Where do we go from here?: Thoth Forum Poll

Which forum do you prefer?

  • Mystic Readings

    Votes: 5 14.7%
  • Tarot, Tea, & Me

    Votes: 9 26.5%
  • Tarotsphere

    Votes: 20 58.8%

  • Total voters
    34

Aeon418

Sure, there are days when it's a chore, and there are all kinds of unpleasant situations the can crop up here and again, but all in all it's really enjoyable, especially if you're in it for ideological reasons like I was, or how thorhammer seems to be.
The ideological reasons I can understand. However it's the self imposed gag and handcuffs that would chafe. My views on the Thoth Tarot and Thelema are passionate not impartial. By sitting in the Moderators seat you essentially give up the right to any opinions stronger than malted milk.
 

Always Wondering

This is a fair and salient point. Between them, Greg and Zeph brought astonishing order and civility to a fraught subject and those of us who remember what it was like before that....we know we don't want to go back there. It doesn't serve anyone.

I reiterate my willingness to act as mod in a new place. I hope the group chooses wisely. I can't see this group flourishing in an environment of overt new-agey-ness or cutesy phrasing.

ETA: my offer to mod isn't out of a desire for glory or even thanks - just necessity. There are probably a dozen people who'd be better than me and I'll rejoice if any of them wants the position.

I think you would make an excellent mod, Thorhammer. You have good people skills and you've studied the Thoth vigorously. :thumbsup:
 

Always Wondering

The ideological reasons I can understand. However it's the self imposed gag and handcuffs that would chafe. My views on the Thoth Tarot and Thelema are passionate not impartial. By sitting in the Moderators seat you essentially give up the right to any opinions stronger than malted milk.

You would not be at your best, I agree. It's your passion that lit up the rooms around here :WL

:laugh:
 

Zephyros

The ideological reasons I can understand. However it's the self imposed gag and handcuffs that would chafe. My views on the Thoth Tarot and Thelema are passionate not impartial. By sitting in the Moderators seat you essentially give up the right to any opinions stronger than malted milk.

I don't know about that, but maybe it has something to do with one's worldview. I never quite saw it like the way that you say, but it merely means that to a certain extent you feel that it would be advantageous not to try to "win" arguments, but I think that's good manners in any debate.
 

Aeon418

I don't know about that, but maybe it has something to do with one's worldview.
I've been a forum Mod before and played the part of impartial, neutral facilitator. My recollection is that I had to be constantly one step removed from any debate. My job was to make sure discussions didn't devolve into nastiness. On some occasions when I did voice an opinion it was perceived as favouritism. A Mod is always treading that fine line. A line that I personally don't feel suited for.
I never quite saw it like the way that you say, but it merely means that to a certain extent you feel that it would be advantageous not to try to "win" arguments, but I think that's good manners in any debate.
I'm not entirely sure where you're going with this. Winning implies a 'side'. A Mods job is an impartial facilitator. Unless you mean a kind of 'backseat driver' role, where the Mod steers the forum from behind the scenes.

The best 'win' I had as a Mod was being the target of an online curse. (Yeah! :rolleyes:) I'm still alive. :D
 

The Happy Squirrel

The owners at Cartomancy have already vetoed a specific Thoth subforum. Also for reasons undisclosed and forever mysterious Aeon418 objects to Cartomancy, and...well...I know it's not all about one person, but...

Really...? Oh what a bummer... :/
 

Snaut

So, now I am also registered at tarotsphere. Hope to see you all there.

Best,
snaut
 

foolMoon

my 2 cents again :)

I think best forum is where all members be civil and genuine and eager too learn and discuss without intervention of moderators. Moderators if they decided to have one, then their main task should be keep equipping with lots of info on the fields of the forum they are moderating, resource and knowledge, so should contribute in building rich and better forum where members come for seeking discussion, studies, research or plain chat, and in some cases, moderators should be able to offer help for them.

OK - if posts with grossly off topic (such as looking for used car title in Thoth forum etc) should be moved, deleted and dealt with, but these cases would be so rare, honestly who would actually do such a thing wasting their and others time?

And I agree with the comment the moderators impartiality is critically important for the forums public reputation. No one wants to come to forum, where mods are opinionated and have cliques, and treat other members different and keep intervening on threads branding it as off-topic just because he doesn't agree with the posts, or the contributing members in the thread are not one of his cliques.

I also feel that sub forum should be the place where any posts relating to the topic should be regarded all relevant posts including anti crowley, critical analytic posts, because in that way it could be genuinely be called as open forum, where people come and discuss openly, genuinely and sincerely, and learn about the subject, rather than place where only ones who worship and adulate particular isms, schools, individuals and authors are only welcome and seen as decent members. If that is the case, it immediately stops being a forum, but turns into a church, temple and mosque and all the members will turn into blind apostles.

my 2 cents again :)
 

Zephyros

Well, what's certain is that no one ever gets everything they want, and there were times in which I was accused of both over and under moderating, on the same day and about the same threads. It is all very well to say that what an ideal forum would look like in theory, but lets face it, few are the people who would actually step forward and say that they want to make their vision come to fruition. :)

As for off-topic subjects, we should remember that an average thread in this forum can go on endlessly, and one topic can always lead to another. A discussion about a card's image can lead to an analysis of the entirety of Jung's corpus, but at some point, someone has to make the call. There will always be some member who isn't happy about some decision, but a moderator should not strive to make everyone happy. That goes into the unpleasant side of moderating, but it's part of the job, can't be helped and is enjoyable in its own way with the right attitude.
 

foolMoon

It is not a wish list, but just suggestion :)

If a thread keeps going for so long, would it not mean that the topic is hot, controversial and interesting, if not informative? Forums with these long running threads, I used to rate as, are active and growing forums with bright future. Forums with only 2-3 posts, and getting quiet all the time with no new threads or posts are dying forums, I reckon.

And forums in the ancient Greek times, were open space where all the people interested in philosophy, religion, politics or divination used to gather and discuss the topics on warm sunny days, just like us doing these days - only difference was they didn't have internet and phones, and had to make personal appearance to the discussions.

I am sure in the middle of discussion, there would be times where posts / debates veering off to some sideline issues, but it is just natural and humane - often happens when the members get close to each other because they feel they found someone they can relate to or agree absolutely or just feel friendly to each other - can happen. If it is not too drastically crazy off topic stuff, I would just leave them alone, chances are they will pick themselves up, and return to the topic, I am sure.

I can see Moderator can be a difficult task, but at the same time it is an important job which must be managed properly with strict rules, set procedures, clear agendas and ethics, otherwise forums turn to just an ideological sanctuary with some handful of cliques adulating each other, and where moderators play a Kim Jong-Un.