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We formed with the idea in mind to provide freedom to members to do whatever they wanted within obvious bounds. We had an open door to anyone who was not a rulebreaker and included everyone we possibly could in clan activities. We grew slowly at first, and then activity came rushing in. For two years we grew, members were happy, and "conflicts" were just treated as they were: Personal issues of which the clan could help but would not slow us down. Before the "conflict period" we were not conflict-free - that would be impossible -, but if you look back you will see that they were treated realistically and not a sign of the entire clan's incompetence. We realized that every single clan or community would face them, so we treated them properly and not as a false sign of downfall. Those who tried to cause problems were handled and no one ever took any notice to them other than as issues between members. When bans were over members were accepted back, there were no grudges or members fighting over how the punishment was wrong. The members also realized that a ban should only be over something major, I mean, why should we so openly and easily banish our own members over disputes that can end on their own and don't involve others?
Things were great until one situation came up in the chat. Two members who will remain nameless (AND I EXPECT NO ONE TO GUESS) started fighting. This was not a huge situation, but members took sides. Those members assisted their "sides" of the situation, and eventually became unofficial enemies with each other because of the fighting. That is what started the factions.
The official birth of them, in my mind, is when two members on both sides came to me explaining themselves because they thought I would ban them over what someone else would say. They both presented conversations and stories to prove their innocence and blame someone else. The stories that were sent to me were different, even when pertaining to the exact same situation and conversation they were altered. There is no way to prove it in either direction, so would I guess or just try to solve the situation so it ends (the intended result of any administrative action)? I was not about to guess nor suspend both (one was probably right but it was impossible to tell who), so I decided to try to solve the situation. A few SMods and myself tried, but it was too late because the others were doing the same thing. From there I kept being flooded with these conflicting he did/she did PMs and I could do nothing because the truth was distorted. Instead all the mediator-like positions came about in an attempt to end the linked conflicts altogether without having to suspend everyone somehow involved.
We tried very hard to end it, spent hours upon hours every week handling them, and it would not end until I specifically told everyone that no one was going to be banned over the old situations. It got to the point where if I did something to one it would be a victory for the other, retaliation would occur, and the clan would suffer as a whole. While many disagreed with me, I spared SeeD from the situation's continuation as well as the harm done by taking sides.
... What actually happened when I made that announcement?
Every single "blame PM", defense story, ban request, and every other related PM stopped completely except for one or two lingering issues which ended shortly after.
After that every single conflict linked to this neverending situation stopped except one, and that one was handled. It has been about two months since then.
What does this mean?
The "conflict period", really nothing more than an extended situation with many participants, has ended. All the blames stopped, I received a few comments about members making up (from those involved), and with the exception of a few members the grudges ended.
Then, a little bit later, as a result of the defined rule system and one member with a now unrelated grudge, a situation came up. That one member put down two returning members, I posted a warning relating directly to the rules which were stated, and he left SeeD. He was banned for two days as that was the result of a first offence for provocation or harassment. He then came back and made an ugly post that sparked a new situation. The second member (of three) with a lasting grudge joined in and extended the situation. He was banned for two days for the same reason as the first, along with someone who insulted him. The situation continued and randomly one of our members started flaming. He was banned. The member who started this then left for good.
So what is left?
Of those three remaining of the old situations one left, one has changed and forgave those with whom he previously had grudges (made friends with one), and one is still here but is changing.
These conflicts are OVER
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Regardless of what some think, we are back in the same physical situation as we were before all the faction conflicts.
Why are we still in a similar state though?
The faction conflicts changed SeeD; during that time we had to change to adapt to them. After all that we went through, would we just change back suddenly? Of course not! We could, but it would require everyone's understanding of our situation which some either haven't obtained or are too dense to perceive. Maybe they weren't there before the situations, maybe they forgot, or maybe they are just resistant to change.
Look at where we are now!
How many "troubled" members are there now? Really there is only one (maybe two)! Look around and count them yourself if you don't believe me. How many are repeat problems? Wouldn't it be easy to handle them now that situations aren't all inter-relating and purposely distorted?
After the last grudge-related incident (going back to the factions), how many conflicts were there? Only one! And it lasted for just a little bit, we were successful with isolating it and ending the situation. No harm was done and I think both involved are fine with the outcome here!
How many recent conflict posts are there (like "Can't we all get along" posts)? At least 10.
What's the deal?
Our clan, following the end of the factions, has had one minor situation. That's it! Why aren't we improving? In terms of conflicts, shouldn't we be in exactly the same place as before the faction situations?
Technically, we are!
Realistically, we obviously are not!
Why?
