Am I responsible for the "culture" of MormonDiscussions.com?

[_marg]

IS DR. SHADES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE "CULTURE" OF MORMONDISCUSSIONS.COM?

Yes you share responsibility..for the "culture" as the one who decides what is allowed. You aren't responsible for each individual's behavior though. But by having few if any rules, that affects the "culture". For example with this meme thing which I briefly looked at if your rules were that inappropriate mocking of individuals whether they belong to this forum or not, is not allowed even by linking to a site..then links and addresses to that site wouldn't exist on here. Of course then people would get around that by discussing the site and perhaps eventually it would be found anyhow, but perhaps it would be more difficult to make a big deal of...and the incentive if it is participants on this board who started it, would be diminished if they couldn't generate the attention to it which they obviously want.

With that Seattle Writer..my understanding is that his picture was posted and then mocked. Posting anyone's picture even if on the Net from another site probably shouldn't be allowed. What the heck does that have to do with any issues pertaining to religion/Mormonism. It is high school bullying gang behavior.

by the way, I clicked on a warning to a post a few weeks ago in the Celestial forum, and clicked as well in the box to show that I wanted a response and I didn't get a response. I didn't expect one.. so that came true to form. But that was an example in which the moderation was not responding or working.,,in the Celestial which is supposedly highly moderated.

I don't know what the answer is because I haven't thought out every permutation and combination. For myself I have an answer...just don't post in the Terrestrial which I understand is a free for all. (except this post)

But your choices in how to run this, does affect the culture...in my opinion.

[_consiglieri]

Based upon that threat, I respectfully exit. Cheers.

Geez.

What a Weiner . . .

[_Chap]

IS DR. SHADES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE "CULTURE" OF MORMONDISCUSSIONS.COM?

Yes you share responsibility..for the "culture" as the one who decides what is allowed. You aren't responsible for each individual's behavior though. But by having few if any rules, that affects the "culture". For example with this meme thing which I briefly looked at if your rules were that inappropriate mocking of individuals whether they belong to this forum or not, is not allowed even by linking to a site..then links and addresses to that site wouldn't exist on here. Of course then people would get around that by discussing the site and perhaps eventually it would be found anyhow, but perhaps it would be more difficult to make a big deal of...and the incentive if it is participants on this board who started it, would be diminished if they couldn't generate the attention to it which they obviously want.

With that Seattle Writer..my understanding is that his picture was posted and then mocked. Posting anyone's picture even if on the Net from another site probably shouldn't be allowed. What the heck does that have to do with any issues pertaining to religion/Mormonism. It is high school bullying gang behavior.

by the way, I clicked on a warning to a post a few weeks ago in the Celestial forum, and clicked as well in the box to show that I wanted a response and I didn't get a response. I didn't expect one.. so that came true to form. But that was an example in which the moderation was not responding or working.,,in the Celestial which is supposedly highly moderated.

I don't know what the answer is because I haven't thought out every permutation and combination. For myself I have an answer...just don't post in the Terrestrial which I understand is a free for all. (except this post)

But your choices in how to run this, does affect the culture...in my opinion.

I am a bit unclear after reading this post what in particular you think Shades has done wrong. Do you think you could briefly make that clear?

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hello,

I think the folks at the MDDB are projecting.

V/R
Dr. C

[_marg]

I am a bit unclear after reading this post what in particular you think Shades has done wrong. Do you think you could briefly make that clear?

The question Shade's asked was whether he was responsible for the "culture"...not what has he done wrong.

Just as strict even unfair rules affects the culture on MDDB..so too lack of rules affects the culture here. The culture evolves within the environment. People who don't like the environment may choose to not participate, that affects the culture. People who do like the way it's run, lack of rules to the point that it's okay to mock and post pictures of participants from their internet pictures ..will accept or be drawn to the board. But however it is run, that will affect the culture.

For myself I don't enjoy most of the posts in the Terrestial, I find them heavy on the side of group clique type behavior, petty personal attacks..that's not to say all posts are like that, but it's heavily sided in that direction.

Regarding culture of this board, why for example is a thread meant to mock participants on another board pinned to the top in Terrestial? That affects the culture. What does that have to do with issues in Mormonism? By pinning that... what is it meant to accomplish? in my opinion ...it makes this board look petty minded. But that is a decision by Shade and it affects the culture here.

I don't know what the answer is, because obviously a discussion board can not please everyone or meet everyone's needs. Ideally a board which lays off mocking and personal attacks is more likely to lead to productive discussions and it will attract more posters interested in that sort of thing..if that is the goal. But another variable in all this is that the subject matter often is not conducive for productive discussions. It's often based upon emotions and faith.

So as I said I don't know the answer. No matter what is done and how it's run, that affects the environment of discussion and who will be drawn to it to participate, as well as how they will participate.

[_Ren]

Regarding culture of this board, why for example is a thread meant to mock participants on another board pinned to the top in Terrestial? That affects the culture. What does that have to do with issues in Mormonism? By pinning that... what is it meant to accomplish? in my opinion ...it makes this board look petty minded. But that is a decision by Shade and it affects the culture here.

Gotta say that's a decent point. Hadn't noticed that was pinned...

[_Buffalo]

Regarding culture of this board, why for example is a thread meant to mock participants on another board pinned to the top in Terrestial? That affects the culture. What does that have to do with issues in Mormonism? By pinning that... what is it meant to accomplish? in my opinion ...it makes this board look petty minded. But that is a decision by Shade and it affects the culture here.

Do you think it's inappropriate to quote people and criticize what they've said on an issue?

[Anonymous]

No I don't think you are entirely responsible Shades. I think that part of the problem is trying to have a board with as little moderation as possible. You have tried to handle that in a way that I think is very creative: the three tiers of discussion, as well as the ignore feature, allow users to pretty much create their own custom board experience.

That is what I have done and that is why I have had on the whole a remarkably productive and stellar experience here. In fact, in order to teach those whose dismissals of MDB have been completely uniformed and ignorant, I once posted a long "treatise" on how to make MDB a place of intellectual inquiry and emotional sustenance. I'm referring of course, to Of Vomit and Honey, my response to the thoughtless insults pa pa directed to me. I recently suggested that SeattleGhostWriter take a look at that; and other MDD gossips like Nemesis could also benefit from reading it as well.

Given recent antics, however, you may have to make a few changes, Shades. The board might benefit from having a few more moderators, so that when posts are flagged they are quickly dispatched to their proper realm, or edited of prohibited material.

And as much as I hate to say it, you might want to reconsider the policy on banning/suspensions. Provocateurs of any stripe should at least be getting more suspensions. And I mean REAL suspensions, not the kind of joke "self-imposed exile" that one offender was allowed to get away with.

I am loathe to suggest banning. But there are a couple of posters here, regular and not, who seem to delight in making themselves look like complete asses. I've got them on ignore and I don't interact with them. That hasn't, however, stopped them from trying to interact with me in annoying, petty and vengeful ways.

[_Buffalo]

I like Shades' response in that thread:

This message board is akin to the cave in The Empire Strikes Back:

Luke: What's in there?

Yoda: Only what you take with you.

[_marg]

Do you think it's inappropriate to quote people and criticize what they've said on an issue?

If it's part of a discussion such that the audience is able to appreciate the context. ..then sure it's appropriate.

If you are referring to the thread pinned, the entire thread's context is to put quotes there which for the most part are meant to mock the thinking of the individual. The quotes are not given context and the person quoted is not even involved in the thread and likely to counter or respond. So how is the issue going to ever be discussed? So the intent is not to discuss any issue, it's to be critical of an an individual or their thoughts in a place they aren't even participating at.