Time for some moderation?

rogerch · 2024-06-16T00:24:58+00:00

Unfortunately but not too surprisingly some of the threads here have gotten a bit contentious lately. It would be great if we could manage this so that we re...

Rubens

With my short attention span, I would welcome a limit in the number of words per post. This may be an unpopular idea, though. Feel free to downvote it 🤣.

Pallas

Rubens I see nothing wrong with a word limit. I would love that. (And I am surely on the list of long-winded posters, so I realize I'm asking for constraints on my own posting!😁)

twocats

Rubens With my short attention span, I would welcome a limit in the number of words per post.

Hah! On another forum that I'm on, sometimes people do a "cut for length" with a drop-down in case people don't want to see the nitty-gritty details. I always think that's considerate 😉

PianoMonk

Killomiter new to PT are numerous people from other places new here and who permanently seem to live down some pretty long rabbit holes! They are imposing their same random self indulgent arguments and rants on PT.

This says it all. Those particular individuals aren't content to sling that stuff around PC, where it's supposedly welcomed, if not encouraged. They seem to want the attention, good, bad, or otherwise, anywhere they can get it, which is how some of them got banned from PW.

I think the townsfolk should get their torches and pitchforks and ride them rascals out on a rail. I personally think that anyone who joins PianoTell and launches some contentious generic inflammatory post, veiled as piano-worthy information, or sprinkles posts with politics, religion, or social commentary, should be immediately kicked out, or at least, banned with one last chance. And would PianoTell suffer by eliminating a few trolls and troublemakers?

twocats

PianoMonk I think a better approach would be if everyone is willing to say "let's keep this place positive". If a post is creating a negative atmosphere, we can call it out. It happened to a thread that I was on where someone was saying things that weren't helpful and only made me feel bad.

If we keep reinforcing (in a polite way) that this is a friendly place and that those kind of comments aren't welcome, those people will either go away on their own or will tone it down. And if they don't, a moderator can step in. But if we as a community want to keep this a nice place, we should do it without pitchforks. People can change!

A Block function would sure make it easier though. Sometimes there are people who don't have bad intentions but you just don't want to see their posts.

Killomiter

PianoMonk I could not agree more, well said

rogerch

twocats I like the idea of community members calling out unwanted behavior, as long as the calling out is positive and respectful regardless of the toxicity of the post that provoked it.

A few of you are doing this already and I think you are doing a great job!

I am also grateful to @BartK, @navindra, @ShiroKuro and @rsl12 for being moderators!

Rubens

In a way I'm glad that the honeymoon period is over. It was not going to last anyway. Now we see what we are really dealing with. It's not too bad...yet.

twocats

Rubens but things never stay the same! Even if it was the same group of people, we all change over time.

For a hot minute there with that negative poster I also felt like the honeymoon period was over and maybe I didn't want to be here anymore. But the truth is that there are many more supportive and nice people here than the bad, so why let one or two people ruin this for me? I can choose not to interact with them anymore and I know that others have my back. I may make some use of the Ignore feature even if it's not as effective as I'd like 🙂

Pallas

twocats why let one or two people ruin this for me?

There aren't enough heart emojis in the world for my reaction. I'm so glad you said that.

Rubens

twocats we all change over time.

Do we, though? It's interesting I recently discussed this question with a friend. He believes people can change, I don't. In my view, if you see a person "change" into another person a few years later, it's really because their "new" self was already part of what they were in the first place. In other words, they already had it in them to begin with. In any case, how often do we really see people change anyway, especially for the better? Maybe I'm a pessimist, but think about all the "bad apples" who have been polluting the PW for years. They were bad apples when they joined, and they are just as bad if not worse now.

twocats

Rubens In other words, they already had it in them to begin with.

That may be true, but what matters to me is their outward behavior. I do see that one person over on PW is much better behaved than they were years ago.

And yes, there will be people who are always unpleasant but not breaking any actual rules or people who want to stir up trouble. The best way to deal with those people is not to engage, both for your own mental health and to prevent them from having additional fodder for argument. I am the first to admit that it's hard to be the bigger person but it is remarkably effective 🙂

ShiroKuro

Coming in late to this thread and I just wanted to apologize for being a little absent here (still unpacking!) but I'm grateful to everyone for their commitment to keeping PT a nice place to be!
It's inevitable that difficulties will crop up from time to time, but I think PT will be ok, thanks to all of you here!

Rubens

We should definitely all try to be the bigger person. But I admit I do struggle with that sometimes because it makes me look fat🤪.

sandalhome

Sometimes there's a mismatch between those who post from an emotional perspective - which, IMHO, tends to be opinion-based - and those who are posting from a reason-based perspective re factual stuff. Room for both but the combination can be like oil and water and can go downhill fast. But stepping into this mismatch can invite trouble from both sides. (Long ago, on a training course, I, a mere male, stepped in try and moderate/calm/ or whatever a furious argument between 2 women participants. They both instantly turned both barrels on me. It was a good lesson!) I'm reasonably happy with argument as long as it's not a personal attack and where everyone genuinely accepts it's mostly opinion anyway. To extend it a little further, gratutious attacks on matters dear to others, eg a favourite piano, composer, genre, VST etc. can also be inflammatory. I for one tend to get all fired up - but try not to respond - when something I hold dear gets trashed. I may not like composer A, but trashing him - it's usually a him - can be seen as trashing those who like that composer.

Josephine

I was thinking about cultural differences. I'm from the Netherlands, and I know people from other countries often think we are too direct and maybe even rude. I really want to hear the truth, while people from some other countries feel like it's rude to tell the truth. And the other way around I don't get the hints sometimes, so I keep talking because the other one was polite.

Killomiter

You are to me the opposite Josephine. If I may add to your comment by saying that it maybe surprising just how kind and considerate the membership on here despite differences in background and culture. I love the Dutch anyway as they are great Sailors 🙂

Josephine

Killomiter

I'm not a great sailor I'm afraid.
Last year we sailed under a bridge that was too low and the engine hit the bridge. Then the rest wanted to go back, again under the bridge but this time without an engine. Then we had to push ourselves forward against the ceiling of the bridge with our hands. But I freaked out because some sort of claustrophobia and I jumped up, so I was holding the rail of the bridge, hanging above the water. I hope nobody was filming it.

Killomiter

Josephine ut I freaked out because some sort of claustrophobia and I jumped up, so I was holding the rail of the bridge, hanging above the water. I hope nobody was filming it.

LOOL I would have filmed this if I was in the vicinity. Thx for sharing your story too he he

stemPianist

guidelines from a successful online community:
https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
See "In Comments" subsection at link.
Not all apply but some are relevant.

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