Take me, sir. Take me hard.

Zoe ,'War Stories'


Bureaucracy 1: Like Kafka, Only Funnier  

A thread to discuss naming threads, board policy, new thread suggestions, and anything else that has to do with board administration and maintenance. Guaranteed to include lively debate and polls. Natter discouraged, but not deleted.

Current Stompy Feet: ita, Jon B, DXMachina, P.M. Marcontell, Liese S., amych


Allyson - Apr 12, 2003 3:32:57 pm PDT #9467 of 10001
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

Isn't this entire 300 post discussion a warning?

Dude. Just email her and toss her the link. If that's not enough, then no "official" warning is.

You've set it up so that all Buffistas are "officials."

Well, here's the official warning, Zoe. You've caused 300 posts in Bureaucracy because you've been an asshead. If I were you, I'd find another board, or, continue on in the same vein if your purpose is to get lots and lots of attention.

My personal opinion is that Zoe must be creaming herself at all the attention she's getting, but then again, I'm the one who had a fantastic time with the brain damage post.

When i apologized, i was apologizing to the Scrappy-shaped folks who were offended. I wasn't so much caring if Zoe had tossed herself into bed and cried, because I don't give a shit about her, personally. I gave a shit about me, and people I like, who were pissed off and otherwise annoyed, but too polite and/or kind to smack the shit out of her.

The thing is, that my post likely gave her an orgasm. She lives for negative attention, and this thread is loaded with it.

I think ignoring her will cut off her supply, but not all Buffistas are willing to do that, because they feel that anyone can be potty-trained.

Don't warn her, get rid of her. If it makes ya feel bad, I'll go in and euthanize her and everyone who finds it repugnant can dislike me, and everyone else can just be relieved.

Out of over 800 registered human beings, you've tossed two people. It's not like it's a big habit, or a slippery slope. It's a by-product of growing, it's a community bowel movement, and it's natural in the progression of any message board.

One of our neighbors is playing techno at a volume of 10 at 2AM every day, and after repeated requests by the neighbors to turn the volume down, she continues to go crazy with club mix. Now, some folks may be able to sleep through anything, and aren't bothered by it. Well, they shouldn't be bothered by the eviction of the tenant, either. If you're not bothered by the noise she makes, then you shouldn't be pissed about the noise I make about her.

Really, she's not added anything positive to the community with her presence, so what's with the big?


kat perez - Apr 12, 2003 3:34:03 pm PDT #9468 of 10001
"We have trust issues." Mylar

It really breaks my heart to come in here and see us turning ourselves inside out again and again. I don't want to sound uncaring, but really. We have community standards. We have a procedure in place for dealing with people who break them. It is clearly stated. Anyone interested in being a part of this community can (and should) find out what the standards are and what the process is for dealing with those who don't adhere to those standards.

Many people feel that Zoe has broken those standards. They've cited examples and linked to specific posts. Personally, I have no problem with Zoe, but my ability to do a personal MARCIE is vast. It contains multitudes. Clearly, she's upsetting a lot of other community members with her posts. Why on earth do we have a process if we are not going to use it? Warning Zoe doesn't make us the bad guys. It doesn't make us less compassionate or less accepting. We just want to follow the process that many thoughtful people designed to deal with just this very situation. If people feel uncomfortable with "warning", call it a notice, call it what you will. But I think it's clear that some type of action needs to be taken.

I'm just afraid that the more we go around and around with this, the greater the chance that we're going to get into a mieskie-type situation, which was so disruptive and hurtful for us as a community. This "warning"/notice is actually an attempt to reach out to Zoe and bring her in line with the rest of the community, not force her out. Or at least, that's my impression. No one is saying "Let's kick Zoe out.", though probably some might like to. They're just saying "Let's do what we said we would." And I agree. We have a procedure in place. Let's follow through with it. It may be a little unpleasant. Nobody likes to have to look like the "bad guy". But this merry-go-round of knives we're on with each other is infinitely more unpleasant and disruptive for our community.


Holli - Apr 12, 2003 3:42:06 pm PDT #9469 of 10001
an overblown libretto and a sumptuous score/ could never contain the contradictions I adore

Allyson, I love ya, but please tone it down a bit. I'm afraid you're hurting your own argument, and that's not of the good.

