Mean spirited posts

[boomhauer]

Just a quick reply to the comment about 'if the boards were monitored more closely this wouldn't happen'.

All of the DIS moderators are volunteers. We don't get paid for this, we do it because we love the Disney experience and we want to contribute in some small way to the enjoyment others get from the Disney experience. We have full, rich, sometimes complicated lives, too. And we have jobs.

If we removed every post that offends someone there would be relatively little left.

The boards don't have to be a 'love-fest', differing opinions are important to a well rounded view, and if people think carefully about what they post and are slower to take offense, this would be a non-issue.

The DIS is a reflection of the people who post here. Ultimately, the best moderator is your own common sense.

This is an excellent post.

Unfortunately, there are some moderators (not just on this board) that take their own posistions a little too seriously, and will close threads they don't agree with. Personally, I think that's wrong.

I won't mention any names (as I'm sure most of us know who they are), but there are a couple Mods on this board that throw their weight around, think that their opinion is the only one that matters, and tries to scare others into stopping the direction a particular thread is going.

 

[cleo]

Decisions to close threads are not made by one moderator alone. We discuss them, make a decision, then act (or not) on that joint decision.

My intent in posting was not to start a discussion about how the moderators work, it was just meant to say we cannot stay your hand before you hit 'Send'. Each poster must make that decision themself and if they feel they have posted their truth in a respectful way, they should hit Send. If not, perhaps there is another way to say the same thing, or perhaps it's not worth replying to at all.

Just my thoughts.

 

[boomhauer]

Decisions to close threads are not made by one moderator alone. We discuss them, make a decision, then act (or not) on that joint decision.

That certainly seems fair.

How is it though that certain threads get closed so quickly? As you said, this isn't a full time job for the moderators. Obviously, you can't all be on at the same time.

 

[ujpest_doza]

The only posts i find irritating (but quite amusing nonetheless) are posts where someone moralises about an issue rather than just answering the question posed.

 

[Dznefreek]

This is the most heavily posted-on travel-oriented discussion website on the Internet, by almost a factor of two

I was joking. I know th eboards have gotten more popular . . . . oh SORRY I did not mean to be rude . . . . . . .

 

[boomhauer]

The only posts i find irritating (but quite amusing nonetheless) are posts where someone moralises about an issue rather than just answering the question posed.

 

[puffkin]

I agree with the OP, especially for the Disney-related boards.

It seems that their are many "holier-than-though" attitudes out there that aren't afraid to express their "righteousness". This is a travel website and the large majority of people here are not employees of Disney or experts or anything like that. They are just normal people trying to help others out with their own experiences and/or observations. I think people tend to forget this and sometimes take the words of others as the gospel truth. It is a message board, everything should be taken with a grain of salt!

As a poster for almost 5 years now, I can say "in my experience" that I too have recently noticed an increase in the rudeness of posters on the Disney-oriented boards.

 

[kjs1976]

Puffkin-
Well said...you captured my sentiments exactly!

 

[boomhauer]

It seems that their are many "holier-than-though" attitudes out there that aren't afraid to express their "righteousness". This is a travel website and the large majority of people here are not employees of Disney or experts or anything like that. They are just normal people trying to help others out with their own experiences and/or observations. I think people tend to forget this and sometimes take the words of others as the gospel truth. It is a message board, everything should be taken with a grain of salt!

In a nutshell, that's pretty much the best post on this thread. I couldn't agree more. There are a very scattered few, who use an almost religious or philosophical reply to every post they make.

I feel like saying - "Dude - It's Disney World, not your personal views of society and religion."

 

[Feralpeg]

Not all discussion boards have problems with confrontations and rude behavior. I belong to two different discussion forums for parents of child actors. I have participated in these forums for two years. In that time, I have only seen one ugly thread and the ugliness actually came from a moderator. The moderator was banned from the forum. Since that time, everything has been very nice. People exchange ideas and support for each others children. These are people whose children compete for jobs. You'd think that this type of forum would be very cut-throat, but it isn't. I wish every forum could show this type of restraint and respect.

 

[melomouse]

OP - I agree with your observation in general and think that there are several types of these posts we've seen lately -

- The Defender - "What I have done/do in my WDW planning and execution is the right way and thus the ONLY way and anyone who sees things differently will get a MSC(mean-spirited comment)"

- The Disney Defender - As above, with an eye to the concept that at all costs defending the Disney policy is primary. Is the underlying belief that all authority is beyond question??

- Plain Ol' MS, sarcastic, rabblerousing, pot-stirring folks with WAAAY too much time on their hands. Immaturity and rebellion reign within these posts.

That said, life and the nature of message boards is such that we DO need to keep things in perspective, agree to disagree, express respect for others opinions - wildly variant tho they may be from our own - or do not respond at all!!!

I am inspired to start a thread on which types of posts I adore!!!

melomouse

 

[jarestel]

I feel like saying - "Dude - It's Disney World, not your personal views of society and religion."

