Forum moderators and mental health

[hypervalent_iodine]

You should all pay particular attention to the equilibrium arrows of that last reaction. In and out and then in again. With enough energy input, I'm sure we can drive it all the way to completion, no problems.

[mooeypoo]

Nasty, Nasty! I don't think all these pesky physicists [they've taken over the staff, definitely a conspiracy] are ready to see that yet. They might keel over and die at the mighty awesomeness of the rotaxane insertion.

 

It's not a conspiracy, it's a revolution.

[PhDwannabe]

Why won't any of the mods just answer the simple question: was the earth closer to the sun in the past or wasn't it? All things proceed outward from their core.

[A Tripolation]

 

Shield your eyes children.

 

That awkward moment when you're in class and burst out into laughter halfway into a lecture on Laplace transforms.

[swansont]

Are you DRIVING the bus you just threw me under?!

 

When I asked about his fancy little briefcase, the "good cop" told me UZI is a fashion designer!

 

I take 'em out one at a time. Not like some, who wipe them out by the hundreds. (OK, we helped point them out. But we didn't flip the switch, doing some Samuel L. Jackson dialogue)

[pantheory]

Maybe the control freak hypothesis would apply to some moderators as it might apply to some law enforcement people. I've been in a number of other forums and believe I have seen this elsewhere. Sometimes postings can be a misunderstanding which the moderator interprets as bad intent or against the rules, which by my own experience happens. As for this forum, I haven't seen any of these obvious misinterpreted responses by moderators yet, which leads me to believe that the moderators that this forum has chosen, along with the rules of the forum, are both very good -- and hey, even the best can make mistakes from time to time but it seems to take many "mistakes" to get into trouble here so congrats to the moderators and forum.

 

Most other forums do not have a system of appeals. I don't know about this forum. I think before any disciplinary action is taken that the accused should have the right to explain his actions off thread if he wishes, after he has been warned concerning probable immanent discipline but before the moderator takes any adverse action. This would make it harder for moderators but I think better for the forum in the long run.

Edited November 15, 2011 by pantheory

[swansont]

Maybe the control freak hypothesis would apply to some moderators as it might apply to some law enforcement people. I've been in a number of other forums and believe I have seen this elsewhere. Sometimes postings can be a misunderstanding which the moderator interprets as bad intent or against the rules, which by my own experience happens. As for this forum, I haven't seen any of these obvious misinterpreted responses by moderators yet, which leads me to believe that the moderators that this forum has chosen, along with the rules of the forum, are both very good -- and hey, even the best can make mistakes from time to time but it seems to take many "mistakes" to get into trouble here so congrats to the moderators and forum.

 

Most other forums do not have a system of appeals. I don't know about this forum. I think before any disciplinary action is taken that the accused should have the right to explain his actions off thread if he wishes, after he has been warned concerning probable immanent discipline but before the moderator takes any adverse action. This would make it harder for moderators but I think better for the forum in the long run.

 

There are few actions that result in immediate banning or suspension (what I call the "unforgivable" transgressions) such as spamming or p0rn. Other than that, it's a series of warnings, in-thread and/or by PM, and it's based on a pattern of behavior rather than a single incident. There is no formal appeals process, but anyone can (and they often do) PM a staff member to plead their case, but in my experience it's like they're trying to talk their way out of a speeding ticket — sure I was speeding, but I had a really good reason for it, and I promise to never do it again. But usually nothing actually changes. Unlike that, though, we don't do a "points" system anymore (that was a feature of the older software) that automatically results in a suspension — we log actions, but any (non-emergency) suspension or banning requires staff discussion and some level of consensus.

 

The reality is we usually give people the benefit of the doubt and keep them around longer than we should, but it's better to do that than ban someone who can and do change their posting styles, and that does happen. Some people are used to more of a free-for-all but once they realize we have some rules and we try to enforce them, they're fine with that.

[pantheory]

There are few actions that result in immediate banning or suspension (what I call the "unforgivable" transgressions) such as spamming or p0rn. Other than that, it's a series of warnings, in-thread and/or by PM, and it's based on a pattern of behavior rather than a single incident. There is no formal appeals process, but anyone can (and they often do) PM a staff member to plead their case, but in my experience it's like they're trying to talk their way out of a speeding ticket — sure I was speeding, but I had a really good reason for it, and I promise to never do it again. But usually nothing actually changes. Unlike that, though, we don't do a "points" system anymore (that was a feature of the older software) that automatically results in a suspension — we log actions, but any (non-emergency) suspension or banning requires staff discussion and some level of consensus.

 

The reality is we usually give people the benefit of the doubt and keep them around longer than we should, but it's better to do that than ban someone who can and do change their posting styles, and that does happen. Some people are used to more of a free-for-all but once they realize we have some rules and we try to enforce them, they're fine with that.

 

Sounds good. That's why I'm here rather than "there." I've also noticed little moderator sarcasm here while maintaining a sense of humor without disrespect, which I also think is good for all.