Quick question?

Why is this being allowed?

Look—one individual picks fights with half the community, starts hurling direct insults at participants, and faces zero consequences?
I am not suggesting immediate bans or anything extreme—but it would be highly appropriate for a moderator or administrator to point out the rule violations to this user and move her off-topic remarks elsewhere.

I’ll admit my own faults—I have overstepped, trolled, and gone off-topic before—and I actually appreciate a light touch when it comes to moderation (in fact, I am quite a fan of 😬)—but this situation feels genuinely 😲
If someone could just prune these extra posts and give her a polite warning, it would be greatly appreciated.👍

Since you’re so quick to point fingers, why don’t you look in the mirror?

Every single time a woman posts a comment on here, you just have to jump in. You’re all over every thread, though I can rarely say I’ve actually read anything useful from you. Instead, you just reflexively nod along with whatever these women are saying.

But now that one of them had the audacity to call you out on some nonsense you wrote, your ego won't let her get away with it, will it?

Let him who is without sin cast the first stone...

Go ahead. Report every single one of your own useless posts and all those little provocations of yours. It seems to me you actually enjoy it when the moderators aren't looking, but the second someone calls you out, suddenly it's an issue, right?

For example:
(claiming participation is important... a post designed just to shut down the debate)

(continuing the bit in another thread)

(more comments and more poking at the same woman)

(more trolling; she was involved here too, but she doesn't seem to be stooping this low)

(more baiting, attacking her character, calling her some crazy cat lady...)

(does this even have anything to do with the topic?)

(more mockery, stuff like "can you believe how terrible this is")

(this one is relatively mild, but the provocation is clear; he's trying to bait her into something she can report)

(and more baiting)

(and yet more baiting)

The whole thread turned into a total clusterfuck. Not many people stayed classy here, but from what I can see, you proudly stirred up this fight just for your own amusement because—heaven forbid—a woman dared to call you out. And you never allow that. Fortunately for you, you bury this board under such a massive volume of posts that it's nearly impossible to dig up anything older.

I don't know about that, Nemo, because I really feel like Wikipedia knows how to step away from the main topics when needed, yet they always make such an effort to be kind to everyone, right? Even in all those side threads, they never resort to insults or attacking people, even when they totally disagree with someone or find them a bit much—they just stay respectful!

Honestly, they were targeted here with some seriously unhinged behavior, where this one user would jump into completely unrelated threads just to claim she’d been digging through their old posts to build these wild, delusional narratives—like saying she "understood" their situation or felt sorry for them—even though they hadn't even mentioned them or been rude to her! After dealing with all that craziness, they only responded with incredibly mild replies compared to the stuff those two women were throwing out there.

You can call it provocation if you want, but isn't it obvious that Wiki is just a well-meaning, peace-loving member of this community who would never go out of their way to start drama or insult anyone? On the contrary, even those off-topic posts they write are meant to help foster a positive vibe where everyone feels welcome, so don't you think it's pretty clear where the real issue actually lies?

@nemogu, what’s the actual issue here?
Since when did being provocative become against the rules?
There is a distinct difference—a massive one, really—between outright insults and simply being provocative.🍿
Do you honestly think what Joan of Arc is doing is acceptable?

@Alienica 🙂

I feel like a lot of us haven't been on our best behavior in this thread, but honestly, what Wikipedia is pulling here is just plain dirty.

As I’m typing this, there are 54 posts in the thread. Out of those 54, how many actually have anything to do with the topic at hand? Is fifteen an exaggeration? Probably not.

For the first eight pages, things mostly stayed on track, aside from some minor attempts to derail the conversation (mostly from Wikipedia, via highly "relevant" posts like and After that, the provocation and tension started building. We were being critical, sure, but nobody was overstepping—until it wasn't enough, and then the baiting began.

Eventually, the whole thread spiraled into trolling and borderline misogyny. Anyone who has spent any real time on these US message boards knows exactly how quickly things can spiral out of control ( ( ( ( (
(

So, what's the point of all this, and why does it matter?
It matters because Wikipedia isn't someone who respects the rules; they hijack threads, provoke, derail, insult subtly, and troll. They didn't raise a formal complaint when the thread started losing its purpose, nor did they say anything when it took a misogynistic turn. No, they waited until they could file a grievance against a female user who called them out on their nonsense. It’s pure spite. They were the ones driving the provocations from the start, contributing significantly to why the thread ended up where it did, and they did everything in their power to bait that woman just so they could see her punished.

Anyway, I've said my piece. I'll leave it to the moderators.

