What constitutes baiting?

I can't really speak for other forums, but we welcome this in CT.

 

Don't get me wrong, the JCC is not the only forum I visit, but I have lurked in some forums that are taken waaay to seriously by both regulars, and staff.

 

You guys do a great job over there in CT. I'm not a huge poster there as I don't have much to say that hasn't already been said but it's a fun board to lurk.

 

Just want to note that I didn't have anything to do with the derailment of this thread, even though it's now pretty similar to mine. But I do feel better about starting my thread, as if it's enough of an issue that it's brought up in a thread that's completely unrelated, apparently it's something that people want to talk about.

 

I don't think this was as much a derailment as a meandering. Which means we're really talented! But you're right, forum culture is interesting... I went into EUC the other day and was totally lost. I must have been interested enough to go in there, so I should put my toe in the water at some point.

But to bring it back to topic, I agree with Jello's point about forum culture and its rules. As mods we have to try to be as consistent as possible, while taking that into account. Even something like baiting, which I think we've all agreed by now isn't as cut and dry as we try to make it is construed different in forums.

JCC is a prime example of that. Like Cathy admitted to, there's probably a lot of times when JCCers kid each other that is out and out baiting in other forums. Same thing for Senate. There are some black and white things. I think flaming is a pretty clear cut violation. Trolling used to be, but in a forum like JCC, it's harder to wrap around that. I think baiting is one of those gray areas, too. The question has come up more than once on the definition over the years.

 

I'm one of the first people to make jokes in a "serious" discussion. I can't help myself. So I'm all for humor in discussions, be they in Fan Fic, Comms, JCC, Lit, wherever. But my sense of humor isn't the same as everyone else's. For instance, I'm a-okay with a picture of bloobies in a Resource discussion thread, but I still asked in MS to make sure it was allowed.

I mean, hell, you talk to the Fan Fic mods, we are so not serious. Frankly I'm not scared of JCC, and I actually wish I had more time to play in there. But I can't always post in Fan Fic the way I might in JCC, for all of those reasons listed above.

 

JP-30- Thank you for clearing up that rule regarding links. I understood the rules differently and I apologize if I insulted or upset anyone.

Rhondaroo-I will not tell you what thread it was. I will act like the gingerbreadman and just run away as fast as I can.

 

This has been a thoroughly fascinating discussion to follow. I wish I had more time to participate in the discussion but, them?s the breaks.

A lot of the discussion has focused on the subjectivity of what constitutes baiting, and I happen to think that's a good thing. At the end of the day, it's not something you can reasonably expect to be nailed down in a hard and fast manner. Further discussions about the forum in question and the like are also relevant and good points, not to mention the history of the potential "baiter" in question. It all makes perfect sense to me and is acceptable. I'm all about trusting the judgment of the mods in most cases. That being said, I think it's fair to expect something of the mods in return and I was pleased to see that I'm not the only one:

Yep. I think that's very fair and reasonable. There's no harm in a mod at least pretending that the person on the other end isn't a complete turdburgler and giving that person the benefit of the doubt--especially if said person doesn't have a history of being a turdburgler. Can you do that in every case? Probably not. Could it be done more often than not? I'd say so. Mutual respect--i.e. treating users with the same level of respect and courtesy that mods expect to be treated with--would go a long way to avoiding hurt feelings and unnecessary drama. Most importantly, mutual respect goes a long way to building communities, which is what makes this place fun.

 

I thought what made this place fun was acrimony, sarcasm, and bloobies.

 

Maybe when we are or were teenagers?


Souderwan, your observations are points well taken. Likewise, thank you to DarthSapient for taking the time to do research and write a very thoughtful post.

And the more respectful and courteous we can be of each other despite past history, the better the chance that we can forge more positive relationships.

(Many of you are at me right now, but I belabor this point because it should not be allowed to slide by. That point may be lost on more recent users.)

It could be, depending on your personal proclivities. I'd prefer to think that there are many ways to have fun here despite acrimony.

 

Sorry - WAYYYYYYYYYYYY OT here but I need to thanks Souderwan for giving me the biggest I've had all day. It's been a real week at work, and the word 'turdburgler' sums up the owner in a way that no other really can...


*giggles* Tim the Turdburgler -

 

I'm 25 and I still don't.

 

I'm afraid to post in YJCC now because of what happened to me there before. I felt that I was being singled out. The mods of that forum seemed to be letting stand a lot of things that offended me and that I think wouldn't even be allowed at other sites. A certain user kept telling me that I have no sense of humor, and I never saw any of the mods call that baiting, but IMO it was.

 

Don't you think you're playing into his idea of you just a little?

