Posted by Dinah on March 27, 2011, at 7:04:54
In reply to Re: No-one has mentioned....., posted by Twinleaf on March 26, 2011, at 23:29:18
Admittedly if your main intent is to call Racer insensitive, cold and harsh, it would be impossible to rephrase or withdraw without lying.
An alternative to lying might be discretion in what is initially said. No one was talking about Racer when this topic opened. You introduced her into the topic and said something that I think would have hurt me had it been said about me.
If you had felt the overwhelming need to bring this up, you could have merely said that you thought the recent dearth of administrative involvement was healthy for Babble, and that you found administrative involvement a deterrent to a healthy and robust community. Or that you found posters working things out together preferable to administration sweeping in out of nowhere. If you really wanted to point out that you found Racer insensitive, harsh and cold, you could do so in a private email to Dr. Bob. Just as you likely wouldn't say that you found a poster silly or stupid, it might not be a good idea to not say that someone who volunteers her time for no remuneration of any sort is harsh or insensitive. Do you operate from the assumption that anyone associated with administration isn't entitled to the same discretion you would show towards a poster? Or that they perhaps are not human and have no feelings? If so, is it possible that this might be the common underlying theme here, rather than your love of Babble and desire to see it flourish?
You might think of it as a logic problem. "I believe I should be able to say whatever I like about administration without being blocked." + "Dr. Bob believes that administration is entitled to the same respect that posters deserve, and statements negative about members of administration will lead to a block by Dr. Bob." = "Dr. Bob will block me and feel totally justified in doing so." + "Dr. Bob will block me in what I consider to be a totally unjustified manner."
As an example of course. Your actual thoughts may differ. But is it possible that a different approach to showing your love of Babble might lead to a more desirable outcome?
If you wish to address with Dr. Bob the fact that he only wants deputies who don't post, that's a fair topic. But could it not be done without naming Racer? Could it not be done from the standpoint of positiveness? As in "I think active participants in Babble make for the perception of warmer deputies and may be less resented by some of us. I oppose your policy of not allowing them."? Does that not make the same point but while running a much slighter risk of hurting anyone's feelings?
Although it must be said that deputies are smart enough to figure out remarks like that, and it does hurt. But it has the extra added advantage to the poster, in that it allows them to keep posting and to keep saying things that deputies are smart enough to figure out, and that may hurt.
So... Being more discreet in saying things that may hurt deputies has a double advantage. You don't get blocked, and you can continue to say them! Win win.
poster:Dinah
thread:979671
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/admin/20110117/msgs/981251.html