Is it actually normal for everyone to express themselves the exact same way? Like, can people actually understand what someone’s trying to say, or does everything just turn into a massive misunderstanding and unnecessary drama?
Let's be real, not everyone posting here comes from the same background, age group, or even uses the same slang. We have to respect those differences. Honestly, our diversity is what makes this place work—everyone deserves an equal seat at the table.
We all agreed to certain ground rules when we signed up, and we should stick to them. When moderators start acting like they can just make up their own rules on the fly or interpret things however they feel like without any accountability, it just creates mess. A sub-forum shouldn't be running its own show separate from the main site!

I can't tell if you just have a passion for baiting people? 🍿

My complaint stems from the fact that this individual is being insulting—nothing more, nothing less.
The fact that you don't like me is entirely your own issue. 😉
It’s almost amusing—in a way—that you lack the initiative to start your own thread when something bothers you, yet you find it perfectly easy to troll others.😁

There are established rules here, and it would be decent to actually follow them.
That is all.
Personal insults have no place in the discourse on an American forum.
At least, they shouldn't.

Anthony Nguyen81 said:No way, you really just love starting drama, don't you? 🍿

I honestly don't see how I'm trolling, could someone explain?

I'm just complaining because that person is being rude, nothing more.

Fair enough, the rules apply to everyone equally.

The fact that you don't like me is strictly your own issue. 😉
It’s almost funny how you can't even start your own thread about what's bothering you, yet you're totally fine with trolling others.😁

That's a valid point—since it isn't a personal attack, it's fine.

There are rules in place, and people should actually follow them.
That's all.
Insults shouldn't be part of the conversation on this forum.
At least they shouldn't be.

👍

Anthony Nguyen81 said:Why is this being allowed?

Basically, someone picks a fight with half the forum, starts hurling direct insults at people mid-discussion, and just gets away with it?
I don't think we need a wave of bans or anything extreme, but it would be really nice if a mod or admin could point out to our fellow user that she's breaking the rules and going completely off-topic.

Look, I know I can overdo it myself—trolling, going off-topic, all that stuff—and I’m totally fine with light-touch moderation (actually, I really like 😬), but this is getting a bit 😲
If someone could just clear out the extra posts and give her a heads-up, it would be a huge help.👍

That user actually got a warning from me for a post she fully deserved. The issue here, both in the US and in the forest, is that a handful of you mass-hijack threads, turning them into a total chatroom or a trollfest. I don't think you're stupid; I just see exactly what you're doing: trying to bait people into reacting so they end up getting banned themselves when they snap at you. That is, by definition, pure trolling. In fact, you openly admitted on the same thread that you were trolling there. So, if anyone needs to be hit with warnings or partial bans, it's you guys causing the chaos, not the users who are just fed up with your posts.

Like it was pointed out, everyone stays perfectly silent when the trolling starts or when misogynistic nonsense is being dragged out—nobody files a report then. It's only when someone finally snaps at you that the reports start flying.

It's crystal clear to me that it's time to go back to stricter moderation. We need to shut down the off-topic tangents and the trolling right at the start, so that's how it's going to be from now on.

Therefore, expect much less "light-touch" moderation moving forward.

Is my memory failing me, or did Wiki and panther already get their bans lifted because they were friendly in chat? Whose brilliant idea was it to let them back in? If anyone’s willing to share the wisdom.

silvertiger11 said:Is my memory failing me, or did Wiki and panther already walk away with some partial rewards because of all that chatting? Whose brilliant idea was it to let them back in? If anyone's willing to spill the tea.

One of them actually snagged a partial on hazelnut, and honestly, I still regret letting mine slip. But I made it pretty clear last time: if things start heading down that same path again, everyone’s going to be getting their share.

🍿

Thanks for the response.

Frank Lee said:I'm not seeing where the trolling is—could someone clarify?
It’s correct based on the general rules—and those apply to everyone.
Since it doesn't target a specific individual, the interpretation holds up.
👍

It wasn't you; it was New York City.
As for the rest of 👍

silvertiger11 said:Is my memory failing me, or did Wikipedia and panther already receive partial bans due to their chatting? Whose bright idea was it to let them back in? If anyone is willing to share.

I didn't get a partial ban, but thanks anyway, silvertiger11.

Matthew Anderson said:The user received a warning—a deserved one, in my view. The issue we face here in the States, much like with the hazelnut community, is that a handful of you constantly hijack threads—flipping the entire conversation 180 degrees—just to descend into mindless chatter and trolling. I don’t assume you lack intelligence; rather, it’s obvious you do this specifically to provoke a reaction from others, essentially baiting them into getting flagged when they finally snap at you. That is, by definition, pure trolling. Furthermore, you quite openly admitted to trolling within the same thread. Therefore, if anyone deserves to be hit with warnings and partial bans, it is those of you creating the chaos—not the users who are simply reacting to your posts.
As Moe pointed out, everyone stays conveniently silent when people are being provoked, trolled, or when misogynistic undertones are being slipped in—there are no reports then—until someone finally snaps back at you.
It is clear to me that it is time to return to more rigorous moderation. We need to suppress any drift toward off-topic chatting or trolling right at the start, and that is how it will be moving forward.
Consequently, there will be no "lenient" moderation from here on out.

