Unrelated Rage · 6:22am Aug 31st, 2014
A blog that has nothing to do with ponies? What blasphemy is this?
Yeah, something is bugging me in another side of my net life, so I figured I'd rant about it here.
I'm a roleplayer on some other sites. A few proboard places, just screwing around and having fun. Nothing pony based, sorry. Besides being excellent for mastering characterization (getting into the head of a character) I just generally enjoy not having 100% control over a story. I can only control the actions of my own character, not those of everyone else. I find it a lot of fun, and a great aide for dynamic story telling. Normally, things go pretty well. I'm an old and respected member, so I get along pretty well with most everyone.
A while ago, back in 2008 (Jesus, that long ago?) I realized that the RP had some really... weak RPers, though we did have a few who showed a lot of promise. I decided that it would be a really cool idea to do a series of awards to recognize those that did well, and to try to encourage others to do better, as well as giving them people to look up to. Recognition for the strong, and a guide for the weak. It started off pretty simple, just the basics. 'Best Hero', 'Best Villain', 'Best Combat Prose', etc etc. As the years went on, I started adding more and more to it. 'Most Spirited', 'Rookie of the Year' (best new guy), 'OTP' (best romantic couple) and even tossing in some minor rewards to those that won. I still had to remind people to vote, sort through the joke votes or the junk ballots, try to resolve conflicting votes (Seriously, why do people vote for three different people in the same category? Do you not know how a ballot works?). After a while, it turned into a pretty big spectacle, going so far that people would be looking forward to it months in advance, since it was an annual thing.
And now, people started talking about it for this year. It starts in October, you see. So we have people talking in our little chat box, wondering about who will win and who the big contenders are this year. I make a comment saying that I look forward to setting it up, since people are really excited.
And then the head Admin (who, admittedly, I have butted heads with quite often in the past) chimes in. "Actually, I am going to run it this year."
Um... what?
So, keeping myself as professional as possible, I start IMing him saying that I would prefer to keep control of my own little project. Now, I was under the assumption that his issue was that when I gave out the little rewards I was a moderator, which is no longer the case, so I cannot do that. I had no issue with that, it would simply be for fun and recognition, as it always had. But no, his response was: 'I think everything associated with the site like this should be posted by a mod.'
Excuse me? I made this up by myself with no help from the moderators. At no time did he or any other moderator say 'Hey, let me help you with that' or 'Hey, we could do this'. At no time did he come to me and say 'Hey, I'd like to post that this year'. Granted, I would have refused him, but he didn't even ask, he just took because the admin account means he can.
Needless to say, this turned into an argument pretty dang quickly. A few of the moderators there said it was a petty argument, and I agree wholeheartedly. It is absolutely petty. I then realized that this site, more than any other, would understand my attachment to something I worked hard on improving and refining strictly for the enjoyment of others. All I got from doing it was the feeling of doing a good job.
I don't like having anyone else take things that I worked on for their own. Everyone on this site who wanted to do an unofficial sequel to a story of mine asked, every single time. This situation is the equivalent of someone not asking and writing a sequel to one of my stories. Sure it isn't against the rules of the site, but it is without a doubt rude and a huge insult. Would any of us be out of line for being upset about that?
So, I then decided and told one of the mods I am on better terms with that they could, to put it politely, kick rocks. I was going to do it anyway, and if the mods had a problem with it, they could act as they saw fit. He said I should choose my battles, and that this wasn't worth getting so upset over.
Frankly, if you can say that with this situation, I don't think you really understand what it means to be a writer. My words are all I have. I put work into making these little things fun and involved for people, and I'll be damned if I'll let you take what I built up because you have a fancy title under your account name.
Nothing in this world is worth sacrificing your own standards. I'd rather be banned for something dumb, than yield because I was afraid of the repercussions.
-Lumino
Hear, hear!! Show 'em what you're made of!!
YEEEEAAAH!!
...I concur wholeheartedly with the message of this blog post.
Start saying so in the chat box before making bannable posts. Then start mentioning it when people ask, and burn it to the ground.
Sounds similar to some experiences I've had, both as an active participant and an observer. In my cases, lines got crossed, bridges got burned, and groups broke apart or disbanded. I sometimes wonder if sticking to my guns was worth it because most members of those groups could only watch helplessly as communities they had frequented for years were torn apart.
Yours may not be the same, and I hope it won't escalate that far, but before you push it, ask whether it's worth the impact it may have on others.
I agree with you. "He" should learn to pick "his" battles. Its clear you're not going to drop it. Talking directly with him is no longer a viable option. "Winning" means putting your opponent on the wrong side of public opinion. You have to let the people on the site know whats going on and let the chips fall where they may.
Raise some hell!
2416551
I was honestly hoping to get a response like this. In truth, I doubt the community will fall apart. It has survived well without me in the past, when I was underwater in a giant soda can. I suppose what I am really doing here is calling a bluff. Are you really so determined to get your way that you are willing to turn this into a shit-storm to do it?
Because I am. I believe the historical term is 'Brinkmanship'. As long as my posting of the topic is happy, friendly, no veiled insults, and exactly as it was years in the past, that means that they have to strike against what is totally altruistic behavior. While the head admin is headstrong enough to cut off his nose to spite his face, the others aren't.
I suppose we'll see what happens. It's still about a month off, but it promises to be interesting, if nothing else.
-Lumino
Yikes, sorry you found yourself in that position. If you're willing to live with the worst case outcome (which I assume would be getting banned from the group), then I think you've got the right idea in making a firm stand. Good luck
Atta be! Take back what is rightfully yours!