You know, this thread has derailed to the point where I should perhaps lock it for being ridiculously off-topic, especially after that heated back and forth yesterday of which I'm still not quite sure exactly what happened since I wasn't paying attention...but I'm not going to.
I'm a big believer in the notion that anyone should be free to voice any concerns they may have regarding management, so long as it is done tactfully and with class, in accordance to forum Rule #1. What I don't appreciate is massive profanity-laden rants about how we as moderators are "terrible people" who are "ruining the site" (you have no clue how many times I've heard that!). We're all human- we all make mistakes, and I'm certainly guilty of overreacting at times too. It's no secret that I'm hardly around anymore- I work a full-time day job and the show doesn't really interest me that much anymore- but I still love this site, and still love this community, and still want to see it succeed. What happened yesterday is a prime example of what should not have happened- from all involved. Emotions spiraled out of control, action was taken, more emotions happened; it was all just a giant mess.
Someone was banned yesterday. It happened. Let's accept that and move on with our lives, and not discuss it any further, regardless your feelings of what happened.
My challenge for all of you this summer and going forward is this: let's all try to be nicer to each other. Treat each other with respect, regardless of whether or not you agree with them. There's so much negativity in this world right now, especially on the Internet, that we should be trying to escape from, not further exasperate the problem. Read what you've written over before hitting that "post" button and ask yourself: could this possibly be taken the wrong way and offend someone or someones? If so, perhaps it shouldn't be posted. Remember that it's considerably more difficult to detect sarcasm in a text setting than it is talking to someone in person, and I really believe that's where 3/4 of the problems most seem to see in this site start. This is not to say that you can't joke around and have fun...this site would be boring if we kept everything so serious all the time, but if there's even a chance where it crosses a line, it's probably best kept private.
Likewise, we could all- myself included- stand to remember that this is an Internet forum first and foremost, and that perhaps we shouldn't take things so seriously all the time. If we'd learn to just let things go instead of get defensive about every little thing, we'd go a long way into being a more friendly place to be. If you have a problem with another member, hit that "Report to moderator" link on the post in question and let one of us decide which action, if anything, needs to be taken. If you have a problem with an action taken in a moderation capacity, feel free to send us a friendly PM about it. We can't learn from our mistakes if we don't realize we're making them. If you send me a PM, so long as it is respectful, I promise to get back to you as quickly as I can with a friendly response.
Marc has always said that the driving force behind the site is YOU, the members, who generate discussion and make this community, well, what it is. I realize that we might be in a bit of a rut right now with regards to having things to talk about, and the summer hiatus is always a slow time of year, but if you want to discuss something and don't see it being discussed anywhere, by all means, start that discussion! Want to share your feelings about a recent big win? Talk about it. Want to discuss what pricing games you like and don't like? Do it. So long as you back up your points and say why you think how you do, you won't be ridiculed for your opinion...and if you are, we'll see to it that it doesn't happen again. Likewise, accept that fact that someone is going to disagree with you somewhere, and that's totally okay too, so long as their rebuttal is made with the same level of class and respect that your original point was. Remember, always attack the
idea, never the
person. Don't say that someone's idea is "stupid" with no context, tell them WHY it is...without resorting to using words such as "stupid", of course! I've always maintained that there's room on this site for ALL fans of the show- whether they be new fans who enjoy the show now with Drew Carey, those of us who grew up with Barker and prefer those shows, or even those who think someone else entirely is the best host- they're all welcome here. We may not have the same level of inside access we had in the past for reasons unknown, and we may never have it again, but we can still keep this site going strong if we all come together and make it so.
I know this was long, but hey, I had to get my two cents in somehow.
In short, let's all work together and Make Golden-Road Great Again!*
*Though without all the nonsensical rants on Twitter about Lord knows what...and that's all the political talk that is to happen.