We are handling the clan in the same way as during the "faction battles". Back then every single situation was just an extension of everything that was going on. Now every single situation is NOT... now that they are just independent situations like those of our first two years (easy to handle, not big clan-wide issues, and definitely not "speed bumps"), we technically should be back where we were when things were going well.
The reason that that is not so is because the clan cannot distinguish the difference! SeeD is treating every situation as an extension, not wrongly so, just a result of some members not looking at the big picture. Say that a minor little situation were to occur tonight, I can almost guarantee that members are going to be questioning SeeD's future saying how we're going down the drain or something.
Is That Bad?
Think about it, is it bad? What possible harm could be done by a simple "can't we all get along" post? If you want to look at it from the perspective of the clan as a whole, our progress, and the atmosphere... Yes! In fact... something like that can be more damaging to the clan's unity than any single personal conflict!
When it is true, that is one thing. But when it is really not over a clan-wide issue (if as the result of something independent, not a trend), comments such as that will directly harm the clan's unity, appearance, and worse of all, its atmosphere. When posted, some members who don't know the situation will blindly agree, others will consider it, and we will end up going into a "virtual" faction situation with no faction or situation to pertain to it.
As a result, everyone goes "ban happy", tries to find solutions to a nonexistent problem, attacks the mods as a whole blindly, and looks at the clan as in a conflicting state.
If you consider our current situation as in a conflicting state, don't join a clan, we are much better off than almost every clan of a size greater than 100 members IN THE PRESENT TIME. If we are in a conflicting state now and our existence is in peril... What are all the "good times" that members frequently mention pertaining to the old SeeD? The conflicts then were roughly similar to what we have experienced after the last faction situation (after the four suspensions).
Please, stop extending the faction state!
If we all can understand this you will see that we are very well off. If the greatest issue in the clan is leniency here and there (which we are working on solving)... Why some say we are bad-off is way beyond me!
Look at all these potential issues which are MUCH worse but are so common in RS clans!
- Communication issues. Either no activity in the game or no activity off the game in a community of some sort. The clan may as well not exist.
- The common "flamefest". A clan with forums which cannot be maintained will quickly descend into this, if you look around Google you are guaranteed to see them everywhere. Members all flaming each other in personal defense... now that is a serious leniency issue that no one cares to address!
- Either major betrayal issues or absolutely no "clan image". Go in the wilderness PKing as a clan and the clan attacks itself for keeps. Yeah.
- "All want, no contribute." That's like our steel crisis in late 2001. Everyone wants to get something tangible from the clan but no one wants to contribute anything. These conflicting goals frequently tear small clans apart.
- Enemy issues. A clan bites off more than it can swallow and receives a reputation that makes members turn away. One clan that simultaneously declares war on 10 clans is very newbish and has issues.
- Recruitment issues. The clan dies.
- Hackers. The website is destroyed. The clan is disbanded.
- Rulebreaker clans, or "clans gone wrong". They will come against a clan called "SeeD" and be reported. Wait...
Yeah **********************************************************
So, where are we now? In a "frickin awesome" place and no one realizes it. We can so easily take care of the leniency issues now, take care of the independent situations that come up that every single clan would come across, lighten the atmosphere, and treat the place like nothing went wrong and enjoy SeeD more than ever!
So the next time someone posts a false faction thread, you trot right in and tell them the truth. Not what's here, what is really happening at the time.
So the next time someone creates a problem, remain neutral (or contact a GMod), let it be solved (or help out if you know those involved or the situation), and when it's over let it be over!
So don't go around preaching bans. Bans and suspensions are necessary when someone does wrong, but not over every single little thing that someone may say. We grew based on "freedom" in the clan, let's not subject ourselves to censorship. When someone flames though, let's handle it properly (and with a suspension if deemed necessary). Bans were never a huge issue during our first two years, they happened, but no one ever complained about them or the lack thereof.
So let's enjoy ourselves! Our administration, leaders, mods, and members have put a ton into making SeeD fun, let's take advantage of that! The next time you want to discuss something, don't hesitate to post it! When you feel like being insane, you know where to go. If you are in the mood to debate, there's a place for that too. If you're looking for stuff to do, check the events! The possibilities are limitless, take yours!
And I just want to say... Well, that's about it. Sorry that I subjected you to that, but let's make SeeD a better place tomorrow and throughout the rest of our existence!
MultiQuote
). I haven't seen many RS clans as active as we are. No, we don't have 1700 active members (Or is it 1800 now? X_x), and I'm kinda thankful for that 
Spamfests somehow turned into Flamefest, lol. What a place we be in.
" We're not a clan that's easy to damage or rock, and we can show it through the way we either bounce back or prevent things.