Option to ignore moderators

[lettinggo]

Hola

It is a bit sensitive area I wander into, but I would like to know if it could be possible to ignore moderators please?

The reason behind this question is, that over the last 13 years I have been a member of this forum, there have occationally been members who, in my opinion, have dominated the forum with instant answers to every thread and, in my opinion, forced their views upon the forum in a way, that I not found positive for my experience of the foum.

Personally, I like to see a diversity of answers and in the cases where I have found a user dominating the foum, I have just clicked ignore that use, so my experience of the forum became less influenced by that user.

So. My question is to have this option available for moderators as well, so I can choose which answers I see in the threads.

My personal opinion is, that the forum mainly is for the members and the moderators assist the members in guiding them to use the forum.
If a moderator takes over the forum by dominating it, then I find that the forum is changing in a way that I don't think is good for the forum or its members.

If you read this and somwhow is provoced by it, please bear in mind, that the only thing I am asking about is, to be able to choose which answers I read and which I choose not to read.

With kindness,
Lettinggo

 

[Robo]

I'm very hesitant to respond to this too quickly!
But will be curious to see the answers.

 

[SabsP]

A very good and honest question from the OP.
I asked about this already and no we members can not ignore the moderators.

 

[Robo]

A very good and honest question from the OP.
I asked about this already and no we members can not ignore the moderators.

I take the OPs point.
Not specifically pointing at Moderators.

But some members almost 'live' on this Forum at times and 'jump in' at every opportunity to provide comments, perspectives, advice......... (looks in mirror)

I put it down to enthusiasm for the topic, but see how it could be viewed as being a bit dominating the conversation. Point taken. Though the OP may not see this comment.

 

[Flog]

If you read this and somwhow is provoced by it, please bear in mind, that the only thing I am asking about is, to be able to choose which answers I read and which I choose not to read.

I agree with the sentiments expressed in your post.

 

[chinacat]

I too have wondered why the ignore option is missing from moderators details.

 

[woody66]

Just a thought!
I listen to the posts in a thread; if i think no not for me i skip to the next post!
Some are great some not so great; i make that choice as i go!
We all offer our opinions freely but opinions differ all the time!
Even if you think that person has the wrong spirit to fit your criteria; their next nugget of info might be the answer your looking for!
Have you ever wondered why the same posters dominate!
It's probably because their the only ones interested enough tto take the time to reply

 

[peregrino_tom]

Interesting! I've never used the 'ignore' function myself (just too nosey). There are some people who dominate the discussions, and not necessarily for the general good.
I have often mused how different the forum would look - and whether it would be improved - if, those who have walked on the camino were allowed only two posts for each kilometre they've walked on the camino, and no more! Obviously just wistful thinking, but some days I really long for it..
EDIT OK, so I'd give someone another 50 posts for every day they've volunteered on the camino

But seriously, I'd be surprised if there wasn't a technical solution where moderators can post as a moderator separately from posting as a member of the forum?

 

[Robo]

I too have wondered why the ignore option is missing from moderators details.

I suppose they can't do their job, if they are ignored and not 'visible'.

It's a tough gig though isn't it?

 

[JabbaPapa]

I have often mused how different the forum would look - and whether it would be improved - if, those who have walked on the camino were allowed only two posts for each kilometre they've walked on the camino, and no more! Obviously just wistful thinking, but some days I really long for it..

So people seeking advice prior to a first Camino -- would be allowed zero posts ? Might be a bit counterproductive LOL

 

[chinacat]

So people seeking advice prior to a first Camino -- would be allowed zero posts ? Might be a bit counterproductive LOL

those who have walked on the camino

 

[Damien Reynolds]

Wait, you can ignore people? OMG how many of you are ignoring me? oh darn, they aren't seeing this. Is there a stat somewhere that says followed by / ignored by? I'd be totally interested in that... I tend to be somewhat of a contrarian though so I expect to be ignored on occasion. The only people I ignore on the camino is anyone walking backwards (I don't mean literally) and anyone using a cart without medical issues.

 

[Turga]

there have occationally been members who, in my opinion, have dominated the forum with instant answers to every thread and, in my opinion, forced their views upon the forum

True, but in my opinion the most prominent in that category have not been moderators. There have been a few (only a few) examples of a moderator closing a thread with a statement such as “This thread has gone off subject. My opinion of the matter is this and that, and now I will close this thread.” There you can talk about forcing a view on others.

the only thing I am asking about is, to be able to choose which answers I read and which I choose not to read.

Paradox: How can you choose that you don’t want to read some answer unless you have read it?

 

[JustOneGuy]

You cannot ignore moderators for obvious reasons: if they moderate you, or a thread you wrote in, you and everyone else need to know what happened and why, and act accordingly.