It’s a shame about the lighter moderation; some things were working fine.
I appreciate the response—posts like these truly aren't acceptable;

🙂

The insults bothered me—I believe these types of posts are unacceptable. I didn't report the sarcastic remarks Éowyn directed at me; I wasn't looking for a fight.
I am perfectly fine with a lively atmosphere and healthy debate—I do my best to remain constructive.
I am sorry that such behavior bothers silvertiger11 or New York City, though I am quite disappointed by their lack of civility.
As far as I am aware, no one has ever accused me of being a misogynist, nor have I had to defend myself against such claims.

As for everything else, fine. I have no intention of breaking the rules or acting foolishly.
We did veer too far into casual chat on certain threads; you warned us, and I believe we have scaled it back.
You say that isn't enough—well, we will scale it back further...
Just look at how many conversations started normally before spiraling into nothing but idle chatter...

Anthony Nguyen81 said:The insults were getting under my skin... I think... Just like this... The posts aren't right... I didn't report the threads or all that praise Éowyn was throwing my way. I wasn't exactly looking for the spotlight...
I'm fine with this whole upbeat vibe and all the back-and-forth... honestly, I'm just trying my best to be constructive here...
It’s a shame my behavior is rubbing silvertiger11 or that New York City crowd the wrong way... though honestly, I’m pretty disappointed by how unprofessional they’ve been.
As far as I know, nobody’s ever actually called me out for being a misogynist... nor have I ever felt the need to defend myself against that label.

I honestly don't know whether I should be laughing or crying at this point... You've got a problem with... I don't know what you want from me... Just sitting here... waiting for something interesting to happen... which, let's be honest, rarely does... You’re posting, but you aren't actually saying anything... this... And especially... this... What's the consensus on this... posts That chauvinist guy mentioned earlier...

I mean, come on... you seriously just love baiting people into arguments, don't you?

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes if I had to say this. Honestly, I totally regret my earlier stance... I was hesitating to call out those trolling one-liners, thinking maybe they were just ignorant or didn't know better. But looking back? It’s crystal clear now. It isn't ignorance at all... it's just pure, unadulterated rudeness.

Carol Martinez94 said:I honestly can't decide whether to laugh or cry. You're taking issue with that specific post, yet you ignore this one—and especially this one, which is just a reaction to the posts made by that particular chauvinist.

?
The first post was in the chat, the second was a review of an ad, and both were from a different female member—not from that guy.
The third post is yours; that's what you're actually commenting on.

I have zero interest in discussing comments directed at him.
Why didn't you report the quoted posts from the third link to the moderators?
Those kinds of actions warrant red cards.

This forum isn't a place where individual users should try to play judge, jury, and executioner. We have moderation for a reason.
That is precisely why I opened this thread.
If a user is breaking the rules (which, in my view, is obvious here), then they should be penalized.
Not by you, not by me, or some random bystander—but by the moderation team.
Insulting other members (and I am not referring to the author of this thread) goes against our community guidelines; that is why this topic exists.

Different strokes for different folks.
Do I look like I'm defending that guy to you?

Carol Martinez94 said:I would feel quite embarrassed to say this if I were in your shoes.

There ought to be a standard on this forum, and that standard shouldn't include insulting other members.
The expectation is that if you encounter a violation, you report it.
If there is no response from staff, then you start a thread here.

That’s basic etiquette, isn't it?
Good grief, what is this thread even about? 🤦

Carol Martinez94 said:I absolutely regret my previous stance where I hesitated to condemn those trolling one-liners; for some misguided reason, I believed it was mere ignorance, but now it is perfectly clear that it is pure insolence.

I thought you were a better person than this.

I enter a thread, react to an obvious rule violation (a female member calling everyone who disagrees with her "idiots" and various other slurs), attempt to de-escalate the situation—since this forum is meant for civilized discussion—and then I get hit with this?

Truly pathetic. 👎

There’s a report button right below—use the red one on the left if you encounter any misconduct, including chauvinism.
Those are the rules.
Do not send people back to their hometowns 🤦

At this rate, I'll end up looking like I'm defending chauvinism myself. 🤦🙂🙂

Look, I’ve clearly stated my position without judging anyone, so if you can't wrap your head around what I actually said because your own political biases are clouding your judgment, that shouldn't be grounds for sanctioning me! I have never been one to just follow the herd like some mindless sheep, and I honestly enjoy playing devil's advocate sometimes—if I see everyone piling on one side, don't be surprised if I step in to defend the underdog, right?

