Yep. They are legitimately insane. I haven't looked at it in a few days. Maybe I should jump back in.
So today I had a lot of procrastinating to do, so I re-joined my dad's political group (which he has not shown his face on since the last time I told him off, hurrah) and joined a few discussions... Like, even when I'm asking for these people's opinions or even agreeing with them they're still making little quips about how I must be a Democrat (I'm not) or voted for Obama (I didn't) and one guy, when I was agreeing with him started making sheep noises at me. These people are crazy.
I don't mean the people who report posts just to be a brat, I mean they report a post to get someone else in trouble when they, at least arguably, started it. I recognize that you think Cuch's insult is over the line... Eh, it's all subjective. I'm sure you can recognize that being called a leprechaun is probably really not funny to an Irish guy. And I know I'm a very likable person. ...I think I looked at a census thread once and didn't know how to respond so I gave up.
If there's one thing I think I've always been upfront about, especially while on staff, it's that if I cross the line, either unintentionally or in the heat of the moment or whatever, I fully expect to be called on it. It happens, and I shouldn't be above the rules anymore than anyone else. And for future reference, while I know others will snip at people when they report them and the report isn't serious, I've never done that and never plan to. If I report someone, its a serious report every time. I find little value and have little interest in sniping someone behind their back to staff members just because I'm upset and because it can be done in secret. I never knew it happened before I joined staff, and I never appreciated people wasting my time by making me check my email for a non issue when I was on staff. I've never been one for wasting time with things like that. So sorry if I came off as a little snippy during this conversation. It felt like you were mostly blowing me off initially which I guess is just a misunderstanding, and feeling like I'm being blown off is one of those few things that can get under my skin. You do realize that for all of my joking about you being lazy and not doing anything around here I do actually respect and like you right? I know I give you a hard time sometimes, but that's only because you never responded to a single census.
It's not uncommon for people to snip at someone and then hit the Report button when they get snipped at back. I didn't want you to think your report was outright ignored; I thought I was being courteous by letting you know that we didn't agree it was a problem, but when you said that you should both be warned I thought that was reasonable and fair, so I did it. If I thought you would find that solution acceptable in the first place, then I would've done it in the first place. As long as we agree on what's good for the goose is good for the gander then I don't see what we're arguing about.
No need for the hyperbole. But I would think my reporting the insult should be enough to demonstrate that it's unwelcome and unacceptable. If you wanted to be hands off then you could have let another staff member deal with it. Or let me bring it up in feedback if nothing was done. Instead you basically came to me and told me to buzz off and I got what I was asking for. You may have tried to word it a bit more politely, but that was essentially how it comes off. The insult was certainly not welcome, but I'm not exactly going to have a cry in my room over it. Doesn't mean it shouldn't have been dealt with after I reported it, and you going out of your way to tell me to buzz off and that you weren't going to do anything was unacceptable and unprofessional. If you wanted to know if the insult actually bothered me or if I really expected something to be done and why then feel free to ask me. I don't warn often though, and I certainly don't warn just to be a bother. If I press that damn button and send a comment it's because I think that person has broken the rules and that it should be dealt with. If you want to hear me out and still choose to do nothing and explain why then so be it. But if you're just going to blow me off until I press you then don't waste my time.
I'm more of a hands-off moderator than you are. It's worked for me for over a decade so far, but if you think EoFF is crumbling under my influence then feel free to bring this issue to the attention to the rest of the staff. My initial reaction was to respect that you're both adults, but I dealt with the situation as you suggestion, on your insistence. You're welcome.
If I thought for a moment that Cuch were actually joking if you'd seen some of the PM's we've exchanged in the past you'd know better), or that my comment was actually an insult (which it certainly wasn't intended as), I would have had no problem "taking it," as you say. But that still doesn't mean that even if two adults are sitting around hurling insults at one another and breaking rules that it's okay to ignore it because they can take it, or they're both dishing it out. What the hell sort of example does rule enforcement that blatantly selective set? It's okay if it's certain people? Of course it isn't. And it sure as hell isn't when at least one of them is very obviously not doing some good natured ribbing. From the way you've talked about it you seem to think Couch insulting people for the sake of being a dick is perfectly fine. And I find it difficult to believe consideration for my feelings played much of a role or I wouldn't have had to point out that what he was doing was over the line beyond the initial report. Besides, the insult I can live with. Your initial unwillingness to actually enforce the rules was what I had the biggest problem with.
The context matters at least as much to the recipient to a comment as it does to the person who made the comment, as evidenced by your sensitivity to a fat joke. I did take the time to do my job. I reviewed the situation and determined that a grown man should be able to take it when he dishes it. You disagreed, so I dealt with the situation as per your own suggestion, out of consideration for your feelings. If, based on that, you want to accuse me of failing to be impartial in regards to someone I have no fondness for... I don't know what to tell you. We can't agree on everything, I suppose!
Hence why I said context matters. But we're going to have to agree to disagree. And no offense, but I find it difficult to take a positive view of the judgment and impartiality of someone on this matter when they didn't think someone blatantly breaking the rules was worth them taking the time to do their job.
