To me this is the sign of an up-coming wave of totalitarianism unfortunately - clamping down on ideologies which don't fit in whatever is the leftist view around here. And I'm not afraid to say this publicly, it's a fact now, established by the actions. The fact that no understanding is possible on this issue, and a "let the dogs bark" attitude is adopted, is more proof of this.I hate to say this, but I will refrain from any further postings as a sign of protest on Empty's behalf. — Agustino

Can you start refraining again? Mr. self-restraint and self-control?

Can you start refraining again? Mr. self-restraint and self-control? — Benkei

What's the date of that post you quoted?

I have had 3 posts removed very recently. Two were direct responses to a member's own posts addressed to me, and the other was a joke in a different thread. May I know the reason for their removal? — Agustino

It's tricky when it comes to jokes. We could just delete all jokes for being distractions from serious discussion, but that would be a tad extreme, and it wouldn't be as fun around here. If it was just a one-liner or a brief remark made alongside serious comments then perhaps it wouldn't have been deleted. Either way, if you submit a comment that is entirely facetious with no serious content which adds to the discussion, and which risks derailing the discussion, then you should be prepared for it to be deleted and should not kick up a fuss if it is. Especially if it is particularly lengthy, vulgar or personal. Please try to understand it from our perspective.

Because it seems you don't want to answer, I'll tell you. It's 3 months ago. So yes, I have refrained for 3 months, and at the request of many members I decided to come back. Why don't you try refraining from posting snarky comments and trying to insinuate nonsense about me for HALF that time!

I'm sorry Agustino but your inability to read anything most people say charitably means I'm going to put you on ignore. Enjoy the forums without interacting with me. — Benkei

01/19/2017

Syphilus smiles when Agustino goes around as everyone's bitch... :( — Benkei

02/22/2017

Can't even keep your own word. And you're asking me about keeping mine? >:O

Either way, if you submit a comment that is entirely facetious with no serious content which adds to the discussion, and which risks derailing the discussion, then you should be prepared for it to be deleted and should not kick up a fuss if it is. Especially if it is particularly lengthy, vulgar or personal. Please try to understand it from our perspective. — Sapientia

Thanks for your answer Sapientia!

My joke did have multiple serious meanings (believe it or not :P ). And the meanings were that (1) someone can't understand something without experiencing it, and (2) what may look sensible and good from one perspective, doesn't look sensible and good from another - that was also the point of that Buddhist story I attached at the end.

I also don't think the joke was "vulgar" - there was no swearing involved, bad or aggressive language. Personally because of its exaggerated nature, I would have found it hilarious even if it was addressed to me. It was quite clear that it's a joke because it was exaggerated and contained information that I couldn't have known in the first place. It read almost like an advertisement against pornography and masturbation - I saw nothing terribly wrong with it, worth removing, but okay, I can appreciate if you don't want to see that kind of jokes - thanks for letting me know!

May I know the reason for their removal? — Agustino

Two I remember deleting. The continuation of the argument against Timeline was deleted for being off-topic and derailing. The joke in the pornography discussion was deleted for being gratuitously lengthy and inane. Don't expect a lengthy debate on every routine moderating decision by the way. Your constant attention seeking is boring. And I have better things to do.

Your constant attention seeking is boring. And I have better things to do. — Baden

Constant attention seeking? I don't remember being around much for the past 3 months.

The continuation of the argument against Timeline was deleted for being off-topic and derailing — Baden

Okay, so TimeLine at the moment has a comment in that thread spreading blatant LIES about me.

Actually, you are attempting to do nothing but beat me because you are a sexist and judging from your sociopathic PMs that imply a need for me to do what you tell me in order for me to 'have a chance' at becoming virtuous alongside your comments elsewhere that women who are submissive and passive are beautiful, the ONLY thing you have been doing is exemplifying this. — TimeLine

Can I address this? Cause it's quite off-topic to me, but it's in that thread. So if I can't address it there, where should I address it?

Also Noble Dust has asked me to explain my actions regarding my posts to TimeLine. It's off-topic, but he has asked me in that thread. Can I answer him, or is that derailing the thread?

Isn't the answer obvious? Send a PM. A short personal argument may be tolerated in a discussion but if it goes on too long, it's going to be cut off. I deleted Timeline's last response to you too. The difference being that she immediately understood why and didn't complain about it.

That makes little sense to me because they are saying things or asking things publicly. I need to respond publicly as well, otherwise why do they get to ask me off-topic questions publicly, but I'm expected to answer by PM?

