Why I don't want to be a moderator

[Killian Jones 2,655]

** To begin this topic I want to start a small experiment. Look at the current time and write it down, or better use a stopwatch and time yourself. This is slightly important to the first point I am going to make. I'll command you a little later to stop this, don't worry, you'll see it. **

 

 

Being a moderator seems quite nice and every community you go to there are people who aspire to be one. Since I have experience being one and I actually know what it is like. I hope that after reading this many people will think twice about making these kinds of aspirations. Or thinking it's always fun and games.

 

The first point I will try to make is, being a moderator takes up time. Perhaps not a lot, or none at all if you don't do the job, but to anyone seriously wishing to help, it takes time. And most people here chose their time wisely, they won't be here more simply because they are a moderator, they will only use that time wisely. But all that time you allocate to being a moderator, you can't use to actually be a part of the community. Consider it would take you 20 minutes each day in total to complete a moderation round. In that time you can miss valuable discussion, or make a post less. Thus getting less involved in the community.

 

It is why I replied to this forum survey that Feld0 should appoint more moderators. Because it is clear that in order to balance a community, you have to balance the load of work unto more people. So that even the moderator and the forum creator can choose to get involved into everything regular members do. And I wish that for all members.

 

 

While time may not seem to be an issue, there is more. In my own experience I have found that members treat moderators different;y. they tend to tiptoe around them more out of fear of being warned or banned. And while some may like this feeling, it really is not something I would like happening to me. It's not always positive.

 

On that same note, people tend to respect you even if you may be wrong. Because in the eyes of a lot of members, moderators seem to be above regular members. While it is true they have to make certain judgement calls, it shouldn't have bearing on anything outside of the moderation decisions. It would seem that a great amount of people will blindingly like a moderators opinion more then that of a regular member.

 

I would personally not be treated differently because of that. Even if I am more of a popular member compared to others, I wouldn't want to be treated radically different because of it.

 

The last thing you must know, as a moderator you have to hurt your friends. It happens at times when someone you know and care about makes a mistake, breaks a rule. And you have to tell them off at that point. Or worse take action and give them a warning. While many people will claim this doesn't affect them, I can say it certainly does. there is a small degree of butthurt. And even this slight resentment they may have towards a moderator..It slightly alienates. And it is not fun.

 

Although there are definitely good sides to being a moderator. It is often hard to acknowledge those tough things that will constantly be there. It makes your entire experience different. While in a perfect utopia none of this will be needed. But I hope after this, less people will feel the need to want to become a moderator.

 

**This is the moment to stop your time and see how much time has elapsed. That's how much time it took you to read this post and how much time it takes from you today. Now see how much time it takes to write a reply, or read another topic.**

[Mr. Wobbels 664]

Yeah, it actually would kinda suck looking through all of the threads for crap and people would blame you for everything.

[Strafe 594]

Being a mod is more work that I don't need.

[I_wesley125 393]

I wouldn't mind being a mod, although I can see why it would have cons.

[Mephala 2,633]

Couldn't do it. I mean, some people get really mad at them, and I just don't have the motivation to follow the rules that well :S

Also I don't have the time or work ethic it requires.

[Fox 5,330]

I have faith in the mods and feld0.... to deal with the sto0f I don't have to deal with.

[Shadow Stallion 436]

I have seen some FAIL moderators in the past.. But the mods here know how to do their job, and are good at it.

 

I am not a responsible person, so I would be a fail mod, lol.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,529]

Beautifully put, Tich. Being a moderator (or worse, an admin or even site owner) is generally seen by too many people as having god-like status. There are times when it certainly feels nice to be the one in charge, but we staffers are every bit as mortal and human as the 2,500+ members we take care of.

 

I make it a point to try and appoint humble staff members who have absolutely nil interest in gaining popularity because of their ability to delete posts and clean messes up (and who typically have no interest in the staff denotation, which comes with a special badge and coloured username). It annoys most of us greatly when people think of us as higher beings whom they must always carefully tread around and lather with praise, almost as if they are trying to gain our favour.

 

When it comes to making decisions that invoke the use of our moderative powers, "favour" is something that we cannot consider, because it would be terribly unprofessional of us to do so. When we aren't moving threads, hiding posts, or warning people for misbehaving, what makes a moderator's opinion of you or a subject any more significant than anyone else's?

