Volvo, philosophy, and one quick question

Just one quick question for the folks in charge.

steelridge58 said:...and then comes the counterbalance to Sisyphus, I suppose. Just to maintain some kind of cosmic balance.

If you look at that quote, I guess her intentions seem pretty transparent.

I can't help but wonder if a decision of this magnitude shouldn't perhaps involve a bit more of a broad consensus among the leadership. 🤔

Can a moderator unilaterally reinstate users who have been permanently banned?

Anthony Hernandez19 said:I mean, does a moderator actually have the authority to personally reinstate users who've been permanently banned?

Well, I suppose they certainly can. Or, if they choose, they could just play dumb and pretend they haven't noticed someone running around with a cloned account. My main point is that she hasn't even officially stepped into her moderator role yet, and she's already openly suggesting that she won't be upholding the very foundational rules this entire community is built upon.

It also seems pretty obvious that she's aligned with one specific clique and one particular faction within a forum that is already incredibly divided.

If nothing else, I guess I’d like to suggest to the site administration that they perhaps appoint a moderator from the opposite side of the spectrum alongside her, just to ensure there's some sort of healthy balance in the leadership. 👍

Kenneth Cruz67 said:If nothing else, I’d suggest to the forum admins that they appoint a moderator from the other side of the aisle alongside her, just to keep things balanced.👍

We'd end up with a moderator civil war, lol.

Anthony Hernandez19 said:I mean, we’d basically be looking at a full-blown civil war among the moderators, haha.

Well, I suppose if they’re actually sane, well, that wouldn't happen. But if they aren't quite all there, then I guess they probably shouldn't be serving as moderators in the first place, anyway.🤔

Kenneth Cruz67 said:If they're level-headed, then sure. But if they aren't, they shouldn't be moderators in the first place.🤔

So, who would you put on the right side?

Anthony Hernandez19 said:So, who would you put on the right side?

I guess I'm not entirely sure, honestly. Maybe someone a bit more moderate and less controversial? It doesn't even strictly have to be someone from the right wing; they could be neutral or even lean left, as long as they aren't quite as deeply entrenched as steelridge58, just to help keep things a little more balanced and under control. 🤷

It might also be worth mentioning—and I really don't mean this in a mean-spirited way toward steelridge58—that since they don't actually live here in the States, they don't experience the current social climate or the specific era America is going through firsthand. So, perhaps it wouldn't be such a bad idea to pick someone local. 🤷

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I wouldn't know. I'd look for someone moderate and level-headed. They don't even necessarily have to be on the right; they could be neutral or even lean left, as long as they aren't as stubborn as steelridge58. It would just help keep things under control. 🤷

It might also be worth mentioning that steelridge58 doesn't live here in the States. He isn't experiencing the current social climate or the era we're living through in America firsthand, so it might make sense to find someone local. I mean no disrespect to steelridge58, 🤷

A Templar order was mentioned as a possible option for moderation.

Anthony Hernandez19 said:I think the Templar order mentioned they might step in to help moderate.

Oh, I definitely agree! I mean, having a moderation duo consisting of the Templar order and steelridge58 would probably be such a much better, more balanced vibe for the forum than just having steelridge58 on their own. 👍

It’s not like we don't have plenty of high-quality, drama-free users who aren't pushing any specific agendas, you know? So, I suppose it really doesn't matter which part of the spectrum they come from.

Kenneth Cruz67 said:Yeah, a mix of Templar and steelridge58 would definitely be a healthier balance for the forum than just having steelridge58 alone. 👍

It’s not like we don't have quality users who stay out of the drama and don't push an agenda. If they aren't causing trouble, it really shouldn't matter which side of the spectrum they fall on.

In your opinion, are there any users over there who actually deserve a partial?

Anthony Hernandez19 said:So, in your opinion, are there actually any users on here who really deserve a partial ban?