A short personal argument may be tolerated in a discussion but if it goes on too long, it's going to be cut off. — Baden

I've now deleted Noble Dust's comments too by the way as they're also replies to your deleted comment.

I have had 3 posts removed very recently. — Agustino

They deleted a joke I made recently as well. No was rationale given. Perhaps it wasn't funny enough. It was made in a thread that no one will respond to anyway and whose author won't respond. Neither was it hateful, but no matter, it needed to be deleted, because god forbid there's humor or sarcasm on a philosophy forum.

Oh wait, scratch that, the mods can be humorous and sarcastic, but not anyone else. Emptyheady learned that the hard way, whose ban, by the way, was still an egregiously bad decision.

Your constant attention seeking is boring. And I have better things to do. — Baden

You have better things to do, and yet you take precious time out of your day to moderate his posts and respond to his threads. Amazing. Just ignore him or stop complaining. Or better yet: stop being a moderator if you really have better things to do. Go do those better things!

The man has 4.2k posts and who knows how many at the old forum. I certainly haven't read them all. I've ignored them, because I don't have the time to read them.

Please try to understand it from our perspective. — Sapientia

Perspective. Hmm. Here's a couple questions: who among the moderators leans to the right politically? Who among them is actively religious? Here's the list: Sapientia, Michael, Baden, StreetlightX, jamalrob, Hanover, unenlightened, and andrewk. I look at that list and couldn't answer either question in the affirmative with any certainty.

So might it be that Agustino's politics and religion, mixed with the somewhat abrasive posting style he employs, have something to do with your continued irritation with him? I'm not trying to peddle some persecution complex. I ask for as little moderation as humanly possible. There was a particularly nasty piece of work I ran into recently named JJJJS. Did I ask that his viscous posts toward me be deleted? No. Did I report him? No. I simply ignored him, the surest method of defeating a troll like him. I think the mods are way too thin skinned and willing to ban or delete first and ask questions later.

I suggest the solution to issues like this in future is simple @Agustino, stay on topic.

Personally I like to see conservatives on the forum, because left-liberals can be such a boring lot. I haven't looked into what happened in this case, but I haven't noticed Baden ever picking on right-wingers just for being right-wing, so I very much doubt anything like that was going on. Certainly some people are less tolerant of Agustino's abrasive style than others, and he can sometimes dominate a discussion to its detriment.

My own moderating focus is on maintaining quality, and I don't mind a bit of argy-bargy. Other mods are much quicker to pounce on flaming. We each make our own decisions, but in the end I think we all aim to justify them with reference to the posting guidelines.

I haven't noticed Baden ever picking on right-wingers just for being right-wing — jamalrob

Ironic hearing that coming from Thorongil, one of the site's major right wingers who I never even remember moderating. Although I think his comment was directled at the mod team in general. When was the last time you think you were moderated for being right wing @Thorongil?

I've now deleted Noble Dust's comments too by the way as they're also replies to your deleted comment. — Baden

Thank you.

Actually, you are attempting to do nothing but beat me because you are a sexist and judging from your sociopathic PMs that imply a need for me to do what you tell me in order for me to 'have a chance' at becoming virtuous alongside your comments elsewhere that women who are submissive and passive are beautiful, the ONLY thing you have been doing is exemplifying this. — TimeLine

Apparently I can't answer TimeLine, but she gets to slander me in public, no repercussions.

Ironic hearing that coming from Thorongil, one of the site's major right wingers who I never even remember moderating. — Baden

Right, make a note of it, and start doing it now. That's exactly what you did with me.

Apparently I can't answer TimeLine, but she gets to slander me in public, no repercussions. — Agustino

I deleted your last post directed at her and her last post directed at you. Seems fair to me.

Right, make a note of it, and start doing it now. That's exactly what you did with me. — Agustino

? Your posts had no political content. One started with:

LOOOOOOOL >:O >:O Playing the victim much?
... — Agustino

and the other with:

Sappy, first delete that 1GB of porn on your computer, close your subscription to NaughtyAmerica, and live without masturbation for 21 days, and then let's talk again... — Agustino

So, as amusing as your accusations are, all you need to really do is grow up and follow the posting guidelines.

(And note the irony of you accusing someone else of "Playing the victim much"!)

Syphilus smiles when Agustino goes around as everyone's bitch... :( — Benkei

As a reply to someone else when Sapientia or Wosret mentioned you were everyone's bitch - certainly not an interaction with you. I haven't interacted with you until today when I noticed you unfortunately came back and felt it deserved pointing out, since you pride your self on your restraint and control. Which obviously isn't all that.

