Young Writers Society

This is more about the current and snide activity of the Admin's here on YWS. I expect many of you to agree with them instantly and expect many of you to agree with them out of fear or suck-up-ness. But before you pass judgment this is my side of the story.

first of all: Please PM me if I am a horrible person, if I have threatened you in any way or have been aggressive to you on these forums. Even better: post here so everyone can read them. Because to be honest I see myself as a friendly, happy person here.

...So my question? Why was I removed and unfairly dismissed from the Junior Mod Group?

My own answers are simple:

* Misunderstanding
*Incompetence

The first one is likely, I had a small conflict with Hunter which was resolved with in the hour my Firestarter. Weeks and months later I get this PM from Nate:

Hey Phorcys, it's come to my attention that you have commented numerous times on stories & poems to the effect of "when I am a moderator, I will..." This concerns me. As a moderator, one is expected to abide by a code of conduct, and threatening, even when such threats may indeed be justified, violates that code of conduct. For now, I am removing you from the junior mod group, but if you wish to reapply in a few months, let me know.

I was so shocked I couldn't believe it. I have no idea where this "threatening" behavior has come from and the Admin clearly has no quotes to back that up. Im sure if these quotes came from some where I would be more than capable of explaining them. But there are no quotes because the admins have been imagining this threatening behavior. Ive been waiting months now for privileges to be added to my mod status and have been fulfilling my role as a junior mod in the fantasy forum mostly.

Is it a crime to be fulfilling duties when you are a mod? I am under the impression that Mods do do something. I did something - I enforced the rules layed down by the very administrator that removed me.

Another issue I would like to address is where on earth I have gone against the code of conduct. I have broken no rules during my time here on YWS and have nurtured the site with well thought out critiques and good, helpful comments to new writers.

I dont know what has happened to YWS recently. Its like living in Nazi Germany. I feel I have no freedom and you know what really helps: Big Brother is exempt from the rules.

I hate to drag this up but seeing as Nate decided to fire me, who cares?

Hunter broke several rules and insulted me directly (Hunter Im not arguing with you here, we made up on chat this is just an example). This insult went unnoticed when my own very direct critique was warned and I was publically humiliated on the board, thus undermining what ever mod decision I made. This was further helped when Firestarter (Hunters friend on the outside) was the one to humiliate me.

I'm very VERY upset about this and am seriously considering my continuation on this Nazi-like forum. I don't know whether I can bare to be a part of incompetence personified any longer. What started out as a nice site has turned into a totalitarianist polyumvirate.

This thread is not for attention or for flaming however I would like Nate or other Admins to discuss any matters with me here instead of retreating to their hideout and gossiping and slagging of me as well as other members in there little group forum.

Thankyou. Please read carefully before responding as I do not wish to repeat myself. I expect I shall be hated from the moment this is posted as members do tend to always side with their admin.

This is Nates property, I dont want to ruin it but Im past caring now.

Regards,

Adam, Previously Known as Phorcys, Previously a Junior Moderator.

Phorcys --


This sort of impetuous posting is probably testament to why you were removed.

If you can not live with the decisions made here, then you should leave--there are plenty of other websites where you can be a healthy and contributing member like you say you were here.

Besides, I don't think Nate's German.


Take care,
Brad

Incan - This is the first topic I have made where I am upstarting. I dont care if I am banned really. I should imagine this will get blocked soon enough.

Besides, this is a series of questions really. I havnt offended before this time, and to be honest: every one, mod or not mod has the potential to rise up.

Phorcys -


To wit, mods are selected on an increasingly variegated set of conditions. One of these considerations has always been and needs to be abuse of power.

This means the selection process is not operated off of hard-and-fast rules but, rather, perceived probabilities based on previous behavior.

Posting something of this nature, no matter what the root-cause, is evidence enough that the right decision has been made. Being a moderator for the YWS is not a power-position--it is something you do out of love for the site and the members here. That you are upset regarding the Admin.'s decision is only validating their point that you were not doing it for the site.


Best,
Brad

I don't remember humiliating you in any way.

