Look at me, I’m a badass
I’ve noticed this sort of attitude being adopted more and more recently on IF and I have to say I’m getting pretty sick and tired of it.
People rebelling, thinking if they do the opposite of your word they’re somehow defying a higher being and causing chaos. Well, I hate to break it to the idiots ‘badasses’ but you’re neither clever, funny, witty, smart or even remotely ‘badass’. All you are is a pain in the arse that can be swept away with the click of a button. This button to be precise. 
It seems that people think that because of our position we’re actually more vulnerable to attacks than we used to be (as members - those of us who were members beforehand at least). Now this may be the case for some (Is it? Not sure, perhaps, wouldn’t know though I’d doubt it personally) but certainly not for me. Sure, if someone decides to act like an ass it’s not worth a suspension or something but the fact is this: piss me off or attack me and you’ll see the nastier side of me.
Yes, there is an even nastier side to me than most see. 
Rawr.
I should probably explain this all really. Where shall I begin…hmmm let’s see.
Firstly, I have encountered ‘morons’ (for want of a better, non-profane word) over the months who seem to think that they can get away with their idiosy without consequence. Boy, have they learned. I’m not sure what quite attracts people to ‘rebelling’ but for any who consider it: it’s not glorious, it’s not fun, it’s not even slightly amusing. And I mean for the rebel. It’s glorious for me when I click that button, take a sigh of relief and smile as yet another thorn is removed from the board. It’s fun for me to receive a response to the usual e-mail I send, protesting the suspension. It’s amusing for me to reply to it and explain that life’s a bitch and then you cross me. 
Now I’m not a badass or hardman myself, never claimed to be and never will but I’m not a walk over either - as so many assumed from my former openness. Those who thought I was have now learned their lesson or are currently learning it. Heh, and people say it’s no fun being a teacher. 
Mmm, yes, secondly I have noticed that there are those who are dealt a warning that think they can somehow shrug it off and continue in their war path. What’s that all about? If you get warned not to backseat moderate, don’t backseat moderate! Could it be any simpler? Why do people think they are exempt from the rules? What worries me is when they then attack because they have been suspended or whatever for repeating it. 
Typical e-mail convo with me and anyone I suspend:
Jay: I’m sorry, were you not already warned about your actions?
User: Yes.
Jay: And were you not also warned that if you repeated your actions you would receive a short suspension?
User: Yes.
Jay: And did you not repeat your actions?
User: Yes.
Jay: And did I not do as I said I would?
User: Yes.
Jay: So, what are you complaining about?
User: It’s not fair.
Jay: *sighs and adds e-mail to block list*
But then I should know by now that most of the people who are suspended are suspended because they’re idiots.
Thirdly and finally, graphics request. I wonder how many of you expected that? 
It has pretty much become my campaign; cleaning up GR and restoring order. Witht he aid of my trust companian Christina (
) I think we’ve done pretty damned well considering. Spam has been reduced, there is less rule breaking and generally people are paying more attention to the rules. However, we still face spam and foolish posting, and arguements from time to time but still, I think it’s improved somewhat from the way it used to be (and I hear it was even worse long before I was even a member o_O).
I’d say the biggest problem faced is the ego. Or at least, it is for me. Not my ego but the ego of either graphic requesters or graphic request designers. Usually it’s the former that’s the worst. I’m not sure why but some people take great offence when the rules are pointed out to them, is it truly an insult to be asked to fill in the guidelines that help to have your request done and remove the hinderence you put on yourself straight away by having posted without using them? Is it so hard to understand the red bold text that states no bumping within 24 hours? I mean, the 24 hour rule is carried throughout the entire forum, how on earth can anyone miss it? If only there was an option in the usergroup settings that had something along the lines of ‘Allow user to double post in a topic within [insert box where you put in the number] hours?’, no would be the obvious answer for members. As would 24 for the box. I’ve tried to be leniant by not doing what the rules say and closing the topic immediately, I’ve always figured you should let it slip once but I’m not so sure anymore. Seems we have two common types of people there: people who learn after having the rules enforced upon them and people who don’t. Apparantly people who learn when given a small, friendly warning bypass the forum.
And then there are the designers. Some (not all) sometimes take it upon themselves to have outbursts and point out the rules in a rude and uncalled for manner…and then say ‘fuck you, I’m not doing your design’ anyway. What the hell is with that? I’ve always enforced that people shouldn’t post unless they are going to do the graphics. This seems like not only backseat moderating but a complete violation against the rule of ‘if you’re not going to fill in the request DON’T POST’ which I think always technically existed but only recently was it made aware in the rules. Hmmm…perhaps it’s time such posts were punished, especially by repeat offenders. Another thing that bugs me is the way some new comers already have a swollen ego. I hate to break it to you buddy but the fact that you’re the graphics manager for the biggest IF graphics forum means zip on this forum {note: that is not aimed at any individual, anyone on the GR forum who just happens to be the Graphics Manager for the biggest IF graphics forum is pure coinkydink} and it’s time people learned that. I think the problem is that some people are used to being praised to the extent that if anyone dares to rub them up the wrong way, they’d have an entire forum turned on them. Sorry but fanclubs don’t exist on IFS (with exception to Seth’s and Lothy’s) and nor does your ability grant you the right to act like an arse. Some people just give the impression that their post is basically a complex way of saying ‘look - I can put filters and graphics and other neat stuff together so I’m a god’. 
Oh and something else that’s bugging me lately is the lack of knowledge shown with regards to copyright. What the hell? I’m sorry but nobody (designers and requesters) should be posting if they don’t understand what copyright is or how it is applied. If you don’t understand it, you can’t comment on it nor would you be aware when you are violating it - which some ignorant folk tend to do, usually the ones who jump into a topic and don’t bother about rules or checking where the images come from. It really annoys me that someone actually once said ‘I don’t care if it’s copyrighted, I’m not deleting my picture’. I don’t know why but I didn’t bother to punish that person. Really, in my mind, they should have been suspended for a few years…or banned. 1) They violated copyright laws, 2) they violated the TOS, 3) they broke the IFS rules and 4) they did all of this knowingly. What more ground would one need to stand on? Yet I didn’t…why Jay, why? Dumbass. 
I’m currently putting together a Copyright FAQ in the hopes of rectifying this problem…and hopefully getting people to spell it right. What’s with copywright? Is it the American spelling? I know something is copywritten but since when has copywright been a word? According to the dictionary it’s not.
Meh, none of this applies to everyone by the by, before people start thinking this is an insult to them. It’s a select few really, with exception to the graphic requesters in which case it seems to apply to most of the people who join simply for graphics.
Hmmmm anyway, methinks this has been a long enough rant. Wow, longer than normal that’s for sure! On a side note: I’m not bored anymore. 
