Subcultural engagement for the 21st Century...
Barbelith is a new kind of community (find out more)...
You can login or register.

Underground > Conversation >

All the new people... (shortly to be moved into Policy)

Page: 1 2 3(4)

12:17 / 11.03.04

Testimonial from a genuine, new-minted newbie:

I signed up this morning and was told I might have to wait 3 hours before I post. This seems perfectly reasonable - I'd imagine that anyone who's going to stick around for a bit and/or has something interesting to say will probably have been lurking for a while in some capacity, it can take longer than three hours to read through some of the more interesting posts and general politeness would suggest that you ought to read through something before you start adding to it. Especially for the first time. First impressions and all that.

Considering that, I'd say 3 hours shouldn't be a problem for anyone who actually wants to get on here, but will obviously present a barrier to keyboard thumpers who just want to leave a mark. 'Anyone who actually wants to get on here' is obviously going to include anyone who wants to get on here just to piss you lot off, too, but you'd probably have to deal with them differently.

Anyway, I'm only really saying "hello everyone, I like pirates" for now. But just mentioning that the system to let me do so seems a good one as it is, at the moment.

12:31 / 11.03.04

"hello everyone, I like pirates"

Ninjas Chimpo, NINJAS!!!

Joking, hope you like the place newbie.

13:13 / 11.03.04

apologies for any threadrot, but Jack, I should have made clear that although my colours are tied well and truly to the pirate mast, I have nothing but love for my ninja brethren. Ninjas are COOL. Pirates are just that little bit cooler...

21:05 / 11.03.04

Arrr!

To the Policy with ye, swab, fer the initiation!

23:16 / 11.03.04

I can provide a link to more than one message board where there is little to no moderation for those who find Barbelith too oppressive. I hope you will enjoy watching what was almost an interesting thread degenerate into 32 pages of 'booty piXXX'.

Justified Ancient of Mu Mu -- please consider that although established posters and the general culture of the board make excellent police (or janitors, or meter maids), what makes coming here worthwhile isn't the task of policing.

Tom Tit's Tot: A Girl!

09:20 / 12.03.04

Ahhhh, the elitism that comes from assuming you're better informed, more intelligent, have better grammar, or whatever other justification for exclusionary dickishness you prefer! Takes me back to the good old days....

My opinion's merely a drop in the bucket, mind, but I find this kind of oneupmanship and semantic superiority really chafes. The same reason why organized religion and group mystical practices make me want to piss on anything 'sacred'.

Elitist in a meritocracy way, bollocks! You act like that's a -good- thing! The problem with that line is that a small group are deciding what has merit and what doesn't. Exclude new signals (however banal) and you end up with the same incestuous back-slapping and little disagreements you always get when everyone involved is sure they're in the right, or if not that, at least better than the poor schmucks that get excluded.

...oh, and this is my first post after a long lurking period.

*sensual sigh* Moderate me, baby!

10:02 / 12.03.04

I think we should be aware that this small group only gets to control the board via mind control and telepathy.

But the question we really need to be asking ourselves is this: Is it time to institute a blanket ban on our reptilian members?

Less searchable M0rd4nt

10:08 / 12.03.04

Ninjas punctuate better than pirates.

10:19 / 12.03.04

Glad our elitism apparently doesn't disincline new members from telling us all that's wrong with the old 'Lith in their first posts. We can't be all that elitist then.

10:30 / 12.03.04

Though taking the piss is one way to enforce a party line - I'm feeling a little guilty.

Enough threadrot, though. If we really need to discuss the Barbeconspiracy again, we should probably start another thread about it.

13:10 / 12.03.04

Elitist in a meritocracy way, bollocks! You act like that's a -good- thing!

I assume the "you" in this post is addressed to me, since I was the one who said "elitist in a meritocracy way". I also said "I like that about barbelith", so you are quite right, I do indeed act like that's a good thing. Since I only moderate in the Head Shop, however, you are, in practice, safe from my elitism in all the other fora, and since I can only remember one fight in the last year arising from a moderation action in the Head Shop, you are pretty safe from my elitism there also. Okay? Okay.

For the record, what I meant is that a post which is relevant to the thread, interesting and non-repetitive has more merit than an irrelevant post. The former post will have the elitist privilege of being allowed to stay in the thread, because of its merit. The latter post might be deleted, because it has no merit.

Tom Tit's Tot: A Girl!

15:16 / 12.03.04

Which is all fine a' dandy unless Merit is decided by people that have a grudge or superiority complex. Off-topic or 'pointless' posts being removed due to low/no content? Great. I didn't say that moderation was a BAD thing, but moderating someone before they transgress is like the AMA's claim that circumcision stops foreskin cancer: totally logical in a twisted self-justifying kinda way. Still doesn't make genital mutilation right though, does it?

I think the other problem is that one person's irrelevant is another's irreverent. What make you cringe might make me crack a smile. These things should be considered at length before moderation is taken as an action.

15:29 / 12.03.04

moderating someone before they transgress has never been done on barbelith, or even suggested, as far as I know. And all moderation issues are considered at (sometimes ridiculous) length (see the Policy, passim) so frankly I think this whole thing is a bit of a non-issue. Obviously you, or any other poster, will be free to complain as and when you feel that I am, or any other moderator is, abusing my/hir mutant powers: until then, I don't think anyone need fear for their metaphorical foreskins.

15:42 / 12.03.04

These things should be considered at length before moderation is taken as an action.

As they are. Now who's prejudging?

Page: 1 2 3(4)