But I think you are hitting the dynamics of social groups here: there are people who find fulfilment in life by participating in every discussion, answering every question, etc. Just like at school, where there was always a top student in the class who would raise his hand to answer every question from the teacher and show how good and clever he/she was.

And who knows, maybe I'm doing exactly the same thing right now...

 

[ivar]

This comes like this as default setting when the forum software is installed. I guess one of the reasons would be that a moderator might need to get in touch with a user to communicate any issues this user might have with the forum rules. Imagine a user breaking rules, and one of us trying to get in touch to communicating this. If some/all of the mods are on the "ignore" list, this will not be possible.

I think you just need to suffer through this... remember being on the forum is not required by law.

 

[Marbe2]

I agree that occasionally, some threads may close prematurely, or a particular poster’s opinions or moderator tends to irritate me, for whatever reason. As far as “Ignoring” I simply bypass, scroll past, the poster in the thread itself.

One of my concerns is that some news posted, that appears to be honest information, and which might be helpful to pilgrims, but might impact the commercial aspect of the Camino negatively, seems to get closed quicker than other posts?

Finally, I think the moderators, in balance, do us a great service!

 

[SabsP]

I regularly ignore posters here. I am more than certain other posters ignore me. I consider it as a badge of honour for myself...

 

[JustOneGuy]

I should add that I do not ignore anyone in this forum because in my opinion it is very well moderated. I think that polemics, even the most subtle ones, should be nipped in the bud, even at the risk of damaging someone or a topic that was not polemical for us.

In other forums, however, I have silenced some forumists because they were particularly polemical. And I frequent forums to relax, learn, and discuss, not to argue or fall into endless bickering.

I prefer a moderation that is sometimes excessive, even toward me, to one that lets controversies go by that create a bad climate and attract controversial subjects.

 

[Pelegrin]

. I am more than certain other posters ignore me.

I don' t understand why. I appreciate very much the information given about Spain and the Camino on this forum. I am Spanish and I learnt a lot here. For example, I live in Madrid and now I now how to go from T4 to Atocha.

 

[chinacat]

I regularly ignore posters here. I am more than certain other posters ignore me. I consider it as a badge of honour for myself...

I only ‘liked’ your post so you’d know I wasn’t ‘ignoring’ you.

 

[SabsP]

I don' t understand why. I appreciate very much the information given about Spain and the Camino on this forum. I am Spanish and I learnt a lot here. For example, I live in Madrid and now I now how to go from T4 to Atocha.

You cannot like anyone. Like I said before : I see this forum like my local pub. When someone irritates me I find another corner with other punters.

 

[JustOneGuy]

I regularly ignore posters here. I am more than certain other posters ignore me. I consider it as a badge of honour for myself...

this is the perfect example for a lesson on Cognitive Bias.

Only people that do not ignore you (or me) can tell you that. All the others cannot. So, you will always have the impression that nobody ignore you, even if 99% of the people does.

In astronomy something similar happens, for example, with galaxies: only galaxies with a surface brightness above a certain limit can be observed, that makes our understanding of galaxies potentially highly biased.

Why I say so in a forum about the Camino de Santiago? I do not know... probably too much free time today

 

[Caomhin O Fearghaill]

Hola

It is a bit sensitive area I wander into, but I would like to know if it could be possible to ignore moderators please?

The reason behind this question is, that over the last 13 years I have been a member of this forum, there have occationally been members who, in my opinion, have dominated the forum with instant answers to every thread and, in my opinion, forced their views upon the forum in a way, that I not found positive for my experience of the foum.

Personally, I like to see a diversity of answers and in the cases where I have found a user dominating the foum, I have just clicked ignore that use, so my experience of the forum became less influenced by that user.

So. My question is to have this option available for moderators as well, so I can choose which answers I see in the threads.

My personal opinion is, that the forum mainly is for the members and the moderators assist the members in guiding them to use the forum.
If a moderator takes over the forum by dominating it, then I find that the forum is changing in a way that I don't think is good for the forum or its members.

If you read this and somwhow is provoced by it, please bear in mind, that the only thing I am asking about is, to be able to choose which answers I read and which I choose not to read.

With kindness,
Lettinggo

I think so, letting go is best...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I spend a lot of time on this forum as any "regular" poster would know. After finding it in early retirement, along with seeing "The Way", both were catalysts that inspired me to explore travel through the eyes of simply walking and find joy in it. I do not participate on any other forums or social media, so I suppose you could say I "ignore"(pun intended) those. Being on here keeps my Camino interests alive, and stimulates the planning of another. I enjoy getting to know the personalities of other members who post regularly. I have never chosen to ignore anyone and I was not aware, nor thought about the fact that moderators are exempt.