That's the bottom line... nothing we discuss here is of much importance in the overall scheme of things, so getting upset over perceived sarcastic comments, rudeness, or just plain wrong opinions seems like making a mountain out of a molehill.

I think the DIS is overall a very pleasant place to visit and if I find myself becoming embroiled in a discussion that begins to head in a direction I don't care to go, it's easy enough to withdraw. The mods generally do a pretty decent job of determining when a thread has strayed too far from it's original purpose.

 

[MommyPoppins]

I agree with the OP. Yesterday I was lurking over at the TGM forums and when someone asked a question, pool hoping for instance it was nicely answered and some people even said,"Sorry this wasn't the answer you were hoping for." Several people mentioned the DIS and the fact that people are so mean on it.

 

[krdisneybound]

I agree with OP. There are a few threads ongoing that constantly jab at others - and others, that I might add, that they don't even know - only things that might have been told by them, from another poster. Some people are so ignorant - they don't even know it. I just consider the source and don't stoop to their level and let them make a fool of themselves. My life is too important to be involved with persons like that.

 

[tarmand]

No it's not. It's $ .02 or 2¢ (unless you mean 2/100 of a cent).

Don't you just love it when someone tries to be a smart aleck and they're wrong?

 

[pearlieq]

While I guess I agree in spirit with the OP, I think sometimes people have very unrealistic expectations of what they're going to find on this message board. I constantly shake my head at the idea that since the topic is Disney everything should be sweetness and light. Anytime you get thousands of people together behind the anonymity of their keyboards, sparks are going to fly.

I personally appreciate the "tough love" tone that I think the board has. I have no problem with people telling someone that what they're planning is against the rules, or reminding them to use the search function for simple, common questions. I don't think people should be coddled. If you post in a public forum, you need to go in expecting a response that you may or may not like. That's just the nature of the beast.

I absolutely do NOT agree with the idea that if you don't have something "nice" to post you shouldn't post at all. Every memeber is entitled to express their opinions within the terms of membership and no one has the right to tell them otherwise.

It's usually not that hard to avoid controversy. It's not too hard to spot a thread that's going to go ugly. Does anyone think a thread with the title "Bush is evil" is going to be filled with respectful and high-minded debate? There are folks that enjoy arguing. Fine. Let them enjoy it. I choose to pass.

The thing that gets me the most is how as soon as someone gets an answer they don't like (NOT one that is inaccurate or abusive, just one that is honest and contrary to what the poster wants to hear) they cry rude? I don't have much patience or sympathy for it anymore. If you don't like what you're reading, close the window and get back to your real life!!!!

 

[ElleBelle]

I agree with the OP, especially for the Disney-related boards.

It seems that their are many "holier-than-though" attitudes out there that aren't afraid to express their "righteousness". This is a travel website and the large majority of people here are not employees of Disney or experts or anything like that. They are just normal people trying to help others out with their own experiences and/or observations. I think people tend to forget this and sometimes take the words of others as the gospel truth. It is a message board, everything should be taken with a grain of salt!

As a poster for almost 5 years now, I can say "in my experience" that I too have recently noticed an increase in the rudeness of posters on the Disney-oriented boards.

YES! Couldn't have said it better myself. And puffkin- just wanted to say "hi"- we're just down the Schuylkill in Pottstown.

 

[SamRoc]

Not all discussion boards have problems with confrontations and rude behavior. I belong to two different discussion forums for parents of child actors. I have participated in these forums for two years. In that time, I have only seen one ugly thread and the ugliness actually came from a moderator. The moderator was banned from the forum. Since that time, everything has been very nice. People exchange ideas and support for each others children. These are people whose children compete for jobs. You'd think that this type of forum would be very cut-throat, but it isn't. I wish every forum could show this type of restraint and respect.

Hey Feralpeg, I think you and I belong to the same discussion groups. Its so nice to see all the help we get from parents of other child actors. Thats a board where you would expect some tension, but I have found the other parents to be very supportive.

 

[dixiedizfan]

Yes, I've noticed a lot of sarcasm on these boards. I can only hope these people lose some of their mean-spiritedness while at Disney!

 

[GoofyDad869]

For the most part this board is a lot more "shiny, happy people" than most other boards. Most of the sarcastic/mean-spirited postings are on threads that are "Is XXXXXX right/wrong?" style. I think if you spend any time on the DisBoards you become aware of the 'touchy' topics. Avoid those threads if you don't want to see 'em. There aren't many true ambushes here, and the few that do happen are moderated in a very timely manner. There aren't many "trolls" here that I know of, with the intention.

Another board I visit a lot has a "BBQ Pit" forum - with the exception of THAT forum the remainder is very well-behaved. That board's geared for more political & adult issues so the language (especially in the BBQ Pit) can be bad. Any discussion that devolves past a certain point gets "pitted" by the moderators. I don't think DisBoard could do that sort of thing considering the number of under-18s posting.