 

In the several years that I have been running forums, I have had to crack down and take action against people whom I considered to be friends. It truly hurts to be "the bad guy" sometimes, and I hope you all realize how difficult a decision it was to close the chat down the other day. The staff and I (and particularly Zoop, who made the actual announcement on behalf of the team) had to endure the reactions. I will leave it at that because the chatroom was a very polarizing topic and I do not want to drag yesterday's debate into here.

[Lady Rarity Pony 4,892]

Yeah, take Zoop for example, no one likes him. He's weirder now than he was before becoming mod.[/obviousjoke]

<3 <3 <3

Edited April 10, 2012 by Lady Rarity Pony

[Neikos 968]

I agree with all of that, which is one of the reasons I brohoofed your post. But which I agree with most is this part:

 

On that same note, people tend to respect you even if you may be wrong. Because in the eyes of a lot of members, moderators seem to be above regular members. While it is true they have to make certain judgement calls, it shouldn't have bearing on anything outside of the moderation decisions. It would seem that a great amount of people will blindingly like a moderators opinion more then that of a regular member.

I cannot say how much I dislike this, I as a human being, love to be told that I'm wrong solely for the reason that it allows me to either prove that I'm right or I might learn something new. This not only happens to me on things I moderate, which is more of a bias. But also in real life, where 'apparently' I am good in anything Mathematical and Physics, to a point that some would blindly follow my results which I whipped up in 2 seconds and erase their own which they did using the book and the stuff we learned. It actually angered me, and I told them to not do that. Now it's not the same situation, but the same outcome: Don't follow blindly anything you are told, this applies to a lot of things and is pretty much the base for a healthy discussion.

 

( Except yellow snow, you don't have to try it to actually know you don't eat it. )

[Killian Jones 2,655]

I was actually thi

Beautifully put, Tich. Being a moderator (or worse, an admin or even site owner) is generally seen by too many people as having god-like status. There are times when it certainly feels nice to be the one in charge, but we staffers are every bit as mortal and human as the 2,500+ members we take care of.

 

I was actually thinking of making the anecdote: Being an administrator really is much worse. But I believe thou have ninja'd me.

 

While there are also fun aspects to being a moderator, considering moderators can more often push issues and changes on the forum, have a generally better connection with the admin to get things changed. They can get the community to help behind a certain idea. But sometimes I believe this doesn't balance out enough.

[Little Miss Fluttershy 678]

I wouldn't mind being a moderator. I spend alot of my time on here just looking around, and replying to a few topics. Yes, there are some cons to being a moderator, but personally, I've always wanted to be a moderator. It gives me a sort of purpose to being a moderator and that I can work on making sure everything is in tip-top shape on the forums. I have asked to be an admin on the minecraft server, but I was denied even though I was on there like everyday. Anyway, just thought I throw in my opinion on here.

[Champion RD92 8,658]

I wouldn't wanna be a moderator. I enjoy posting on here too much, and I wouldn't wanna let moderator duties/responsibilities get in the way of me enjoying the forums.

[Twister The Twisted 92]

As i have seen on the forums People want to be Mods For all the wrong reason's and in doing so plead other mods (Zoop most of all) to ask Feld0 to make them Mods because they will be a 'good' mod and to be honest most just want to be mods to have power in the forums.

[Typhoid Libby 1,265]

Been there, done it.

WAY. TOO. MANY. TIMES.

 

Suxxors.

Don't do it.

 

"Wanna help the community?"

"Sure, what you need?"

"You to be a moderator."

"Well... Fsk."

Edited April 10, 2012 by Libertina Kohr-Ah

[SpectrumUK_D 45]

If I had the time (which I defiantly don't!) I wouldn't mind being a mod, but I can certainly see some of the disadvantages though.

Punishing people close to you, and having to make tough decisions, for example.

But, given the choice (and the time) I would go for it. Not for the power though, people who ask to be mods just for the "godlike" power they think that they will get are stupid.

Edited April 10, 2012 by SpectrumUKd

[KPM 288]

I just spent 2 minutes of my life doing a good read. I spent another 3 reading responses.