I honestly feel like handing out partial bans right this second might actually be a bit counterproductive, mostly because emotions are running so high right now, and since the forum has been without moderators for a while, things have gotten a little chaotic. I guess it might be a much smarter move to just draw a clear line in the sand first, see how everyone behaves, and then maybe consider partial bans later on. It would probably be better to aim for something like a fresh start with some new moderators rather than jumping straight into a revenge spree filled with insults and punishments. In my view, moderators who try to force their authority through partial bans aren't really doing such a great job anyway.

I have a hunch that the philosophy seminar is going to be quite interesting 😬
Regarding steelridge58—she doesn't strike me as bad at first glance, though perhaps I don't know her well enough yet; certain things she’s said are a bit concerning
And don't even get me started on the cliques

Having more mods is usually better than just one...

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I’ve got one question for those in charge.

Is it really appropriate for someone who is basically just an apprentice moderator to be out here pre-announcing an amnesty for users who were permanently banned from the forums?

Looking at this quote, I think her intentions are pretty obvious.

Don't you think a decision like that should actually require some kind of broader consensus among the leadership? 🤔

I honestly can't believe this.
You completely ripped my post out of context, and that's all I'm going to say about it. 👎

Look, let me just add one more thing, because I’m genuinely curious where you actually got the idea that I’d be announcing my moderator status on some random philosophy thread before the actual administration officially makes an announcement? It feels like you're just showing up here on the forums specifically to complain, acting all high and mighty by insinuating things that are really just products of your own wild imagination.

steelridge58 said:Look, let me just add one thing: where on earth did you get the idea that I’d announce my own promotion in some philosophy thread before the actual admins had even made it official? Plus, you're coming onto this forum just to complain and throw out malicious insinuations based entirely on your own interpretation.

Well, he claimed he read it on the moderator forum. Is there any truth to that?

Look, everyone knows how this works. When a totally NEW moderator takes over a PDF, they should be dropping the partials for that PDF for the community to grab. It’s not that hard to just hand them back.

steelridge58 said:I honestly can't believe this.
You’ve completely taken my previous post out of context, and I suppose that’s all I really have to say about it. 👎

I guess this is just one single instance in what feels like a whole series of your rather concerning posts, especially when you consider the fact that you're slated to become a moderator. To be perfectly honest, I didn't bother digging them all up simply because I was feeling a bit lazy.

And there isn't anything out of context here at all; I mean, your true intentions and motives are clear enough for even a blind man to see. 🤷

Kenneth Cruz67 said:I couldn't say. Someone moderate and low-maintenance. They don't even strictly need to be on the right; they could be neutral or even lean left, as long as they aren't as deeply entrenched as steelridge58. The goal is just to keep things somewhat under control. 🤷

It might also be worth noting that steelridge58 doesn't live in the US, so they aren't directly feeling the pulse of the society and the times we’re currently living through in America. It wouldn't hurt to have someone local involved. I mean that without any malice toward steelridge58 🤷

And what kind of grad student are you in the Philosophy department for you to care about all this anyway?
I've been there for three years now and I still haven't run into you (aside from seeing you pop up occasionally as a troll).

steelridge58 said:Actually, let me just add one more thing, where on earth would you have gotten the idea that I’d be announcing my own appointment as a moderator on some philosophy thread before the actual administration gets a chance to do it? It feels like you're coming onto this forum just to complain, maybe even maliciously hinting at things that are really just products of your own interpretation.

I don't think there's any malice involved here at all. I honestly opened that thread with nothing but good intentions. I guess it might have been better if, instead of being confrontational, you had just addressed my concerns and what I was worried about. By reacting this way, it probably just makes it harder to feel confident that you can remain an unbiased and fair moderator.

There aren't any "clans" here at minimalism.
It’s just people with different political views and leanings, which is true of any other online forum.

Are moderators on other message boards being "monitored" just because of their political stances, similar to how this troll suggests Volver should be handled if she ever becomes a moderator?

Isn't it obvious he's only suggesting this because Volver is a woman—which clearly bothers him, based on his recent posts here—and because she isn't an American citizen?