All things in moderation

[Punatang]

Punaweb is not always operating at its optimal level.  Rob does not read each thread as often as he has in the past, and has asked me to assist in keeping things on track.  I try my best to moderate as Rob would.  Forum rules are simple, and I believe uniformly regulated. 

This thread is meant to be for constructive input, and I have some thoughts and observations to share.

I think the general consensus of the gallery would agree that trying to “moderate as Rob would” is a good approach.  Common ground is a good place to start.

In the area of civility Rob has generally been rather tolerant.  He once advised me to “grow a thicker skin”.  I have, and it has served me well.  M2 appears to have a lower tolerance level and is quicker to remove offensive posts.  I have no issue with this and I haven’t seen much in the way of resistance from others, there has even been some praise, so perhaps this change is a good one.  The only drawback I see is that it’s extra labor for M2, but far be it from me to suggest how others spend their time.  Perhaps people will adapt to the stricter approach, the work load will lessen, and PW will be better for it.

“Fact checking” is another matter.  I don’t believe I have ever seen Rob delete anything due to a “fact check”, and frankly I think it’s a slippery slope.  The one time that this was exercised it created quite a lot of hubbub.  I’ve seen enough conspiracy theories come true and fact checkers proven inaccurate that I become suspicious when an unseen and unknown entity quashes a discussion.  Generally when someone posts something in this forum that is inaccurate they get called on it pretty quickly.  If they can’t or won’t provide foundation then that lack of foundation speaks for itself.  Basically, it’s self-moderation.  I understand the rules and that Rob and M2 have the authority to “fact check” as they see fit.  Rob has chosen the hands off approach for good reason.  I hope M2 will consider following Rob’s lead in this area.

As for Patricia’s issue, or whatever that was, I think I read enough of it to comment.  I think M2 was trying to help by deleting personal info that was posted by mistake and the situation went awry.  Well, it’s against the rules to post somebody else’s personal info, but it isn’t against the rules to post your own personal info, whether it be intentional or accidental.  However well-intended M2’s actions were, no rules were broken, so the situation would have been best left alone.  This is hindsight, but perhaps something to learn from.

I hope these thoughts will be considered in the positive light that I have intended.

Gosh 2 Sins!  I thought you were M2 and that you had lost your mind over the weekend.  I'm experiencing cognitive dissonance now as I adjust to the idea that you are not M2.  I could not agree more with what you have shared here.  What we needed from M2 was to wrangle the people who post filth about baseball bats vis-a-vis Okoles and other hateful, disgusting, purges of sick minds.  Moderation.  Keep the community safe from that, not from ideas.  That's why I said we need some new conspiracy theories.  Most of the old ones have been proven true. The problem with that particular thread that started all of this was that it invited national and world politics into our nice little family. The Russia/Gabbard thread is another example of this.  I do not envy M2's "job" (paid in alohas) in those situations but in order to have any credibility, if that matters to they/them, they have to keep their opinions out of it.