[Cspace]

Since the end of the 2004 incidents we've had to take things in steps. What some are seeing as ignoring the problem is just taking things in parts, for taking the whole situation as a whole will make it unsolvable. Steps need to be taken, and I'm sorry I didn't bring these to the clan's attention earlier... But this is basically what we have been trying to do (in order) to recover from 2004:

1) Handle all the conflicts we could with reason and words, and help dissintegrate the inter-relation of conflicts.

2) When the conflicts became their own entities and the clan started to see what was going on, for those conflicts remaining use other harsher methods of removing them because obviously no other method would prevent them from continuing. Gamble with bans if absolutely necessary.

3) When the conflicts themselves end for the most part, repair the mood. The conflicts would leave a scar and a different outlook than before the whole ordeal, this step is trying to bring the atmosphere back to the way it was.

4) Repair the changed ideals of the mod team. Having to handle so many situations in 2004 they would become over-careful and sometimes over-moderate. This step is to bring it back to normal.

5) The last step is to bring back meaningful recruiting. If any one of the above is out of place, regardless of how much recruiting there is or how well new recruits are treated, they won't likely stay.

We keep jumping in and out of step 3, and I will say why later.

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So what can you do? I'm going to break it down, you only need to read the categories referring to you if you don't wish to read everything.


All Members (Including Mods)

As I said, we keep jumping in and out of step 3. What keeps bringing us back to it? Anything that unnecessarily damages the atmosphere or brings back the ideals of 2004. Members keep saying how things were so good back in the "Good ol' days", but we had more 'conflicts' then than we do now. I'm not exaggerating. The difference between now and then is that whenever something happens now, even if minor, many blow it up in different ways. Responses such as "We haven't changed, this is stupid, why can't we all get along in SeeD?" over every minor thing just cause a personal argument to become a clan-wide issue. That is not necessary, the damage isn't caused by the 'conflicts' but by the reciprocal results now... Sometimes even when members think they are helping.

Back in the "good ol' days" we treated the 'conflicts' more realistically. Instead of members getting emotional over everything, members would either just stay out of it or say something to the effect of "Please take this elsewhere". Members would sometimes help, but not necessarily in the open, and by no means did 'conflicts' become 'events'.

Every community of any decent size has arguments. Now and then someone flames. It is natural unless the community is exclusive. We don't need to treat individual incidents as speaking for the entire clan. And there is no reason to try to prove that SeeD is falling because of them.. that is emotionality taken to a greater extreme than 'leave protests' in terms of the mood.

So I ask everyone, let's treat everything realistically. Let's neither blow things up or undermine them. Let's treat them for what they are, or just ignore personal arguments altogether if you aren't involved. That is the one hurdle that keeps bringing us back to step 3.

On the other side, knowing what shouldn't happen, what should happen? I'm not going to try to make the place all happy and stuff, but just lighten up a little. If someone makes a mistake here or there, so what? If a new member seems young, so what? If someone overlooks something or gets confused, so what? No one's perfect. You should be able to express any opinion without unnecessarily hurting a member, and you shouldn't be too annoyed by what really is just a single post in most cases. If you think you've been a little harsh, just lighten up on people, it is easier than having to complain about them anyway.

And don't take new members for granted. No more explanations necessary there.


Moderators

Some moderators are just fine, and some moderators need to re-adapt to a different environment. We aren't in the same circumstances as 2004, you don't need to be overly careful to prevent a backfire or over-moderate to prevent an eruption. In our circumstances now neither would benefit anything, even though it may have been necessary last year. So I am asking one thing of our mods, to simply re-adapt to our situation now.

- Mods don't all need to become involved in every situation. If an argument breaks out, it will only apply to a few mods in most cases. Sometimes only one. If you aren't somehow in a position to help, please don't become involved. In the opinions of some members this would just up the stakes, and wouldn't necessarily benefit a resolution anyway.

- Don't over-moderate. There are threads about this in Mod Discussion if you'd like to see them. You are not a moderator so you will use your powers, you are a moderator so you can use your powers. Don't unnecessarily edit unless something is breaking rules. Don't censor what is deemed as possibly harmful. Infact, try not to censor anything unless absolutely necessary. Don't close for convenience, and don't close for anything not breaking rules or causing real problems. Don't delete (or "DA") anything that is appropriate for members to view. If a thread needs to stop, close it, don't delete it unless it contains enough that is totally unsuitable for members to simply view. Don't move anything if it relates to the given forum in any way (and keep in mind that GD and CZ overlap other forums, usually don't need to move to specify a topic's location if placed there). If you don't absolutely have to moderate, then don't. You don't need to be over-cautious anymore and act first like last year, you need to take the role of the mod as it was before 2004: One to maintain freedom within realistic bounds.

- Above all, try to contribute to a decent atmosphere. Don't be pessimistic all the time, and just let the place take whatever course the members take. Your job is just to help keep the place safe and worthwhile, nothing more, nothing less.


Old Members

You are one of the ones that may need to re-adapt. What we went through last year changed how things functioned here, and it changed the general outlook of SeeD. We are not going through the same problems any longer, please don't treat every situation as proof that nothing has changed because if you think about it we have improved significantly. Please don't dwell on the past (whether good or bad) or the reputations of members. Just focus on the present. Whenever we bring the past back to the present we are just taking a step backward. Let's look at our situation today, independent of yesterday, to get to the tomorrow we want.


