Rumor intrigue and paranoia

Post by **_Tarski** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:50 am

This post might get immediately flunked into the off topic forum. If so, fine--follow it.

Anyway, I have never been much of a PM-er. I have a total of 35 message in my inbox from just a handfull of people and about the same number in my sent box I don't think I have had to delete any yet)
At MAD/FAIR I have not much more even though I have posted over 5000 posts! (OK I deleted a few but not many)

So, recently I got the impression that there is a lot more PMing going on than I thought. At first I told myself that maybe I should be more social and start to PM people a bit more on various topics.
But then it happened; I got a paranoid thought catalyzed by something. The picture was, that while on the surface the board is amazingly friendly and cool, maybe there is a blizzard of PMs going on in the background that supports a sort of seething underbelly of rumor and intrigue (which I think would be kinda uncool or even disturbing). The same question could be asked about the MAD board.

Is that just a paranoid thought flashing into the mind of an ex pot smoker or is it possible?

What say ye friends?

Post by **_KimberlyAnn** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:00 am

Are there rumor and intrigue going on behind the scenes of this board? Heck yeah!

I'll tell you all about it via PM! ;) LOL!

Leader of the PM conspiracy,

KA

:P

Post by **_asbestosman** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:08 am

PM underground allies is a favorite tactic of some trolls. I've been tempted to do a few PMs around here but generally I see that as gossiping behind others' backs. Now mind you that's not what everyone uses it for. Many of my received PMs are from Runtu and he's hardly a gossiper in my opinion. Personally I prefer putting things out in the open in case anyone else has interest too.

I've never really suspected much of a PM ring going on. However, I have wondered what happens with the chat rooms on this board.

My stats: about 20 PMs received with about 15 sent.

Post by **_Tarski** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:13 am

asbestosman wrote:
My stats: about 20 PMs received with about 15 sent.

That means you ignored 5 people! LOL

Post by **_Tarski** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:15 am

KimberlyAnn wrote:Are there rumor and intrigue going on behind the scenes of this board? Heck yeah!

I'll tell you all about it via PM! ;) LOL!

Leader of the PM conspiracy,

KA

:P

:(
Jee, how come I never get told anything?
wah wah (he cried)
LOL

Post by **_Bond...James Bond** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:23 am

I get quite a few PMs.....most of them are people telling me I either rule or suck big time. Not many earth shattering PMs though.......alot of them say "oh crap I screwed up, fix this image for me" or "this post needed moderating". And alot of chitchat mostly....like a chatroom but slower.

_Ray A · Post by **_Ray A** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:28 am

I don't get many PMs, here or on MADB, and it really doesn't bother me (I also tend to irk both "sides" in various ways, which is a good thing). Those who PM obviously tend to be of like mind, though I've received PMs from posters I've "traditionally" opposed (very few though), including Tarski, who I think is a fair-minded person. I've grown to like and respect some of my traditional opponents, but even some good ego stroking would not change my mind on issues, unless I became convinced the arguments were good. Gossip behind the scenes? Of course it happens, because that's human nature. Who the hell cares? If I worried too long about what people thought about me, on MBs or in real life, and I'm sure there's more gossip in real life, I'd be a candidate for the mental ward.

Here's a more important question in my mind? Do the mods ever read PMs? Access for them would be as easy as drinking water. Honest now, mods. Frankly, though I could be wrong, I find it difficult to believe that they don't sometimes peek into PMs.

(Back to packing. Freedom begins next week.)

Post by **_Bond...James Bond** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:32 am

Ray A wrote:Here's a more important question in my mind? Do the mods ever read PMs? Access for them would be as easy as drinking water. Honest now, mods. Frankly, though I could be wrong, I find it difficult to believe that they don't sometimes peek into PMs.

I don't know about administrators (which is what Shades/keene/Negative are)...but moderators (me and liz) can't read PM's here. We don't have access to or even the opportunity to read PMs.

Post by **_beastie** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:35 am

Tarski,

I just think you are really, really popular. :)

_Yoda · Post by **_Yoda** » Thu Aug 02, 2007 4:37 am

Bond...James Bond wrote:
Ray A wrote:Here's a more important question in my mind? Do the mods ever read PMs? Access for them would be as easy as drinking water. Honest now, mods. Frankly, though I could be wrong, I find it difficult to believe that they don't sometimes peek into PMs.

I don't know about administrators (which is what Shades/keene/Negative are)...but moderators (me and liz) can't read PM's here. We don't have access or the opportunity to read PMs.

Also...frankly...if you know anything about my history....MY PM"s were read by other Mods when I was a Mod on FAIR.

I think it's an invasion of privacy, and would never do it even if I could.