The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #109916 Message #2307976
Posted By: Joe Offer
06-Apr-08 - 12:22 AM
Thread Name: Our ghastly folk tradition
Subject: RE: Our ghastly folk tradition
Gee, some of you people really are a piece of work. I've heard "I'm a Guest to protect myself because people are just too nasty around here" dozens of times, and it sure sounds like a lame excuse to me. If by chance there is one person here who really is posting as a Guest for self-protection, then my statement doesn't include them. And people who use their own name or at least use a consistent identity, really aren't the problem people I'm talking about.
The fact of the matter is, I don't really know what this thread is all about, and I'm not willing to read 474 messages to find out. If I were to delete certain objectionable messages, then the thread REALLY wouldn't make sense. And then, what do I do with the messages that are self-righteous reponses to the flame messages? I suppose we could appoint more volunteer moderators to monitor threads more thoroughly, but I already get too many complaints already about indiscriminate deletion on the part of some of our volunteers. And if I were to take action against all the people I think are troublemakers, you'd hear a number of people squealing like stuck pigs, because I think the most serious troublemakers are the self-righteous prigs. What can I say? I guess I have a serious prejudice against pharisaical, sanctimonious, self-righteous prigs.
I can tell you right off, that if the discussion gets into certain topics that involve the personalities and behavior of people in the British folk community, the thread is going to turn nasty. If I eliminate the pariahs of the week, new pariahs will come in next week to take their place. I think that's a characteristic of the UK folk community. You people eat your young.
So, if you don't want to get involved in such nastiness, stick to the threads that involve factual matters and stay out of these endless, petty threads. If you really have to be in threads like this, try to be a lot more tolerant and a lot less priggish - and don't respond to the troublemakers when they try to get your goat.
We have a long tradition of limiting moderation here at Mudcat, because we like the idea of free discussion. Certainly, there are problems with that sort of freedom, but we like to think we're doing our part to preserve the ideal. And the one thing most necessary in preserving that ideal is individual responsibility, not demanding that some moderator step in and punish those who have been naughty.
As I told one complainant this week, try to respond as Gandhi would respond, and things will be a lot nicer for you here.
-Joe Offer-