5 Minutes of my boredom taken away. That's nice.

And yes. This pretty much established why I won't ever be a moderator of a kind anywhere, even if asked to be...

[Key Gear 6,663]

I like this post.

 

Unfortunately, I honestly don't have very much to add to it, because what you have to say is both largely correct and wonderfully readable. I would like to add just a few small things though.

 

In my experience, users that are more mature tend to understand that moderators are also members of the community. A mature member would not "tiptoe" around mods due to fear and would be very understanding when they receive a warning from a moderator. Unfortunately, you are right that some users may view moderators in a negative fashion.

 

Really though, let's be honest. The rules of this site are clearly written and they are easily available at the bottom of every page. I see no reason for anyone to fear being banned or warned on a site where the rules are so plainly available.

 

For anyone that feels this "fear of moderation", just read and follow the rules. Stop worrying unnecessarily. Life has enough things to be concerned about without adding moderation to that list.

 

It would seem that a great amount of people will blindingly like a moderators opinion more then that of a regular member.

 

If the mods are being chosen by an individual of discernment, then it is probably likely that the moderators themselves are also discerning individuals.

 

If an individual regularly demonstrates that they possess good judgement, then it is not necessarily a bad thing to trust them to do so again. This is especially the case if the individual does not believe that they are 100% reliable - this means that they are self-aware and they could probably be trusted to act autonomously.

 

The mods and admin of this site regularly impress me with their excellent judgement. If I was reprimanded by them, then I would not take it personally at all. I would assume that there was a very good reason for it.

 

I'm going to be honest here, if Feld0 was running for U.S. president and the mods of this site were his advisors, then I would vote for him in a New York minute.

 

This is the moment to stop your time and see how much time has elapsed. That's how much time it took you to read this post and how much time it takes from you today.

 

I have to confess, I skim through everything. I only rarely read something in its entirety. This is why it took me about 3 minutes to reach this part of your post.

 

I felt rather guilty actually, so I went back up and read through it a couple more times only more slowly. Unfortunately, while I was doing this, I completely forgot to note the time, and I didn't note the time for this response either.

 

Now, speaking just for myself, I was a mod on many sites about a decade ago and an administrator of a few of them as well. At the time, I was younger, and the responsibility of keeping things running smoothly on so many sites gave me quite the rush. At that time, in all honesty, I thought that it was incredibly fun.

 

These days, I would never, ever want to be a moderator or admin of any kind on any publicly available forum. I know that sounds bad, but I am a very, very tired person. I have spent the past 8 years of my life working for ridiculous amounts of time every week and straining under the burden of many, many obligations.

 

While things are far calmer for me right now, the damage has already been done. I have pushed myself to the limits of falling to pieces far too many times. The thought of unnecessary responsibility now fills me with trepidation. In the words of one of my favorite musicians, "the thrill is gone".

 

I only write all of this because I believe that some may consider me a "brown-noser" because of my incessant positive remarks on the moderators and admin of this site. I would like to publicly assure all that I have jack-crap to gain from doing so. Everything that I say, I say because, based on my own past experiences, I honestly believe it to be the truth.

 

Being a member of this site has been a disturbingly pleasant experience for me. I would like to thank Tich for typing up this wonderful post, so that those that think responsibility is "fun" will be able to get a more realistic picture of things.

[Akemi Homura 7,681]

I would personally not be treated differently because of that. Even if I am more of a popular member compared to others, I wouldn't want to be treated radically different because of it.

 

The last thing you must know, as a moderator you have to hurt your friends. It happens at times when someone you know and care about makes a mistake, breaks a rule. And you have to tell them off at that point. Or worse take action and give them a warning. While many people will claim this doesn't affect them, I can say it certainly does. there is a small degree of butthurt. And even this slight resentment they may have towards a moderator..It slightly alienates. And it is not fun.

 

Although there are definitely good sides to being a moderator. It is often hard to acknowledge those tough things that will constantly be there. It makes your entire experience different.

 

These are the key disadvantages that I, and any other member would/should look further into if any of you is looking to become a moderator on not only on the Forums, but in any other forum. As Tich points out, you would have to "hurt your friends" for the sake of obedience in the case of the other user.

