Moderation question

[MacCruiskeen]

Mac asked:

Re: Moderation question
Jeff wrote:

nathan28 wrote:
"Bully" when it comes to a purely verbal argument conducted anonymously is largely a non-starter.

I have to disagree with that. And there are plenty of sad cases in cyberspace to back me up. Avatars may be anonymous to readers, but they can be heavily invested with the identity of the poster. We may see only the words, but that doesn't mean there's nothing behind them

Who are you talking about, precisely?

Maybe Theresa Duncan, for starters?

What, Theresa Duncan had a bullying avatar? Was a bullying person herself? Or are you saying I bullied her? (I never had any contact to her whatsoever.)

Chiggerbit, I honestly do not have the faintest idea what you're talking about. It reminds me of the Jani thread. (Don't ask for a link.) Please be less wilfully mysterious. Let me know exactly what your point is and I'll do my best to respond to it.

[IanEye]

"¡Tamale!"

[chiggerbit]

Theresa Duncan was jeered and insulted on the net after being accused of plagiarizing on Slate, perhaps unfairly. I'm convinced that that contributed to her suicide. Even if we were all professional psychiatrists, we shouldn't assume that we know the first thing about the people behind the avatars. Not one thing.

I don't know the first thing about you, Mac, no matter what you tell us about yourself, just for instance. I can't assume that what you tell us is true, because this is the net. And you can't assume anything about anyone else who posts here. And so I walk on eggshells in responding to you, especially because you do tend to go postal, and I can't make any assumptions about what that means.

[chiggerbit]

Also, you asked who Jeff was talking about, and I speculated that one of them just might be Theresa.

Jeff said:

I have to disagree with that. And there are plenty of sad cases in cyberspace to back me up. Avatars may be anonymous to readers, but they can be heavily invested with the identity of the poster. We may see only the words, but that doesn't mean there's nothing behind them.

[17breezes]

FWIW

What is a Forum Bully?
A forum bully is school ground throwback. Remember that middle school bully with his pathetic little band of sycophantic followers? That's a forum bully. In ways the forum bully is just a pseudonym for a troll, but with a major difference. While the troll's behavior is condemned by the group, the forum bully's actions are condoned by the group. Established members of the group, who don't agree with the forum bully, usually remain quiet while the bully tears apart people just for sport and as a demonstration of power within the forum.

Basically a forum bully is the equivalent of a popular troll -- a troll with power within the group. And therein lies

the danger. Picture that popular girl in high school who takes pride in belittling others less
popular. Then toss in
a few of her friends, along for the ride, who derive their own sense of power by picking up her table scraps, and you have an accurate picture of a forum bully

Evolution of a Forum Bully
Forum bullies are typically intelligent. They usually begin as helpful members of the forum. But as their power grows, their true nature reveals itself. Once established, forum bullies begin mixing their helpful posts with intimidation. As they evolve, and develop a reputation, they attract followers. The followers serve as back up, often times speaking on behalf of the bully to clarify the forum bully's statements. Other times the followers are like a pack of hyenas jumping in for the kill after the bully has drawn blood.

As the forum bully fully evolves, she begins to feel immune to attack. She states her opinion regardless of accuracy or consequence, knowing full well that she can always rely on the support of followers to bail her out of trouble.

Enablers
The danger of a forum bully is two-fold. In one respect, the forum bully makes the other respected members of the forum appear hypocritical to an outsider. When the forum bully spouts her own brand of nonsense, when the forum bully tears apart other forum members for no reason other than because she can, it makes other members of the forum look bad - simply because the very behavior a troll is ostracized for, is the exact same behavior permitted to the forum bully. The double standard so created reeks of hypocrisy and undermines the legitimacy of everyone who does not call the forum bully out for her repugnant behavior.

The forum bully is not stupid. The bully will never attack other respected members of the forum. She will also mix her attacks between those who genuinely deserve being attacked, and those she attacks for fun. After all, the only way a forum bully stays in business is with the consent of the other members of the forum. And she knows the fine line between being labeled a troll and being called blunt or to the point.

The other danger of a forum bully is that she creates an atmosphere of fear within the forum - not fear among

the established members, but rather fear among those outsiders who want to participate in the forum. It is
this
fear that enables the forum bully to operate. A forum operates on the classic in-group/out-group dynamic. The bully's behavior is tolerated because of an understanding of this dynamic. You don't attack those within the inner circle, only those outside it.

