Someone hipped me to this thread, so of course I checked it out. Thanks for your kind words, guys. Really. I mean it. Y'all are sweet.

What my impressions of this site have come down to is a need for the moderators to understand the dichotomy between the mere depiction of language and the actual meaning behind the words that pop up on these screens. That, to me, is the crux of appropriate moderation, be it on a website, in a magazine, on a television program, wherever.

There's a pop-Buddhist expression quoted in a Laurie Anderson song, which I think was originally coined by William Burroughs: "Language is a virus from outer space." Well, I don't know about the outer space part, but I can get with the virus part. Words are just combinations of letters and symbols that we manipulate to express our thoughts and feelings as best we can, and those combinations of symbols mutate with every person who ingests them, based on that person's interpretation. We can use strong words to express harmless messages, and we can use weak language to express some pretty heavy stuff. It's all in the interpretation, and perhaps just as importantly, it's all in the author's intent.

Similarly, by way of (mis)interpretation, a person can take your language and twist it around in ways that you didn't intend. They can take something harmless and make it ugly. That's what I contend to have experienced this weekend, and I felt it was grossly inappropriate, bullyish and, to some extent, violating. And being someone whose bread and butter is expressing himself by way of the written word, it was a slap in the face that stung more than perhaps was intended.

Deleting my posts isn't a big deal to me. Re-purposing them maliciously from a position of so-called "authority" IS a big deal to me.

Context is important. Context is everything, even when dealing with a "pointless", harmless missive, such as the one that led to my eventual storming out from this site. If context weren't important, then why else would this moderator have re-posted my seemingly "content-free" post, only to re-frame it in his own intended context?

That's dirty playing.

I might have reacted with a little bit more bile than was appropriate (okay, a LOT more), but the core of all my kvetching was right-on, and I continue to stand by the issues I have with certain recent actions made, as well as the stream of little frustrations over the summer that led me to blow my stack at this virtual straw that broke the virtual camel's virual back. Virtually speaking, that is.

It sucks to distance myself from the Org. I don't like it. But I also don't like feeling like my contributions will be manipulated against me at the moderators' whims. Deleting is one thing. This is quite another.

If it's about being arbitrary, then great. At least that's consistent. Be arbitrary, but be arbitrary across the board. Be consistent. And if that seems too much to ask of The Powers That Be, might I suggest you find a copy of a delightful children's book titled "The Emperor's New Clothes"? It might learn ya a lesson, sooner than you think.

I would love to reconsider my decision to leave the Org; I would love to be assured that new moderators won't go unchecked, and that they won't use their "powers" as a form of petty retribution. I would like to think that moderation on this site is treated as a responsibility rather than some kind of high-and-mighty "entitlement".

But I'm not convinced.

How's that song go? "Eye Love U, But Eye Don't Trust U Anymore"?

Moderators (particularly new ones): Play nice. Think before you act. Remove the phrase "It's Good To Be King" from your internal phrasebook. Hold yourself to a higher standard, especially if that's what you want from us. Then I'll be happy to come back and play, and I'll kiss and cuddle and feed milk and cookies to every last one of your rules and regulations.

And for the rest of you, all I can say is you have a whole lot more patience than me. And I've been here a while.

All my best to all of you...even Ian.

-Anx

Oh, and... GET BACK IN HERE, ANXIETY!

nice responce Anx,

i hope you dont mind but i copied and pasted it over in the site discussion forum...just in case it gets deleted here...

good luck wherever you land on the net...and let me know where that home is...i too am starting to feel uncomfortable posting here and might be joining you soon...


late,

-nicholas

ugh! some folx take this FAN SITE way way WAY too seriously.
see ya!

Shorty said:

Sometimes I think that...but it is still sad to see someone whose posts you have enjoyed leave.

RandomDuck said:

sure...it's sad...but why leave? that's what I'm saying when I talk about folx taking this site too seriously...it's like a soap opera! "that's it! I'm leaving! I can't take it anymore!" boo hoo hoo

anyway...I've yet to see anyone (who announces it anyway) ACTUALLY leave...ya know? He'll be back in one way shape or form...

Shorty do you have your period today?



heh heh heh

Shorty said:

uhh..i agree with you 100% but, if you notice, this thread wasnt created by Anxiety. He never made a public announcement...so in this case, I think your statement is missplaced.

furthermore, i think Anxiety has good reason to leave the site...just read his statement for better understanding...

CarrieLee said:

yes actually! LOL but did that sound bitchy? I didn't mean for it to be bitchy...it's just so soap opra-ish...don't you think?
quit me...or I'll have to

SkletonKee said:

I guess you're right...he didn't proclaim himself that he was leaving...I stand corrected...but...my original post still stands.
I never said he didn't have good reason...

Shorty said:

You just went on a little rant, not necessarily bitchy. I can sense the period tone miles away...

a little rant? psh! you ain't seen nuttin' honey! LOL
I stand by my original post.
people take this FAN sit WAY WAY WAY too seriously!

oh yeah and for that

CarrieLee's
and a for good measure!

IceNine said:

YEAH THIS NOT GOOD

PLUS POOK LIKE BRIAN FELLOW

POOK DO IMPRESSION

OK HERE GO

POOK BRIAN FELLOW!

THAT FUNNY HUH