (i.e. more to do with organization than moderating). Keeping people in line or locking posts because of what's being discussed is a rather rare occasion. In other words, it's a large forum with a very lax take on moderation and it's thriving and people are kind and respectful towards each other, regardless of topic.

The thing about the moderation here at FL means that I more or less constantly have to watch and censor myself because I might've said something about politics, religion or sexuality, and that irks me quite a lot to tell the truth. I honestly don't think that there's anything wrong with such topics, and people can remain adults even though such topics are being discussed. Though at the same time a blind eye is shown when topics deal with "Support our troops" which I very much consider to be a political topic. It's a bit of a double standard.

I might be making myself very impopular by saying this, but it's things like these that make me question whether I should keep posting here or not. I don't enjoy censoring myself. Moderating oneself is one thing, that's more about how you say something not what you say, censoring is quite another.

Just to make things clear, this is not pointed towards any moderator or any user in perticular but more towards the forum in general.

 

[KittyT]

I don't entirely agree that a forum's tone is set by how it's moderated though.

I agree wholeheartedly. As someone who is no stranger to forums and email lists, I find the tone is set more by the forum topic and its members than by it's moderation, or lack thereof.

The thing about the moderation here at FL means that I more or less constantly have to watch and censor myself because I might've said something about politics, religion or sexuality, and that irks me quite a lot to tell the truth. I honestly don't think that there's anything wrong with such topics, and people can remain adults even though such topics are being discussed. Though at the same time a blind eye is shown when topics deal with "Support our troops" which I very much consider to be a political topic. It's a bit of a double standard.

I also agree with this. This is not the first time I've said this, and it has also been discussed in person with a bartender. I personally find this forum to be a bit TOO heavily moderated. I think we're all capable of discussing various topics as adults, and there are some topics posted here that I personally find morally repugnant and offensive, but discussing the ethical aspects of these issues is a faux pas here at FL. And yes, I also agree that the large numbers of "support our troops" posts are political in nature and believe it's not fair for those of us who are not allowed to express our dissenting opinion.

There's just no pleasing everyone, and it's OK to accept that. I do.

 

[Spitfire]

Can't say I am very experienced on other forums. I have actually only been a member of one other. My breeding forbids me to mention which, but it was run by one single man, with very strong oppinions on history, military politics, USA and the rest of the world. He also had some followers who did the dirty job of flaming everybody who was not in line with the man.

It was a forum wher you could learn a lot within a very limited subject or part of WWII history - and also a forum where national spirit ran high. It was perfectly OK to praise US foreign politics in all ages - but if you questioned something you were flamed, called names and were asked to leave in very direct ways and very foul language. It was a 100% alfa caucasian male dominated forum, so both racist and sexist posts flourished.
Needless to say I had enough.
After that I find the F Lounge super cool, educational, friendly and in great style. Thanks to the bartenders but also to each one of the members, who
(99% of the time) knows how to behave like gentlemen - and "gentlegirls".
It is propably no surprise to anybody, that I have had my arguments with the "trigger happy" weaponcollector group of the forum. I still find it alarming that so many many people can find so much joy in guns - but I also accepts that they could say the same about people who talks abouts shoes for ages. Or ascots - for that matter.
I accept that this is an american forum - and not european. I accept that there are cultural differencies - but I also believe that it is important to question these differences. In an orderly manner. That's the only way to broarden you horizon.
Cheers.

 

[Smithy]

Hats off to all the Bartenders, they do a sterling job :eusa_clap

And I totally agree with Twitch, moderate yourself first, it's not a hard thing to do and as he says, it makes life so much easier for all involved.

 

[Samsa]

The thing about the moderation here at FL means that I more or less constantly have to watch and censor myself because I might've said something about politics, religion or sexuality, and that irks me quite a lot to tell the truth. I honestly don't think that there's anything wrong with such topics, and people can remain adults even though such topics are being discussed. Though at the same time a blind eye is shown when topics deal with "Support our troops" which I very much consider to be a political topic. It's a bit of a double standard.

I think the tension here probably stems from the fact that the Lounge was originally founded (unless I am very much mistaken) as a place where people with an interest in hats, suits, and other items of classic style could gather to share their interest in these things. Politics crept in to the Observation Bar, and though it's been a while since that topic was banned, I can still remember the time when people here (including myself) got pretty nasty in discussing topics like global warming. Most people here are able to discuss these things like adults, but there are always a few in any group who can have their passions aroused too much by hot topics. When politics was fair game here, the atmosphere changed, and I almost contemplated leaving, it was that bad. As for sexuality, that's taboo here because we do have some children (as young as ten, if I'm not much mistaken) who post on the Lounge, and I think MK wants to keep this place family friendly. When it comes down to it, this is the Fedora Lounge - not the politics lounge, gun control lounge, sexuality lounge, etc. The observation bar exists because a lot of people who post here are able to relate to each other in areas other than how much they all adore vintage Borsalinos.

