interesting comments. I guess that is why I have posted a certain way in a couple of obviously ugly threads.
I recently resigned as a moderator from a popular fish board that did not make the list above. I guess I was worn out after several years of the same old same old. people coming and people going. some with a more refined sense of personal responsibility and ethics than others. some that believed that people, regardless of where you encounter them should be treated with the appropriate respect and courtesy. Others thought it ok to belittle, argue and treat individuals with no respect.
why do mods and admins walk away over time? because they first arrive with the goal to help others learn about fish and share the love and the passion they possess. they don't even really notice the undue amount of time they spend being babysitters initially. then, over time they realize they begin to act more like a "board cop" and not like a hobbyist sharing their knowledge and enjoyment. but, in the interests of a board they perform the menial tasks and mediation as well as possible--mods are not some high paid group of individuals, their reward is the exchange of knowledge and growth they observe in individuals as they learn about and discover fish. Then the bs grinds on them. it wears them down. they no longer derive enjoyment because they are discussing fish so seldom. instead they are spending time tending to baord etiquette and conflict. most of us that serve as mods have been doing fish for a long time. decades. we tpically have lives that involve some level of responsibility. what we started doing for the love of fish and helping others discover that love turns into something else entirely. It becomes drudgery to show up at our own boards. so we stop. we quit. we cut back. we go to other places where not as many people know us as mods--or perceive us as "experts".
A board that runs smoothly is possible because of an attitude fostered by mods. But, it is only possible to achieve when the members accord one another the basics of civility and respect. You never have to respect the lack of knowledge or ignorance. You always have to respects the others simple humanity.
You discover it is easier to walk away from arguements when you think that way. boards begin to run more smoothly. boards build a sense of community among members. trolls, because they are not fed go away on their own. afterall it is the attention that they are given that they are after. if you don't give people what they want they go elsewhere to satisfy the need--however perverse.
Is that to say there is never conflict? absolutely not. but, you learn how to deal with it so that the boards sense of community is not damaged or destroyed.
I guess it is all basically a question of maturity, either the people and members at a board exhibit it or they don't.
people that know me understand i can babble forever in a post. not my goal here. so i have said my peace and will move along.
I recently resigned as a moderator from a popular fish board that did not make the list above. I guess I was worn out after several years of the same old same old. people coming and people going. some with a more refined sense of personal responsibility and ethics than others. some that believed that people, regardless of where you encounter them should be treated with the appropriate respect and courtesy. Others thought it ok to belittle, argue and treat individuals with no respect.
why do mods and admins walk away over time? because they first arrive with the goal to help others learn about fish and share the love and the passion they possess. they don't even really notice the undue amount of time they spend being babysitters initially. then, over time they realize they begin to act more like a "board cop" and not like a hobbyist sharing their knowledge and enjoyment. but, in the interests of a board they perform the menial tasks and mediation as well as possible--mods are not some high paid group of individuals, their reward is the exchange of knowledge and growth they observe in individuals as they learn about and discover fish. Then the bs grinds on them. it wears them down. they no longer derive enjoyment because they are discussing fish so seldom. instead they are spending time tending to baord etiquette and conflict. most of us that serve as mods have been doing fish for a long time. decades. we tpically have lives that involve some level of responsibility. what we started doing for the love of fish and helping others discover that love turns into something else entirely. It becomes drudgery to show up at our own boards. so we stop. we quit. we cut back. we go to other places where not as many people know us as mods--or perceive us as "experts".
A board that runs smoothly is possible because of an attitude fostered by mods. But, it is only possible to achieve when the members accord one another the basics of civility and respect. You never have to respect the lack of knowledge or ignorance. You always have to respects the others simple humanity.
You discover it is easier to walk away from arguements when you think that way. boards begin to run more smoothly. boards build a sense of community among members. trolls, because they are not fed go away on their own. afterall it is the attention that they are given that they are after. if you don't give people what they want they go elsewhere to satisfy the need--however perverse.
Is that to say there is never conflict? absolutely not. but, you learn how to deal with it so that the boards sense of community is not damaged or destroyed.
I guess it is all basically a question of maturity, either the people and members at a board exhibit it or they don't.
people that know me understand i can babble forever in a post. not my goal here. so i have said my peace and will move along.