If one of the respected members of the forum were to call the bully what she is, a petty, repugnant fraction of a human being, this member risks losing position within the forum. The resulting forum is a place in which comments are guarded. Politics are played. And the free flow of information is stifled. This is the true danger of allowing a forum bully to continue her activities. By not calling her out, the forum loses part of the dynamic it was created to foster. The forum bully also undermines the legitimacy of everyone else in the forum.

How to Spot a Forum Bully
The key is in the comments. Look at how most forum members reply to comments. Most are polite. They may disagree but they do so with a level of respect for the opinions of others, unless those opinions are genuinely ludicrous. The forum bully does not respect anyone but herself. She respects the power of others in the group, but nothing else. Everyone is beneath her. Her comments are made without regard to the feelings of anyone but herself. And if she is wrong, she cannot admit it. To do so would undermine her power. While others in the group will add prefaces to their comments or phrase their comments in the form of suggestions, the forum bully will tell others what to do, like a master issuing orders to slaves. When called on this approach, the forum bully's followers will claim the bully is just being blunt. After all the bully is the source of all truth, and their own sense of power. What to do When Attacked by a Forum Bully
Unfortunately if you are an outsider, there's not much you can do. To attack the bully often will cause the more established members of the forum to close ranks and dispel the outsider. There's a certain logic in this. As an outsider, you've yet to prove whether you're worth defending - especially against an established member of the forum.

If you're a semi-established member of the forum, you stand a better chance. But know that politically, most people will not back you up because to do so risks losing position within the forum - in short, it's bad politics.

If you are a prominent member, you have nothing to worry about. The forum bully derives her power from her standing within the group and will not jeopardize this position by attacking anyone with power.

If attacked by a forum bully, disagree politely then get out. Diffuse the situation with silence. Remember, others

will read your posts and make determinations about you. Even the most skillful defense will dash up
against the
walls of the kingdom. Besides, you may have more people rooting for you than you think. Forum bullies are not necessarily liked by the more respected members of the forum, they are merely tolerated because they are part of the inner circle.

If all else fails, and the actions of the forum bully still bother you, you can always write an article about it

http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... tml?cat=15

[MacCruiskeen]

you do tend to go postal

What, I indulge in sudden outbursts of indiscriminate mass murder?

This is just daft.

Re: Theresa Duncan: I posted one (1) or maybe two (2) very short posts in that marathon thread, saying very quietly that I simply did not understand what all the fuss was about. Yes, she was pretty. Yes, 18 anonymous veterans commit suicide every day. And I still don't know what any of that has to do with this thread.

Anyway, chiggerbit, it's 2:30 am here and I have to be up at 8:00 and the oil will still be pumping into the Gulf of Mexico tomorrow and next month and the month after, while y'all continue indulging 17Breezes, The Great Contributor, The Poor Downtrodden.

So goodnight. There's nothing more to say. He can and will speak for himself, and he's the shape of RI to come.

[Jeff]

Mac, you have one button that can be pushed, and it's nuclear.

You need a break from your vendetta. I'm giving you a week off.

[Jeff]

Well if you weren't a troll, you wouldn't be on the receiving end of that.

But you are, so you are.

Cocksucker.

Nordic, I'm not letting this pass again. Observe the rules or you're sitting out.

[chiggerbit]

Mac said:

Re: Theresa Duncan: I posted one (1) or maybe two (2) very short posts in that marathon thread, saying very quietly that I simply did not understand what all the fuss was about. Yes, she was pretty. Yes, 18 anonymous veterans commit suicide every day. And I still don't know what any of that has to do with this thread.

Oh, for pity's sake, I wasn't implying that you had contributed to any of the verbal abuse of Theresa that lead to her suicide, just comparing your style here on various issues to the ones commenters had made back then about Theresa.

[chump]

... I'll probably pass on that. But I do confess to deriving some measure of amusement from folks who take several paragraphs to inform me that they don't have time to answer my questions.

Thank you. ( I don't know what the fuck I'm thanking you for, but just in case)

I could write an essay as long as my arm, but it is now absurd for me to comment with you about Twain. Maybe later. Of the utmost urgency is your comment, on this thread, about some trap, that has been set - by me! We need to know about that.

On second thought, don't bother. I'm not mad. I don't give a shit. I'll briefly try again to figure out what you're talking about and move on.

Thanks again (whatever)

Just don't call me Surely.