Baptistro
Bapmarker
Hi
I am a BARF moderator. Been doing this for just about 10 years (and yes, I am admittedly crazy). Some years I BARF more than others, but they like to keep me around for some reason. Being a mod has its ups and downs, but the pay is awesome, seriously. I come here for my news, my entertainment, and to hang out with my friends virtually and in meat space. It’s like a one stop shop for me, and I like it enough to want to help keeping it running.
So why am I writing this right now?
I guess I am a little perturbed by recent events, and I think you guys may be able to help.
TSC founded this site, and Budman has shaped it into what it is today… with the help and support of his mods and the addiction of its membership to all things two wheeled, and most things BARF.
The one basic premise that has always been the backbone of BARF has been “Welcome to our home, just don’t be a dick.” As all things do as they grow, this simple tenet has evolved into the current TOS, although in my mind, it still upholds the original premise of not wanting people to be dicks. But this is not what this is about, at least not really.
We watch and wait, we interact with the membership, and once in a while, we select a member or two to invite to join our group of moderators. In a way, it is unfair to be selected, since a member, usually in great standing in the community, stands to lose a lot more than they gain. Why do these fine people accept? Each has their own reasons, but never have I experienced that decision to have been made for strictly selfish reasons.
Recent events have caused us to lose a good mod, and a couple more are on the fence. Although I cannot speak for that mod, the discussions we have been having in the mod forum lead me to believe that it is the actions of a few, combined with the level of freedom afforded the membership, and our self imposed restrictions on how we moderate, that have made mods feel as if their hands are tied, making them ineffective. These are not the actions of new members who may or may not know any better. We believe the system works to help those to assimilate into BARF if they choose to do so. It is the actions of those who really should know better, but act as they wish. We have lost some others in the past for similar reasons.
So what can you do? If you find yourself being a dick… stop it. If you see someone being a dick… call them out on it… without being a dick.
Simple enough no? Then maybe we may not need to act like dicks (by enforcing the TOS), and we can remain your peers first, and your mods second.
Thanks for reading…
This thread was brought to you by the letter B.
I am a BARF moderator. Been doing this for just about 10 years (and yes, I am admittedly crazy). Some years I BARF more than others, but they like to keep me around for some reason. Being a mod has its ups and downs, but the pay is awesome, seriously. I come here for my news, my entertainment, and to hang out with my friends virtually and in meat space. It’s like a one stop shop for me, and I like it enough to want to help keeping it running.
So why am I writing this right now?
I guess I am a little perturbed by recent events, and I think you guys may be able to help.
TSC founded this site, and Budman has shaped it into what it is today… with the help and support of his mods and the addiction of its membership to all things two wheeled, and most things BARF.
The one basic premise that has always been the backbone of BARF has been “Welcome to our home, just don’t be a dick.” As all things do as they grow, this simple tenet has evolved into the current TOS, although in my mind, it still upholds the original premise of not wanting people to be dicks. But this is not what this is about, at least not really.
We watch and wait, we interact with the membership, and once in a while, we select a member or two to invite to join our group of moderators. In a way, it is unfair to be selected, since a member, usually in great standing in the community, stands to lose a lot more than they gain. Why do these fine people accept? Each has their own reasons, but never have I experienced that decision to have been made for strictly selfish reasons.
Recent events have caused us to lose a good mod, and a couple more are on the fence. Although I cannot speak for that mod, the discussions we have been having in the mod forum lead me to believe that it is the actions of a few, combined with the level of freedom afforded the membership, and our self imposed restrictions on how we moderate, that have made mods feel as if their hands are tied, making them ineffective. These are not the actions of new members who may or may not know any better. We believe the system works to help those to assimilate into BARF if they choose to do so. It is the actions of those who really should know better, but act as they wish. We have lost some others in the past for similar reasons.
So what can you do? If you find yourself being a dick… stop it. If you see someone being a dick… call them out on it… without being a dick.
Simple enough no? Then maybe we may not need to act like dicks (by enforcing the TOS), and we can remain your peers first, and your mods second.
Thanks for reading…
This thread was brought to you by the letter B.