If I make an officially-worded request for a no-consequences first notice to Zoe, and it's seconded and thirded and so on by a lot of posters, can we just send her an email already? Because, if so:

This is an official request for a notice from the admin account to the poster Zoe Ann, informing her that her behavior is extremely disruptive to the community. I would like this notice to explain why she is receiving it (i.e., she has been rude, repeatedly ignored repeated requests for clarification and apology, over a long period of time, and on numerous occasions). I would also like the notice to make it clear that we are not threatening her with suspension or banning or anything else, at this time; if she corrects her behavior, there will be no further problems. I would like this notice to be sent damn soon, because I'm fresh out of patience. And bubble gum.


askye - Apr 12, 2003 3:47:05 pm PDT #9470 of 10001
Thrive to spite them

I'm standing firmly in the corner with Allyson on this.


§ ita § - Apr 12, 2003 3:49:59 pm PDT #9471 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

I really don't care why Zoe behaves as she does. If she's doing it because she enjoys the ruckus, or because that's just how she is, or it's a great big joke or experiment.

Fact is -- community standards exist. There has been no move I've seen here to change them. She's violated them. There has been a stopgap suggestion, and it's a harmless one, so I'm very pro it.


Laura - Apr 12, 2003 3:50:24 pm PDT #9472 of 10001
Our wings are not tired.

So, over a hundred posts ago I wrote:

I personally feel that a formal warning system is less confrontational or mean than sparing in the threads. I also feel a warning is appropriate in this case. My understanding of the warning system is that it is not a trip to the woodshed but rather a polite attempt to explain community standards to posters who appear to not understand them.

Since that time and included within a couple hundred posts before I have seen many requests for a warning. I'm not counting them. I sent a personal message myself. I am not a stompy so I will leave it to someone more authoritative to do any wording.

I'm off to do some tuna grilling now. Peace, love... and shit. very little humor from F2F discussion I missed


Allyson - Apr 12, 2003 3:54:47 pm PDT #9473 of 10001
Wait, is this real-world child support, where the money goes to buy food for the kids, or MRA fantasyland child support where the women just buy Ferraris and cocaine? -Jessica

Allyson, I love ya, but please tone it down a bit. I'm afraid you're hurting your own argument, and that's not of the good.

The thing is, Holli, this isn't me. Buffistas were an oasis. I don't post here, much, anymore. The voting stuff sent me over the edge, and then the truckloads of posts on how to deal with assholes sealed the deal.

I don't so much participate, and I miss it, but the board culture changed, so I bought myself a subscription to the Well, and decided I'd rather chill with folks who have "been there and done that."

And the thing is, I'm fairly valuable. When I participate in a community, I do so wholeheartedly, and spend the time and heart to make a positive contribution and hope that I somehow enhance other people's experience in the community, and they in turn enrich my experience.

It grates me in ways I can't fully describe that so much energy is used to discuss whether or not we should cut the cancer, or bottle feed it.

I can't see people like Zoe, or Mrsthebloody, or mieske, as anything else but a malignant growth.

I feel like a rat jumping the sinking ship when I read this stuff. It sucks.


bitterchick - Apr 12, 2003 3:57:16 pm PDT #9474 of 10001

Okay, I just read this whole thing and I'm reminded of why last month I suggested we get a formal system down for warnings/suspensions/bannings. I think the sheer volume of posts in this thread means that she needs a formal warning.

Do I think it's going to do any good? Well, no. I don't think it's going to make the slightest difference in how she posts. But I think it will help the community a great deal. People feel very frustrated right now. Maybe if they know she's been warned and is treading on a slippery slope, everyone can take a breath and calm down the next time she goes off.

The mental illness thing really bothers me. Because I have posted with people who have had truly challenging disabilities. I once had a poster who was MP. They never violated the rules of my board nor were they a disruptive presence. Not once. And if there is some problem that makes her unable to follow the rules, then this isn't the forum for her. Now, if we knew she had a problem and she told us of it and was making an attempt to work within the existing CC, that's a different story. That's not what's happening here.


Scrappyat work - Apr 12, 2003 4:08:36 pm PDT #9475 of 10001

Well said, Bitter.


Jessica - Apr 12, 2003 4:11:01 pm PDT #9476 of 10001
And then Ortus came and said "It's Ortin' time" and they all Orted off into the sunset

Fact is -- community standards exist. There has been no move I've seen here to change them. She's violated them. There has been a stopgap suggestion, and it's a harmless one, so I'm very pro it.

YES.

Also, the speculations about Zoe's mental capacity are, I think, incredibly inappropriate and are making me (and others, I think) very uncomfortable. Unless she weighs in here and mentions neurological impairment herself, I really feel that that topic should be off limits.