And I'm really sorry you feel this way. This isn't how I want people to view the Administrators at all. It's just we felt that you weren't quite up to the role of Junior Moderator simply because you caused conflicts in several threads and had an attitude that isn't exactly befitting a prospective Moderator. In fact, unfortunately, this thread shows why. Instead of replying to Nate and asking him for further clarification, you have instead started a thread simply made to gain some sort of attention for your "ill treatment". I think you're being hopeleslly unfair to people who commit a lot of their free time to this site.

No, we're not perfect. But we do try damn hard, just like the Moderators do. If that makes us "Nazis", I'd please ask you to study the Third Reich a little better.

The general point is, I think, that we want Moderators who are neutral and friendly. Several times you have shown to be outside this criteria -- for example, here:

Ok, number one I really don't give a damn about whether you agree or disagree. Those are my opinions about your story, you can CHOOSE whether to put them into action or not, you don't need to try and persuade me to think otherwise.

As for Tolkien - I think it was old English/Celtic Mythology he based the Elves off, dont quote me on that though.

You are very elegant in your response to critques but just a simple "Thanks for your time" would be nice instead of debating each and every point made.

As for skimming - I am active on YWS and pretty high ranking in post count, I try to get through nearly all fantasy work to give people usable feedback on their stories. Thus I read beginnings and sometimes ends, and when I have time, whole stories - you will say many lengthy reviews under my name. I only read your beginning and only commented on it.



Yes - description is needed in an abstract world, but why right at the start of a story? It doesnt need to be there, it can come later. Action, interesting plot etc.. should come first.

Admittedly, I invited you to disagree - BUT I didnt make myself clear in posting etc...

Thread linky is this.

There are other examples, if you want me to dig them up. But, like that, you have shown yourself to be aggressive toward other members "I don't give a damn".

Anyway, just trying to justify actions we have taken.

I think your reaction is unfair and a bit over the top. I know you must be disappointed, but in the end, it's only an internet site. Don't worry so much about it. I'm sorry for causing you to be upset, or for anyone else causing you to be upset, it was never anyone's intent.

As for us "slagging" and "gossipping" and other such silly ideas, that's just ridiculous.

Adam, you need to get off your high chair and understand that sometimes thinks *can* be your own fault.

Not everyone else is always to blame. There's no "Big Brother" conspiracy where we've all bainwashed YWS members into slaves. We're just trying to make this a good site.

EDIT: Brad said what I said in a million less words.

And in regards to the quotation I believe that we discussed it and resolved the problem. Why didnt you remove me then, why has a month passed and now Nate has acted?

Yes - if this was my site I would think the same as you do to me. "This guy is an idiot" but as Ive said, Im not particular bothered if Im banned or not.

This thread isnt about regaining moderator status. Infact becoming moderator of a site I disagree with the ethics of is a very unwise decision. This is to bring to your attention why i am upset. Im sick of doing background work, bickering and PMing mods and admins. This thread is open for anyone to comment in.

Returning to the quote, Im still right. Infact Ive never been wrong. The person debated and argued with my points totally dismissing what I said - but this has been discussed before.

"I dont give a damn" - Theres nothing wrong with that in my opinion. I do not view "damn" as an expletive or an unpleasant word. This statement is fine in my eyes.

As mentioned previously, what really wound me up the most is why on earth you didnt demote me earlier around the time of any supposed "conflict" why let it mull and go running to Nate which was not involved in the conflict?

Incan - Please do not patronise me, Im not patronising anyone or actually insulting anyone in particular. The reference to Nazi is a flippent comparison between the abrupt and overpowering stereotype shared by the administration of this forum.

Moderation isnt about power, I never said it wasnt. I have been denied helping out my site for no reason what so ever. Well there is one reason, the admins obviously dont like me. I feel that Firestarter has intervened with the mods in quite a bitchy spite. I do not feel that Nate would have removed me without this intervention because Ive had no problem before hand.

Regards Again

No, if you had no freedom the administrators wouldn't have even let you make those comments. They would have been deleted, along with this thread.

As Brad said, being appointed a moderator has nothing to do with freedom, it has to do with the behavior administrators feel is acceptable for people in positions of power.

I honestly cannot believe you dragged "freedom" into this. From what I can tell, the administrators are letting you insult them publicly. That sounds pretty lenient.

Prokaryote

Im not responding to that, you are not discussing the topic at hand you are discussing the discussion. Thankyou.