I for one am glad that there are so many other people here whose posts I enjoy reading where the topic isn't hats, or shoes, or armholes... That the bartenders need to step in from time to time to remove posts, or threads, doesn't really bother me at all. They do a very good job, and if you go back through the old threads, I think you'll find that a proportionally small number of threads have been closed. That's a testament to both the good discretion of the bartenders as well as the overall civility of the members here.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

The thing about the moderation here at FL means that I more or less constantly have to watch and censor myself because I might've said something about politics, religion or sexuality, and that irks me quite a lot to tell the truth. I honestly don't think that there's anything wrong with such topics, and people can remain adults even though such topics are being discussed. Though at the same time a blind eye is shown when topics deal with "Support our troops" which I very much consider to be a political topic. It's a bit of a double standard.

I might be making myself very impopular by saying this, but it's things like these that make me question whether I should keep posting here or not. I don't enjoy censoring myself. Moderating oneself is one thing, that's more about how you say something not what you say, censoring is quite another.

Just to make things clear, this is not pointed towards any moderator or any user in perticular but more towards the forum in general.

I agree too, and while posting this I'm thinking, I wonder how long it will take for this thread to be locked as well. That is not a good thing.

 

[Girl Friday]

I agree too, and while posting this I'm thinking, I wonder how long it will take for this thread to be locked as well. That is not a good thing.

Ditto!

 

[Smithy]

I for one am pleased to see politics banned here, I belong to one other DB in particular where discussions of the Iraq War have virtually destroyed the place, and I for one rarely visit that one anymore, not the best vibe there anymore, and there always seems to be someone stirring the pot just for the sake of kicking a hornet's nest. However it is difficult as in some cases what is a sensitive political issue for one is apolitical for another. And that is where objectivity is needed and is important.

At the end of the day, this is a forum which was (from where I'm sitting anyway) designed to celebrate and foster a love for all things from "The Golden Age" of the last century. Perhaps we can take a leaf from what was considered polite back then - it was impolite and socially inept to discuss religion and politics in public.

I actually find it refreshing to come here and talk to people who have a similar love for "old things" without all the flame wars and trolling which is epidemic on most DBs. And it's not like there aren't other places where you can talk about such topics, if one feels the need.

Just my twopence/ two cents worth.

 

[KittyT]

At the end of the day, this is a forum which was (from where I'm sitting anyway) designed to celebrate and foster a love for all things from "The Golden Age" of the last century. Perhaps we can take a leaf from what was considered polite back then - it was impolite and socially inept to discuss religion and politics in public.

Yes, but there ARE fashion-related issues that are controversial today and that in some situations deserve to be discussed. Let's talk about fur, or even ivory, for that matter. People may not like discussions about the reality of the situation regarding these items, but the fact of the matter is that discussion about these items in general makes just as many of us uncomfortable. Yet those of us on that one side of the issue are not allowed to discuss our views, while those on the other are. There's a total double-standard here.

 

[Smithy]

Yes, but there ARE fashion-related issues that are controversial today and that in some situations deserve to be discussed. Let's talk about fur, or even ivory, for that matter.

And that's why I said what is political for one is apolitical for another.

I personally don't regard fur or ivory as overtly political issues whereas I think there are other issues (right wing versus left wing arguments, governments' foreign policies, etc) which I personally would argue are more overtly political and easier to define as such.

Always in these environments, you can't keep everyone happy, some people are upset if certain issues are discussed, others are upset if certain issues aren't. I think the Bartenders do a great job making that distinction, but as I said above this is just my 2c worth

 

[KittyT]

I personally don't regard fur or ivory as overtly political issues whereas I think there are other issues (right wing versus left wing arguments, governments' foreign policies, etc) which I personally would argue are more overtly political and easier to define as such.

No, they're not political. But they ARE moral, and therefore still off-limits.

Always in these environments, you can't keep everyone happy, some people are upset if certain issues are discussed, others are upset if certain issues aren't.

Oh this is true. At the same time, isn't it our duty as free-thinking and upstanding individuals to carefully consider the choices we make, whether it has to do with politics, or merely the contents of our wardrobe?