I try like hell to keep my yap shut, about this subject, and threads like these.
I was a forum mod, and a chat room host for over 7 years, and I will now dispense the
ONLY two truths I have seen hold up through that time.
Truth #1. There always are, always be trolls on forums. Yes, this also includes the occasional "functional psychotic" who is reaching out (Aren't we all?). Welcome to the general public. it takes all kinds. But, there is only one way to deal with the destructive ones:
Mokusatsu. It is a Japanese word meaning,
"To kill with silence."
It works so well, it is spooky. It is also the prefect "complete solution" to the problem.
"Let me esplain. No, there is no time to esplain. Let me sum up." - Inigo Montoya, Princess Bride
Imagine a nice quiet room, where everyone is talking quietly, then...
Take your avg. garden variety troll, or crazy, and imagine them as taking a big ol' swing at a gong with a huge hammer. Yes, it's annoying. Yes, it makes any other conversation but that one difficult.
Now, imagine it from the viewpoint of a "responsible Mod" (and yes, there are quite a few, here).
The
minute someone takes up the gauntlet, the waters are muddied. Now they have two folk to deal with, and only "one" problem, and that never works out, either.
With the alternative, "mokusatsu", imagine that same guy, swinging the same hammer, only there is
no gong!
1. There is hardly any noise.
2. No argument.
3. No confusion.
What you have is one(1) ea. jerk, wildly swinging a hammer. Easy to spot, easy to deal with, and stuff gets handled.
Now, let me explain why this is almost universally
never practiced:
People is people.
Yes, even "99.9999% ascended, psychic, 27th density, self-realized, lotus eating people, is people.
"And you know what stinkers they can be!" - The cabbie in "Harvey"
For every Jerk, there is:
- Someone who is absolutely sure it is their duty to tell them they're a jerk,
- And someone who will call them a jerk for saying so,
- And someone who is outraged that someone would "judge" the other two as jerks, by calling them jerks,
- And someone who just has to point out, this is beginning to sound like a bunch of jerks, arguing.
- THEN you have both a post AND a new thread all about "Something must be done!"
Not counting counter-responses, we are up to 6 posts already, and a new thread.
Now, doesn't "mokusatsu" sound like it's worth the effort? I think so. I live in hope but, pardon me if I don't hold my breath
Truth #2. "Rules beget lawyers."
The notion of a "clear cut, well thought out" set of rules is an enticing one. It has all the promise of a poster's paradise "real soon now".
It's a sucker bet. One that I have fallen for a couple times. I repeat: "Rules beget lawyers."
What you always wind up with, is some poor slob (or God save us all, a committee!), slaving away at the next "perfct rule book". What will you get for your trouble?
The instant it's done, comes a "howling pack of forum lawyers" who seem to have all day to spend arguing every fine point, every word; trying out every "flaw", every loophole, and crevice, with a post proving their point, and another arguing it, as well.
Result?
Endless posts, endless threads no one really wants to read, mostly
NOT about the forum's topic of discussion.
Is there an answer? (boy, I bet you never thought I'd get here, huh?)
I dunno if there is
A answer, I do know one that seems to work.
A good bunch of
VERY good hearted, and
VERY thick skinned mods who use a simple idea towards hosting:
If you do not know what it means to behave as a guest in someone's home, either:
a) Learn it fast, or
b) Learn it elsewhere.
It's just as simple as that.
I wish you luck,
Fred