Phorcys,


You seem bent on digging yourself into a deeper hole, and to what end?

There is nothing in this thread that might be reasonably supportive of such an inflammatory remark as, "I feel that Firestarter has intervened with the mods in quite a bitchy spite."

Perhaps you should step back a bit and consider whether further participation here will benefit you.


Best,
Brad

I referred it to Nate -- I didn't run -- because he was sorting out the Junior Moderators. I simply expressed my concern over your appointment, but it wasn't my decision to choose you or remove you. I simply intervened because I was concerned.

I'm not victimising you, or anything like that. Several other people agreed with me that you might not be the best appointment for Junior Mod. My opinion is shared. It's no personal spite brought out -- even if I did have something against you, I would not let it interfere with my admin duties.

The fact you don't understand why your mod powers were taken away is precisely you're not a mod.

Anyway, if you don't feel I'm a good enough admin, maybe I should just resign. I've always tried to conduct myself in the best manner possible, and given a lot to this site because I love it, but maybe I'm just not right. I don't know.

I have lost all will to continue with this website anyway or at least for the moment. This thread is pointless - a few bytes on the internet, generally useless. But I dont feel justice has been served until I at least succeed in getting at least someone to see my point of view.

Brad, I thought doing my duty as a mod would benifit me, it didnt. You never know what will benifit you in this topsy turvy wonderland.

Now that you benifit I hear that you too have been told on numerous occasions for sharp remarks. Then why havnt you been demoted along side me? I fear it is you who needs to step aside.

I am being persecuted against because Incan has been equally as sharp as I and has not been punished.

Answer me that and you can a gold star.

Lets see who wouldnt want me as mod:

...mmm... Hunter? mmm..... Poor Imp.

I do understand my removal of moderator: utter bull that stinks of politics. Some people have taken a disliking to me, inc you and you have had me removed.

Firestarter, the fact this was supposedly sorted out at the time I may have been overly sharp makes you unfit for role as admin. There was no need to take this further and I assumed that everything had blown over. Obviously I was wrong and you used your powers and influence as admin to have me removed for arguing with your best friend Hunter.

Ill repeat for emphasis:


I am being persecuted against because Incan has been equally as sharp as I and has not been punished.

Phorcys,


When you make grossly generalized claims like, "Incan has not been punished," you should at least make them on things where there's no proof one way or the other.

Instead, you have chosen to sink to a level of paranoid speculation about the intentions of the site administrators and moderators.

The biggest problem with your argument is that there are no "laws" here which an administrator can violate, and thus they cannot persecute you, because the administrators constitute the very "Law" itself.

It would be ill-advised to continue on this path, Phorcys, if you ever hope to gain favorable public opinion again.


All the best,
Brad

You know, originally I stopped myself from locking this topic because I thought it would simply confirm your beliefs.

However, now you are just attacking people personally with no justification.

Brad's behaviour has been dealt with in the past and he has proved that he is a mature, intelligent member that has a good judgement. He never causes unneccesary conflicts -- unless someone takes affront to his opinion on their piece, which is their own fault -- and would never create a topic like this in a cry for attention.

You're utterly wrong about me -- I already expressed my concern to Nate BEFORE the Hunter incident. Therefore the two were unrelated.

The fact I made that call and you have been driven to a topic like this has shown I was right in my call.

Answer me this: how have you proved you are capable to be a Moderator?

How have any of the junior moderators proved it. How has Claudette, how has Incan?

We were chosen based on Site loyalty, I was active, enthusiastic and Nate agreed with that and chose to make me mod. I have much experiance of PHPBB and If I was to work my way up I wanted to help Nate in the modification and technical side of things as I am fluent in Hypertext Preprocessing Language and also the structure of PHPBB and forums.

I know how they work, I know that this thread should be locked and I should be banned for starting it. I am uprising and questioning the admins authority. It is not right to make this thread.

But... the turning point....

I dont care.

This thread has confirmed nothing, I have started this with an intent that I will do anything and everything to try to persuade people that I am in the right. The fact my status has been stripped has caused this. I am sure if you were ignorantly dismissed from admin you would say nothing about it...


And concerning Brad -

My offense was dealt with as well Firestarter.

And exactly what did I do before the Hunter Incident?