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Just like that? Rich is sure getting in the higher rank of mederation very quickly.
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I'm actually quite glad that someone other than me has picked up on this. And I'd like to add that he was never elected either.
Of all the forums I've ever been to, this one has been the most secretive (or least talkative, if you would prefer) of it's dictatorial attitude toward handing out positions of authority. People appear to be acting as though the fact that moderators used to be elected means that we're still in a democracy, even though we're clearly not. Perhaps because the majority don't consider that to be a problem.
When one is running a forum, one has to ask one's self, is it better to let the people choose who represents them, who keeps things the way they are preferred (because ultimately it's the people who make a forum what it is), or is it better to choose them yourself (knowing that the people might elect some total asswad, and it's your forum so you should get to choose how it's run)?
Much as I don't really have a problem with Rich, I don't think he's as suitable for modding as Alcar would have us believe. I'm somewhat neutrally unimpressed by him, if such a status exists - mainly because he had always struck me as someone who did a lot of behind the scenes talking. Even though he did later admit that he actually hates me and said things behind my back, which shows honesty (belated and contradictory as it is), he still let his personal feelings interfere with his judgement as a moderator prior to his admission that he hates me. Modship generally requires you to be emotionally detatched in order to preserve fairness.
Now, one could argue that forums like this are better off without people like me, so if I get scared/kicked off by the behaviour of one moderator, then that moderator has done the forum a service. But I'd bet any money that opinions will be divided on whether I should be here or not. And when referring to it as "the forum", just how many people does that represent? All the "right types"? The "intelligent ones"? By whos definition? Is it really right that this place turns into one person's definition of "cool"?
I can't remember why I was posting this, so I'm going to leave it there and go away.
My sincerest condolances to you all, here's wishing you a happy birthday from your dearest aunt.