 

[Tom Conklin]

This thread is a marvelous example of a bunch of good people making a salient point while trying not to hurt anyone's feelings. Hopefully the salient point is not lost on everyone.

 

[Peterexpatkiwi]

Personally, I like to see a diversity of answers and in the cases where I have found a user dominating the foum, I have just clicked ignore that use, so my experience of the forum became less influenced by that user.

As somebody who has posted three times as many messages in two years as your good self in 13, I will hold up my hand and say 'guilty as charged'. But then I guess it's a moot point because you probably won't be reading this.....

And no, I'm not trying to denigrate your excellent question and the honesty inherent in it.

As @Robo points out some of us seem to practically live on the forum. Because of my current personal circumstances I most certainly do; I typically log in at least twice a day. There are several reasons for this, not least of which is my desire to pay forward the assistance that I myself have received from other forum members. Also, as Chrissy says,

Being on here keeps my Camino interests alive, and stimulates the planning of another

I too ignore a couple of forum members, but that has been more to do with their constant negativity or the (to me) unnecessarily rude answers they have consistently given, especially to newcomers. I had originally 'ignored' more, however I came to realize that the vast majority of the content posted by those individuals was far too valuable to ignore. I found myself in the situation below:

Paradox: How can you choose that you don’t want to read some answer unless you have read it?

I am here first and foremost to learn, I cannot do that if I ignore answers I dislike.

be able to choose which answers I read and which I choose not to read

You can of course theoretically just not read a response from any individual, moderator or not. I say theoretically because it requires significant self-discipline.
Ultimately I have found that rather than ignore people I prefer to simply scan their responses and move on.

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

Moderators please note: I am not jumping in on this topic.

 

[t2andreo]

A very good and honest question from the OP.
I asked about this already and no we members can not ignore the moderators.

A very good answer.

In my personal experience, having been both suspended and banned from the forum over the past 12 years I have been a member, I speak with some small degree of first-hand knowledge.

The moderators are there to keep all discussions within the guardrails of the Forum Rules. IMHO, you try to ignore or circumvent the moderators at your own risk. On occasion, something you may deem reasonable may be considered disruptive or divisive.

Over the years, I have learned, sometimes from the outside of the forum, that on balance, the moderator system works quite well.

I would not want a forum without a Sheriff (and deputies ) to keep everyone behaving in a civil manner.

Hope this helps the dialog.

Tom

 

[LTfit]

I've never felt the need to "ignore" anyone, why? It is just as easy to scroll on or ignore a thread.

I'm sure that I miss the majority of posts and threads as I've become selective over the years, that is normal I believe as my interest in certain topics has faded and there are many others to fill the gap

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

I'm not saying whether being able to ignore moderators should be done but this is how it could be done.

Create several new members with moderator privileges and with names that start with "mod_" and assign each to a different current moderator (and maybe prevent any non-moderator from using that prefix). Remove moderator privileges from the accounts of the people acting as moderators now so they get "demoted" to just members. Then these demoted members permanently log into the forum with their "mod_" accounts on a different browser. They browse as before but if moderation is needed they switch to their alternative browser where they are logged in with their moderator accounts.

 

[bullingtonce]

A very good and honest question from the OP.
I asked about this already and no we members can not ignore the moderators.

Concur; we cannot and should not ignore moderators. If this condition so exists and someone finds it undesirable or unacceptable they can leave the forum. There is a reason we have moderators. Are they perfect? No, and never will be but neither are the members of this forum. And I am sure that moderators, at times, would like the option of ignoring certain members! Welcome to life. Chuck

 

[truenorthpilgrm]

I read OP's post and immediately went to get popcorn, lol

 

[Gerard Griffin]

In my opinion the forum is over-moderated. We don't need to be protected from unpopular opinions, and I'd prefer free to controlled speech. I've observed that posts critical of hospitaleros, for example, tends to be banned, even when improvements might ensue, apparently on the grounds that humility is an attribute of the pilgrim. Perhaps, but so is honesty. Let truth and freedom prevail.

 

[truenorthpilgrm]

In my opinion the forum is over-moderated. We don't need to be protected from unpopular opinions, and I'd prefer free to controlled speech. I've observed that posts critical of hospitaleros, for example, tends to be banned, even when improvements might ensue, apparently on the grounds that humility is an attribute of the pilgrim. Perhaps, but so is honesty. Let truth and freedom prevail.

Actually, yes there are people who do need to be protected from people's "unpopular opinions". Free speech comes with accountability. And based on your comment alone, I'm very grateful for the excellent moderation on this forum.