COVID thread locked without explanation (again)

Samuel Turner2 said:Everyone, you’re getting off track here.
I would actually prefer to understand the reasoning behind closing this thread.
Thanks!

Every single one of those closed threads started out beautifully, only to devolve into—well, look at what happened above. It becomes an endless trench war between two opposing sides, coupled with the spread of utter nonsense and misinformation. Frankly, it’s rare to find a moderator who actually has the bandwidth to manage chaos like that.

So, much of this rests on your shoulders—the people actually participating in these discussions. Why don't you suggest how you think these threads should be structured?

We all know the pattern: if, for instance, someone shares a link from Logic.com during a discussion about the media, and most of us who follow Mainstream Media view that site as nothing more than a conspiracy outlet peddling nonsense, then shouldn't there be room for a real debate? Instead, people immediately pounce on anyone who disagrees, labeling them as though they believe Logic.com is flawless while the rest of us are just mindless fact-checkers or paid shills. It isn't fair, and it certainly doesn't move the conversation forward.

The threads are currently locked, but we haven't made a final decision on how to handle them moving forward.
Please exercise some patience and offer constructive suggestions.

Morgan Peterson said:Every single one of those locked threads started off on such a high note, but then they just spiraled into what you see above. It basically turns into an endless trench war between two opposing sides, mixed with a whole lot of nonsense and misinformation being thrown around. I suppose most moderators just don't have the bandwidth to manage topics like that.

The threads are closed for now, though we haven't quite reached a final decision on how to handle them moving forward.
I would ask everyone to please remain patient and offer some constructive suggestions.

What if we just scrubbed the posts that violate the forum rules and let the actual discussion continue?

I mean, where are people supposed to discuss the protests or conspiracy theories now?

I really hope that locking threads and deleting them without any explanation doesn't become our new normal...

Morgan Peterson said:Every one of those locked threads started off strong, only to devolve into exactly what you see above. It just turns into two sides entrenched in their trenches, trading insults and spreading nonsense and misinformation. Most mods simply don't have the bandwidth to police that kind of chaos.
Ultimately, it comes down to you guys contributing to the forum. What do you think the discussion topics should actually look like? Give me your suggestions.

I agree. The ratio of topics to posts is massive here, mainly because this subject is just so critical right now.
I honestly don't envy you moderators. Keeping up with everything is physically draining, not to mention the constant struggle to stay objective. We really ought to increase the number of moderators on this forum.

When it comes to these two factions bickering—honestly, sometimes we’re just fueling the fire ourselves. Take this latest thread: Smith vs Jones. What else are you going to expect? Just two sides constantly throwing jabs at one another.
Let's be honest—all this bickering only serves the forum owners. More arguments mean more eyes on the page, which means more clicks. Higher traffic translates directly into higher rates for those ad banners. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if certain topics are cooked up just to spark these flame wars on purpose. 😉)

Regarding what you called "various nonsense and misinformation"—it’s hard to draw a line these days. You've seen it yourself: things that were presented as absolute truth one week turned out to be complete nonsense a few months later. Conversely, some of the "nonsense" ended up being right all along.

Moderators should avoid playing judge over what counts as truth versus nonsense. It’s a waste of time. When moderating, they need to set aside their own biases—after all, we’re all subjective. Instead, they should stick strictly to:

Prevent all insults directed at other users or those with differing views—whether they target an individual or a group. Do so while remaining strictly impartial. You must set aside your own personal opinions regarding the content being posted.
Non-topic posts need to be deleted. If there’s enough time and inclination, they should be moved to the appropriate thread instead. It would also be wise to give the author a heads-up and suggest a more suitable place for their content.
Preventing this is just unnecessary. Rough. Trolling. I know, I know... it’s often hard to tell where a sharp provocation intended to spark debate ends and actual trolling begins—which is exactly why I called it "subtle trolling." Regardless, I am still bringing this to the attention of the moderators. They have to. Set aside any personal bias and maintain a neutral stance on the matter.

Morgan Peterson said:The threads are closed for now, but we haven't made a final call on what happens next.
Please exercise patience and stick to constructive suggestions.