 

Fact is that what you're calling baiting here is just one of those facets of JCC culture. JCC is kind of like a gang in that there's a hazing period almost everyone goes through when they step in there the first time from the sheltered other JC boards (someone coming from a forum like SomethingAwful, however, would see JCC as very tame). There aren't as many concerns with protecting people's feelings in JCC because of the nature of the forum. So, when someone was telling you you had no sense of humor, you weren't being singled out, you were going through something that every JCC regular has gone, and in some cases continue to go through. If you're used to the (IMO) overmoderated atmosphere of the more serious forums, then I understand where it can be seen as hostile, but what you're calling baiting may or may not be intentional or specifically and personally directed on the part of the forum regulars, and therefore isn't necessarily baiting.

 

Its a shame you're afraid to post there YJCC is a fun place even if its crazy at times. The thing to realize about JCC has been pointed out by other posters already. Its a very different place than a lot of the other boards here. When I started out on the boards I was in Lit and FF most of the time. Eventually I ventured out and explored other boards. I'll admit JCC didn't do much for me at first. But, once you get the hang of how things work on there, start to pick up on some of the jokes, and begin to understand some of the personalities (the poster/sock lolcat cracks me up) its a really fun place. Its become quite the haven for me after becoming disillusioned with the EU.

That being said, I don't see a lot of baiting in the JCC. The way it works in there everyone gives people a hard time or makes cracks about people. Generally its just done in jest I've found. I don't see a lot of posters who straight up don't get along, but I'm sure there are more than I am aware of. Yes, JCC is less sheltered and I personally think thats a good thing. The mods are quick to correct us when we cross a line and they maintain what order is possible there. I'd urge you to try the JCC and see what fun it is. Its where I spend most if not all of my time now because its generally pretty fun.

 

Another thing to remember about JCC vs other forums (and even the subject of baiting, or just kidding! as its sometimes called in the JCC ) is that the forum's subject is YOU. It's a community forum that doesn't even rely on Star Wars or the EU as a larger frame of reference. It's strictly community, and what we talk about is OUR opinions on subjects that give our fellow users no other choice but to know us better as real life people. It's not our opinion on who won the Mace vs. Palpatine fight or who our favorite SW character is or even what kind of stories we like to write that defines us, it's our REAL opinions on real life issues like religion, sex, poverty, gender relations, entertainment, sexual orientation, etc. These are the things that define us in our lives every day, so the forum is going to be closer knit.

But in that, we call each other by our real names more. We know when someone may be having trouble at school, sometimes all too well. We ask each other for help in relationships, computer terminology, etc. At the end of the day, it's knowing each other as closely as we do that allows for more "kidding" and ribbing and the jest. I encourage anyone to come to the forum and join us. The same people that kid you and poke at you in fun will be the same people to stand up for you when they feel you may be treated unfairly or offer their heartfelt advice or condolences on a death or illness.

 

IMO, YJCC is more heavily moderated than other forums at TFN. No one ever called my jokes in EUC baiting, even when they were about mods. There is little or no hazing of new posters in the other forums I post in, yet they seem more fraternal than YJCC to me. When I posted in YJCC, I mostly saw disturbing innuendo and cliques. rhonderoo, what describe JCC as being about, I see in the forums I post in, and in a more relaxed atmosphere.

 

Pick a side here.

 

Okay, what I meant was that my posts in YJCC were more heavily moderated than those of others who posted there.

 

Somehow I doubt that. The mods in JCC are very fair. In fact they probably let us get away with too much occasionally. If you're getting edited/moderated heavily in JCC you are obviously doing something that would cause issues.

 

Yes, the YJCC is modded usually pretty fairly.

 

Katya_Jade and MariahJSkywalker were still mods when I posted in YJCC. Were they less fair than the mods who replaced them? Why should trying to get answers and posting something you don't think someone else will even realize is about her, much less be angered by, cause issues? Okay, at the time I might have known on some level that she would realize it was about her, and convinced myself that she wouldn't so I could post it, because I was afraid to tell her straight out how I felt.

Is it baiting when mods joke about banning? I don't think those so-called jokes are funny, since mods can actually ban people. If a mod says s/he is going to ban someone, how can you tell if it's a joke or not?

 

If you had a problem with being unfairly moderated, you can always go to any of the Admins and initiate the MCRP. If the admins find that you were being treated unfairly, the mod in question will be censured, otherwise as Johnson and 618 just said, you were probably perceiving something that wasn't there.

For the record, straight out telling someone that you have a problem with them is generally preferable to the kind of passive-aggressive posting you're talking about.

Mods aren't allowed to talk about punishments publically. So if a mod says "see you in 24" it was a joke.