The privileged elite: (For the nth time) we aren't all equal

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#1 · Mar 4, 2012

I'm wondering on what basis this user was allowed to change her handle (from Twilight of the Gods to Austin Baker86) without following the standard procedure everyone else has to follow, including the moderators?

I don't see any request from her to change her nickname anywhere. 🤷

Just yesterday, rustydrifter10 wrote:

rustydrifter10 said:Another suggestion is unacceptable because when changing a nickname, you shouldn't add symbols that aren't part of the alphabet.

As far as I know, the letter ö isn't part of the alphabet. 🤷(At least not ours).

I'm expecting—and hoping—for an explanation from the Administrator who allowed this change without any formal process or following the rules. I think they should explain why this user gets special treatment over the rest of us.

Best regards.

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#2 · Mar 6, 2012

Alright, am I actually entitled to a response from supermoderator Nicole or Administrator Daniel Ward87, or is this just how we're doing things now? We used to insult them and look down on them, and now we’re just supposed to ignore their questions. Great way to handle people, I guess.

rustydrifter10 Regular

693 messages
joined Apr 2011

#3 · Mar 6, 2012

I haven't changed anyone's nickname myself, so I really don't know all the specifics. And honestly, I didn't even bother asking Gott what was going on. It’s my understanding that Moderators don't necessarily have to post in this specific thread to get things sorted; they can just reach out to the Administrators directly. I think that applies to former mods too, especially since some of them still have access to the Moderator PDF. She clearly bypassed this whole discussion because, as an ex-mod, she has every right to do so—plus, that "ö" has actually been part of her handle for a while now, it wasn't some sudden addition.

Daniel Ward87 Active Member

195 messages
joined May 2023

#4 · Mar 6, 2012

Anthony Barrett37 said:Alright, am I actually entitled to a response from supermoderator rustydrifter10 or Administrator Daniel Ward87, or is this just how we're doing things now? We used to call them out, and now we're just supposed to ignore their requests? Real classy.

That moderator has always had those weird symbols in her handle, so it makes sense to just tweak the nickname while keeping the same vibe.

Former mods still have access to the Moderator tools, so they don't even need to use the public thread for nickname change requests.

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#5 · Mar 6, 2012

Quote : Nicole

rustydrifter10 said:The "ö" was already part of her nickname before, so it wasn't really a new addition.

It’s right there in her new handle. Don't treat us like we're stupid. 🙂

I guess I saw something on the forums earlier... maybe it was about that whole situation with Austin Baker86. It felt a bit much. I don't know. Just my two cents, I suppose.öTwilight of the GodsäTwilight of the Gods in G.öI guess I'll just leave this here.öđä)

I guess you guys can see that she finally added the "ö" now. 🙂

rustydrifter10 Regular

693 messages
joined Apr 2011

#6 · Mar 6, 2012

Anthony Barrett37 said:Look, they actually added it to her new nickname, so please, let’s not act like we're all being treated like idiots here. 🙂

(iz GöTwilight of the GodsäTwilight of the Gods in GottspođaöI can't even begin to describe how much I love seeing these kinds of discussions pop up! It honestly makes my whole day when we get to dive deep into topics like this. There’s just something about the way everyone gets so passionate that keeps me coming back to the thread time and time after time.öđä)

Well, I guess you guys can finally see that she’s had that little "ö" added back in now! 🙂

🤦

It’s been there before, no matter how many times you try to count the instances. At the end of the day, even if it isn't officially part of the standard American alphabet, we give the green light to characters like X, Y, or W... so why on earth wouldn't we allow "ö"? A character is a symbol, sure, but not every single symbol qualifies as a letter.

vividtiger922 Member

39 messages
joined Apr 2009

#7 · Mar 6, 2012

Isn't the whole point of having a dedicated thread for nickname changes to ensure there's a clear, written paper trail for everything...

After all, a newcomer—who might have no idea that a certain person used to be a Moderator—would be completely lost as to where God went and why this Gottspođa with those bizarre symbols suddenly appeared right after they finished reading the first page...

So, to avoid anyone playing the "I didn't know" card, we follow this straightforward little procedure because not everyone has Moderator access, nor should they be expected to know which member used to hold a staff position. It seems much more efficient than trying to answer endless questions about it...