Here is my constructive suggestion:
Reopen those locked threads.
We need more moderators on this board.
If you’re acting as a moderator while simultaneously participating in a debate, here’s the deal: feel free to defend your own views, but when it comes to the actual technical side of moderation, leave your personal biases at the door. I know it’s easier said than done—ego can be a real pain in the neck—but try to keep it in check. Moderate based on logic, not emotion.

i
4. (this actually goes toward the forum's management structure rather than you moderators) - stop playing that song on loop—you know the one, "It's not all about the money..."

Mark Cruz15 said:When it comes to what's going on in the world right now, I’m not just talking about people who have some common-sense concerns regarding those COVID-19 vaccines. [Link].
I don't hang out on the COVID-19 Forum that much, but I’ve noticed a ton of anti-vax zealots running wild. They’re either totally unhinged or just exhausting crusaders, and honestly? They’re doing massive damage to people who actually have legitimate fears and real questions. Look, don't get mad at me if I call you a total anti-vax nut—blame the people making you look like one.
Like I said, I’ve been tracking anti-vaxxers long before this pandemic hit, and let me tell you: they’re nothing but pests. They’re dangerous to everyone around them just by spreading panic and misinformation. Some people—if you can even call them that—have no clue that someone actually reads their idiocy, and that kind of nonsense literally kills people. Others? Yeah, they know exactly what they're doing.

So you’re telling me your opinion is the gold standard for common sense? Must’ve missed that lesson in school—probably skipped class that day. Glad you decided to grace us with your wisdom now, though. I definitely need to catch up on the curriculum.

Man, that was deep. I don't think I've ever read anything more eye-opening in my entire life...☕

Honestly, it would be pretty cool if a moderator, whenever they decide to lock a thread, would just drop a quick little note explaining why as the final post before pulling the plug.
I mean, that shouldn't be asking for much, right?

It seems we’ve reached a point where a thread in the "Feedback and Suggestions" section was actually deleted—one that was simply asking about a controversial quote made by Robert over on the COVID-19 Forum. It’s quite frustrating, really, because no one bothered to answer the question, nor did anyone offer any sort of explanation as to why the topic had to be removed in the first place.

I find myself feeling a bit uneasy, and I suppose I have to ask: is this kind of censorship going to become the new norm for this forum?

Frank Martin2 said:4. (this actually refers to the forum's management structure rather than you moderators) - stop playing that same old song and dance every single time—you know, that whole "it's not all about the money" routine...

I am literally facepalming with both hands right now, followed by a heavy dose of head-desk hitting.
It’s that classic moment where people just drone on, repeating the exact same thing over and over and over again... please, do continue your endless loop.
If only we could actually see any of that profit you claim is being stuffed into everyone's pockets.
Honestly, how is anyone supposed to have a productive conversation with a (non-establishment #lol) parrot?

Don't even bother responding, please; I think we all already know the answer. You're just parrots.

Casey Bennett said:I’m literally facepalming with both hands right now, and then just hitting my head against the wall.
It’s that feeling when you’re stuck listening to someone repeat the exact same thing over and over and over... just a broken record.
And honestly, I’d love to see where all that "hush money" they keep claiming we’re pocketing actually comes from.
How am I even supposed to have a productive conversation with a (non-regime #lol) parrot?

Don't even bother replying, please. I think we all know the answer here. You guys are just parrots.

Look, I’m not making any claims about whether there’s actual hush money involved or not.
But the way some of these moderators act? It totally justifies thinking that way.
Because if there isn't some shady money changing hands, why on earth would they behave like this? Are you guys being pressured by something else?
Why do you put up with it? Do you actually think this behavior is okay?

Larry Allen34 said:So you’re telling me your opinion is the ultimate standard for sound logic here?

Exactly.

I definitely didn't learn that in school—must have been skipping class—but thanks for sharing, I guess I'll just go catch up on all that missed curriculum now...

Well, you couldn't have learned it because they haven't even added my insights to the American textbooks yet. Still, it's good to know you actually attended school, and I truly hope you can grasp this through actual comprehension rather than just mindless memorization...