 

Personally, I believe a big issue lies within small arguments erupting on certain points in the Forums. I have seen many posts being deleted and topics being locked as a result due to the drama in which these arguments generate. Needless to say that it's in our nature to disagree with another user's opinions, but in the case of debate, those small arguments could very well turn into unpleasant battles, in which nobody wants to read all those posts... and suffice to say that the moderator would then have the right to make it clear to both parties involved that their behavior isn't exactly stellar. It is similar to how a student may have a friendship with his/her teacher, and could resent said teacher because the teacher gave the student a low mark. You would have to get your point across that even though you are friends, there are still guidelines in which you need to follow. Otherwise, it would be unfair to the administrator and the other users, no matter how insignificant.

 

While in a perfect utopia none of this will be needed. But I hope after this, less people will feel the need to want to become a moderator.

 

Once again, although we would tend to differentiate ourselves from every user from the site (no matter how insignificant) in terms of viewpoints and judgement (which, again, would cause some sort of drama), I would lean towards the users disciplining themselves to following the rules are controlling their emotions/feelings so that for the sake of the moderators and the users themselves, nothing of dramatic nature presents itself to the rest of the site.

Edited April 10, 2012 by Tom Da Diamond

[Mr. Wobbels 664]

I will leave it at that because the chatroom was a very polarizing topic

 

There's a difference between polarization and pure butthurt and sh*t-stormification.

[Demi 545]

I want to be a mod so I can force everypony to give me their queso.

 

Otherwise, you feel sorta outcast when everypony fears you. In the chat (R.I.P.) at least.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,670]

I would LOVE to follow Tom around and delete all his Trixie posts.

 

Blatant abuse of power, yes. Unprofessional, yes. So much darn fun to do, YES.

[Typhoid Libby 1,265]

I would LOVE to follow Tom around and delete all his Trixie posts.

 

Blatant abuse of power, yes. Unprofessional, yes. So much darn fun to do, YES.

 

iMAginaryDMIN!

[Marcato 2,143]

This thread is incredibly moving and capturing to me. I know what it's like to be a moderator and it's no piece of cake. You have to check everything and have a good knowledge of what you are doing. Being quick, smart, and all in all good at settling and answering problems. Besides, even if you aren't a moderator you can still help around in places like this. Reporting especially. I have had good conversations with nearly every single person of the staff and most of them dislike being considered more important, and i felt the same way as a minecraft moderator.

 

Being a moderator isn't about popularity. It's more about knowing how to help and when to do it and being ABLE to do it. It's more a job then a position. I know people who left forums or servers because they were frustrated with how they were treated better then others or how they were given privelages. Some even left because it was simply too difficult for them to do it and didn't like how it turned something they used to enjoy into a job or a chore. Personally i enjoy helping with things, which is one reason i tried so hard to donate a while ago. (but to no success.)

 

I still have difficulty knowing how i feel about moderation. When you become a moderator there are things you sacrifice. Your sense of being some one equal with the other mombers. Your opinion actually getting some kind of argument instead of people immediately agreeing just because you are a moderator. However there are things you gain as well. A better ability to help. Maybe even it contributes to real life. For example, things you learn from being staff on a forum or somewhere of the sort can in fact be used in real life. Your knowledge of peoples minds from the internet can potentially make you easily understand people's feelings in real life, and i discovered this myself.

 

Really being a moderator has it's ups and downs. depending on your perspective, sometimes more ups then downs or more downs then ups. So to finish, I think moderators should be seen more equally instead of constantly feared and looked up at. Not that moderators shouldn't be respected, but they do in fact enjoy talking to people normally. From the private chats i have had with Neikos and Zoop in particular, they both prefer to be treated equally. Swoop even told me, and i hope he doesn't mind me saying this, that he would rather not have the title, name colour and badge at all and just the abilities instead. That way he could feel more a part of the community normally.

 

I hope this thread doesn't turn into a flame war like the "Chat is Dead" thread did. If i offended anyone or you feel anything is unfair in what i'm saying, i'm sorry if it came across that way.

[Doctor XFizzle 8,670]

If there must be a definitive title for the site staff, instead of a title like moderator which invokes authority/fear, what about "Site Ambassadors" because it's a more user-oriented, user-friendly title I guess

Edited April 10, 2012 by Doctor XFizzle