Hear, here, Thomas.
For those who may believe that moderation is easy, glamorous and always black and white, simple decision-making, I got news for ya.
It is none of the above. And, as the site gets larger and larger, it gets more and more complex. One wrinkle comes along, and then another, and then three more and five more, and seventy-three more, and suddenly people like me are dreaming about A2K, about moderating, and wake up in the morning wondering what new devilry is up and about and what we will have to deal with.
Every day, we ask ourselves -- what is the new thing that we are going to be confronted with today? Where are we going to spend our time? And we have to use it efficiently because, surprise, surprise, we have lives outside of A2K. We have families, jobs, hobbies. We get sick and we get tired and although we tried our damnedest, we sometimes lose patience. After all, we're people, not androids.
Every now and then, people ask what others have learned from A2K. I'll tell you some of what I've learned.
I have learned how persistent some trolls can be.
I have learned just how much spam is really being pumped into cyberspace (far more than the general population here ever sees, by the way).
I have learned that, for every variant I think I've found in all of the ways to try to violate the TOS, someone inevitably comes up with another one.
I have learned that people who don't contact the Help Desk to actually ask about suspensions or pulled posts or locked topics will make up all kinds of stuff to somehow explain that -- and, of course, to make my staff look bad.
I have also learned that I actually like doing this. I have also learned that the larger the site gets, the more it entails, and the more dependent we continue to be on Help Desk communications. I have also learned that, for some bizarre reason, not everyone likes using the Help Desk, even though the staff are courteous and respectful and do their best to answer questions and handle all contingencies. But the staff are berated for not snapping to it fast enough to handle something, or are whined at for not caving to a poster's demands. Yeah, I've seen that, too. I'm not here to cry about the poor old moderators and I've been kicked around a lot and it doesn't bother me about myself,
per se, but I don't like seeing
them kicked around.
They are doing the best that they can. But you need to help them. Use the frekshtinkeneh Help Desk. You really want to show your appreciation for them? Don't sit and emptily thank them and give them vague accolades. Use the report button and help them do their jobs. Thank you.
{steps off soap box, hands microphone to someone else}
PS Oh, and re the trolls --
Never wrestle with a pig. You both get dirty, but only the pig enjoys it. - Cale Yarborough.