Because wow, that was just so profound—I don't think I've ever read anything quite that deep or enlightening in my entire life....☕

Just doing my part to help out. #nohomo

Casey Bennett said:It’s a double facepalm followed by a headdesk.
That feeling when someone just repeats the same thing over and over again... keep it up.
I’d love to see where all those kickbacks they keep shoving in our pockets actually go.
And how am I supposed to have a constructive conversation with a (non-regime #lol) parrot?
Don't bother responding; I think we all know the answer. You're parrots.

Even though you try to dismiss me with that last sentence, I’ll be civil enough to reply—I don't hold grudges.

I wasn't talking about money going to you or any other moderators, but rather the revenue the site earns as a corporation from specific services.

Naturally, management doesn't publish those details (that would be madness—at least in my company)—but occasionally, some leak slips out.

Take this link to CNN

Or even better, this one from The Wall Street Journal. Surely you trust the WSJ? 😒

Look at that miracle—they even mention the website in the text.

So, I'm referring to the company, not you and the 90% of other "small fry" moderators.
I accept your claim that you moderators work for free. Most of you likely do, but it's naive to assume the administrators aren't being compensated for their work (and I'd bet one of them is a full-time employee). They wouldn't be crazy to work for nothing. Similarly, I believe even a few moderators close to the owner probably receive a fee.
Whether you don't know that, or the paid ones simply won't tell you, is another matter entirely. (Would you tell a fellow moderator if you were in their shoes? Probably not—compensation amounts are private business.

Every month, I get this bill hitting my mailbox for about $867. Honestly, I don't even mind it... it's probably cheaper than seeing some private shrink in town.

Who exactly are the administratorsand running this forum? It feels like there’s a whole board of directors with twenty people in it...

driftingtinker said:I get a bill for $867 hitting my mailbox every single month. Honestly, I don't mind—it's still cheaper than seeing a private therapist in the States.

That’s just what happens when you're young and relying on those government job placement programs. 😬

They've been hunting for $2000 and some kind of medical excuse to justify why someone needs to be the moderator on the subreddit. I guess I'm still mulling it over.

I’m leaning toward dollar-cost averaging—just dropping $6k into crypto every single month. At this rate, maybe Barack Obama can just foot my retirement bill ☕

It’s easy for you guys to sit there and joke around, I guess. I see how Mr. Smith turned out to be such a killer acquisition for the elite squad—just so sharp, and honestly, pretty damn efficient too. I just hope he got paid his fair share... I mean, he doesn't really need to show any proof of his diagnosis or whatever. 😬

Maybe I'm just being a pain in the ass, but can someone tell me who locked this thread? And seriously, why wasn't there even a moderator note left before it got shut down?

Mark Cruz15 said:Yeah.

You couldn't have even if you tried—they haven't even put me in the history textbooks yet. Still, glad to hear you actually finished school; hopefully you’re actually absorbing this stuff instead of just memorizing it for a test.

I aim to please. #nohomo

🤣🤣🤣 thanks for the reply, Einstein—let me let you in on a little secret: you aren't the first one I've run into, I've met plenty of 'em...☕

Let's move the discussion about the protest over here since it's being shut down elsewhere. Perhaps things are a bit more open-minded on this side.

driftingtinker said:It’s easy for you all to joke around. I see how Mr. Smith was such a stellar acquisition for an elite team—so sharp, so efficient. Hopefully, he got paid well enough; we don't need his medical records to prove the point. 😬

You're just throwing insults at me and acting like you've outgrown Coffee. You post some nonsense there, and then it turns into nothing more than scrap paper destined for the trash. Eventually, that mess catches up to you, leaving us all broke.
Don't try to tell me about wealth when you're barely scraping by on twenty bucks.

Let's be serious for a moment.

I've said this before... if anyone ever asks me to moderate based on someone else's whims, I'm done. And I doubt anyone else would step up either. Then the boss will end up like a lyric from a General Motors song, sitting alone in the dark trying to fix a blown fuse.