New Members

Right now I consider anyone 'new' who hasn't been around here in 2004. You are who will probably bring the most change. You haven't been affected by the past and see SeeD only in the present, with the exception of what you hear from others. Please don't necessarily follow the trends that you see veteran members taking, because they are not always acting as today. Some have difficulty adapting, especially those who arrived in 2004, and they aren't necessarily the models you should follow. Think for yourself and be who you think would be the ideal SeeD, and you will bring the change some of them cannot. Be positive, friendly, and helpful, and you will make an impact sooner than you would think. Your goal doesn't need to be to bring back the old atmosphere, it should be to bring about the atmosphere you think would be most worthwhile. Only you know what would be best, and I am asking you to do what you can to help bring it to reality.

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It may be difficult, but as long as we are working together and try not to constantly prove stagnation or point fingers at fault we will be well on our way to establishing the SeeD we've always wanted. Everyone can take a part in rebuilding their clan. Your clan. Don't be the subject of your own complaints. Let's not talk, but act. Let's do what is necessary, and I can guarantee that all this can be behind us as soon as by the end of the month.

Let's be responsible, reasonable, respectful, and resourceful. Let's find solutions, not problems. And let's carry them out. It isn't as difficult as you think if we all take a small part. SeeD has always done it, don't let yourself down now.

[Hax the Cook]

Wow, I read that whole thing.
Hehe, Cspace always writes like this... its hard to write a reply, because everything I was going to say he already said.
Also, read the first line of my sig.

EDIT: Typo's galore

This post has been edited by Captain Xal: 09 July 2005 - 07:03 PM

[Darkness]

Yeah, I told Xal to ask you to put that into one of the quote things

Usually you always say what I wanted to say, so I pretty much have nothing to say I read all of it, not just parts that concern me. The conflicts of 2004 were during a time when I wasn't really active, and I wasn't a mod then, so I not only didn't really get used to modding that stuff, but I wasn't really knowing what was going on But I know what was going on from people telling me, me reading stuff, etc.

[asyluman]

I propose a contest:

A medal the the active mod who can not use his/her powers for the longest amont of tinme, and settle things with words.

[Darkness]

I propose a contest:

A medal the the active mod who can not use his/her powers for the longest amont of tinme, and settle things with words.

If you didn't notice, it was that we have them so we can use them. The way you are saying it is that we shouldn't use them when something comes up

[Hax the Cook]

Another point:
I joined right around the time all of this was happening, and I clearly remember that one thread about how immature everybody was acting, and it left a different impression than you think.

When I see a community in conflict, I try to imagine how things would end up if they were handled differently, and to tell you the truth, every other way I could think of led to a worse result than what actually happened. That actually made me beleive seed was a strong, persistant community rather than one being torn apart by conflicts. Now, I'm pretty much branded with the mental image of a strong clan, and that helps me when it comes to handling/controlling myself during lesser conflicts.

Everybody, just think of how different the result of last year could have been.

EDIT:

I propose a contest:

A medal the the active mod who can not use his/her powers for the longest amont of tinme, and settle things with words.

If you didn't notice, it was that we have them so we can use them. The way you are saying it is that we shouldn't use them when something comes up

I think he means which mod can settle conflicts without having to use mod powers. In other words, what mods actually settle conflicts because they are good at it, not because they have mod powers.
Or something...

This post has been edited by Captain Xal: 09 July 2005 - 07:13 PM

[asyluman]

I propose a contest:

A medal the the active mod who can not use his/her powers for the longest amont of tinme, and settle things with words.

If you didn't notice, it was that we have them so we can use them. The way you are saying it is that we shouldn't use them when something comes up

I mean not deleting, closing, or doing other things to threads. You don't need powers to resolve ocnflicts, and if everyone was equal i think it's be a lot better conflict-wise.

[Darkness]

Hehe, then I'm glad nothing went differently >.<

I also believe that conflicts strengthen us, so if it weren't for all of our past conflicts we wouldn't be this strong.
\

[Hax the Cook]

Hehe, then I'm glad nothing went differently >.<

I also believe that conflicts strengthen us, so if it weren't for all of our past conflicts we wouldn't be this strong.
\

Strength comes with a price
Teehee, 'nother good quote

[CongressJon]

Geez, this guy is cool. What a speech, Cspace. I admit, a lot of '04 was rough, and we still do have the conflicts here and there... At any rate, I'll do all I can to help getting us through step 3, and beyond...

[Dragonman]

- Above all, try to contribute to a decent atmosphere. Don't be pessimistic all the time, and just let the place take whatever course the members take. Your job is just to help keep the place safe and worthwhile, nothing more, nothing less.

"A ruler does not rule, he leads."

Heh, forget where I heard that one but I felt it fit in with the whole message you're giving out to the mods about easing up.

I'd also like to add something in to the whole conflicts discussion. If you're ever involved in a heated argument with someone, and the other seems to be much more upset than you, simply apologize instead of criticizing how worked up they are. People can get upset over things more than someone else, and all they usually want is an apology really, just some decent manners. Even if it doesn't fully solve the argument, you've made a great difference and have helped the mood of it.

[Joseph]

Aw man, I wish I was a moderator...

[Hax the Cook]

Aw man, I wish I was a moderator...

No, you don't, trust me. It gives you less time to just be a regular seed and stuff

[Darkness]

Xal isn't even a mod and he knows what it's like

[Hax the Cook]

Xal isn't even a mod and he knows what it's like

Hehe, I know because seed is one of the only forums that I'm active in that I don't moderate. Its a pain in the ***, I'll tell you that much....