Let's just stick to this for now, and perhaps we can tackle the whole concept of "unannounced moderation duties" at some other time... 😍

Austin Baker86 Active Member

56 messages
joined Feb 2009

#8 · Mar 6, 2012

Anthony Barrett37 said:I want to know on what basis this particular female user was allowed to change her handle (from Twilight of the Gods to Austin Baker86) without following the standard, normal procedure required for everyone else on this forum (including the moderators)?

It’s just great when users take such an intense interest in the integrity of Forum Justice.

Look, let's say someone adds, removes, or triples your vowels, or does any other ridiculous stunt with your username—personally, 🙂, I wouldn't give a single damn. The same goes for the hundreds of thousands of other users out there. Any of those people I actually know would have just told me they changed their name anyway.

People, seriously, go get a life. Get a dog, a cat, a hamster with a wheel, knitting needles, drug needles, tapestry needles, crochet hooks... whatever.

Daniel Ward87 Active Member

195 messages
joined May 2023

#9 · Mar 6, 2012

vividtiger922 said:Isn't having a dedicated thread for nickname changes basically there to create a paper trail, just to keep things transparent?

I mean, a new user might have no clue that someone used to be a Moderator. They won't have any idea where God went or who this Gotspođa character with the weird symbols is if they just joined today.

So, to avoid anyone playing the "I didn't know" card, we follow a simple procedure. Not everyone has access to the Moderator tools, and they aren't required to know who an old staff member was. Honestly, following the rules seems way easier than dealing with these kinds of debates.

Let's stick to this for now and save the whole "unannounced staff changes" debate for another time. 😍

There's also the "user notes" feature available. I personally use it as a log since I've handled a few nickname changes for folks who reached out via PM.

vividtiger922 Member

39 messages
joined Apr 2009

#10 · Mar 6, 2012

You see it, and the mods see it, but the regular users don't... We shouldn't underestimate how much PR matters, Daniel Ward87. Who actually cares what you guys perceive... 😍

Daniel Ward87 Active Member

195 messages
joined May 2023

#11 · Mar 6, 2012

vividtiger922 said:That's something only the mods catch, not the regular users. Don't sleep on how much PR matters, Daniel Ward87. Who cares what the rest of us see? 😍

So what? You're acting like everyone HAS to go through "official" channels just to change a nickname. They don't. They can just shoot over a PM. Whether the Administrator actually does it or not is entirely up to them.

vividtiger922 Member

39 messages
joined Apr 2009

#12 · Mar 6, 2012

That was... well... just a joke.

But if you really want to know, it won't be long before some user gets shut down with something like, "Don't even think about messaging the Administrator until we've approved you here."

Is there such a thing as a "former Moderator"? A "retired Moderator"? Or perhaps a "veteran Moderator"? If the answer to all three is "no," then yes, I believe everyone should follow the standard procedure. Not because it's some massive ordeal or because anyone's life depends on it, but simply because it's such a straightforward process—a triviality, really—that these unnecessary questions could easily be avoided. Yet, despite how mundane it may seem, these little things often say quite a lot...

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#13 · Mar 7, 2012

Quote : Nicole

Melissa Castillo said:Look, if someone decides to mess with your username—whether they add vowels, take them away, or just totally butcher it—honestly, I don't know. Maybe I’d be upset, I guess. I'm sorry, but... 🙂Honestly, it barely even hurts. And that goes for all 300,000 of us on this forum, too.

You didn't talk like this at all when you were a moderator. You’re being pretty hypocritical, but I guess that's not even the point.

Melissa Castillo said:Look, people, just go out and get a life. Or a dog. A cat. A hamster with a wheel. Knitting needles, crochet hooks, upholstery needles, even something like medical syringes... whatever. Just get something.

I mean, you clearly have a life and this forum is probably the last thing on your mind, yet you're still out here changing your handle just because you don't like the old one. I guess I really don't know who the blind one is here.

Austin Baker86 Active Member

56 messages
joined Feb 2009

#14 · Mar 7, 2012

Anthony Barrett37 said:You weren't even remotely this vocal when you were acting as a moderator. You're being incredibly hypocritical, but that’s beside the point.

A bold statement, leaning heavily on baseless speculation—the typical byproduct of a superficial observation.

On what basis are you making that claim?

Anthony Barrett37 said:Look, you clearly have a life and this forum is the absolute last thing on your mind, yet you’re still out here changing your handle just because you don't like the old one. Honestly, I can't tell who's actually blind in this situation.

