10-02-2016, 06:58 PM
StarSock, I had intended to address this privately with you before your most recent post here but that's no longer possible. I'm going to be very blunt up front because this first point is the most important. You don't know nearly as much as you think you do and can't possibly make the kinds of judgement calls you're making without the full story. Nothing about this has been easy or misguided or a show of weakness or pandering but you couldn't possibly know that because you weren't present for any of the discussion involved. So, let's get this part straight now. This was my decision and it was made over the course of hours. I consulted nobody else in making it as I wanted to try to address a recurring problem in a new way. You call it naive but I'd argue that it would be more so to assume the same course of action that has failed time and time again would be the right path here.
So, here's what actually happened. When the latest alt was discovered, instead of immediately banning it like we've been doing for years, I PMed her. I asked what the point of the constant back and forth was and why she insisted on continuing to return when every time she leaves, it's with vitriol for the community. We went back and forth a few times and the gist of the conversation was that she hasn't really had a fair shot to return in a long time given that all of her returns were ill-advised alts and shit-posting when she didn't get her way. We've recently unbanned another long-time trouble maker as they had been banned for years and I'm a firm believer that time can improve people, especially when the trouble started when they were young and immature. With that in mind, Sengir and I had an actual conversation and I decided to try something new.
I merged every alt I could find into her main account, unbanned it, and basically said you're on a one-strike policy. I called it probation for lack of a better word but it's not something that's going to end and it was made clear that exceeding acceptable bounds ever would result in a more permanent ban. To be brutally honest (and Sengir, I'm sorry if this comes off as offensive but it's the truth), I wasn't expecting this to work either. But I figured when it blew up in my face, there would be no more excuses. A legitimate chance would have been given, wasted, and can be referred to in the future. And if that never happened? Awesome, my faith that time can change people would remain unshaken for the time being. And if it did happen, then so be it but at least I tried to deal with it in a different way than all the failures in the past.
So, you call this spineless and a lack of good judgement. I call it the next logical step when every step before it has failed. But that's not even the only issue here. You've spoken out a number of times against staff decisions and while you're fully within your rights to do so (and moreover, feedback really is a welcome thing), you've done so very disrespectfully this time. You're making assumptions based on preconceived notions that simply aren't right. Maybe this was a stupid move and maybe it wasn't but assuming that all permanent bans should be permanent forever is foolish. Nate is a wonderful example of that. He was banned and remained banned for a while but got his act together and I actually reached out to him to lift the ban. If we go on the assumption that bans should never ever be lifted for any reason, that doing so would be a cowardly act taken simply to pander to those who annoy us enough, where would that leave us? Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and sometimes they're wrong but we're all human and mistakes are going to happen.
So I guess what I'm saying here is basically to drop it. I appreciate that you disagree with this but calling the staff incompetent isn't productive, especially when I was the only one involved in making this happen. If this blows up, it's on me. And if it doesn't, then what's the harm? Is it so difficult to believe that a little understanding and another chance after years of instant bans might be all it takes to put this to rest for good? Because in my eyes, I'd prefer taking that chance than spending the rest of time banning alts and deleting posts.
So, here's what actually happened. When the latest alt was discovered, instead of immediately banning it like we've been doing for years, I PMed her. I asked what the point of the constant back and forth was and why she insisted on continuing to return when every time she leaves, it's with vitriol for the community. We went back and forth a few times and the gist of the conversation was that she hasn't really had a fair shot to return in a long time given that all of her returns were ill-advised alts and shit-posting when she didn't get her way. We've recently unbanned another long-time trouble maker as they had been banned for years and I'm a firm believer that time can improve people, especially when the trouble started when they were young and immature. With that in mind, Sengir and I had an actual conversation and I decided to try something new.
I merged every alt I could find into her main account, unbanned it, and basically said you're on a one-strike policy. I called it probation for lack of a better word but it's not something that's going to end and it was made clear that exceeding acceptable bounds ever would result in a more permanent ban. To be brutally honest (and Sengir, I'm sorry if this comes off as offensive but it's the truth), I wasn't expecting this to work either. But I figured when it blew up in my face, there would be no more excuses. A legitimate chance would have been given, wasted, and can be referred to in the future. And if that never happened? Awesome, my faith that time can change people would remain unshaken for the time being. And if it did happen, then so be it but at least I tried to deal with it in a different way than all the failures in the past.
So, you call this spineless and a lack of good judgement. I call it the next logical step when every step before it has failed. But that's not even the only issue here. You've spoken out a number of times against staff decisions and while you're fully within your rights to do so (and moreover, feedback really is a welcome thing), you've done so very disrespectfully this time. You're making assumptions based on preconceived notions that simply aren't right. Maybe this was a stupid move and maybe it wasn't but assuming that all permanent bans should be permanent forever is foolish. Nate is a wonderful example of that. He was banned and remained banned for a while but got his act together and I actually reached out to him to lift the ban. If we go on the assumption that bans should never ever be lifted for any reason, that doing so would be a cowardly act taken simply to pander to those who annoy us enough, where would that leave us? Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and sometimes they're wrong but we're all human and mistakes are going to happen.
So I guess what I'm saying here is basically to drop it. I appreciate that you disagree with this but calling the staff incompetent isn't productive, especially when I was the only one involved in making this happen. If this blows up, it's on me. And if it doesn't, then what's the harm? Is it so difficult to believe that a little understanding and another chance after years of instant bans might be all it takes to put this to rest for good? Because in my eyes, I'd prefer taking that chance than spending the rest of time banning alts and deleting posts.