If you think this may mean that you sometimes should not flag at all, especially on a story or comment that upsets you tremendously, that’s correct.
Especially on a story that upsets you tremendously.
********
Because this is moderation we’re talking about, not revenge.
Think about it.
*********
While one or more flags may be exactly the response a diary or comment should get, for moderation to work best the response also needs to be one that has a chance of cooling the situation, too, or at least not exacerbating it. So walk away for an hour. Find a friend who you can rage at until you find just the right words to use to condemn the comment without trying to take down the user. Practice using the “Return to Edit” and “Cancel” buttons while commenting.
At some point I expect to be writing “The art of the civil putdown,” possibly in collaboration with another user; in the meantime, if you must respond to a comment that sends you over the top, practice the art of rewriting your initial responses until you have the minimum answer that will make your point without starting a whole new fight. It’s an art in itself, and worth cultivating.
*****
Comments are open. For agreement and argument and everything in between — and sideways, too. Enjoy.
*****
Next time: an introduction to the The Rules of the Road — sort of.
Think about what other boilerplate an Open Thread should include, or even whether you want to see this as a regular feature.
Tentatively, these diaries are set for Tuesday and Friday evenings at 9:00 pm Eastern time/8:00 pm Central/7:00 pm Mountain/6:00pm West Coast. If you have a topic you’d like to see discussed in one of them, leave a comment or kosmail me about it.
Anyone who wants to discuss community moderation topics is welcome. Of course, if you wish to tell us that community moderation is a failure and it’s all just an excuse for some people to set themselves up to judge others, please remember that Conspiracy Theories are not acceptable topics for discussion.
Previous diaries in this series, and a compilation of historical diaries showing the growth of Community Moderation on Daily Kos, can be found at A Guide to Community Moderation.
A caveat:
I do not speak for the Help Desk. This group does not speak for the Help Desk. In the unlikely event that any member of the Help Desk joins the group it still will not speak for the Help Desk. Kos and the rest of the Daily Kos staff, usually speaking through the Help Desk, are the ultimate authority in any and all disputes. Moving on...
Decisions about what to moderate, what to say, and how to say it, have always been individual ones. At most, it’s my hope that this group will offer advice which will make at least some parts of moderation more comfortable for more users.