On another note, I was just scrolling through some old posts from a former moderator and, oh my god... 🤦 she actually thinks she’s this shining example of leadership who can guide lost souls back to the light, as if reading her posts is going to lead us all toward righteousness!

Honestly, I just love how my colleague calls me 🤣
.
Is it even fair for me to complain if some random user becomes totally obsessed with me, constantly tagging me in completely different threads and making everything about me instead of the actual topic, even after I told her I wasn't going to engage with her nonsense and would just ignore her?

Donna Doyle2 said:I have stated my position without being insulting to anyone. Just because you disagree—and clearly, your own ideological biases prevented you from actually reading what I wrote with any degree of comprehension (and look, I refuse to be a mindless follower; I often take the unpopular side just to play devil's advocate—if you haven't noticed, I tend to defend whoever is being ganged up on)—that doesn't justify sanctioning me.

👍
That’s essentially the whole point here—maintaining a civilized discussion.
If someone genuinely believes a post violates forum rules, they should simply use the report function.

I honestly cannot fathom how anyone can engage in such an abrasive, combative manner...
Regardless, I've stepped away from that thread.
Just look at how that entire discussion has devolved into a total troll fest...

Donna Doyle2 said:On the other hand, I've been reading some posts from a former moderator—good grief—🤦 she actually views herself as a positive role model who will guide those on the wrong path, implying we'll all find the "right way" once we read her entries.
What really kills me is how this colleague refers to me... 🤣
Is it reasonable for me to feel targeted if a certain user is obsessed with me, following me into other threads and focusing entirely on me instead of the actual topic—even after I told her I would simply ignore her nonsense?

👍

And then, on a thread specifically meant for reporting insults (which were completely unprovoked), you have people sitting there trying to psychoanalyze the person who started the thread.🤦
It's just... heavy.👎

Anthony Nguyen81 said:And then, on a thread like this where someone reports an insult (that wasn't even provoked by anything), you see people jumping in just to analyze the original poster instead. 🤦
It feels a bit like 👎

Look, there’s a report button for posts, and there’s also PMing a moderator or anyone else. It’s totally fine to flag things like insults, heavy off-topic rambling, or trolls, but it seems like you're focusing on everyone else—or in this case, just one other person—the moment they touch you.

Just imagine, would it be any better if I started a thread about you, listing maybe a hundred troll posts that have absolutely nothing to do with the actual topics being discussed?

Honestly, I think people only really noticed you just now because you're the one complaining about others, and they saw a chance to point out the irony. Maybe it might be a good idea to look at yourself a little before looking at everyone else...

Man, ever since I came back to this forum where I mostly just lurk, I occasionally drop an on-topic or even an off-topic comment here and there (keeping it within reasonable limits, I guess), and I see your name everywhere. I’ll step away from work for ten minutes, check back, and see your username as the last reply on like thirty different threads.

I don't want to step on your toes regarding your free time or how you choose to post—please, post as much as your heart desires—BUT instead of speaking up on certain threads where you could actually offer something CONSTRUCTIVE, you're just chatting and messing around, even though we have dedicated chat threads for that.

I'm not saying you don't post helpful stuff sometimes; I can see you genuinely want to help. The issue is that you seem to have this urge to comment on topics that have nothing to do with you personally, where you don't even have a single useful sentence to offer the person who started the thread.

I'm not sure if you don't see it, or if the moderator warnings haven't been enough so far, but maybe try dialing it back a bit with all these random comments across such a massive amount of different threads. That's really what you're doing.

Donna Doyle2 said:Look, I stated my opinion and I didn't attack anyone. Just because you can't wrap your head around what I said—probably because your own political biases are clouding your judgment (and honestly, I refuse to just follow the herd like some mindless sheep, so I often take the unpopular side just to play devil's advocate... if you haven't noticed, I'll always defend whoever is being ganged up on)—that doesn't mean I should be sanctioned.

I don't think you're a bad person, but I do think you're being a bit hypocritical. It feels like you aren't really thinking about what you're typing... you're just talking for the sake of talking instead of actually standing behind your words. In this specific instance, you're siding with someone who is likely going to pull the exact same stunt on someone else that the user Stranglers pulled on you personally. Except back then, you weren't playing "devil's advocate" or preaching about how everyone deserves love while half the forum was busy defending you...
As for the other users getting called out in this thread? Yeah, they're loud. They're politically incorrect. Maybe some of them deserve a warning or two, sure... but they're acting like real people. They're reacting morally to some seriously inhumane posts and attitudes.
Anyway, I think we've run this topic dry.