Moderation, PsiPog, and You

by PantsParty

Hello. Chances are if you're reading this article, you've been reading other articles on the main site. You might have returned to the main article page and noticed the Soap Box area, and figured you'd check it out. Basically, this is an article designed for new members preparing to go to the forums, and members on the forums who are having a rough time. In case you didn't see who this article was written by, my name is PantsParty, and I've been a proud moderator of the forums at PsiPog since its return in January.

The first thing I'd like to address is being a Moderator on the forums. Some people consider it a hassle, some consider it an outlet for their desire for power. Moderators should not feel any of the above, under any circumstances. Moderators really help clean the 'dung' of the forums if things get messy. The job of a moderator is to make sure that people are following the most simplest of rules that PsiPog has created. Seems like an easy job right?

Most of the time, it is. You just get to act like a regular member of the forum and post. You also get more one-on-one time to speak with the other Staff members, most of whom are very skilled and experienced in some psionic aspect. But the most important thing is that you have to act as a role model. This doesn't mean that you look like some religious figure that people worship day to day. This simply means that you help people out, follow by the rules, and give good insight whenever you post.

The only thing that's ever sticky about being a moderator is that sometimes, there are members that choose to disregard the rules and possibly hurt others. It's just not acceptable, you know? The PsiPog forums were meant for people to talk about their experiences and gain guidance towards their abilities. When someone breaks a rule, it often causes trouble for a few people. A moderator fixes certain situations that could be troublesome for other members.

There are quite a few things you can do to help keep this place clean and void of rulebreakers.

• Set an example. When you post good posts, others follow suit.
• READ THE RULES. I cannot stress this enough. By reading the rules, you know exactly what you can do, and what is frowned upon. Nobody likes to be frowned upon by an entire forum. If you are being frowned upon, chances are you might not have acquainted yourself with the rules. They're very easy to follow. In fact, go here to see the rules. They're all explained in good detail. You shouldn't have any questions after reading them.
• Point rulebreakers in the right direction. If you see someone breaking the rules, simply remind them that they should read the rules, and if you want to be a HUGE help, link them to the forum rules. It's a huge help, really. But remember not to be too "holier-than-thou" in your approach - keep it simple. If you are rude, they might leave and never come back. Sure, there's a good chance they might've been a jackass member, but think about it. If we point people in the right direction, they could turn into a good member. That's exactly what PsiPog is looking for.

There's a good chance that in the future PsiPog might need some new moderators to help out on the forums. And this is where YOU come in. If you're a good member who's been around for a good while, and you hope to help PsiPog out, you could apply to be a moderator. Please keep in mind that the best thing to do is wait until a message is placed on the forum in which we are asking for help. However, if you feel you've been around long enough, and if you've been a good member that everyone appreciates, you could send a message to Peebrain and let him know why you think you're qualified for the job.

Now please, before you go any further - if you're thinking about applying to be a moderator, you might want to skim through this checklist and see if there's anything you're missing.

__ 1. Do you have at least 6 months experience on the forums?
__ 2. Have you been an active forum member, who has posted frequently enough to be remembered by other members?
__ 3. Do other members support you?
__ 4. Are you somewhat skilled in at least one area of psionic abilities, or at least knowledgeable?
__ 5. Are your intentions as a moderator pure, i.e., you don't want to just show off to other people that you're a moderator?
__ 6. Are you willing to grow in your psionic abilities and help others out with any questions they may have?
__ 7. Do you know the rules, follow them strictly, and encourage other members to do the same?

If you checked yes to a lot of those, you could most likely be a good moderator. If you are going to apply, a good thing to do would be to paste the checklist with your answers in a PM and send it to Peebrain, explaining why you should be a moderator. If we could use you, Peebrain will contact you and let you know.

Basically, all the above information covers everything you need to know about moderators, mod-ship, and the "Modyssey of Moderation."

Next I'd like to touch on a few things for people preparing to enter the forums for the first time, or people who are looking for guidance on being more appreciated in the forums. Some of the most important things you can do are listed below.

• Follow the rules. Know them, live them, feel them (not necessarily in that particular order).
• USE GOOD ENGLISH. People here are very willing to accept you if you are from a country outside of the United States, Canada, or Great Britain. If you speak a language other than English as your primary language, many people can accept the fact that sometimes, your words might not be "dead-on perfect." The best thing to do is try your best to make coherent sentences; they should begin with a capital letter and end with a period. It's not that hard to do, and can make a huge difference between whether people generally like you or not.
• Internet Slang is highly frowned upon. If at any point in your sentence you use any of the following words, you will be very much shunned in the community: "u, cuz, omg, wtf, 1337 7@1k, a/s/l?, plz, thx", or anything else that is extremely annoying that I may have forgotten. Please keep in mind that if you associate yourself with these words, even the most patient of moderators will embrace your homicide.
• Do not LIE about how good you are, your abilities, and your extent of skill. If you do, people on the forums are VERY keen of lies, especially moderators, and will call you on it. If you say something like, "I made a psiball yesterday," people will most likely believe you. If you say something like, "OMG 1 I accidently killed my litter brother with a powerful psiball. Someone plz help 1," you are WRONG and will be castrated by forum members.
• Do not give yourself special titles. This coincides a lot with the above tip. Do not give yourself the title of master, reverend, God, vampire, Dracula, Count Chocula, NOBODY CARES. If you do, it really makes you look stupid, and people will question your credibility. VERY much.
• Just be yourself. If you're a lunatic with a strange sense of humor, people here will most likely welcome you with open arms, just so long as you follow the rules and don't do any of the 'unforgivables' mentioned above.

PsiPog wants new members. It was founded to help people out who are just starting and want to learn more. PsiPog is all about helping 'newbs' out. Not to make this sound like some sort of "support group meeting," but PsiPog is there for you. If you have basic common sense, you will have a lot of fun at PsiPog - guaranteed.

In conclusion, everyone wants a good forum. Only the members can make it that way. If you want to have a good time and be helped out with any psionic aspect, you will be. Just be yourself, and have fun in the forums. If you have any questions at all, you can reach me at PantsParty@psipog.net.

Take care everyone.

~PantsParty

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Last Modified on August 09 2006