I will now proceed to digress, thoroughly, from the stated topic.
So, what is our job, anyway? Our raison d’etre?
It’s not to prevent fights; this is a political site, after all, and disputation is a feature of politics, not a bug.
***
It’s not to prevent bigotry; bigotry is, after all, a part of the human condition which we condemn in others, without much noticing it in ourselves.
If all the current kinds of bigotry were to vanish, we would shortly find a whole new set had cropped up, enabling our ability to find some way of establishing a pecking order in any conceivable situation. Especially when it makes no sense at all to have one.
It’s not to enforce the Rules of the Road. We get to quote them at people, give them links that will allow them to see what we’re referring to, warn about potential restrictions, suggest changes that might lessen retaliation, flag when it seems appropriate, and even react, now and then, with a “Gotcha!” when a comment is Hidden or a penalty is invoked. But we don’t enforce them. We can’t. That is entirely an administrative function, and anything done by the community can be overturned with a click of the keyboard in the hands of the staff.
It is to all our benefit when the work of the community and the work of the administrative side are in alignment; without that, there is no particular reason for bothering with the community side of the equation, because there would be no need for any commenter to pay attention to any attempt at moderation. We assume that alignment, unless there is strong evidence against it, in order to expect a viable community moderation function.
***
Yes, but what is the function of community moderation? Saying what it isn’t can only take us so far, before somebody has to stick their neck out and try to define it. Sigh. Here goes:
Community Moderation is — needs to be — the visible side of a partnership between site administration and the community of users here for the purpose of maintaining, over the long term, some level of reasonable control over the usual inclination of open political sites to blow themselves up, drive away their audience, and become one with the snows of yesteryear.
End Digression, more or less
*****
So, as we gaze into the abyss, what’s to prevent it from overtaking us?
Not a sense of our own virtue and righteousness, that’s for sure. That only tends to help the process along. There is nothing more likely to provoke or enhance a fight than starting from the assumption of your own infallibility. (Note to self; self, don’t get caught up in what it isn’t again — this diary is getting long already.)
If I say it’s holding on with both hands to a sense of humor, will you let me get away with it?
If I tell you that stepping back to where you can enjoy doing the job of a moderator, rather than being on a quest for Justice, is a key to the whole process, can you grok it?
How about: Don’t take yourself too seriously?
It’s all of that, even, or especially, when the statements that made you decide to step in are bugging the hell out of you.
It’s fine to see yourself as the embodiment of Captain America for Daily Kos, as long as you don’t see it as being anything special. If you’re doing the work because you enjoy a website where strong discussion can take place, and you’re trying to keep it that way, more power to you.
And sometimes, the whole point of moderation can be to try to keep other people from taking themselvces too seriously. Be careful, because very few people will be willing to meekly accept that kind of judgment, especially if they do.
Remember, the point of the Rules is not that someone should refrain from saying something, or saying it in ways that are contrary to the Rules of the Road, only that they should refrain from it while they are posting on Daily Kos. Changing the world is not a moderator’s job. Thankfully. So take time to enjoy being the last bastion of a declining civilization in one very small corner of the world. When you’re diarying or commenting, you can try for greater influence.
And, if it is not too much of an imposition, I would request all of the above toward the community from those working on this from the administrative side.
*****
Added Note: 9:04pm CST — I should note that at least half of this diary never got written, because it took off in directions I hadn’t originally intended. For all those who are wondering just what the point of the title was, I’ll be adding more next week. Sorry...
*******
The Archive for the group “A Guide to Community Moderation” remains, and I’d appreciate it if people would comment or message me with links to new diaries that you think might belong there. I expect to be doing these at least once a week for some time to come, as open threads. Think you have an interesting topic? Leave a comment, or send me a message. Tuesdays at 8 pm Central still looks like a good time. ;)
Comments are open.
Thank you all.
General Caveat:
I am not on the Daily Kos Staff; I have no official position. I do not speak for the Help Desk, and just about everything in these except for direct quotes from the Rules of the Road is my personal opinion. Some of it I can back up with numbers, some is pure guesswork, and some of it is pulled straight out of thin air (or something), because it seemed to make a reasonable argument at the time.
8:47 pm CST: P.S. — just edited this to tuck the images back with the paragraphs they’re supposed to be with — didn’t see a problem before publication. Sorry...
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