I’m putting this right in my signature: "Stop trying to draw conclusions when you clearly don't have the sense to do it." It's about time. 🙂

Now remind me again—why on earth should I or the Administrator feel the need to explain ourselves? To you.Let me remind you: this isn't some democratic sanctuary. This is a private forum, and the Administrators can—and will—do exactly what they please.

rapidnomad7 Newcomer

2 messages
joined May 2023

#15 · Mar 7, 2012

The Moderators don't really have total autonomy; they essentially carry out the vision set by the main Administrator or the owner of the site. If we’re being honest, their role is mostly acting as digital janitors—cleaning up spam and keeping the peace. 😁

I don't want to get too deep into the psychology of whether people use online handles to work through some repressed childhood issues, but I am convinced this community would be a much messier place without any moderators at all. Since they aren't getting paid a dime for the work they do, I genuinely believe they should be granted certain perks. However, those benefits need to be clearly defined and laid out in the official Forum Rules. Basically, there should be a clear list of what a Moderator is allowed to do. And if someone oversteps or gets removed from their position, losing those privileges should be an automatic and obvious consequence.

As far as I'm concerned, if "Gotspođa" wants to set their nickname to something totally outrageous, I honestly don't see the issue. But at the end of the day, the Forum Rules are the Forum Rules, and they ought to apply to everyone equally.

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#16 · Mar 7, 2012

Melissa Castillo said:Maybe remind me again, why should I or the Administrator feel like we owe you any explanations? Just a reminder, this isn't some democracy hub; it's a private forum. The admins can and will do whatever they want.

Who even asked you anything? And why are you trying—just like back when you were a mod—to take over this thread just so it can be locked for chatting and trolling? 🤷

I guess I reached out to those in charge about why they let your nickname change, and why you, just a regular user, seem to act like you're above the rest of us. I didn't get a straight answer. Not that I really expected one.
As for you trying to wreck this thread with your pathetic trolling... that's not my issue. That's on the Moderators.

Thanks, bye.

Edward Young3 Member

11 messages
joined May 2014

#17 · Mar 7, 2012

I think you already got your answer somewhere else. A forum isn't some democratic government. It’s private property, plain and simple, which means the owner can do whatever they want, whenever they feel like it. The Admin team is basically just an extension of their will.

So, yeah, there’s no such thing as equality here, nor should there be. It’s perfectly fair if the owner decides to give his buddies, colleagues, or even just the users he actually likes a bit more attention or leeway.

We're talking about a private business, not a public park.

Honestly, I don't see any conflict in that, and I definitely don't see why anyone should be afraid to say it out loud. If former mods or longtime heavy hitters get special perks or whatever else the owner feels like handing out, so be it. That's just how it works.

It's entirely the owner's call.

Anthony Barrett37 Active MemberOP

68 messages
joined Mar 2011

#18 · Mar 7, 2012

Do you honestly believe the owner of this forum knows everyone (or even most) of the current and former mods? Come on, man. Be real about it.

But whatever, it’s basically impossible to get the kind of answer you’re looking for on here—one that’s actually reasoned and doesn't involve tearing the other person down. It's a shame.

rustydrifter10 Regular

693 messages
joined Apr 2011

#19 · Mar 7, 2012

You finally got an answer, though it sounds like it wasn't exactly what you were hoping to hear. Look, God used to be a moderator, and because of that, they still hold onto a few tiny little perks—like being able to reach out directly to the Administrator if they want to tweak their username. We don't really need to sit here and list every single one of those privileges because they're such trivial matters; honestly, they aren't worth getting worked up over or taking up any more of our time.

See, it was already established a long time ago that current mods and former mods don't have to post their inquiries in this specific thread. However, it might happen that someone who served as a mod way back in 2002 reaches out—someone who doesn't have access to the Moderator tools anymore and isn't recognized by the community because of an old nickname. In a case like that, we might ask them to check in on the thread first just to keep things organized.

At the end of the day, we're Moderators, not cops (unlike that pig 😁) or robots running on pre-programmed scripts.

Brian Edwards6 Active Member

112 messages
joined Nov 2015

#20 · Mar 7, 2012

Are you actually suggesting that police officers (myself included) are just following pre-written scripts?🤔

The privileged elite: (For the nth time) we aren't all equal

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