You'll also note that I never laid claim to any type of exceptional restraint to begin with. So even if I had interacted with you before today it is irrelevant in relation to your own statements.

I haven't noticed Baden ever picking on right-wingers just for being right-wing, so I very much doubt anything like that was going on — jamalrob

Um, he banned Emptyheady for basically this very reason.

Although I think his comment was directled at the mod team in general — Baden

It was. I wasn't necessarily saying that the mods knowingly pick on right-wingers for being right-wing (apart from Empty), but that 1) their political views may influence some of their moderating subconsciously and 2) it is interesting to note the fact that all the mods appear to be irreligious lefties in one way or another. How did that happen?

all the mods appear to be irreligious lefties — Thorongil

@Hanover is an irreligious lefty?...Maybe there is hope for our relationship yet! (Y)

I happen to be left-handed and irreligious at the moment. Time to make me a mod?

it might very well be a cultural difference. Most mods are European.

Well, to answer your point, not all the mods are lefty. Most are irreligious I guess although I can't speak for all. But then that's hardly a surprise on a philosophy forum is it?

Well, to answer your point, not all the mods are lefty — Baden

Care to enlighten me?

Most are irreligious I guess although I can't speak for all. But then that's hardly a surprise on a philosophy forum is it? — Baden

I wouldn't know. Why wouldn't it be?

Because philosophers and those interested in philosophy such as you would find on a philosophy forum tend to be less religious than the general public. If you did a poll of the members on this forum, for example, I would expect most members to declare themselves lacking in religious conviction.

Perspective. Hmm. Here's a couple questions: who among the moderators leans to the right politically? Who among them is actively religious? Here's the list: Sapientia, Michael, Baden, StreetlightX, jamalrob, Hanover, unenlightened, and andrewk. I look at that list and couldn't answer either question in the affirmative with any certainty. — Thorongil

@Hanover is right-wing. Not sure about religious.

So, as amusing as your accusations are, all you need to really do is grow up and follow the posting guidelines. — Baden

Umm no, that one was actually a joke, and you're just misrepresenting it if you post a bit. Not gonna fool me with these tactics.

And yes - I do start my post with:

LOOOOOOOL >:O >:O Playing the victim much? — Agustino

When I'm replying to bullshit and lies like this:

Actually, you are attempting to do nothing but beat me because you are a sexist and judging from your sociopathic PMs that imply a need for me to do what you tell me in order for me to 'have a chance' at becoming virtuous alongside your comments elsewhere that women who are submissive and passive are beautiful, the ONLY thing you have been doing is exemplifying this.

You can play this game with everyone else. This is the final time I am going to ask you to do this, stop harrassing me. — TimeLine

What's wrong with that?

Hanover is an irreligious lefty?...Maybe there is hope for our relationship yet! (Y) — Baden

Ha Ha Ha! And when was Hanover made a mod? Exactly when I left. To be able to give a flimsy reason like this that no one actually believes. I think you'd be a good politician Baden. Not to mention that Hanover is an atheist (as are ALL the mods, by the way). On top of that, he says he is a conservative but apart from economics, he probably agrees very little with conservative policies. Does he agree with Russell Kirk for example? Highly doubt it!

But then that's hardly a surprise on a philosophy forum is it? — Baden

The moderators should be unbiased and should be capable to understand different perspectives. This means that ideally there should be 4 irreligious mods, and 4 religious mods. There should be DIVERSITY in the beliefs of the moderators. They should be as different as possible from each other. This ensures lack of bias and helps eliminate blindspots. You're telling me 8 atheists will decide what great philosophy of religion posts are?

Really the mods aren't supposed to be people who get along with each other because they share the same basic worldview. That creates an imbalance of power that manifests by shutting out certain views from the forums and banning certain innocent members, like Emptyheaded.

Ha Ha Ha! And when was Hanover made a mod? Exactly when I left. — Agustino

Around a month after, actually.

Ha Ha Ha! And when was Hanover made a mod? Exactly when I left. To be able to give a flimsy reason like this that no one actually believes. — Agustino

Well, we can't win then can we? If we don't bring on more mods with different perspectives, we lack diversity; if we do, it's just a ploy to trick people into thinking we want more diversity. Well, let us know when you finally figure out what you want. Cheers. (Y)

Why do we even have so many moderators in the first place? Apart from the two administrators, I see zero point in the other six moderators having their positions. Is there some kind of friend club y'all're in? Do I need to subscribe for a certain period of time? Do I need to be European? ..?

Why was Hanover given moderator powers? Has he even used them?